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From GMM

The new era of social media and F1's traditional 'silly season' may not mix well together.

Fernando Alonso turned 33 on Tuesday, and as far as official congratulations go, many spotted McLaren's first.

The Spaniard, undoubtedly frustrated with title-lacking life at Ferrari after five years, might be on the move and Honda is clearly on the hunt for a top driver to spearhead its new works McLaren foray.

"Happy birthday to @alo_oficial," McLaren said on Twitter, adding a photo of Alonso "driving flat-out in his McLaren MP4-22 at Magny-Cours in 2007."

Miguel Sanz, the Spanish correspondent for Marca, commented: "You can't say McLaren and Honda aren't trying or persistent.

"It is the second public nod to Alonso this year and, in this F1 world of millimetres, the gestures are no accident," he added, referring to a McLaren 'tweet' earlier this year showing Alonso smiling with team supremo Ron Dennis.

After the Dennis tweet, a team source played down the significance of the gesture but it is obvious that if Alonso is on the market, he will be bitterly fought over.

Fernando Alonso, Scuderia Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

For the record, Ferrari marked Alonso's birthday with a celebratory video made in conjunction with Sky Italia, highlighting "all the best moments of his time to date with the longest-running team in formula one".

"In the past four and a half years there has been happiness and disappointment and a lot of time spent with special people, special like Fernando, a truly great talent and a real team player," Ferrari said.

Marca quoted Alonso's former manager Adrian Campos as saying: "Fernando is the best thing about Ferrari -- and I would say almost the only thing. He is the most complete driver of recent years, almost comparable to Senna."

But with dominant Mercedes all locked up for now and Red Bull struggling with an underpowered engine, Alonso's best option for now is probably to stay with Ferrari.

"For me, Alonso has justly lost confidence in Ferrari," Marc Surer, a former driver turned commentator, told Speed Week as he mused the 2014 silly-season.

"But he could only move to McLaren-Honda if they can guarantee him a winning car for 2015. I guess a lot less will happen than we think," he surmised.

GM says it deletes heavy items such as the rear bumper from certain pickups when it weighs them in order to boost the vehicles' maximum payload ratings.

Lexus has no plans to join the rush of carmakers manufacturing in China because it has to learn to crawl in that market before it runs, a top executive says.

Chrysler Group is recalling 29,500 Fiat 500L cars from the 2014-15 model years to replace knee airbags that may not deploy in the correct position if the driver is not wearing a seatbelt.

Europe was Mitsubishi's most profitable region in the fiscal first quarter ended June 30, the company said today.

Automakers, citing delays at NHTSA, want the agency to postpone rules that would require hybrids and electric vehicles to be equipped with pedestrian-alert systems.

A senior Lexus executive said that a car priced below $30,000 would not be worthy of the brand, in an indirect dig at German rivals who have been moving downmarket.

Audi CEO Rupert Stadler plans steps to boost efficiency and lower costs on all operating levels, a source said, as the luxury carmaker struggles to raise output and profit margins.

Audi CEO Rupert Stadler plans steps to boost efficiency and lower costs on all operating levels, according to a senior company source, as the luxury carmaker struggles to raise output and profit margins.

ZF Friedrichshafen is in advanced talks to acquire TRW Automotive for nearly $12 billion, in a deal that would create an automotive supply powerhouse, Reuters reported..

Germany's ZF Friedrichshafen AG is in advanced talks to acquire TRW Automotive for nearly $12 billion, in a deal that would create an automotive supply powerhouse, people familiar with the matter told Reuters today.

New vehicle sales in the ASEAN region's six main markets continued to decline in the second quarter, by 6.7% to 811,461 units, according to data compiled by Tony Pugliese from various industry sources.

Production resumed today at one of GM's three pickup plants after being idled because of an interruption in sheetmetal supplies, the company said.

Jaguar Land Rover is touting the aluminum features on its upcoming Jaguar XE sedan, promising it will be the most fuel efficient vehicle in brand's history.

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne reiterated that Alfa Romeo will not be sold but said he remains open to forming alliances with other carmakers if it helped cut costs.

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne reiterated that Alfa Romeo will not be sold but said he remains open to forming alliances with other carmakers if it helps cut costs.

South African employer body, NEASA, says the trade union leading the country's recent huge metalworking strike should concentrate on the issues, rather than resorting to 'personal battles.'

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