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Nov
18th

Top 5 most memorable Formula 1 showdowns

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With Mercedes AMG teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg set to battle for the 2014 Formula world title in Abu Dhabi this weekend, we present our top 5 most memorable F1 showdowns.

James Hunt, McLaren 1976 (Photo: WRI2)
James Hunt, McLaren 1976 (Photo: WRI2)

5
1976 - Grand Prix of Japan
James Hunt (champion) vs Niki Lauda

The 1976 turned out to be one of the most dramatic, turbulent and intense F1 seasons. Only three points separated Ferrari's Niki Lauda and McLaren's James Hunt at the final race of the year at Fuji in Japan. Lauda, who had protested before the start of the very wet race, pulled out after one lap. Hunt led almost throughout, before he suffered a late puncture that forced him to pit and dropped him to fifth. It meant Lauda was still headed for the title. But two laps from the chequered flag, Hunt passed Alan Jones and Clay Regazzoni to secure third and beat Lauda to the crown by just one point.

4
1994 - Grand Prix of Australia
Michael Schumacher (champion) vs Damon Hill


Controversy, acrimony and recrimination swirled in 1994, even before one of the most infamous final rounds in F1 historyDuring the race, Michael Schumacher slid off track and thumped the wall in his Benetton. Damon Hill's Williams closed rapidly, and Schumacher chopped across Hill. The German was out immediately; his British rival limped back to the pits but, unable to continue, had to cede the title.

Nigel Mansell, Williams, 1986 (Photo: WRI2)
Nigel Mansell, Williams, 1986 (Photo: WRI2)

3
1986 - Grand Prix of Australia
Alain Prost (champion) vs Nigel Mansell vs Nelson Piquet

Williams' Nigel Mansell went into the Australian Grand Prix as the title favourite, needing just third place to guarantee him glory. Nigel was running third and seemingly cruising on lap 64, when a rear tire suddenly and violently blew, forcing the Briton into a retirement. Williams bought Nelson Piquet in for fresh rubber in reaction to Mansell's exit. Alain Prost therefore moved into a decisive lead, resisting Piquet's late charge to clinch his first world championship.

2
1997 - Grand Prix of Europe
Jacques Villeneuve (champion) vs Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher carried a one-point advantage over Jacques Villeneuve into the Jerez decider. Schumacher led the race but Villeneuve stayed in touch with the German. When the Canqadian tried to pass the Ferrari, Schumacher drove into him, and ended up in the gravel and in disgrace. Villeneuve survived the collision to finish third, enough to clinch the title.

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 2008 (Photo: WRI2)
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 2008 (Photo: WRI2)

1
2008 - Grand Prix of Brazil
Lewis Hamilton (champion) vs Felipe Massa


Ferrari's Felipe Massa headed into the 2008 Brazil finale knowing only first or second would give him a chance of the title. He did everything he could, qualifying on pole and leading all but seven laps en route to victory in front of a home crowd. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton had slipped up when rain had begun to fall, losing his grasp on an all-important fifth place. The title fight swings, however, just a few hundred metres from the chequered flag: Hamilton passed the slick-shod Toyota of Timo Glock to secure fifth, and with it a crucial four points.



Nov
18th

F1: Matt Borland named vice president of technology for Haas F1 Team

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From press release

Veteran motorsports engineer Matt Borland has been named vice president of technology for Haas F1 Team and Stewart-Haas Racing.

In this role, Borland will serve as a liaison between the two organizations - Haas F1 Team in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Haas F1 Team will make its Formula 1 debut in 2016, becoming the first American-led Formula One team in 30 years.

Borland will oversee the transfer of F1 technology to Stewart-Haas Racing while providing Haas F1 Team with deep engineering resources.

Concurrently, the highly respected Borland will serve as a gatekeeper, ensuring the privacy of proprietary information respective to each team.

Borland came to Haas CNC Racing with significant NASCAR experience, first with Team Penske from the end of the 1999 season through 2006 and then with Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007.

Prior to coming to NASCAR, Borland was the race engineer for driver Mark Blundell at PacWest Racing in Champ Car and before that, Borland was at Pi Research, a well-known engineering organization specializing in motorsports.

Borland joined Haas CNC Racing, the precursor to Stewart-Haas Racing, in May 2007. He has served in numerous capacities, including crew chief, competition director, technical director and, most recently, vice president of engineering, where he oversaw all of the team's technical initiatives and research and development projects.


Nov
18th

F1: Adrian Sutil may have breached Sauber contract

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From GMM

Adrian Sutil may have breached the terms of his Sauber contract in 2014, the Dutch publication Formule1 reports.

When the struggling Swiss team signed up paying drivers Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr for 2015, it appeared legal trouble could be ahead as Adrian Sutil already had a signed contract for next season.

But team boss Monisha Kaltenborn, who is a lawyer, insisted: "I am very clearly aware of my situation and I know what I'm doing. It is a clear situation."

F1 Adrian Sutil Sauber C33-Ferrari
Adrian Sutil, Sauber C33-Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

Formule1 cites sources in reporting that German Sutil did not comply with contractual clauses in 2014 that he would seek and deliver sponsors to Sauber.

It was also believed that Dutchman Giedo Van der Garde had already penned a deal to race for Sauber in 2015, but Formule1 says he also failed to deliver on certain promises.

Not only that, Kaltenborn - referring at the time to the sport generally - reportedly said in Austin early this month that "contracts in F1 are worth nothing".

In light of the Sutil controversy, Formule1 insists Kaltenborn subsequently clarified that she did not mean the remark.


Nov
18th

F1: Small teams want new talks at Abu Dhabi finale

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From GMM

Disgruntled small teams Sahara Force India, Lotus and Sauber have written a letter to express alarm that F1 appears headed in the direction of 'Super GP2'.

After backmarkers Caterham and Marussia entered administration, and the grid threatened to dwindle yet further amid financial pressures, it became clear that one plan to boost numbers in future is three-car teams.

But with the next smallest teams requesting more of the sport's commercial income and even threatening boycott, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone suddenly axed talks in Brazil and said the solution is simply for the teams to spend less.

"After our meeting in Brazil," a new letter from the three teams to Ecclestone reads, "we clearly see the direction of formula one towards customer cars/Super GP2."

'Super GP2' is reportedly a plan for small teams to abandon being constructors and instead run single-make chassis that count only towards a separate, lower-tier championship.

"It is equally clear that the Strategy Group has no intention at all to reduce cost," added the letter, written by Sahara Force India's deputy boss Bob Fernley.

F1 Bob Fernley Vijay Mallya Sahara Force India Monisha Kaltenborn Sauber
Bob Fernley, Vijay Mallya (Sahara Force India) and Monisha Kaltenborn (Sauber). (Photo: WRi2)

The three teams are now requesting urgent new talks at the Abu Dhabi season finale this weekend, where a boycott threat if made would have enormous impact given the championship showdown between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

The letter was also sent to the FIA, F1's owner CVC, and the other teams.

It referred to a "questionable cartel" headed by Ecclestone and the biggest and most powerful teams in the sport, who control "both the governance of formula one and, apparently, the distribution of funds".

The 'cartel' claim indicates the next step that could be taken by the three teams, who it is believed question even the legality of the strategy group and the distribution of funds under European competition law.

Asked if potential legal action is on the cards, Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn - a lawyer by trade - said in Brazil a week ago: "Being a lawyer, you have to be careful with these assessments off the top of your head.

"It all sounds very easy and logical, but you really have to look at the detail," she told Britain's Sky. "What is the criteria, does it apply to us or not?

"But I don't think we should be going to that stage. We are all sensible people in here (the paddock), we all know that whatever (money) we generate here is through all of us -- I'm very sure four teams could not generate this much income."


Nov
17th

Toyota sees fuel-cell car gaining traction in small steps

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Toyota said it plans to sell close to 200 of its Mirai -- it means 'future' in Japanese -- fuel-cell sedans when it goes on sale in California in late 2015, and 3,000 units by the end of 2017 as it expands marketing to cover the...
Nov
17th

Toyota sees fuel cell car, priced at $57,500, gaining traction in small steps

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Toyota said it plans to sell close to 200 of its Mirai -- it means 'future' in Japanese -- fuel-cell sedans when it goes on sale in California in late 2015, and 3,000 units by the end of 2017 as it expands marketing to cover the...
Nov
17th

Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango output goes grayscale for a few months

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Plans to upgrade a paint shop at a Chrysler Group factory in Detroit will leave the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango colorblind for a couple months.
Nov
17th

Harold Coker, founder of antique tire maker Coker Tire, dies at 84

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Harold Coker, founder of Coker Tire in Chattanooga, which produces tires for antique vehicles, died Sunday. He was 84.
Nov
17th

Takata quality assurance executive added to Senate hearing list

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A senior Takata quality assurance executive has been added to the list of witnesses to testify during Thursday's Senate committee hearing on the Takata airbag recalls.
Nov
17th

Chrysler regulatory boss Kunselman added to Senate hearing list

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Chrysler's safety and regulatory compliance boss plus executives from Honda, Takata and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's top executive are among the witnesses expected to testify during a Senate committee hearing Thursday on the...
Nov
17th

American Axle hires former Mich. car czar Francis

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Nigel Francis, former car czar for the state of Michigan, has been appointed as vice president of corporate planning for American Axle and Manufacturing in Detroit.
Nov
17th

Takata airbag death linked by lawsuit to delay in Honda alert

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Honda's U.S.
Nov
17th

GM’s bankruptcy judge to retire, remain on recall status

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The New York bankruptcy judge overseeing part of the fallout from General Motors' problems with faulty ignition switches will retire from the bench, but remain active in so-called recall status for at least a year, his court announced.
Nov
17th

NADA sees 2015 U.S. sales nearing 17 million vehicles

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Continued economic improvement, low interest rates and cheap gasoline will help new-vehicle sales rise more than 3 percent to nearly 17 million units next year, the most since 2005, according to forecasts from the National Automobile Dealers...
Nov
17th

CHINA: Faurecia looks to SUV and Sedan growth

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Faurecia says predicted growth in China's SUV and Sedan markets will be significant as it looks to capitalise on improved performance in both segments.
Nov
17th

Honda FCV hydrogen concept unveiled ahead of 2016 production

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Honda FCV Concept front side
News 17 Nov, 2014

Honda has unveiled its successor to the FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car ahead of its release in 2016

Nov
17th

Honda FCV hydrogen concept unveiled ahead of 2016 production

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Nov
17th

THAILAND: Thai Deestone opens new tyre plant

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Thai replacement tyre manufacturer Deestone Ltd opened its fifth tyre plant this month, in Kamphaeng Saen in Thailand's Nakhon Pathom province, in response to rising demand for tyres in its home market and abroad.
Nov
17th

VEHICLE ANALYSIS: MY2015 Volvo V60 Polestar

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Yes, it's thirsty but the straight-six under the bonnet of the new V60 Polestar is Volvo's best sounding engine yet. Even better than the sadly short-lived V8. Such a shame then that the biturbo 3.0-litre is also for the axe. No chance of a reprieve, Volvo?
Nov
17th

This is the car interior of the future, according to Mercedes

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Mercedes autonomous interior sketch
News 17 Nov, 2014

Mercedes' innovative interior concept for a driverless luxury car shows how different the future could be

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