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Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado has received a grid penality for having blocked a rival during the qualifying session of the Grand Prix of Belgium at Spa-Francorchamps.

Maldonado, driving a Williams-Renault, qualified a solid third place but has been handed a three-place grid penalty by the Belgian stewards for blocking.

After reviewing evidence, the stewards decided the Williams driver had impeded the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg in Q1. Maldonado will now start Sunday's race from sixth on the grid.

He is the third driver to receive a grid penalty this weekend. Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber and Mercedes AMG's Nico Rosberg will both drop five places after their cars underwent unscheduled gearbox changes.

Revised starting grid:

1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes
2 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari
3 Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault
4 Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari
5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari
6 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault
7 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault
9 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes
10 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault
11 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes
12 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing-Renault
13 Michael Schumacher Mercedes
14 Felipe Massa Ferrari
15 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Ferrari
16 Daniel Ricciardo STR-Ferrari
17 Bruno Senna Williams-Renault
18 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault
19 Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault
20 Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth
21 Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth
22 Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth
23 Nico Rosberg Mercedes
24 Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth

From GMM

British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton has described one contract offered by McLaren for the 2013 season as "sh*t".

The expletive is an insight into the 2008 world champion's delicate negotiations with the British team, but Hamilton ruled out letting the impasse become a "sabbatical".

"There are lots of sticking points," the 27-year-old said at Spa, where the 2013 'silly season' has shifted into a higher gear.

"You never just sign the first contract that's given to you because most of the time it's sh*t," he is quoted by the Sun.

"Nothing's signed, nothing's decided."

Although his alternatives appear limited, Hamilton is not ruling out a switch to a rival team.

"You don't know what is going to happen because in 2014 the regulations change quite heavily. So you don't know what is going to be the (right) place," he said.

The Times' Kevin Eason said that comment could tie in with speculation McLaren is happy to increase Hamilton's pay, but the team wants him to sign a long-term deal.

Hamilton ruled out letting the impasse result in him being left with no seat in 2013.

"I'm not going to walk away from F1. Plus, why would I take a sabbatical? I am too young. That is definitely not going to happen," he said.

History/Description: Few family cars are as sensible as a Toyota Camry -- and with a reputation for reliability and high resale value, Toyota's bread-and-butter model is an attractive piece of machinery in the used-car marketplace.

2007 Toyota Camry (Photo: Toyota)

Look for a 2.4L, 158-horsepower 4-cylinder as standard, and an available 3.5L, 268-horsepower V6. A 5-speed stick was standard on the 4-cylinder Camry, and a 6-speed automatic was standard on the V6. Note that a new 4-cylinder engine, displacing 2.5 litres, replaced the 2.4L unit in 2010.

Feature content included a sunroof, heated leather seats, premium JBL audio system, navigation, automatic climate control, power seats, and plenty more. Toyota Camry nomenclature works as follows: base models were called LE, while the SE variant took the middle place in the model range. Top-line Camry's wore an XLE badge.

What Owners Like: Performance with the V6 engine is rated very highly, and most owners comment positively on overall fuel mileage, roominess and utility. Many Camry owners also enjoy plenty of at-hand storage within the cabin, which helps them stay organized on the go. The up-level sound system is also highly rated.

What Owners Dislike: Common complaints include a dull, unstimulating overall design, a “floaty” ride, and numb steering and brake feel. Some owners report questionable seat comfort, so be sure the Camry's seats fit you well on a test drive.

Common Issues: Though Camry has a deserved reputation for reliability, a few checks should be considered mandatory. Be sure to check the oil level and condition of the model you're considering, as numerous reports of excessive oil consumption have been made. Any engine will consume oil, and keeping on top of the vehicle's oil-change schedule and monitoring oil levels are key to longevity.

The V6 engine available in this generation of Camry suffered from a well-documented problem with oil lines that could leak or rupture. Your local Toyota dealership will be familiar with this problem, and should check out the Camry you're considering ahead of purchase. If an oil line leaks or fails it could, in extreme cases, destroy the engine.

2008 Toyota Camry (Photo: Toyota)

Continue reading 2007-2011 Toyota Camry Pre-Owned

Octane and Algorithms

A rookie gambler at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Before going to the seventieth Monaco Grand Prix last May, I placed some bets on a Web gambling site. I'd never been to Monaco, less than a square mile of rock packed with billionaires and millionaires and, for a few days, home of the planet's premier street-racing event. I'd never gambled on a Formula 1 race. Once I got there, I was psyched. Betting gave me a fresh take on F1's high craziness. It flipped my normal longing to be trackside for the vicarious thrills and shifted my focus elsewhere. To data and money. Patterns and performance. It was like being on a low-grade dopamine high, the neurotransmitter of pleasure being triggered constantly. Even in my sleep, I began having gambling dreams. All around were stimulants: celebrities pursued by paparazzi, stunners in stilettos, VIPs on yachts, more Ferraris than you could count. But all my senses longed for was more data to up the odds of coming out a winner.

Photo Gallery: Octane and Algorithms - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: Octane and Algorithms - Automobile Magazine

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Autoweek, an affiliate of Automotive News, received a photo this week of what appears to be a camouflaged Jaguar F-Type caught driving in the mountains near Denver.

After more than three years of handshaking, contract drafting and, ultimately, disappointment, Alte LLC has secured a deal to fund production of its range-extended electric powertrain technology.

News 3 Sep, 2012

A new Golf-rivalling Nissan hatchback is set to be designed, built and engineered in the UK

Also in this episode: BMW diversifies into high-end computer mouses, and Kia dusts off the Ham-stars for a new advertising campaign.

News 5 Sep, 2012

Why fork out on expensive safety systems if you can't rely on them?

The Moscow Motor Show this week provided some welcome relief to some of the more downbeat news further west.

Hurricane Isaac has dissipated after a week of floods and power outages, and now dealers on the Gulf Coast will try to rebuild sales over the Labor Day weekend.

Nissan has lifted the cover off the redesigned 2013 Sentra sedanand#8212;its third product reveal within the past six months. The new Sentra arrives in dealer showrooms this fall.

Nissan is retooling the Sentra for 2013 with an all-new platform, lighter body and 1.8-liter engine to elevate its appeal in the compact sedan segment now dominated by the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

Honda published the details of the 2013 CR-V small SUV on Friday. It was revamped last year so it basically carries on with minor changes.

Opel says it has confirmed Michael Lohscheller as Opel/Vauxhall vice president finance and CFO board member, effective 1 September, 2012.

Dyer Consequences: Roadside Attractions

At no point in my life have I ever thought, "Man, I just have to own an AMC-era Jeep that gets 11 mpg."

At no point in my life have I ever thought, "Man, I just have to own an AMC-era Jeep that gets 11 mpg." But I'm out getting groceries when my trip is derailed by just such a vehicle. It's a 1989 Grand Wagoneer with 117,000 miles, no rust, and a $3500 asking price. And it's not at a dealership. It's not on eBay. It's the best, most tempting kind of used car: one that's for sale by the side of the road.

Photo Gallery: Dyer Consequences: Roadside Attractions - Automobile Magazine

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As we head into Labor Day weekend, it's worth acknowledging the hardworking utility vehicles that make our mechanized way of life possible.

Volvo's employment agency handling a potential 200 blue collar redundancies at the automaker, says strict Swedish jobs laws will force it to hasten the search for new recruitment

Pictures 31 Aug, 2012

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: The 30.3 mpg fuel reading I achieved on my fill-up is the big deal about the Bluetec version of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350.