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Australian Will Power scored his second pole of the season and the 34th of his career in the buildup to the Firestone 600, at Texas Motor Speedway.

Will Power (Photo: Chris Jones)

"I was actually surprised by the speed on the first lap (219.550 mph) and thought 'I have to do it again,' '' said Power. "I'm very focused on the race. Last year, Helio was very strong so I'll try to get a car that strong for the race if I can."

The Penske driver posted a two-lap average of 218.896 mph around the 1.455-mile, high-banked oval. Josef Newgarden was second fastest at 217.835 mph.

Welcome to Texas Motor Speedway (Photo: Chris Jones)

"I was happily surprised," said Newgarden. "We didn't go super conservative for qualifying, but we didn't go to the edge. The car was really fast. It's almost like opening a gift at Christmas and getting what you want."

Takuma Sato (Photo: Chris Jones)

Canadian James Hinchcliffe got himself in the top 10. He will start the race in 9th position.

James Hinchcliffe (Photo: Chris Jones)

Canadian Grand Prix organizers announced a new, 10-year contract, this weekend at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.

The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Robert Poeti, Minister of Transport and Minister responsible for the Montréal region, Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal, Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal and François Dumontier, President and CEO of Octane Racing Group Inc., promoter of the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada, were gathered for the announcement.

They confirmed the government of Canada will invest $62.4M over the next 10 years. Over the same period, the province of Quebec will invest $49.9M, Tourisme Montreal $60M, and the city of Montreal $12M.

Montreal will also be in charge of building of renovation the team garages, the press room and the medical centre. These new buildings will have to be completed in time for the 2017 Canadian Grand Prix.

Statistics indicate the event generates up to $90M every year in economic benefits, and that half of the spectators come from outside the province of Quebec.

Sanctioning fees for the Canadian Grand Prix are amongst the lowest imposed by Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Management company for hosting an F1 race.

From GMM

Ferrari has moved to end Kimi Raikkonen's 2014 troubles by giving him another race engineer.

The Toronto Sun newspaper reports that at the struggling 2007 world champion's side in Montreal this weekend is a Briton, David Lloyd.

The report said Lloyd, until now a factory-based test engineer with the Maranello team, is assisting Raikkonen's race engineer Antonio Spagnolo, an Italian.

"Ferrari did not say if the move would be temporary or permanent," said the report.

Spain's El Confidencial said the appointment of Lloyd - a Briton like Raikkonen's favourite engineer at McLaren and Lotus, Mark Slade - is aimed at improving the line of communication between the reticent Finn and the Ferrari team.

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F 14T (Photo: Ferrari)

"Six races have passed and still Kimi is not comfortable with the car," said the report.  "Something is wrong -- is it the exchange of information between Kimi and Spagnolo?"

Carlos Sainz jr, a burgeoning Red Bull junior driver, said Raikkonen's struggle has been "the most surprising thing" of the 2014 season so far.

"I think the best drivers in formula one can even make a tricycle go fast.  For me, adaptation is key," he explained.

Raikkonen said in Montreal that the 2014 title goal for Ferrari is already over.

"But within Ferrari we still want to do the best that we can at every race, we want to get stronger for the future and aim for the podium," he said.

Everybody expected Lewis Hamilton to take his fourth career pole at the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, but it's his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg who will lead the field, tomorrow, when the green flag drops at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Q1
Qualifying starts under perfect conditions: sunny sky, 24 degrees and packed stands.

Perfect conditions for everyone except for Esteban Gutierrez, who wrecked his Sauber during the third free practice session, on Saturday morning. The Mexican will sit out qualifying.

Nico Rosberg posts the quickest lap of the 4.361-kilometre track in 1min16.690s. His teammate Lewis Hamilton improves only minutes later with a 1min16.438s, then with a 1min15.750s.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W05 (Photo: René Fagnan)

Nico Rosberg decides to park it for now. His mechanics start working on the front of his W05.

With one minute to go, Pastor Maldonado's Renault-powered Lotus E22 grinds to a halt in corner 3. Almost at the same moment, Marcus Ericsson spins and breaks his suspension against the wall.

Maldonado, Max Chilton and Jules Bianchi (Marussia), Kamui Kobayashi and Ericsson (Caterham) and Gutierrez (Sauber) are done for the day.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB10 (Photo: René Fagnan)

Q2
Williams' Felipe Massa posts a 1min16.666s that puts him first for most of the session. His teammate Valtteri Bottas is a close second until Hamilton and Rosberg push both of them down two spots.

Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio (Sahara Force India), Kevin Magnussen (McLaren), Romain Grosjean (Lotus), Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso) and Adrian Sutil (Sauber) are left out of the top 10.

Valtteri Bottas, Williams FW36 (Photo: René Fagnan)

Q3
Bottas is the early reference at 1min15.550s. But Rosberg (1min14.946) and Hamilton (1min15.014) are unbeatable.

Hamilton and Rosberg go out again to improve. They both do, so Rosberg stays ahead with a 1min14.874.

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes W05 (Photo: René Fagnan)

Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault), who edged ahead of both Williams drivers (Bottas then Massa), and his teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) is a disappointing seventh ahead of Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso), Jenson Button (McLaren) and Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari).

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F14 T (Photo: René Fagnan)

Qualifying results* - Canadian Grand Prix (round 7 of 19)
1.Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W05) - 1'14"874 - Q3
2.Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W05) - 1'14"953 - Q3
3.Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 1'15"548 - Q3
4.Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 1'15"550 - Q3
5.Felipe Massa (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 1'15"578 - Q3
6.Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 1'15"589 - Q3
7.Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F14-T) - 1'15"814 - Q3
8.Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR9-Renault) - 1'16"162 - Q3
9.Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/29-Mercedes) - 1'16"182 - Q3
10.Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F14-T) - 1'16"214 - Q3
11.Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 1'16"300 - Q2
12.Kevin Magnussen (McLaren MP4/29-Mercedes) - 1'16"310 - Q2
13.Sergio Perez (Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 1'16"472 - Q2
14.Romain Grosjean (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1'16"687 - Q2
15.Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso STR9-Renault) - 1'16"713 - Q2
16.Adrian Sutil (Sauber C33-Ferrari) - 1'17"314 - Q2
17.Pastor Maldonado (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1'18"328 - Q1
18.Max Chilton (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 1'18"348 - Q1
19.Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 1'18"359 - Q1
20.Kamui Kobayashi (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 1'19"278 - Q1
21.Marcus Ericsson (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 1'19"820 - Q1
22.Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C33-Ferrari) - no time - Q1
*Unofficial timing

From GMM

F1 is proposing to shake up the format of the grand prix weekends for 2015.

It emerged in Montreal on Friday that the plan, already agreed by the powerful Strategy Group including the sport's major teams, is designed to cut costs.

Under the proposal, Thursday's media activities would be axed altogether, while Friday is reduced to just a single, 90-minute afternoon practice session.

"I think the rationale is to reduce the workload on the cars significantly through the weekend and also to reduce the consumption of parts, particularly power units, which is one of the major costs for all the teams, but that's a particular burden for the smaller teams," said Mercedes' Paddy Lowe.

Before the proposal can be approved, it would have to pass through the FIA's World Motor Sport Council, but the BBC claims the sport's bosses Jean Todt and Bernie Ecclestone are already supportive.

Lowe said the idea is to help the small teams, but within that group - already angered by the budget cap axe - there is opposition.

Photo: WRi2

"From Force India's perspective," said the Silverstone based team's Andy Green, "we don't see this as cost-saving at all."

In fact, he said small teams often use Friday mornings to test young drivers, which is also an "income stream" as sponsors pay handsomely for the privilege.

"If we lose that, that's going to be a relatively severe blow," added Green.

And Sauber's Giampaolo Dall'ara explained that track time is "very precious" for the smaller teams.

"Obviously we are more limited than other teams in simulation as a broad concept so time on track is extremely important for us," he said.

Some sections of the media have also responded with criticism.

Michael Schmidt, the respected correspondent for Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, said the big-budget top teams deciding cost-cutting rules is "a joke, because most of them don't want to save money".

Schmidt argues that the plan will not reduce the fixed price of customer engines for the small teams, while their sponsors will lament the axe of Thursday's media proceedings.

Mercedes' Lowe added: "That was the concept.  It's still to be finalized, by the way, so there's a whole month in order to determine the small print and to finally approve it but the concept was to save money.

"If teams are feeling it isn't going to save money, then of course it could be reviewed."

During the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Auto123.com met with Toto Wolff, executive director of Mercedes AMG Formula 1 team. Wolff said he is convinced their rivals will catch them up, sooner or later.

Toto Wolff, do you think the engineering battle in F1 has gone too far with the new V6 turbo hybrid power units?

Wolff: “The engineering battle in F1 has always been fierce. This year, the scope has changed a little bit. In previous years, the aerodynamics of the car played a major role. This year, the focus has probably switched toward power unit. The rules have cut down aerodynamics by 25%, we have narrow front wings, no blown exhaust anymore, so I think the power units plays a more important role”.

Mercedes AMG is currently enjoying a solid advantage. Do you think it's going to last?

Wolff: “Without any doubt our rivals will catch up. We do not expect our advantage to remain as it is. In fact, we were a little surprised to see how well we were doing in pre-season testing. We were one of the few teams running steadily. Red Bull did not run at all during the first days. However, (Daniel) Ricciardo closed up to Lewis (Hamilton) in Monaco and that was a wake up call for us”.

Mercedes celebrates Lewis Hamilton's victory in China (Photo: WRi2)

Any more changes expected for next season?

Wolff: “Next year, we will have a few more aero changes, we know the noses will not look ugly anymore. The engine concept is homologated. I think you will see big steps taken forward. You can almost change the whole engine again as long as you are within the original concept. I think our competitors will make big steps forward, especially on how they deploy hybrid energy, where they are lacking the most this year.”

Are the medias exaggerating the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and his teammate Nico Rosberg?

Wolff: “The press needs to talk about it, because I think that's the only story left this year! (laughs) Your No. 1 enemy is your teammate. There have been ups and downs so far this season. We haven't seen a big down yet. We have not lost a front wing. The guys are really intelligent and mature. They know that driving into each other is probably the biggest risk of losing the title. They know what to do. Team comes first. Our No. 1 target is to win the constructors' championship. Then if one of our drivers wins the drivers' title, well that's even better. Mercedes is one of the largest automobile brands in the world, and obviously we don't want to look like fools.”

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes W05 (Photo: WRi2)

When did Mercedes start working on the Power Unit project?

Wolff: “It goes back to three years ago. We took some crucial decision last year to focus on the 2014 car. You saw that we dropped back a bit in performance in the second half of the season, and that was because we were working on the turbo car”.

Pros: The 2014 Aston Martin DB9 is one of the “most posh” luxury exotic cars on the road, meaning one of the most comfortable and beautiful out there. This timeless grand tourer's perfect proportions mimic the near-perfect weight distribution and works with its aerodynamics to make the DB9 as agile and safe as it is fast. Inside, the sumptuous 2+2 seating configuration is slathered in the finest Bridge of Weir hides, real glass and carbon fibre.

Cons: The DB9 is not the fastest around a track, and no dual-clutch transmission is available. Also,, the rear seats of the 2+2 coupe will never actually be used, but it may be best to keep them as a “nice-to-have.”

Photo: Aston Martin

2014 Aston Martin DB9 Price: From the high $100,000 to well over $200,000: The 2014 Aston Martin DB9 is a fully customizable car. There are over 30 possible exterior colours, six wheel designs, four calliper colours, nearly 30 different shades of leather, stitching, pin stripping, and more.

2014 Aston Martin DB9 Fuel Economy: The 78-litre fuel tank will take you places. EnerGuide Canada rates the 2014 Aston Martin DB9 at 16.2L/100km in the city and 10.7L/100km on the highway. In the real world, though, expect to burn quite a bit more.

Improvements and Changes: Last year saw the Aston Martin DB9 get a once-over that replaced more that 70% of its body panels and 50% of all parts. For 2014, it remains virtually unchanged.

2014 Aston Martin DB9 Powertrain: All DB9 models are powered by a silky-smooth 6.0L V12 engine that produces a massive 510 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque. As mentioned earlier, the only available transmission is a 6-speed “Touchtronic 2” autobox with a limited-slip differential.

This all-alloy, front mid-mounted AM11 engine uses CNC-machined combustion chambers and hollow camshafts, techie bits lifted directly from Aston Martin's GT race car program. The DB9 will complete the 0-100 km/h sprint in just 4.6 seconds.

Don't miss: Elegance extends into the smallest detail. For instance, the DB9 features “race track” stitching, inspired by the bends on a circuit. Different thread weight is used throughout the interior of the DB9 with a heavier “10 gauge” thread used to strong effect while a thinner “20 gauge” thread is more subtle and gives finer detail.

On a totally different topic, the revolutionary carbon ceramic brakes are the most sophisticated ever fitted to a DB9. Larger than an equivalent steel brake but an impressive 12kg lighter, they reduce fade through better heat dissipation and improve performance through silicon-injected carbon fibre.

Safety: All manners of airbags and electronic nannies are standard on the 2014 Aston Martin DB9.

Comparing the 2014 Aston Martin DB9: Rivals include the Porsche 911, Bentley Continental GT, Audi R8, Jaguar XK, BMW M6, and Ferrari 458.

The 21st World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, scheduled to be held in Detroit, Sept. 7-11, will feature demonstrations and presentations of innovations in transportation technology.

Last week, we brought you a few mystery car reviews and asked you to guess which vehicle was being reviewed.

General Motors today issued four safety recalls covering about 89,000 newer car and truck models in the United States, adding to its record total of callbacks for the year.

Test your grasp of the latest with our weekly quiz.

Pricing on the redesigned 2015 Outback, Subaru's second-best selling nameplate in the United States last year, will start at $25,745, including shipping.

Eddie Lampert, the controlling shareholder at Sears and a major shareholder in AutoNation, met with Ford CEO Alan Mulally earlier this year to seek advice on how to turn around the ailing Sears chain, two sources told Reuters.

In line with seasonal patterns, overall wholesale prices of used vehicles dipped in May from April levels, but prices of used pickups rose, according to data in the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index.

Porsche is returning to the 24 Hours of Le Mans next weekend, and reigning champ

The first death linked to faulty ignition switches in millions of General Motors cars happened more than a decade before the automaker recalled them, according to the report on GM's internal investigation.

The Buick Verano is entering its fourth year of production.

Ford will begin selling the new full-sized Transit commercial van later this month. The first available model will be the medium-roof-height, long-wheelbase version, which Ford projects as the biggest seller.

Denso International America acquired a majority stake in Pennsylvania vehicle diagnostics and telematics company Ease Simulation.

Maruti Suzuki said it expects to roll out the first car from its new Gujarat project in 2017.