Auto News 5

Plastic Omnium says it will substantially increase its presence in Russia and India to capitalise on growing automotive business in both countries.

News 18 Sep, 2012

First official pictures of the Fiesta-rivalling Dacia Sandero, ahead of the Paris Motor Show

Pictures 18 Sep, 2012

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: The 2012 Mini Cooper S Roadster brings out a rush of different emotions. I love the 1.

News 18 Sep, 2012

Our best glimpse yet of the Mercedes A-Class-based four-seater saloon

Pictures 18 Sep, 2012

Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) negotiators have reached a four-year tentative agreement with Ford Canada during which time about 600 new jobs will be created at the automaker's Canadian operations.

In a response to calls for clarity about Fiat's future investment plans, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne told an Italian newspaper that the automaker will not close any of its six Italian factories despite a plunging domestic car market.

News 18 Sep, 2012

News 18 Sep, 2012

Latest spy shots provide our first glimpse under the bonnet of the BMW M3

European car sales fell 9 percent in August for an 11th straight monthly decline led by Ford, GM and Fiat and mid-market brands bore the brunt of the slump in markets including Italy, France and Germany.

Land Rover could add a luxury SUV below the compact-sized Evoque, the brand's design director said. "Certainly, I think we can go smaller," Gerry McGovern told Automotive News Europe.

Several Japanese automakers shuttered assembly plants and dealerships in the world's second-biggest economy as a territorial dispute and the anniversary of Japan's invasion of China prompted thousands to protest in Beijing, Shanghai and other...

Land Rover could add a luxury SUV below the compact-sized Evoque, the brand's design director said. "Certainly, I think we can go smaller," Gerry McGovern told Automotive News Europe.

IndyCar could be an option for currently suspended NASCAR driver A.J. Allmendinger according to his stock-car boss and Team Penske owner Roger Penske.

That is what the “Captain” said last Saturday at the Auto Club Speedway when asked what could be the future for the former CART/Champ Car ace.

At the request of Penske, Allmendinger attended last week-end IZOD IndyCar season's finale at Fontana to see people and talk to some team owners as well as renew with his former surroundings.

“I thought it would be good for him to get out, see people and maybe, open some doors for next year. He did a great job (in) Champ Car.”

Photo: LAT for IndyCar

As for Ryan Hunter-Reay, Penske said they began talking to him about six months ago, but the 2012 IndyCar champion was not allowed to negotiate with another team until the end of this season.

Finally, the American decided to stay put at Andretti Autosport for the next couple of seasons.

Danica Patrick, mired in 11th in the Nationwide points, in her first full year will be getting a new crew chief, likely Ryan Pemberton.

On Monday afternoon Junior Motorsports released Tony Eury, Jr. as crew chief of Patrick's Number 7 Chevrolet.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of the owners of JR Motorsports, along with his sister Kelley and Rick Hendrick said in a statement “Unfortunately, Tony Jr. is no longer with the company,” he said. “I had hoped he would be here for a long time, but as we've discussed the direction of JR Motorsports moving forward, it was clear our differences in ideas were too vast to overcome.

I love him like a brother and you'll never hear me say a bad thing about him. I know he'll have much success in anything he does going forward. As for our No. 7 team, no decision has been made on who will crew chief that team this weekend at Kentucky Speedway. We will discuss our options and make a decision very soon.”

Danica Patrick and Tony Eury Jr. (Photo: NASCAR)

Tony Eury Sr. had been released as the team's competition director about 11 days ago. And more recently Pemberton, recently with Red Bull Racing, was hired by JR which leads to the likelihood that the veteran Sprint Cup level crew chief would become Patrick's crew chief.

Ironically Eury Jr. still has a part-ownership in JR Motorsports which makes his release as the team's spotlight driver very curious. He told Fox Sports “They're trying to fix the competition of the cars," Eury said. “They thought they could do better without me there. They hired Ryan and Ryan's their guy.”

About his ownership position he said “we're still in discussions about that,” Eury Jr. said.

Last year Patrick drove a part-time schedule while finishing her IndyCar commitment to Andretti Autosport. Her best finish this year was 8th at Texas Motor Speedway and she's crashed in four races. Next year she's going to a full-time Sprint Cup schedule with Stewart-Haas Racing.

From GMM

Red Bull wants Renault to dump its alternator supplier.

The reigning champions have been dogged by a recurring reliability problem in 2012, which cost Sebastian Vettel victory at Valencia and crucial points at Monza.

The faulty component, which has also failed in other Renault-powered cars this year including the Lotus and the Pirelli test car, is the alternator supplied by Italian company Magneti Marelli.

"I want Renault to separate from its supplier Magneti Marelli and use someone else," Red Bull team boss Dietrich Mateschitz is quoted by Germany's Auto Bild Motorsport.

Sebastian Vettel retired at Monza due to an alternator failure. (Photo: WRi2)

Renault Sport's Remi Taffin confirmed that the French marque is considering its works partner's request.

Despite a testy relationship between Red Bull and McLaren, it is believed one of the only ready alternatives to Magneti Marelli is McLaren Electronic Systems (MES).

From GMM

Valtteri Bottas has admitted he is very keen to end his reserve duties and join the formula one grid as soon as possible.

The Finn, who is managed by Williams' executive director Toto Wolff as well as Mika Hakkinen, usually replaces Bruno Senna on Friday mornings, and is tipped to step into the seat full-time next season.

Asked if he is ready for that, 22-year-old Bottas told Russia's f1news.ru: "Yes, I hope so, but at the moment the situation remains unchanged. I will do the Friday sessions, except in Singapore and Austin."

"As for a contract for next year, I don't know -- it's a fact," Bottas insisted. "But this season has taught me a lot, and I feel ready now. If I am offered the opportunity, I will of course take advantage of it. I think at some stage you just have to go for it, whether you are 90 or 100 per cent ready."

Valtteri Bottas and Toto Wolff. (Photo: Williams F1 Team)

Valtteri Bottas admitted he has been in a privileged situation in 2012, having enjoyed plenty of mileage in the FW34 despite F1's tightly-controlled testing limits.

"It's really the most a young driver can expect," he said. "But, of course, all my life I have been racing. It was impossible for me to take part in GP2 and Friday practice at the same time. So if I had to select my programme for this year again, undoubtedly we would have chosen the Friday practice. Concentrating solely on formula one was the best choice."

Bottas said he is reluctant to feel sorry for Senna, who has been giving up his car in practice and then often struggling for the rest of the weekend.

"When he signed the contract," the young Finn insisted, "he knew that on Fridays I would be at the wheel of the car. We try to act as a team, but if I was a race driver then I probably wouldn't like it either if someone else is driving my car. It's a normal reaction. This is my third year with Williams, and my role in the team has been always becoming more important. This team has become my home and I would very much like to continue to work here."

Third-generation racer Matthew Brabham added to his family's championship-winning pedigree claiming the Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda Championship title at Virginia International Raceway last weekend.

Matthew Brabham and father Geoff. (Photo: Cooper Tires USF2000)

Matthew, grandson of Jack Brabham (F1 Champion) and son of Geoff Brabham (IMSA Champion) clinched the championship after a steady drive to eighth place in Race 2.

His rival Spencer Pigot posted the fastest lap in every session aboard his Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing Van Diemen-Mazda, qualifying on the pole for both the weekend's rounds and never being headed for a single inch in the pair of 14-lap races.

Matthew Brabham saw his points advantage dwindle from 41 at the beginning of the weekend to just seven in the final tally, but that was all he required to tie up the Mazda scholarship prize, worth $375,000, which will enable him to move up to the Star Mazda Championship, the next rung on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder, in 2013.

From ROC

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher will be in the line-up as the Race Of Champions celebrates its 25th year of competition in 2012. The German motor racing great - who has more F1 titles, wins and poles than anyone in history - will travel to Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium, which will host the prestigious event on the weekend of December 15-16.

Held every year since 1988, the end-of-season contest brings together the world's greatest drivers from motor sport's main disciplines - including Formula 1, world rally, touring cars, Le Mans and the X-Games - and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery.

Drivers pair up for the ROC Nations Cup, this year scheduled for Saturday 15 December, before the individual Race Of Champions takes place on Sunday 16 December.

For the past five years Schumacher has joined up with Sebastian Vettel to take Team Germany to victory in the ROC Nations Cup. Reigning F1 world champion Vettel has already announced he will be back for more - and now Schumacher has confirmed that the winning duo will be reunited again. The pair will aim to add yet more Race Of Champions glory to their incredible haul of Formula 1 world championships.

Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, last year at Düsseldorf. (Photo: Race of Champions)

ROC 2012 will take place on a specially constructed tarmac track with two parallel lanes winding their way round Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium. Built for the 1998 Asian Games, the 50,000-capacity stadium has since hosted Thailand's home football matches plus athletics, pop concerts and even political rallies.