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Williams Formula 1 team announced Monday an updated Race Operations structure to further bolster the engineering department ahead of the 2015 FIA F1 season.

Andrew Murdoch, previously Race Engineer to Felipe Massa, has been promoted to Senior Performance Engineer.

Murdoch will lead the Performance Group at the factory, developing new techniques and processes within the engineering team to ensure continual performance improvements are brought to both cars throughout the season. He will also remain part of the trackside team with a focus on Valtteri Bottas' car on event.

Photo: Williams Martini Racing

The team is further strengthened by the appointment of Dave Robson, who has joined to take on the role of Race Engineer to Massa and will work under Head of Vehicle Performance Rob Smedley. Robson joins from McLaren, where he had been working with Jenson Button since 2010, most recently as his Race Engineer. Jonathan Eddolls continues as Race Engineer to Bottas.

As part of this process, veteran Carl Gaden has been promoted to Senior Car Systems Engineer.

Gaden joined Williams in 1988 and has spent the last 22 years as Chief Mechanic on the Race Team. With his vast hands-on experience working across the cars, he will now increase the capabilities of the team within this area focusing on ensuring systems continue to be reliable.

Mark Pattinson, previously Number 1 Mechanic to Massa, will step up to take on the role of Chief Mechanic.

From GMM

At least two top teams will enter the 2015 season with fundamentally different colour schemes, it has emerged.

Spain's El Mundo Deportivo reports that new reigning champions Mercedes intend to switch from silver to a striking mirror-like chrome paint-job this year.

The report said the special chrome paint for the 2015 livery is called 'Kromo', and will also be supplied to wheel supplier OZ for the title-defending W06 raced by world champion Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

The same Spanish sports newspaper reports that with Mercedes stepping up its iconic silver look, Woking based McLaren is tipped for a complete livery U-turn in 2015.

McLaren turned silver in 1997, at the height of its works collaboration with Mercedes, but now the famous British team is kicking off its new era with Honda.

Mercedes W05 vs McLaren MP4-29-Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

El Mundo Deportivo reported: "Honda does not want (McLaren) to continue with silver because it is a colour immediately associated with Mercedes and the 'Silver Arrows'.

"There are rumours the (2015) car could be orange, McLaren's traditional colour, for testing. But it could also be white, in a double-tribute: to Honda and also because McLaren's first F1 car was that colour" in 1966.

"The final choice could depend largely on whether McLaren has a major sponsor in 2015 or not," the report added.

From GMM

Sahara Force India has set a firm date for the launch of its 2015 car, the Mercedes-powered VJM08.

After finishing the 2014 season a career-high sixth in the constructors' championship, the Silverstone based team renewed with its major backer America Movil.

It means the Sergio Perez-linked Telmex, Telcel and Claro branding will also appear on the 2015 car, just as they also will at Ferrari, where Mexican Esteban Gutierrez has become the fabled Maranello team's new reserve driver.

Sahara Force India will reportedly herald its continuing Mexican link by launching the new car at the Soumaya museum in Mexico City on January 21.

"I wish to thank Telmex, Telcel and Claro for their support in making this event possible," said team boss Vijay Mallya.

Sahara Force India, VJM07-Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

Veteran Verizon IndyCar Series' driver Marco Andretti will make his FIA Formula E Championship debut on Jan. 10 in Argentina in the No. 28 Andretti Autosport-prepared car.

Formula E is the FIA spec series for electric single-seaters.

“Having never been in the car, it's a bit of an unfamiliar situation for me but the team's pace looks solid enough for a great result," said Andretti, whose last seat time in a race car was the Verizon IndyCar Series 2014 season finale in August at Auto Club Speedway. "I like unknown situations; I'm up for the task.”

The third-generation racer will be the only American competing on the 12-turn circuit at Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires.

Former Toro Rosso F1 driver Jean-Eric Vergne will pilot the No. 27 car for the team, which is fifth in the championship standings through three rounds.

Marco Andretti replaces Franck Montagny at Andretti Autosport after the French racing driver was suspended from competition after testing positive for cocaine use.

From GMM

As ever in formula one, the future is always just around the next bend.

On Tuesday, at Bernie Ecclestone's behest, representatives of the four engine manufacturers - Mercedes, Renault, Ferrari and newcomer Honda - will get together in Geneva.

The F1 supremo wants them to talk about a new beginning for F1 in 2016, having briefed them to consider a new, more powerful, cheaper and louder engine formula.

According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, Ecclestone also wants more aggressive-looking cars that are more difficult to drive and exciting to watch.

But Niki Lauda, team chairman at new world champions Mercedes, urges against haste.

"Something sensible can really only be done if we give ourselves until 2017," he argues.

"And Honda would not have built this new engine for one season only. You need some stability, otherwise everything is insanely expensive," Niki Lauda added.

Before 2016 dawns, however, the 2015 world championship will be run and won, and at present it is not even clear how many cars will be on the grid.

Marussia and Caterham, for instance, are under administration, and Caterham is not committing even to the opening test at Jerez in 27 days time.

"Talks with interested parties continue," joint administrator Henry Shinners told the BBC on Monday, "but if a buyer is not found before the test, we will not put up the money to go."

From press release

A record 95-car on the grid for this week's tenth anniversary edition Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai, January 8-10.

Within a decade, the Hankook 24H DUBAI is not only acknowledged as the first major endurance race of the new calendar year for GTs, touring cars and 24H Specials, but has also become firmly established as one of the classic 24-hour races.

The tenth anniversary edition marks the start of a new era as the 2015 Hankook 24H DUBAI also serves as the season opener of the 2015 24H SERIES powered by Hankook, with full FIA International Series status for the first time. A record 95 cars with over 400 drivers will be on the grid for this week's race.

The main contenders for overall honours are most likely to come from the A6 class, the playing field for GT3 cars. Here, last year's Dubai race winners, Stadler Motorsport, are aiming at repeating their success, but the Swiss Porsche team will be facing strong opposition, among others from Abu Dhabi Racing Black Falcon, that won the Dubai race in 2012 and 2013 with its Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3.

In total, there will be twelve Mercedes-Benz gullwing race cars on the grid. AMG Customer Sports pool drivers Thomas Jäger, Bernd Schneider and Lance David Arnold will be racing, just like Jeroen Bleekemolen, the most successful driver in history of the Dubai race.

Other classes
The SP2 class includes MARC Focus V8 and GC Automobile silhouette cars, a Maserati Gran Turismo and an Audi R8. The SP3 class is dominated by GT4 cars, including six Ginetta G50s.

The CUP1 class for BMW M235i Cup cars will be competing in Dubai for the first time with an expected total of six cars. BMW is also the preferred brand in the A5 touring car class with five entries.

The A3T class includes SEAT Leon Supercopa cars plus a Volkswagen and a BMW while the A2 class has a variety of touring cars with Honda, MINI, Peugeot, Renault, SEAT, Toyota and Volkswagen each represented by one or more teams.

GM will introduce a service this year that gives OnStar subscribers feedback on their driving habits, potentially allowing responsible drivers to qualify for discounted insurance.

France's floundering economy pushed car sales 7 percent lower in December, while Spanish sales jumped by 21 percent, helped by a subsidy scheme. Sales rose 2 percent in Italy.

France's floundering economy pushed car sales 7 percent lower in December, while Spanish sales jumped by 21 percent, helped by a subsidy scheme. Sales rose 2 percent in Italy.

The 707-hp Hellcat-powered Challenger and Charger had auto reviewers scrambling to outdo each other last year in their lusty appreciation of what one website called Dodge's "rolling middle finger to common sense."

Car designers and actors have at least one thing in common: The lead roles tend to become harder to land with age.

The very young Toro Rosso driver wants to score points for his first season in Formula 1.

On his end, Franz Tost, Toro Rosso team boss, tips Max Verstappen to promptly get on the scoreboard.

"Scoring points is a realistic goal for me," Max Verstappen told De Telegraaf.

"With finishes between eighth and 10th, I will basically be doing a good job. For anything higher than sixth, you need luck. Of course it can happen with rain, crashes and dropouts, but you cannot expect us to battle with Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Williams - they are all teams with much bigger budgets."

"Fortunately, the first wind tunnel results of our new car are good," he added in the Dutch newspaper.

Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso. (Photo: WRi2)

Jos Verstappen's son is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

"Occasionally I hear or read things as if miracles are expected. But I'm a driver, not a magician. Wins or podiums are out of the question next season," to conclude Max Verstappen.

From press release

The countdown has reached zero and 406 vehicles have been cleared to compete in the 37th running of the Dakar following Friday afternoon's final technical scrutineering. Of the 406 that will take the start this Sunday, in Buenos Aires, there will be 161 motorcycles, 137 cars, 45 ATV Quads, and 63 Active Roadside Assistance Trucks. For the fourth time in their career, Canadians David Bensadoun and Patrick Beaulé of the ALDO Dakar Racing Team, will cross three South American countries in 14 days battling for top honours against private entries registered in their car class.

Their ALDO Toyota Tacoma Overdrive #380 will cover 9,111 kilometres during the world toughest rally raid, of which 4,578 km will be special stages designed to separate contenders from the "also ran".

Patrick Beaulé and David Bensadoun ready for the Dakar. (Photo: ALDO Racing)

"The team is in great spirits - the atmosphere in our pits is just great. We really do have a dream team this year," said David Bensadoun. "Both support trucks are ready, and our Toyota Tacoma Overdrive rally vehicle is almost there. We had a last minute issue with the hydraulic system, which operates the automatic car jacks, and the crew fixed it. The engineers from Overdrive Racing delivered a wonderful New Year's present: a new 37 mm restrictor, 1 mm more than last year and part of the new rules, which are designed to equalize the field with the diesel-powered cars. It doesn't sound like a lot but if you remember geometry, 36 mm x 3.14 = 113 sq mm and 37 mm x 3.14 = 116.5 which is a 2.6% difference and worth 10 horsepower. For gear heads like us 10 hp is a lot! So we are good to go on Sunday."

"The Toyota is ready and so are we," said co-driver Patrick Beaulé, who has spent his nights in the ALDO Racing camper truck. "The new air conditioning works wonders, and this will make all the difference in the world during the hot nights in the bivouacs. I have been sleeping in the paddocks since my arrival here in order to keep a watchful eye on our equipment. Some of our fellow-competitors have had their vehicles parked in the bivouac, visited by thieves. The economy is at a real low here." 

On Saturday at the Technopolis Centre located in the Bicentennial Park in Buenos Aires, drivers and teams were introduced to an estimated crowd of 1 million fans.

From GMM

Toto Wolff has singled out Williams as the most dangerous opponent for title defenders Mercedes in 2015.

Mercedes utterly dominated the first year of the new turbo V6 era last season, with 2010-2013 world champions Red Bull in second place.

But it was Mercedes-powered Williams that ended the season as arguably the works team's closest challenger.

Asked by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport to name the "most dangerous opponent" for Mercedes in 2015, team boss Wolff answered: "I would put Williams at the top of the list.

"But I also fear Red Bull; they won four titles in a row and will put every resource into fighting for the world championship again," he added.

Williams FW36-Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

Next best in 2014 was the beleaguered F1 giant Ferrari, but Wolff refuses to write off the Maranello team despite the current slump and turmoil.

"I think it's normal that when there are changes of this type, there may be difficult times," he said.

Toto Wolff also said Sebastian Vettel's move to Ferrari must be taken seriously.

"Sebastian brings four world titles, enthusiasm and experience," he said. "It will be an incentive for the people of the incredible Ferrari.

"Never write them off. Ferrari is an icon and it's important that soon they are able to win again. I am convinced they will return to being competitive, and perhaps as early as 2015."

Toto Wolff also told La Gazzetta that Fernando Alonso is a threat at the wheel of any car, even though McLaren's early tests with the new Honda engine were not successful.

"The problems they (Honda) had were not associated with the engine, but the electronics. Difficulties of that type are unavoidable in the first tests -- we've all been through it," he said.

Pirelli boss Paul Hembery expects improvements in pace this season.

Since its arrival as a tire supplier in 2011, Pirelli has been asked to deliver races with two or three pitstops to increase the show.

After a controversial 2013 season, Pirelli was more conservative in 2014 to allow the teams to focus on the new power units and less on tires strategies. However Paul Hembery warns the situation will be different for the coming season.

"2012 was probably the most exciting with all the different winners - seven or eight winners - that was fascinating," Paul Hembery told Crash.net.

"This year, we did come in to a year of a little bit of unknown technology. We had a reasonable idea of what to expect but there's no substitute really for actually seeing what it translates to in track performance."

Pirelli engineer at work. (Photo: WRi2)

"If anything, probably next year if we took the same choices everywhere what was maybe conservative this year we feel might start becoming aggressive because the pace evolution for next year is going to be pretty dramatic. We've seen big improvements already towards the end of this season and that's without them really being able to get anywhere near the powertrain in the way they'd like to.

"So we expect quite a big jump again in performance next season. If you're talking a second or even up to two seconds a lap speed improvement that dramatically changes the way the tyres are used. So we have to be wary of that and follow that, but overall this year we feel we got the balance about right considering such a big change and the forefront technology this year was quite rightly the new hybrid powertrains which is a fascinating technology," added Pirelli motorsport director.

From WRC

The 2015 season will start in a few days and that promises to be an absolute belter.

Timing revolution on WRC with the split times no more available in the cars during the stage sessions.

In recent years, thanks to improvements in mobile data and timing systems, WRC drivers have been able to monitor their rivals' speed during a live stage via a stream of data messages sent from their team. By receiving splits, which were taken from the official timing system, drivers could speed up or ease off if necessary - modifying their strategy on the go.

It was a handy tool, and far superior to the old system that involved team personnel lurking on the roadside with stopwatches and pit boards. But from 2015 the drivers will have to do without it.

Photo: WRC

At its meeting in December, the FIA World Motor Sport Council decided that ‘from 2015, the transmission of performance data or information to or from a competing car, not in relation with safety, is forbidden during special stages to help promote greater competition.'



So, although the live split times will continue to be available to teams the drivers will have to rely on their intuition alone to judge their speed. And that's going to make the familiar Sunday driver quote “I'm just keeping an eye on the pace of the guy behind” a thing of the past.

And that's great news.

Protecting the secrets of industry rivals while simultaneously working with them to outshine one another can be a peculiar position.

Bernhard Maier, Porsche's global sales and marketing boss, commutes daily to company headquarters near Stuttgart using a Porsche Cayenne plug-in hybrid or a Panamera with a low-carbon dioxide powertrain.

With its dream of self-driving shuttles for public use, Google is diverging more sharply than ever before from automakers, which intend to gradually roll out autonomous-driving features in personal cars while keeping the driver in control.

From GMM

Lotus may be in no danger of dropping out of formula one.

On an updated official entry list for the 2015 season, the Enstone team was listed recently with a "subject to confirmation" asterisk alongside its name.

It sparked fears Lotus, whose Gerard Lopez led the angry complaints of midfield teams including Force India and Sauber late last season, could be the next to join Marussia and Caterham in serious difficulty.

But Italy's Omnicorse reports that those fears appear misguided, as the British-based team is busily "completing the construction of the first E23 chassis for next year".

"So what does the FIA's asterisk refer to? The answer is quite simple. Lotus has made a request to be able to make a change to its name," the report said.

Omnicorse referred to rumours that Lopez might be looking to exit F1 in the event he can recoup the investment of his company Genii Capital.

The report added: "But what is more likely is that the name change would only be the adding of a sponsor like PDVSA or Total, who are the main financiers of the two drivers Pastor Maldonado and Romain Grosjean (respectively)."