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Toyota sidestepped stagnating sales to post double-digit profit increases in the July-September quarter, thanks to advantageous exchange rates and big cost cuts. Net income jumped 23 percent to 539 billion yen ($4.93 billion).

Toyota sidestepped stagnating sales to post double-digit profit increases in the July-September quarter, thanks to advantageous exchange rates and big cost cuts. Net income jumped 23 percent to 539 billion yen ($4.93 billion),

Toyota sidestepped stagnating sales to post double-digit profit increases in the July-September quarter, thanks to advantageous exchange rates and big cost cuts. Net income jumped 23 percent to 539 billion yen ($4.93 billion).

Lexus Europe is positioning itself as a green, technology-driven alternative to Germany's premium automakers. The brand's Europe head, Alain Uyttenhoven, explained the Toyota subsidiary's strategy for the region to Automotive News Europe.

Lexus Europe is positioning itself as a green, technology-driven alternative to Germany's premium automakers. Lexus Europe head, Alain Uyttenhoven, explained the strategy.

Continental said it may end a battery cell joint venture with South Korean partner SK Innovation because of slower-than-expected growth in demand for electric cars.

Brazil's love affair with Formula 1 enters its fifth decade in 2014, and it shows no sign of waning. The Brazilian GP, penultimate race of the 2014 F1 season, will take place this weekend.

Interlagos is one of the shortest on the F1 calendar. Physically, its anti-clockwise direction and long final corner takes its toll on the drivers' necks.

Races at Interlagos are rarely dull, due to the circuit offering a number of overtaking opportunities, including the famous Senna ‘S' at the end of the pit straight, and there's always the chance of rain to mix things up.

Here is the timetable* of this weekend's race:

Friday November 7
Formula 1 Practice 1 10h00 - 11h30
Porsche Cup Practice Session 12h00 - 12h35
Formula 1 Practice 2 14h00 - 15h30
Porsche Challenge Practice Session 15h55 - 16h30
Formula 1 Press Conference - Press Room 16h00 - 17h00

Saturday November 8
Formula 1 Team Pit Stop Practice 09h45 - 10h15
Formula 1 Practice 3 11h00 - 12h00
Formula 1 Qualifying 14h00
Porsche Cup Qualifying Session 15h30 - 16h05
Porsche Challenge Qualifying Session 16h35 - 17h10

Sunday November 9
Promoter Activity Track Vehicles Display 09h00 - 09h10
Porsche Challenge Race (16 Laps or 30 Minutes) 09h15 - 09h50
Porsche Cup Race (16 Laps or 30 Minutes) 10h15 - 10h50
Formula 1 Drivers Track Parade 12h30
Formula 1 Starting Grid Presentation 12h45 - 13h15
Formula 1 National Anthem 13h46
Formula 1 Start of race 14h00

*Subject to changes

From GMM

The pressure on Kimi Raikkonen to up his game is of the "positive" variety, Ferrari team boss Marco Mattiacci insists.

It is a near-certainty that disgruntled Fernando Alonso is leaving the Maranello team, but also with a solid 2015 contract is his Finnish teammate.

Any speculation Raikkonen might also depart Ferrari, however, has been mild at best, even though Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport is questioning whether the 2007 world champion should be kept in red.

That is because he has had a horror return to Ferrari this year, scoring fewer than 1 point in every 4 towards the team's total tally as Alonso utterly dominated.

Raikkonen has openly admitted he has struggled with the F14 T car, and in Austin went as far as to say he "hates" the situation.

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F14 T. (Photo: WRi2)

Felipe Massa, who until last year was Alonso's Ferrari teammate, suggested recently that Raikkonen is obviously struggling mentally alongside the Spaniard.

"Maybe I am going mad," Raikkonen sarcastically hit back in Austin. "Losing my mind. He can say what he wants, but I know the true story."

But that doesn't mean he knows the solution. So with the quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel coming on board for 2015, intense pressure might now be building on Raikkonen's shoulders to quickly improve.

"Positive pressure," insisted boss Mattiacci, according to the Spanish daily Marca.

"It is important when you have pressure to always approach it positively.

"We know we have a problem and we have to keep working on it," he added.

Canadian race car driver Nicholas Latifi set the fastest time in the fifth days of the Formula Renault 3.5 collective test at Alcaniz, Spain.

After driving one day for Lotus, Latifi was back with Arden for a second outing. He set a time of 1m40.479 to take first place ahead of Oliver Rowland (Fortec). Rowland is expected to drive again in the series next year.

Andrea Pizzitola set the third fastest time for Lotus.

Dutch lady Beitske Visser set the 7th fastest time as she's getting prepared for her second season in Formula Renault 3.5.

McLaren team protégé Nick De Vries - the new Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup champion - emerged 10th fastest overall.

From GMM

Evidence is building by the day that Fernando Alonso is definitely McLaren-bound.

Writing in the Swiss newspaper Blick, veteran correspondent Roger Benoit claims the deal was actually all but finalised a few weeks ago in Sochi, Russia.

It appears a two-year term with an option for 2017 has been agreed, but perhaps with the minute details still being discussed.

"Alonso has played it (the negotiations) very hard," a McLaren insider is quoted as saying by the Spanish daily Marca.

The newspaper's correspondent Marco Canseco claims all the evidence points in favour of the Spanish driver switching from Ferrari to McLaren-Honda for 2015.

Fernando Alonso. (Photo: WRi2)

Another piece of the puzzle, he said, were "several meetings" in Austin last Sunday morning when "Santander marketing representatives" sat down with their McLaren counterparts ahead of the US grand prix.

Although the Spanish banking group is signed up to stay with Ferrari as a major sponsor, Santander - closely and personally aligned with Alonso - has worked with McLaren since 2007, with branding still prominent on the drivers' chests.

Marca also published a photo of Alonso taking a close look at Jenson Button's 2014 McLaren in parc ferme immediately after the US grand prix.

Marco Mattiacci, director of the famed Scuderia Ferrari, says he has a solution to increase the revenues available to all the teams.

The Italian, who has worked for Ferrari in the United States for years, thinks that F1 should stage three races in America, a market F1 has failed to seriously break in recent years despite numerous attempts to do so.

"I want an extra race in the United States," Mattiacci told ESPN.

"I want three races in the United States. That's my proposal, because the American market is fundamental to generate revenues, to attract sponsors. When you have more revenues definitely you can talk about having more teams on board. Again I don't know what is the critical mass for those teams that are struggling, what is the amount of money they need in order to be successful or to be consistently in F1. Fifty million, one hundred million? I don't know. Depends on the business model they want to establish,” the Italian declared.

He continued: "We need competitive teams. I'm not here to say small, middle; we need competitive teams with a solid business background, a solid financial background. At the same time, as a strong believer of F1, I think the focus is how to increase revenues, how to make the cake bigger. We are here in the United States where we see that F1 is getting traction. My focus as a company where 30% of the sales are United States, I want to make sure we get more and more successful in the United States.”

Ferrari has entered into a new business partnership with American entrepreneur Gene Haas. Haas F1 Team is expected to begin in Formula 1 in 2016, with Ferrari supplying turbo hybrid power units to the American team.

NASCAR has assessed penalties to crew members from the No. 5 and No. 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams for their involvement in the post-race scuffle on November 2nd at Texas Motor Speedway.

In addition, the crew chiefs from those two teams also have been penalized.

Scuffle between Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski's crew members. (Image: NASCAR)

Jeremy Fuller, a crew member with the No. 5 team of Kasey Kayne along with Dwayne Doucette and Jason Ingle, crew members with the No. 24 team, each have been fined $25,000 and suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races.

Dean Mozingo, a crew member with the No. 24 team of Jeff Gordon, has been fined $10,000 and suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races.

Finally, Kenny Francis, crew chief of the No. 5 team, and Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 24 team, have each been fined $50,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races.

“Crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his team members”, says the NASCAR rule book.

From GMM

Caterham and Manor (known as Marussia) have both entered the 2015 world championship.

The backmarkers, in administration amid financial problems, sat out the US grand prix and will again be absent in Brazil, where the F1 world began on arrive early on Wednesday amid heavy rain.

Also on Wednesday, a provisional FIA entry list for the 2015 season emerged.

It features a full complement of 11 teams.

Each team reportedly needed to lodge its official entry, including a fee of $500,000, by the first of November.

That was last Saturday, where in Austin the boycott threat of fellow privateer teams Lotus, Sahara Force India and Sauber was well underway.

It appears that threat is now easing, as Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez negotiates directly with Donald Mackenzie, the chairman of F1's major shareholder CVC.

"We have left the negotiations to Gerard," a source confirmed to the Telegraph. "Gerard and Donald speak the same language."

It is suggested the small teams could benefit to the tune of a $160 million boost if the negotiations are successful.

Caterham and Marussia at Sochi, Russia. (Photo: WRi2)

Marussia, entered for 2015 as 'Manor F1 Team' following the withdrawal of Russian backer Andrey Cheglakov, is reportedly in advanced negotiations with an Indian buyer.

And also on the FIA's provisional list is Caterham, now referred to officially as CF1 Caterham F1 Team.

But Germany's Auto Motor und Sport on Wednesday explained that the validity of the two teams' entries depends on whether they can return in Abu Dhabi later this month, as they have only been given dispensation to sit out two races.

"One bad sign," said correspondent Michael Schmidt, "is that the two teams have cancelled all crash tests for their 2015 cars."

Entry list:

RED BULL RACING LIMITED (AUT)
Team name: Infiniti Red Bull Racing
Chassis: Red Bull Racing
Engine: Renault

MERCEDES-BENZ GRAND PRIX LIMITED (DEU)
Team name: Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team
Chassis: Mercedes
Engine: Mercedes

FERRARI SpA (ITA)
Team name: Scuderia Ferrari
Chassis: Ferrari
Engine: Ferrari

LOTUS F1 TEAM LIMITED (GBR)
Team name: Lotus F1 Team
Chassis: Lotus
Engine: Mercedes

McLAREN RACING LIMITED (GBR)
Team name: McLaren Honda
Chassis: McLaren
Engine: Honda

FORCE INDIA FORMULA 1 TEAM LIMITED (IND)
Team name: Sahara Force India F1 Team
Chassis: Force India
Engine: Mercedes

SAUBER MOTORSPORT AG (CHE)
Team name: Sauber F1 Team
Chassis: Sauber
Engine: Ferrari

SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO SPA (ITA)
Team name: Scuderia Toro Rosso
Chassis: STR
Engine: Renault

WILLIAMS GRAND PRIX ENGINEERING LIMITED (GBR)
Team name: Williams Martini Racing
Chassis: Williams
Engine: Mercedes

MANOR GRAND PRIX RACING LTD (GBR)*
Team name: Manor F1 Team
Chassis: MNR
Engine: Ferrari

1MALAYSIA RACING TEAM SDN BHD (MAL)
Team name: CF1 Caterham F1 Team
Chassis: Caterham
Engine: Renault

*Subject to confirmation

From GMM

Gerhard Berger has played down persistent speculation his next move could be a return to the F1 paddock.

The F1 legend recently stepped down from the FIA after presiding over the governing body's junior single seater categories.

It triggered speculation that earlier reports he might be preparing to join McLaren-Honda, although dismissed at the time as "utter nonsense", are actually true.

And then it emerged that 55-year-old former McLaren and Ferrari driver Berger, absent from F1 since selling his Toro Rosso shares in 2008, might even be drafted in by Ferrari to advise the Maranello team's new boss Marco Mattiacci.

But Berger told the Austrian news agency APA that just because he is stepping down at the FIA doesn't mean he is about to return to formula one.

"I wanted to do (FIA president) Jean Todt a favour for one year only, but it became three," he said.

"Now I've given enough time to it and I want to expand my own business further. Also, I have become a father again," Berger explained.

"Of course I know that my name has been connected with different teams again and again," he added, "but I really have enough to do already."

He said the recent McLaren and Ferrari reports were based entirely on "speculation".

"There's nothing to it," said Berger. "I haven't spoken either to Ferrari or McLaren on that topic."

Although he said he still loves the sport, the veteran of 210 races and a former BMW motor sport director played down the likelihood he will return to the F1 lifestyle.

"Formula one means you live like a gypsy all year, and spend your other weekends and holidays in the office. So you can only do it if you want to give up 120 per cent of your time.

"It would definitely be an incredibly difficult decision for me, but as a principle you should never say never," he added.

Start of the US Grand Prix, last Sunday. (Photo: WRi2)

Finally, Berger appeared to agree that F1's smallest teams are going out of business because the sport's income distribution model is wrong.

"CVC is certainly not in crisis -- they are still making good money," he said.

"I think if in the end it was just Mercedes and Ferrari and Red Bull (in F1), it would not be an interesting championship anymore. In my view, the show depends on all of the teams," added Gerhard Berger.

Formula 1 most experienced driver, Rubens Barrichello was set to drive for Caterham in the final three Grands Prix of the season.

The 42-year-old Brazilian has made no secret of the fact that he would like to race an F1 car again, and has always been frustrated that he did not have a proper farewell race at his home event at Interlagos.

British journalist Adam Cooper confirmed Wednesday that Caterham's Colin Kolles - with the support of the Brazilian GP promoter - had been working for several months to put together a deal that would have seen Rubens replacing Japanese Kamui Kobayashi for the last three races of 2014.

However, Barrichello's hopes have been dashed after Caterham went into administration in the preparation to the US Grand Prix in Austin.

Photo: Caterham F1 Team

“We would have run Barrichello in the last three races,” a team source told Cooper. “We had sponsorship for this, and everything was going the right way. It would have been fantastic for F1.”

Speaking exclusively about the plan, Rubens told Adam Cooper: “It would have been great to race in front of my people once again and say goodbye properly.”

German car manufacturer Porsche denied it was chasing McLaren Formula 1 driver Jenson Button to drive a 919 Hybrid in the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship.

Jenson Button, the 2009 F1 World Champion with Brawn Grand Prix, is still without a contract with McLaren-Honda F1 for next season.

Porsche's LMP1 vice-president Fritz Enzinger stated that there had been no approach from Jenson Button or his management about a contract for 2015.

"I know Jenson from my time at BMW [Button began his F1 career in a BMW-engined Williams in 2000] and he is a good guy, but at the moment there is no contact," Engzinger told Autosport magazine.

The German added that Porsche would not change its current driver line-up for next year.

"We are happy with our six drivers and the atmosphere we have in the team, so we have confirmed their contracts for next season already," Fritz Engzinger said.

He also indicated that should Porsche decide to run a third car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 24 next year, the search for additional drivers will begin with members of its GT squad, five of whom have already tested the 919 LMP1 Hybrid this fall.

From GMM

With Nico Hulkenberg already signed up for 2015, all eyes at Sahara Force India are now on Sergio Perez.

The 24-year-old brings key Mexican backing to the Silverstone based team, but he has scored less than 40 per cent of Force India's points so far this season.

It is now more than two weeks since the team announced German Hulkenberg is staying on board for 2015, leaving a cloud above Perez's future.

"You have to speak to Vijay. He is the man to know," Perez said in Austin when asked about his prospects.

He is referring to team supremo Vijay Mallya, who has now told the Indian news agency PTI that Force India will "absolutely" line up with unchanged drivers in 2015.

"I have said many times before during the year when I have been asked that I am very happy with the drivers that we have at the moment," said Mallya.

Sergio Perez, Sahara Force India. (Photo: WRi2)

He admitted a key to the deal is Mexico's return to the F1 calendar next year.

"We already have a Mexican driver," said Mallya, "and top class Mexican companies as our sponsors.

"I spent the last week in Mexico, we have signed three additional Mexican sponsors as there is going to be a race there next year," he added.

A merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Volkswagen would create a well-balanced global automaker that would be highly profitable, John Krafcik, president of auto-buying website TrueCar, said today.

General Motors is preparing to introduce Android-based infotainment systems -- the same Google platform used on more than 1 billion mobile devices, from smartphones and tablet computers to computerized wristwatches -- starting in late 2016,...

Automakers are showing off customized high-performance vehicles this week in Las Vegas at the Special Equipment Market Association's yearly show.