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From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone has moved to dismiss doubts about this year's inaugural Russian grand prix.

In the wake of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 atrocity, pressure is falling on formula one to cancel its scheduled event at Sochi in October.

The Daily Mail said Mercedes, whose Malaysian sponsor Petronas has set up a fund for the families of the 298 victims, is privately 'uneasy' about attending an event so closely associated with Vladimir Putin.

But Bernie Ecclestone, who earlier this year revealed his "great admiration" for the controversial Russian president, insists: "I don't see any problem with going.

"We are not involved in politics. We have a contract with them. We'll respect it 100 per cent and so will Mr Putin, I'm sure. He's been very supportive," the F1 chief executive added.

The Daily Mail quoted a FIA spokesman as saying that while the Paris federation is "awake to the situation", it did not want to "mix politics and sport".

ADVERTORIAL — You're walking down a street lined with cars. You glance over, and without intending to, notice the contents of one of them. What stands between you and the items in the car? Is it really nothing more than a glass window? Unfortunately, yes. Luckily, you'd never do anything like that.

Theft of objects from a car
The good news is that most people, like you, are not thieves. You'd never think of breaking into a car, and neither would they, and that keeps everything in balance. Except...

Stealing objects out of a car is easier and more tempting than stealing the car itself. Successfully stealing a car requires a certain amount of hard-to-come-by technical knowledge, and a fair amount of time. But to steal the contents of a car, all you need is a way to break the window then to reach your arm in and take off with the stolen object a few seconds later.

Car insurance
The theft of items other than equipment and accessories that are part of the car itself is not covered by car insurance. Whether it's your golf bag, your laptop, your portable GPS, a purse or a tablet, you're only covered through your home insurance. Even then, you'll be left with a broken window to replace...

In this situation, the broken window is considered attempted theft and is generally covered, if you've opted for one of the following protections: Section B1 - “All risks,” Section B3 - “All perils other than collision and upset” or Section B4 “Specific perils.” Be warned, in addition to having the right coverage, some insurers also require that you report the incident to the authorities within 24 hours. In almost all cases you are responsible for paying the deductible (there's one exception that we'll look at later), and hoping that the cost to repair the damage is less than that amount!

Home insurance
It's summertime, and your golf clubs are sorely missed. You call your insurer to place a claim, police report and proof of purchase in-hand. Now all you need to do is pay the deductible and all this will be a thing of the past.

Really? Not quite.

The impact on your insurance
With car insurance, theft generally has less of an impact on your premiums at the time of renewal than if you had an accident where you were at fault. You should emerge relatively unscathed. The most important factor is frequency. One theft in 20 years? No problem -- it's looked at as a chance occurrence. However, what do the next six years have in store for you? Could you be unlucky again? The more claims you file, the bigger the impact on your premiums.

With home insurance, the impact on your premiums is generally felt right away, upon your next renewal. It's not a guarantee, but it's rare to see otherwise.

The important thing is to understand that insurance is there to help you pay for losses that you can't afford to cover yourself. Don't refrain from making a claim just because you're afraid of higher premiums. You pay those premiums for a reason. If the loss is covered and the deductible is lower than the amount of the claim, you can exercise your right to make a claim.

Combined insurance
Fortunately, if you've combined your insurance, you only have to pay one deductible if there's an incident that touches on both your car and home insurance (the higher of the two). The incident will appear in both files, and could have an impact on both, but at least you won't have two insurers to contact or two deductibles to pay.

Still, better not to be robbed at all
We've been talking about worst-case scenarios here, but really the best thing is to avoid leaving valuables in your car altogether. If you have no choice at least leave them in the trunk. The best way to avoid theft is to avoid temptation.

From GMM

McLaren and Mercedes have targeted Sebastian Vettel, the German magazine Sport Bild reported on Wednesday.

The sport said Mercedes sees the reigning world champion as a potential new teammate for fellow German Nico Rosberg beyond 2015, after Lewis Hamilton's current contract expires.

And Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko, who has Vettel under contract until the end of next year, said McLaren has made the four-time title winner an "outrageously" high offer.

"Of course they target him," Marko added.

Dr Helmut Marko and Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull. (Photo: WRi2)

Fascinatingly, Mercedes' Toto Wolff did not deny the German marque might be interested in Vettel.

"This world is too competitive to want to go into our plans in the public," he said.

"We are talking about a handful of top drivers. All the best teams fight over them. We try to build a picture of how the market moves until we come to our decisions," Wolff added.

Canadian Patrick Carpentier will come out of retirement August 7 and 8 as he will contest the Trois-Rivieres round of the 2014 FIA World Rallycross Championship.

The former IndyCar and NASCAR racer will be behind the wheel of a Marklund Motorsport Volkswagen Polo Supercar.

This will be Carpentier's first experience in a 600-bhp, four-wheel driver rallycross car on a mixed tarmac/dirt road course.

Carpentier's VW Polo Supercar. (Photo: Facebook)

“As a TV commentator, I feel I've learnt a whole bunch about the series, especially how much more competitive it is than I first thought. It's fast, adrenaline pumping, high energy and what I like the most is that the short races are unpredictable,” said Carpentier to the official FIA Rallycross web site.

“I have also been training very hard physically because of the lack of testing. However, nothing comes even come close to sitting in the car and driving”, Carpentier added.


The former ChampCar race winner said he thinks rallycross represents the future of car racing.

“Sinply because it has everything a young modern sports fan wants. The attention span for watching a sport has shortened quite a lot in the last few years. Long races, a lack of action and knowing what the result will be midway through the race will not attract the up and coming crowds anymore. The rallycross show is about two hours, including many bursts of energy, action and drama - it's what will thrive in racing,” he explained.

Carpentier set himself realistic targets at Trois-Rivieres.

“If I make it to the semi-final, everything else is a bonus. My intentions are to do so but we'll find out once we are on the track,” he declared.

A few years ago, Carpentier did some ice racing and also drove a buggy.

“I've raced at the Supercross Stadium in all-wheel drive buggy and it went quite well. We were running third in the final, until the car broke but I had a blast, jumping, pushing and all!” he laughed.

Does Carpentier plan to do more rallycross races this season?

“I would certainly love to. We'll see how this one goes but this is truly the kind of racing I would love to pursue. In today's sports, rallycross is for me,” he concluded.

British motorsport publication Autosport has learned that the FIA has the firm intention of giving a huge boost to the World Rally Championship with ground breaking technical rules.

Autosport wrote that WRC Commission president Carlos Barbosa admitted that the FIA is determined to reinvigorate the sport's spectacle with the next generation of WRC cars in 2017.

Barbosa said the new rules would need to be written before the end of 2014.

He added that the current WRC cars all look the same and major changes are needed.

Sources have suggested there will be significant change in 2017 both in the size of cars - potentially moving from the current segment-B cars up to segment-D.

The engine would also be changed, with the rules centred on controlling fuel flow to allow manufacturers to, within reason, run whatever engine they prefer.

Remember that in March Toyota's TMG tested a hybrid powered Yaris.

Make-A-Wish Canada, which brings hope, strength and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions, received more than $62,000 in support at the Honda Indy Toronto held recently.

This is the result of generous race fans in Toronto, the Ontario Honda Dealers Association, and Honda Canada Inc.

Photo: Honda

“On behalf of everyone at Make-A-Wish, I'd like to express our sincere thanks to Honda Canada, its dealers and, of course, the fans,” said Jennifer Ritter, CEO, Make-A-Wish Canada. “This level of commitment and support is a huge part of how we can continue to grant wishes and bring happiness and strength to the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions.”

During the fifth annual Fan Friday, rather than pay admission, attendees were encouraged to make a contribution to Make-A-Wish. Donations were also accepted for games and activities.

All contributions over the weekend were matched dollar-for-dollar by Honda Canada.

Make-A-Wish Canada grants approximately 500 wishes a year through eight regional chapters across the country. Once again, Auto123.com is proud to participate in the annual 48-Hour Ride and raise funds to help kids get their wish.

We invite you to support our team of riders at cause2give.unxvision.com

Source : Honda Canada

General Motors has announced that its 2015 Chevrolet and GMC SUVs and pickup trucks will come standard with an 8-speed automatic transmission. More specifically, we're talking about the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali models equipped with the 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine.

No word on the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban, however.

The GM-developed Hydra-Matic 8L90 8-speed transmission is approximately the same size and weight as the Hydra-Matic 6L80 6-speed unit. Its 7.0 overall gear ratio spread is wider than GM's 6-speed automatic transmissions, providing a numerically higher first gear ratio to help drivers start off more confidently with a heavy load or when trailering. The 8L90 also enables numerically lower rear axle ratios, which reduce engine rpm on the highway.

This comes more than a year after GM and Ford entered a partnership to develop an all-new generation of advanced, 9- and 10-speed automatic transmissions for cars, crossovers, SUVs, and trucks. The new 8-speed could be a stepping stone between these and the current 6-speed box.

The 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 delivers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, allowing a maximum trailer rating of 5,443 kilos (12,000 lbs). As with other EcoTec3 engines, it seamlessly switches to 4-cylinder operation under lighter loads to improve fuel economy.

Source: General Motors

Photo: Chevrolet

Chrysler is recalling 792,300 SUVs in North America, including about 29,000 in Canada, after discovering that some 2006-2007 Jeep Commanders and 2005-2006 Jeep Grand Cherokees may suffer from a faulty ignition switch.

It's the same part that doomed General Motors and forced the recall of millions of vehicles since the start of 2014.

The ignition switch may inadvertently be turned off by the driver's knee, which could stall the engine and kill steering assist. Also, the airbags and other safety systems may become disabled and not deploy in the event of a crash.

According to Chrysler, a single accident has been reported so far, but no one has been injured. The company has received a ''relatively limited number'' of complaints, and insists all affected owners will be notified by mid-September.

It's the second large-scale recall announced by Chrysler in just a few months. They also recalled 870,000 SUVs in North America (42,380 in Canada) due to a corrosion problem that could compromise the effectiveness of the braking system.

Source : ici.radio-canada.ca

From Australian V8 Supercar series

Tim Cindric, president of Penske Racing, has conceded a presence on the V8 Supercars grid in 2015 is now “difficult but not impossible”.

Penske's investment in truck distribution in Australia and New Zealand is the catalyst for its examination of involvement in V8 Supercars.

Cindric reaffirmed the operation's desire to race V8 Supercars and also confirmed an alliance with Dick Johnson Racing remains its preferred option.

The entry of the American team, which races in both NASCAR and Verizon IndyCar and is owned by motor racing legend Roger Penske, has been widely anticipated for 2015 since Cindric visited the 2013 Sydney 500 and news broke of negotiations with DJR.

“Is it (2015) realistic or not? We have had a lot shorter timelines on other programs,” Cindric told v8supercars.com.au.

“It's difficult but not impossible.”

Start of the Melbourne race. (Photo: V8 Supercars)

Cindric said there was no “defined deadline” for a decision on 2015 Penske presence on the V8 Supercars grid.

Roger Penske and Tim Cindric visited DJR in June, met almost the entire team.

Cindric made it clear the recent departure of DJR sporting director Campbell Little, who he has formed a strong friendship with, was not relevant to any potential Penske-DJR deal.

A team of drivers representing Edmunds.com has just completed a cross-country trip from California to New York in 67 hours and 21 minutes with a Tesla Model S. They beat the previous record of 76 hours and 5 minutes set by Tesla staffers.

Edmunds.com Director of Vehicle Testing Dan Edmunds and Photo Editor Kurt Niebuhr achieved the feat in less than three days while stopping at 23 Tesla Supercharger stations along the way. They drove all alone, with no support team to back them up in the event of a technical problem or accident.

"The key to breaking the record wasn't to drive fast; we had to drive smart," said Dan Edmunds. "Fast, aggressive driving will only succeed in sucking down an EV's battery. We had to drive responsibly to make sure we had enough juice to get from one charging station to the next. And we saved time by charging only a little more than what we figured was necessary to get to the next Supercharger."

Edmunds and Niebuhr travelled 5,362 kilometres at an average speed of 101.7 km/h. They actually drove for 52 hours and 41 minutes, and spent the remaining 14 hours and 40 minutes at Supercharger stations to charge the battery. They made no other stops.

The 1.06 Megawatt-hours of electricity consumed by the Model S didn't cost them a thing since those Superchargers are free of charge for all Tesla owners.

Amazingly, the duo returned home the day after arriving in the Big Apple, and completed the round-trip adventure in less than a week — 6 days, 23 hours and 4 minutes, to be exact.

Source : Edmunds.com

Renault Sport F1 and Total engineers were asked if it would be a smart idea to put Formula 1 lubricant into an everyday car. He is their answer.

“You would have to regularly change the oil of the engine!” they said in a Renault press release.

“An F1 lubricant is in fact too elite for regular, everyday usage as it is designed to protect an engine for just 3,000km. Some detergents used to clean parts or dispersants designed to keep foreign bodies in suspension are absent or much too low grade in an F1 lubricant to ensure proper protection of the engine in the traditional interval between oil changes on a standard vehicle.

“In addition, F1 cars are always run in very hot temperatures, while the Clio must start in all weather. The lubricant therefore needs special ‘cold' properties that an F1 version does not need.

“The overall objective is however the same between the two universes. They share similar viscosity grades, whether 0W30 or 5W20, with comparable values under high shear at 150°C”.

Although he was not taking part in the Tour de France, Mercedes AMG F1 Team chairman Toto Wolff was injured Tuesday in a cycling accident.

The news was released via the team's official Twitter account: “A bit of a carambolage during yesterday's bike ride resulted in a fractured shoulder, collar bone, elbow and wrist...”

Wolff, now nicknamed #Totonator (because of the metal plates et screws now in his arm), added: “We've decided to leave it to the pros now. Lewis & Nico are better wheel to wheel at 300 km/h than we are at 30 km/h!"

Wednesday morning, his wife, Williams' development driver Susie Wolff, posted this photo and wrote: “My husband the hero! As we know, boys will be boys... Looks like I am on nurse duty for the next few weeks!”

Toto Wolff (#totonator) (Photo: Susie Wolff)

Kia is in talks with Mexico to open a new auto assembly plant worth at least $1.5 billion, officials from Nuevo Leon's state government told Reuters.

GM plans to invest $800 million in Michigan as part of plans to renovate facilities throughout the state to support future vehicle platforms and programs.

Chrysler Group will recall as many as 792,300 2006-07 Jeep Commanders and 2005-06 Jeep Grand Cherokees globally to fix ignition switches that could be knocked out of the 'on' position, causing a stall and possible loss of power to the...

Ford's new aluminum-bodied 2015 F-150 pickup coming this fall might not be able to beat Chrysler Group's Ram 1500 and claim best-in-class fuel economy.

Ford has hired Lockheed executive Ken Washington as chief technical officer and vice president of research and advanced engineering, effective August 18, in a series of changes to the company's leadership team.

Ford's new aluminum-bodied F-150 will come with less standard horsepower and torque than today's pickups. In the lighter truck, drivers won't miss it, Ford executives said today.

Sonic Automotive posted higher revenue and net profit during the second quarter, but expenses increased as the retailer continues to ready its launches of a new customer-experience initiative and standalone used-car stores.

In his first round of major personnel moves as Ford CEO, Mark Fields appointed the company's top engineer to lead Lincoln worldwide, replacing Jim Farley.