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In an interview with Autosport, former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve said he was not happy at all with the arrival of a teenager, Max Verstappen in F1 next year.

The French Canadian explained that the current Super Licence system is flawed when a 17-year-old can graduate so easily to F1.

"Getting a Super License should be meaningful, not just doing 300km in an F1 car and it being fine," Villeneuve told Autosport Friday.

"There is something that is flawed there. Basically, it's like getting all the presents without deserving anything. But there is this thing of 'the younger, the better'. What's the next step? A team who will sign someone at 15 just to get the image out of it?” questioned Villeneuve.

Jacques Villeneuve (Photo: René Fagnan)

"He is still a boy so it is very risky. You don't take a 16-year-old, who hasn't even been to university, in the best hospital as a doctor even if he is very good and very intelligent. You need to pay dues; you need to deserve it because that is only how you will become a man,” Villeneuve added.

The 1995 IndyCar champion also explained that Max Verstappen's arrival will not be good for F1 even if he is successful right away.

"It is the worst thing ever for F1 because it will have two effects," Villeneuve continued.

"It will either destroy him [Verstappen] or, even if he is successful right away, then F1 will be meaningless.

"What will F1 be? It will be nothing. It doesn't do any good for anyone. It does a good splash of publicity now for Red Bull but putting a Red Bull helmet on his head for four years probably would have been better,” the outspoken Canadian said.

Infiniti unveiled a sleek picture of a grille captioned only with « Inspiration à la Infiniti ». The luxury car builder volunteered no other details pertaining to the image other than a whole new vision is forthcoming “on a scale not seen before from the company. »

More to come...

Source : Infiniti

Photo: Infiniti

A new seat belt and seat cover developed by scientists at the Biomechanics Institute of Valencia (IBV), in Spain, is equipped with heartbeat and respiratory rate sensors to detect signs of driver fatigue. The prototype called Harken - Heart and Respiration In-Car Embedded Non-Intrusive Sensors - consists of a series of sensors embedded in the driver seat and seat belt, which can measure the driver's heart rate and respiratory pace.

“Variations in heart and respiratory rates are good indicators of the state of the driver as they relate to fatigue. So when the driver goes into a state of fatigue or drowsiness, modifications appear in their breathing and heart rate; Harken can monitor those variables and therefore warn the driver before the onset of symptoms of fatigue,” explained José Solaz, IBV Director of Innovation Markets in Automobile and Mass Transportation.

So, if the driver starts to doze off, the system will emit a warning alarm and urge the driver to stop and take some rest. Last April, researchers asserted that their prototype was ready to be tested under real world conditions. Obviously, several months of additional trials will be necessary before Harken takes this innovative new product to market.

Source: connected-objects.fr

From GMM

Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel's season could be set to go from bad to worse.

With each driver only allowed to run five engines all season, Vettel's fifth Renault V6 is to be fitted to his car at Spa-Francorchamps.

"It was always clear that it would catch up with me sooner or later," he is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

More problems could mean that at qualifying-crucial races like Singapore, a ten-place grid penalty for an unscheduled engine change will be highly costly.

Sebastian Vettel could be using his fifth engine at Spa (Photo: WRI2)

So might Red Bull opt to voluntarily install Vettel's sixth engine at Monza, where grid position is not so important?

"We need to examine our options for Singapore and Japan, as we definitely don't want to go ten places back there," he admitted.

Asked about voluntarily taking a penalty at Monza, Vettel added: "That is hypothetical, but we could most likely live with a penalty."

From GMM

Fernando Alonso says it is his "intention" to extend his stay at Ferrari beyond his current contract.

Although reportedly frustrated with the performance of his red car, the Spaniard is scheduled to stay at Maranello for two more years.

He has been linked with a return to McLaren for the British team's works Honda foray beginning next year, but rumours have also hinted at a staggering nine-digit sum for a new Ferrari deal beyond 2016.

"I have a two year contract and so I have no hurry to sign, even if that is my intention," Alonso said at Spa-Francorchamps, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Fernando Alonso (Photo: WRI2)

"The question is why there are these exaggerated and out-of-context informations out there to damage my image," he added, "but it is not important."

It was not clear that he was pointing the finger at Ferrari, but in Belgium on Thursday he did question boss Marco Mattiacci's assertion that the team is plotting a course back to the top by creating a culture more willing to take risks.

"For years I hear that we have to take more risks," Alonso is quoted by Italy's Autosprint.

"At the end of 2011 I heard these messages, and in 2012 we introduced the pullrod suspension at the front.

"But that's not the point," he insisted. "The point is to make sure that everything works together, improving not only the car but also the factory and the facilities."

Meanwhile, Mercedes' Toto Wolff was asked by La Gazzetta about the reports linking Alonso with a new EUR 100 million Ferrari deal.

"Whether the number is true or not has nothing to do with the current market," the German answered.

"There are many young drivers, like Ricciardo and Bottas and Kvyat, who drive for one to two million. I am convinced that driver salaries are dropping."

People often use the name Cadillac to describe the finest products money can buy, as in “It's the Cadillac of lawnmowers or coffeemakers.” Well, after spending a week with the sensational 2014 Cadillac CTS Vsport, I know exactly what they're talking about.

To check out our full review on the 2014 Cadillac CTS Vsport, head on over to Auto-Venus.com.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

Chrysler Group is planning an extensive facelift of its full-size Ram 1500 pickup in spring 2017, but has no firm plans to follow rivals GM and Ford in replacing steel body panels with aluminum until a complete redesign after 2020, industry sources...

Acura is advancing the social marketing spectrum with an interactive TLX launch campaign that allows Twitter users to build their own versions of the premium sedan within a tweet.

Recalls have almost no effect on vehicle depreciation rates, a new study found. Even widespread recalls that generate sweeping publicity had little to no effect on residual values, which represent the value of a used vehicle.

For the third consecutive year, U.S. dealership throughput -- the average number of vehicles sold per store -- is expected to break records in 2014, a study released today found. But the experts behind the study warn that a downturn is inevitable.

Adding independent rear suspension, numerous electronic safety features and other items raised the weight and lowered the fuel economy of several models of the rebuilt 2015 Ford Mustang, according to window stickers leaked on the Internet today.

Cadillac is considering adding or shifting some staff functions from Detroit to Manhattan, GM said today, as part of an effort to remake the brand's image and broaden its appeal outside North America under new boss Johan de Nysschen.

Kia rolled out the new 'fully charged' ad campaign for the Soul EV today, featuring Adam Levine's falsetto on the new Maroon 5 track 'Animals' and, of course, the Kia hamsters.

Ford told its dealers in the United States to stop test-driving and selling C-Max and Focus models produced during a week this month because of potential problems with the steering gear assembly, a notice sent to dealers on Wednesday shows.

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News 21 Aug, 2014

Qualcomm Halo reveals wireless charging BMW i3 and i8 safety cars for Formula E, says tech will be available to customers within three years

Honda plans to modify 12,000 redesigned 2015 Fit models in customer hands in the United States following a mid-model-year engineering change that improved the subcompact's showing in a key industry crash test.

SAIC Motor and Alibaba Group, China's e-commerce giant, say they are to jointly develop cars offering access to a broad range of online content and services.

General Motors said it will reduce production at its plant near St. Petersburg, Russia, citing a continued slowdown of the country's auto market.

Skoda has released images of its new Fabia subcompact, which will launch in Europe early next year after debuting at the Paris auto show in October.