Auto News 5

From IndyCar

The four-lap, 10-mile run to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race is one of the most daunting challenges in the IndyCar Series. This May a new qualifying format to set the 33-car starting lineup will be introduced with the goal of increasing entertainment value for the 2014 qualifying weekend on May 17-18, 2014.

“This new format includes two exciting days of on-track action, all culminating on Sunday with the Fast Nine Shootout,” said Mark Miles, CEO, Hulman Motorsports. “Fans get to watch their favourite drivers battle to make the field on Saturday, and then fight for a pole position on Sunday.”

Qualifying will be enhanced with three sessions of time trials over two eventful days:

Saturday, May 17 (11 a.m.-5:50 p.m. ET)
• The fastest 33 cars compose the starting field (but not starting positions).
• All entries are guaranteed at least one four-lap attempt to qualify.
• The fastest nine entries advance to the Fast Nine Shootout.

Sunday, May 18 (10:15 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ET)
• Saturday times are erased and entries 10-33 must complete another four-lap attempt to determine their starting position in order of the slowest to fastest from Saturday times.

Fast Nine Shootout, Sunday, May 18 (2-2:45 p.m. ET)
• Saturday times are erased. Each entry will receive one four-lap attempt in the order of the slowest to the fastest from Saturday times. Aggregate times will determine the Verizon P1 Award winner and top three rows.

Qualifying results on Saturday and Sunday will include new points incentives to be announced at a later date. Practice sessions before time trials commence are scheduled both days.

“There is an enormous amount of talent in the field this year, which so far includes five former Indianapolis 500 champions,” said Derrick Walker, IndyCar President of Competition and Operations.

“The new format presents an additional challenge to drivers who have one chance to make the field on Saturday, and start over again on Sunday to determine their starting position.”

The race itself is scheduled for May 25th.

From press release

RK M-Sport World Rally Team's Robert Kubica witnessed a day of highs and lows today as Rally Mexico resumed in the hills north of Guanajuato. Despite running as high as fourth overall, a roll on the penultimate super special put paid to his efforts - relegating the popular Pole to ninth position.

A challenging event for any newcomer, Rally Mexico's technical stages may appear smooth and hazard-free, but the gravel tracks hide a number of perils. Making it through all but two of the stages unscathed, the Pole was on course for a fantastic result on what is his first long-haul event and only his third rally behind the wheel of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

The day did not start without its dramas - the high temperatures resulting in a gearshift issue through the first pass of 'El Chocolate'. Having to change gear manually, the 44.03 kilometre stage became a real test. Having to keep one hand on the gear-lever at all times, his sixth fastest time was an impressive feat and testament to both his physical and mental strength.

Robert Kubica, Ford Fiesta RS WRC (Photo: M-Sport)

With the M-Sport team rectifying the issue for the afternoon loop, Kubica was free to up his pace without restraint. Growing in confidence, the Formula One race winner was on course for an impressive fourth place - challenging the front-runners with a string of competitive times including a third fastest time through the second pass of 'Parque Gto Bicentenario' (SS9).

Unfortunately, the final drama was yet to come and Kubica's hard work was to be undone through the final super specials. Clipping a concrete bollard in SS10, his Fiesta was forced into a roll, and its driver ultimately forced to accept Rally 2 regulations for the remainder of the rally.

Yet with more than 60 per cent of the event left to run, there remains all to play for and Kubica will come back strongly - determined to make the most of another new challenge.

"I was really happy with our driving and we were on course for a really strong result so it is very disappointing that the day had to finish the way that it did," said the former F1 driver.

"We weren't taking any big risks. We had found a rhythm that we were comfortable with and the plan was to continue like that. We were learning a lot and improving the pace, so it is really disappointing that the day ended as it did."

Nobody can anticipate the results of the Australian Grand Prix because the new rules introduced this year have changed the very concept of a grand prix.

That is the view of Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso.

"I think the concept of what constitutes a Grand Prix will actually change this year, with Saturday and Sunday being very different from one another," the 32-year-old from Ovideo is quoted saying by his team.

"In qualifying, one will be able to get everything out of the car, pushing the new power unit to the limit, trying to get the absolutely best result.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14-T (Photo: WRi2)

"But in the race you won't get anywhere near that level. (In) the closing stages this year, you will have to bear in mind how much fuel you have left, the state of the batteries and that of the tires."

The two-time world champion is not getting involved in the debate over whether the new rules are good or bad. He simply hopes they remain stable for some time to allow fans to acclimatize.

"As drivers, we will get used to it quickly and so I hope these rules aren't immediately overturned and that they stay unchanged for a few years," he added.

"Otherwise the spectators could lose confident in this new Formula 1 which is very complex, even for the viewer."

From press release

Brazilian racer Felipe Nasr will continue for a second season with race winning team Carlin in the 2014 GP2 Series.

Nasr's strong showing in 2013 helped Carlin secure second position in the Team's Championship. Nasr, who was recently announced as the Williams Formula One team's Reserve and Test Driver, will be in action with Carlin next week during the first official GP2 Series test in Abu Dhabi. 

The 2013 season was Nasr's second year in the highly competitive GP2 Series and after two fantastic opening weekends Nasr was the man to beat. Over the course of the season Nasr took a total of six podiums on his way to fourth overall in the championship.

The 21-year-old's consistency also contributed to Carlin finishing the year as runner up in the Team Championship, on equal points to Russian Time.

Felipe Nasr, GP2 (Photo: Paolo Pellegrini)

The 2014 season looks set to be a busy year for Nasr as he runs his GP2 campaign alongside an exciting new role with the Williams Formula One team. Nasr, who has officially been announced as the reserve and test driver for the British team, will participate in five free practice sessions over the course of the FIA Formula One season.

The Brazilian racer has already tested the Williams car in Bahrain setting the fourth fastest time of the day's running after a total of 87 laps.

"I'm really happy to be with Carlin this year," said Nasr. "We work very well together and it's a very easy relationship. This year I want to go one better and push hard to win the championship; with a strong team like Carlin, and the new rules in regards to the tyres I think we can do this.

"It's also going to be a great year for me to be involved with the Williams Formula One team and learn from them. I'll be attending every race this season with a strong attitude so can't wait for everything to start," he added.

From press release

Following his stratosphere jump in 2012, extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner is tackling his next big challenge on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. The Austrian will obtain a racing license and become a race driver with the Audi race experience team on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.

"The Audi race experience makes it possible for Audi's customers with sporting ambitions to enter racing. But never before has the program, which the Audi driving experience has been running since 2010, had as prominent a driver as this one. It's fantastic that were cooperating with Felix Baumgartner this year," says Klaus Demel, the head of the Audi driving experience.

Felix Baumgartner, Audi R8 LMS ultra (Photo: Audi)

"As an extreme athlete, Felix Baumgartner has been thrilling millions of fans around the world with his daring actions that combine ingenuity and exceptional technical demands. Now we're familiarizing him with our sport, offer him a professional environment with our team, and are very excited about this new, joint challenge."

As a guest entrant, Baumgartner has been gathering some racing experience in recent years during occasional runs in the one-make cups of the Volkswagen Group. The big difference in the 2014 season: the Audi R8 LMS ultra provides him with a 419 kW (570 hp) pure-bred GT3 race car.

The 44-year-old is completing an extensive preparation program before competing in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring on June 21/22, 2014. His team-mates are equally prominent: The five-time Le Mans winner Frank Biela (D), the three-time Le Mans winner Marco Werner (D) as well as the GT and sports car pro Pierre Kaffer (D) will be his colleagues in the cockpit.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne was awarded salary and stock awards worth $307,989 last year for heading Chrysler. His compensation from Fiat for 2013 will be announced later this month.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne was awarded salary and stock awards worth $307,989 last year for heading Chrysler Group, according to a filing with U.S. regulators by the automaker on Friday.

Plenty of race-car drivers and automaker executives still remember the mantra, and#8220;Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.and#8221;

Used-vehicle prices, bolstered by consumers using their income tax refunds to buy used cars and trucks, rose 0.8 percent in February from January and 1.1 percent from February 2013, the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index showed today.

The 2014 Shelby Vegas Bash is set to begin April 14, leading right into the 50th birthday celebration of the Mustang Club of America.

During its time under Ford's Premier Automotive Group umbrella, the Jaguar XK saw two iterations. The first was a much-needed replacement for the aging XJS.

The assets of Fisker might

Mazda is embarking on a hiring binge in Japan, the latest sign that the former money-losing carmaker is bouncing back. The surge in new recruits will come in engineering as Mazda doubles down on future product.

Two weeks ago, we asked if you'd be interested in the Fiat Panda 4x4, a tall softroader made by Fiat using the 500 platform.

Aluminum wheel supplier Superior Industries International said net income rose to $6.4 million in the fourth quarter, up from $2.7 million in the year-earlier period.

News 7 Mar, 2014

Skoda Special: we get top driving tips and put our driving to the test with Skoda's European Rally Champion Jan Kopecky.

News 7 Mar, 2014

Entry-level MINI One, featuring lower-powered three-cylinder engines, revealed at the 2014 Geneva show

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles's CEO expects its new plant in Brazil will boost profitability there by 2017 after 2013 profits were hit by a cut to subsidies and currency effects.

Fiat will introduce its limited production Fiat 500 1957 Edition that will arrive in showrooms late this spring.

General Motors plans to spend US$162m on a stamping plant at its Lansing Grand River facility, creating 65 jobs, local economic development officials said.