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From GMM

Simona de Silvestro rates her chances of joining the grand prix grid in 2015 with Sauber as "good".

Last month, the Swiss team signed up the 25-year-old IndyCar driver, nominating her as "an affiliated driver" of the Hinwil based outfit.

Sauber's February statement said de Silvestro will undertake "on track testing, simulator training, as well as mental and physical preparation", with the goal being "to gain her super license and prepare for a race seat in Formula 1 for 2015".

The Swiss newspaper Blick said de Silvestro, from Thun in Switzerland, is set to make her F1 test debut at the end of April.

She said this week: "Formula 1 has always been my dream."

Simona de Silvestro. (Photo: Sauber F1 Team)

Asked how realistic that dream is, she answered: "If I do everything right, there is a good chance I will get there at some point."

However, given the current nature of midfield F1, Simona de Silvestro must be considered third in line at Sauber, behind the well-sponsored reserve driver Giedo van der Garde and the 'Russian rescue deal'-linked Sergey Sirotkin.

Veteran Blick correspondent Roger Benoit said: "The chance that de Silvestro will ever race for Sauber in formula one is about 1%."

Dutch race car driver Beitske Visser will make her debut in Formula Renault 3.5 this season with Spanish team AVF.

Visser, 19, raced in the international karting scene and spent the past two seasons competing in the German ADAC Formel Masters series.

She graduated to car racing in 2012 with Team Lotus where she collected two victories.

The year after, she joined the Red Bull Junior Team. She claimed one victory and ranked eighth overall.

However, she lost the Red Bull support of the end of the year. After several tests in various cars, she struck a deal to race in the World Series by Renault Formula 3.5 series in 2014.

Visser will be racing alongside Zoel Amberg at AVF.



"I fell in love with the F.Renault 3.5 car in Monza, and from then on contesting the World Series season became my only aim," said Visser ion a press release.

"I worked hard with the engineers to understand the car and to step-up in terms of driving, and in the meantime I used any spare time I had to work out and build the strength and the stamina needed to master such a car. I'm happy with the progress we made in testing and even more happy to know that there's a lot of room for improvement. I'm really looking forward to the start of the season in Monza."

Red Bull Racing's boss Christian Horner revealed the reasons why the team "is extremely confident" that Daniel Ricciardo's RB10 did not break the rules governing fuel flow at the Grand Prix of Australia.

The Red Bull was disqualified from second place after the officials declared that the Renault-powered car had repeatedly exceeded the fuel flow limit of 100kg/hour.

The team immediately announced that they would appeal the decision.

"We are appealing on the grounds that we do not believe, we are extremely confident, that we have not broken the rules, that we haven't exceeded the 100kg/h of fuel that is permitted to be utilised by the car and the engine," Horner told Sky Sports News.

Red Bull Racing's argument centres on the wording of the FIA's Technical Regulations with Article 5.1.4, stating, "Fuel mass flow must not exceed 100kg/hour".

However, as it does not say that this reading has to come from the FIA's sensor Red Bull feel they can use their own measurements to prove they did not breach the regulations.

"We have a sensor (from the FIA) that is drifting and isn't reading correctly versus a fuel rail that we know is calibrated and we know that hasn't varied throughout the weekend and has subsequently been checked and found to be not faulty and hasn't moved or varied at all since it was installed on the car prior to the weekend.

"Our argument is very simple - that we haven't broken the Technical Regulations. That we haven't exceeded the fuel flow limit and that the sensor, which hopefully we will be able to demonstrate in the appeal, is erroneous,” said Horner to Sky Sports News.

From GMM

According to the outspoken Australian Ron Walker, his fellow F1 promoters will speak with "an enormous voice" next week in Bahrain.

Walker, fiercely critical of the quieter sound of the sport's new turbo V6 engines, also heads an F1 promoters' alliance, and he has called a meeting ahead of the forthcoming grand prix in the island Kingdom.

According to the Independent newspaper and F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, he tips the promoters to tell "Bernie (Ecclestone), enough is enough. This is not what we bought'."

However, one of Walker's fellow promoters is unlikely to be joining the chorus.

Razlan Razali, the boss of the Malaysian grand prix venue at Sepang, is not among those who are denouncing the new sound, insisting F1 remains "amazing".

"Even the quieter engines, which goes against what many have been expecting in motor sport previously, might not entirely be a bad thing," he told the New Straits Times. "Parents should now be less afraid of bringing their children to races with the reduced noise levels."

The Sepang track in Malaysia.

And Razali said F1's new technology, producing higher top speeds with less noise and fuel, is impressive.

"You see a small engine still able to produce 750 horse power and clock laptimes almost as fast as the V8s did last year, so it is just amazing how far technology has advanced," he insisted.

Nonetheless, Ecclestone and even FIA president Jean Todt are reported to be making moves to spice up the sound.

Franck Montagny, a former F1 driver turned French television pundit, acknowledged the issue.

"For the public, when they go and see the GP2 cars race on the same weekend and they're louder, it will seem like they are faster as well. So there is something wrong," he is quoted by Le Figaro.

The Telegraph newspaper reports that the Ecclestone-run Formula One Management is already "looking at where they position the microphones" around the tracks "to optimise the sound for television".

And some actual tweaks to the cars to make the engine note louder are also possible.

The 2014 Formula One cars on the Australian Albert Park track. (Photo: WRi2)

But Sam Collins, an editor of the Racecar Engineering magazine, is sceptical.

"The concept of these engines means it's quite difficult to redesign them to make them louder because you have the turbo sucking all the noise out," he is quoted by the Guardian.

"So you would have to go for a complete rulebook change and that would take two or three years to introduce and would be hugely expensive and basically teams would stamp their feet and say no," Collins added.

Franck Montagny disagrees.

"I think there will be a change this season," he said. "Technically, it is not even very difficult to do so.

"There are already methods being used to allow electric cars to make more noise in order to avoid incidents with pedestrians.

"You could also intervene by putting in a second exhaust, but there will be no miracles," he warned. "These engines are 1.6 litres -- the era of the V10 and V8 is over."

From Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will roar back into Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this coming Labour Day Weekend (August 29-31).

Looking to camp trackside for this historical event? There are still a limited number of reserved camp sites left, but they're going quickly.

Reserve yours, with the best vantage points for the Truck Series' only north-of-the-border stop.

Click here to see what's available and give us a call (905-983-9141) or go online to place your order.

Also competing over the weekend will be the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, the Canadian Touring Car Championship and the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin.

(Photo: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park)

The all-new 2015 Hyundai Sonata yesterday made its world debut in Korea, just a few weeks before its North American premiere in New York.

Photo: Hyundai

Compared with the outgoing model, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata is 35mm longer and 30mm wider. It also packs numerous advanced safety features including lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot monitoring.

The roomier cabin of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata is available with heated leather seats, side airbags for rear passengers, a state-of-the-art multimedia system, and the next generation of Hyundai infotainment.

Canadian pricing and on-sale date have yet to be announced.

Photo: Hyundai

The all-new McLaren 650S coupe made its North American debut yesterday at the 2014 Vancouver Auto Show after its world premiere in Geneva on March 4th.

The 650S uses a 3.8L twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 641 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. It sprints from 0-100 km/h in just three seconds before reaching a top speed of 333 km/h.

As for styling, new LED headlamps reflect a similar look to the McLaren P1, while the side profile and rear-end treatment evoke the McLaren 12C.

Source: Autoblog Canada

Photo: McLaren

It started on Twitter, a car swap between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Graham Rahal; it just might end in an IndyCar at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Of course the first impediment is that NASCAR's most popular driver is contracted to Chevrolet and Rahal drives for his Indy 500-winning father, Bobby Rahal in a Honda-powered car.

"Well, he drives a Honda, which is more than just a speed bump," Earnhardt, said during an appearance at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "If I wanted to drive an Indy car, I'm sure I could get with Penske or somebody who owned a Chevy and take a couple laps somewhere. But it would have been fun to do that with Graham because of the relationship with our sponsor and the history of our families.”

"I look forward to meeting him one day,” Earnhardt said in Charlotte, “ but I think the fact he has a relationship with a different manufacturer is going to make it challenging — if not impossible — for me to drive that particular car."

Only Earnhardt must have forgotten about Kurt Busch who drives a Chevrolet in NASCAR and will attempt to qualify for the Indy 500 for Andretti Autosport which races with Honda power. If Chevy will allow Busch to race in IndyCar's most classic and biggest race of the year why would they say no to a joy ride?

Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. (Photo: LAT/IndyCar)

We aren't promoting Honda and we aren't promoting Chevrolet," Rahal said in a teleconference.. "We're promoting National Guard, so I think it should be about the sponsor and there shouldn't be an issue with the cars."

Rahal said he was just throwing out the idea on Twitter to Earnhardt after Rahal attended Sunday's race. His Indy car will have the same stylized number as Earnhardt's does in NASCAR, per the Guard's request, and he had previously said he'd like to partner with Earnhardt on outside projects.

"It's something I really wanted to do. I was surprised he responded," he said. "Of course, I felt with the National Guard that it could potentially I would say happen. Media-wise, for sponsor exposure, I think it would be tremendous for them. But I also thought it would be something that would be fun to do.

"Let's see getting Earnhardt and a Rahal, I think the last time those two names were on the same track were the IROC days with my dad. It would be good to go back out there and see what we could do, have some fun."

The 25-year-old Rahal had just come back from visiting the NASCAR driver introduction at Auto Club Speedway and started a conversation on Twitter suggesting that NASCAR's most popular driver take a ride in an IndyCar.

Earnhardt's car owner, Rick Hendrick said it's okay but...

"I think if he wants to do that, it's fine. Not race, but get out and just play," Hendrick said. "Bobby is a good friend of mine, and I've known him for a long time and I think those kind of things are good for our sport and for the open-wheel guys, too.

"We have the same sponsors, so it all kind of works."

"I don't know really if it's that big of a deal, BMW vs. Chevrolet (Montoya/Gordon), Honda vs. Chevrolet (Hamilton/Stewart)," Hendrick said. "I haven't talked to Chevrolet. If (Earnhardt) is really serious about doing it, then we need to talk to them. I'm fine with it."

The Douglas Boles, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway tweeted We're making @IMS available anytime! JennaFryer @DaleJr @GrahamRahal The swap is about the cars, not the power plants!

The brand new 2015 Kia Soul EV made its Canadian debut at the Vancouver Auto Show this week. It is scheduled to go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2014.

As Kia's first all-electric, zero-emissions car sold in Canada, the Soul EV provides a range of approximately 160 kilometres on a full charge, although internal testing has resulted in trips of more than 200 kilometres in some instances.

The front-wheel drive 2015 Kia Soul EV is powered by an 81.4kW (109hp) electric motor producing 210 lb-ft of torque through a single-speed constant-ratio gear reduction unit. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h takes 11.4 seconds, while top speed is electronically limited to about 145 km/h.

Equipped with a 27kWh lithium polymer battery, the 2015 Kia Soul EV benefits from the company's third-generation regenerative braking system to convert up to 12% of the car's kinetic energy into electricity.

Charging times vary from 24 hours for a fully depleted battery using a standard 120V household outlet and 4 hours 20 minutes when plugged into a 240V outlet. An 80% charge can be achieved in as little as 24 minutes with a 100kW charger (33 minutes with a 50kW charger).

Pricing for the 2015 Kia Soul EV will be announced at a later date.

Photo: Kia

The freshly announced Porsche Boxster GTS and Cayman GTS will go on sale across Canada this summer.

In the meantime, the automaker released a short video showing the Boxster GTS carving up the countryside and attacking switchbacks like a grinning, growling beast.

Hennessey Performance has announced plans to build three Venom GT World's Fastest Edition cars to celebrate the company's top speed run of 270.4 mph (435.17 km/h) set at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in February. They will go on sale at US$1.25 million apiece.

Equipped with a 7.0L twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 1,244 horsepower, the Hennessey Venom GT can go from 0-300 km/h in just 13.63 seconds.

“We're thrilled about what we achieved at Cape Canaveral with the Venom GT,” said Hennessy CEO Don Goldman, “and now the World's Fastest Edition is a living, breathing celebration of that record achievement.”

The Hennessy Venom GT is now the world's fastest street-legal production car.

Source: venomgt.com

From GMM

Former F1 doctor Gary Hartstein thinks it is unlikely Michael Schumacher will recover after more than 12 weeks in a coma and counting.

The German legend has been in his hospital bed in Grenoble since the end of December, following a skiing fall in the French alps.

"As time goes on, it becomes less and less likely that Michael will emerge to any significant extent," American Hartstein, whose contract was not renewed by F1's governing body after the 2012 season, wrote in his latest blog entry.

And he thinks "really bad news" about Schumacher's prospects might be issued soon, due to a "terribly dismal prognosis".

"I think it is inevitable that should the status quo continue, the ICU staff may well, at some point in the not-distant future, decide that the patient they've just been asked to admit has a higher need for that bed than Michael, given his clinical situation and prognosis," said Hartstein.

Michael Schumacher. (Photo: WRi2)

Hartstein, who succeeded F1's retiring Sid Watkins in 2005, has been critical of the Schumacher family's public silence throughout his hospitalisation.

But he thinks that silence might soon have an unexpected benefit.

"I've realised that perhaps the lack of status updates has given us all a chance to move on a bit, to process what's happening, and to start to detach," said Hartstein.

Luxury is a word used to describe many things from hotels to fabrics to treatments at a spa, “luxury” has become synonymous with anything that makes us feel good and pampered.

Buick is a luxury brand. I'm not entirely sold on the idea that they pamper their drivers in every single car, but they make every effort to do just that. Is the LaCrosse super high-end? Not entirely, but it does treat its occupants well, and also offers up a bit of interest behind the wheel for the driver. All in all, not a bad deal.


What is a Buick LaCrosse?
In its first North American iteration (and first generation), the 2005 Buick LaCrosse was known as the Allure in Canada. A full-size sedan, the LaCrosse offered up space and comfort in typical Buick fashion.

Now in its second generation, the latest Buick LaCrosse just had a mid-cycle refresh with interior amenities added and a redesigned from and rear fascia, as the model we see now has been on the road since 2010.

2014 Buick LaCrosse AWD Price and Specs
With four models available, pricing on the 2014 Buick LaCrosse ranges from $35,795 up to $43,655 (base). All-wheel drive can only be had in two of the available trim levels: Leather or Premium I. My particular tester was the top-line Premium I AWD with a base price of $43,655.

There are two engines available: a 2.4L ECOTEC I-4 that's good for 182 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque or a 3.6L V6 that pushes out 304 horsepower and 264 lb-ft of torque. Power is handled via a 6-speed automatic transmission for both.

Driving the 2014 Buick LaCrosse AWD
Truthfully, I quite enjoyed my time behind the wheel of the 2014 Buick LaCrosse. The steering, while somewhat vague at times, was more involved than I ever expected it to be. And the 3.6L V6 is content to play. Add to that the AWD goodness in our winter conditions, and really there was very little to dislike in the Buick.

Interestingly enough, the suspension was almost uncomfortable at times. When my father was riding shotgun with me throughout the week he was surprised the Buick didn't feel more “float-y” -- after all, isn't that what a Buick is supposed to be?

In the snow, the 2014 Buick LaCrosse is surefooted and stable. I felt at ease even in some dicier and icier conditions. The size of the LaCrosse is comforting, as is its weight. The somewhat heavy steering helps enhance that feeling of stability.

However, some of that “stability” is lost on the highway, as the steering does become rather vague at speeds.

I did enjoy the aural response of the 3.6L V6 when pushed. It wasn't unpleasant and was a gentle reminder that the vehicle was working hard for you, and actually delivering on that effort.

As far as being a daily driver, and one that's both comfortable and interesting (when pushed a bit), the 2014 Buick LaCrosse checks all the right boxes. Is it for everyone? No. But there is definitely a specific customer for which this vehicle is perfectly suited.

Inside and Out of the 2014 Buick LaCrosse AWD
I am not a fan of Buick designs. I dislike the front fascia and grille, hate the side portholes and always have, and truthfully I find them pretty bland overall in styling. However, I can also see the appeal. I may not like Buicks, but then I'm not the customer who's supposed to.

While the 2014 Buick LaCrosse may be as bland as unbuttered toast on the outside, inside it excels at being the luxury sedan it claims to be. Plush and comfortable, I was never left wanting more from the cabin of the Buick LaCrosse. Room is plentiful, and so are the amenities. Leather trim abounds, and wood trim is also available, and while I'm not a huge fan of said panelling throughout the cabin, I understand the appeal and the upper-level feel it gives the interior space.

Comparing the 2014 Buick LaCrosse AWD
When it comes to upscale midsize sedans that offer AWD, there aren't too many options in the LaCrosse price range. Lincoln's MKZ offers much more in terms of curb appeal and design, and Acura's TSX has the infamous Honda/Acura nameplate loyalty going for it. What makes the 2014 Buick LaCrosse the better pick out of these? Well, nothing specific, but it is a well-sorted vehicle that'll satisfy basic luxury vehicular needs.

From GMM

Franck Montagny has made a bleak assessment not only of ailing Lotus' 2014 prospects, but also Williams' chances of mounting a title challenge this season.

Lotus' campaign so far has been nothing short of disastrous as the visually-striking E22 struggles not only for pace but also merely to run.

"It is a really complicated situation for them," Montagny, the former Super Aguri driver turned pundit for French television, told Le Figaro.

"They lost Eric Boullier to McLaren, but that's not the only thing -- they are a hundred people less at Enstone after the winter. 100 people is significant and cannot be easily overcome. Today, I do not see how they can go back to the top of the table. They will be able to fight for the points but aiming higher, I would say, seems very difficult," Montagny added.

Pastor Maldonado, Lotus E22-Renault. (Photo: WRi2)

Franck Montagny, 36, also commented on the resurgent British team Williams, who are currently believed to have the second fastest car behind Mercedes.

"Williams should have had a podium in Australia," he said. "Felipe Massa couldn't do anything at the start when Kamui Kobayashi lost his brakes and hit him, and (Valtteri) Bottas had his puncture.

"But we have to be cautious because by half-time in the championship, Williams will not have the resources to continue to develop as aggressively as the big teams," Montagny predicted.

From GMM

Troubled engine supplier Renault is expecting to grapple with more "issues" in Malaysia this weekend.

After a disastrous winter season, the French marque had improved its new turbo V6 'power unit' for Melbourne, but most partner teams - and notably reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel - still suffered race-ending problems.

"We had several issues across the cars in Melbourne," Renault's operations chief Remi Taffin admitted this week, "but we have recreated the problems in the dyno at Viry.

"Most are fixed and the remaining will be under control by Friday in Sepang," he added.

"While we anticipate further issues may occur we are much more able to react quickly to minimise their impact," said Taffin.

Rémi Taffin, Renault. (Photo: WRi2)

Amid Renault's problems, Mercedes dominated the 2014 opener in Australia, but even polesitter Lewis Hamilton had to retire with an engine problem.

Melbourne winner Nico Rosberg said he aims to win again this weekend at Sepang.

"That's my goal for sure," he told Bild newspaper in Kuala Lumpur.

"But you cannot underestimate the team (Red Bull) that has dominated the sport for years. We just have to keep pushing 100 per cent in all areas," added Rosberg.

Lynda Petty, 72, wife of the retired seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty died on Wednesday after succumbing to cancer.

Affectionately known as "Mrs. Lynda" to so many, Lynda Petty set a standard for being a loving, supportive and, when needed, an authoritative wife and mother. She also set the benchmark for being a leader in her local community while raising a family in the fast-growing sport of stock car racing.

It was with strong will that Petty fought cancer over the past several years. It was the same determination that led her to make a difference as a Red Cross volunteer, a school volunteer, the president of the athletic booster club and a Girl and Boy Scout leader in her lifetime. She also served on the Randolph County School Board for 16 years and was on the board of the Randolph County Hospice.



"Lynda helped start the Racing Wives Auxiliary and will always be remembered as the wife to Richard Petty. Their steadfast love endured trials that only a marriage of over 50 years can. Through triumph and heartache, Lynda Petty was the castle that supported a king in private and public moments," Richard Petty Motorsports said in a statement.

“On behalf of the France Family and everyone at NASCAR, I want to offer sincere condolences to the Petty Family regarding the loss of their beloved matriarch, Lynda Petty,” said Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO. “Through the years, Lynda became an integral part of the NASCAR landscape. We have lost a true friend, who will be missed each and every day. Our thoughts and prayers will be with the Pettys throughout this difficult time.”

Former IndyCar star driver Dario Franchitti has announced that he will be behind the wheel of this year Indianapolis 500 pace car.

The four-time IndyCar champion and three-time winner at Indy is thrilled to be part once again of the May classic.

"It is a tremendous honour for me to be asked to drive the pace car for the Indianapolis 500," said Franchitti.

Franchitti, whose Ganassi team switched to Chevy engines this year, will drive a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.

Dario Franchitti and the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28. (Photo: IndyCar)

From GMM

This weekend's F1 race is going ahead, despite confirmation the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 almost certainly crashed into the ocean.

Amid the almost three-week mystery about the whereabouts of the plane and its 239 occupants, Britain's Mirror newspaper claims Mercedes planned to run 'Come Home MH370' signage on its W05 cars throughout the grand prix weekend.

But earlier this week, the Malaysian prime minister finally announced that the plane had crashed somewhere in the southern Indian ocean, killing all on board.

DPA news agency now reports that Mercedes, title sponsored by the Malaysian oil giant Petronas, will run the words 'Tribute to MH370' on the cars at Sepang.

Petronas said race weekend concerts featuring pop star Christina Aguilera have been cancelled as "a sign of respect to the families and next-of-kin of the crew and passengers of flight MH370".

"It is truly a tragedy and we are deeply saddened about the crew and passengers," Petronas said in a statement.

The similarly Petronas-sponsored grand prix, however, is going ahead.

"The atmosphere is subdued and I understand everyone is talking about it everywhere and asking why we are hosting an F1 race under the circumstances," said Sepang circuit boss Razlan Razali. "But it is something that was decided a long time ago."

Also set to go ahead in Kuala Lumpur is the 2014 edition of the Laureus world sports awards, to be attended by nominee Sebastian Vettel on Wednesday.

Laureus chairman Edwin Moses said: "We feel the appropriate action at this time is to scale down some of our activities over the next two days."

It is also believed F1 officials will meet ahead of the race weekend to organise a suitable tribute for the victims of the ill-fated flight.

Elsewhere, 62 per cent of those surveyed by the German news agency SID said F1's governing body should cancel the inaugural Russian grand prix over the Crimean crisis.

From GMM

Simona de Silvestro rates her chances of joining the grand prix grid in 2015 with Sauber as "good".

Last month, the Swiss team signed up the 25-year-old IndyCar driver, nominating her as "an affiliated driver" of the Hinwil based outfit.

Sauber's February statement said de Silvestro will undertake "on track testing, simulator training, as well as mental and physical preparation", with the goal being "to gain her super license and prepare for a race seat in formula one for 2015".

The Swiss newspaper Blick said de Silvestro, from Thun in Switzerland, is set to make her F1 test debut at the end of April.

She said this week: "Formula one has always been my dream."

Simona de Silvestro. (Photo: Sauber F1 Team)

Asked how realistic that dream is, she answered: "If I do everything right, there is a good chance I will get there at some point."

However, given the current nature of midfield F1, Simona de Silvestro must be considered third in line at Sauber, behind the well-sponsored reserve driver Giedo van der Garde and the 'Russian rescue deal'-linked Sergey Sirotkin.

Veteran Blick correspondent Roger Benoit said: "The chance that de Silvestro will ever race for Sauber in formula one is about one per cent."

The arrival of a pair of new Audis means the company is now just two models away from having a 50-vehicle range.