Auto News 5

Dietrich Mateschitz has contradicted Red Bull Racing's boss and drivers by admitting that the team's 2009 world champion challenge is now over. Full story...

Stefano Domenicali on Sunday failed to quell the intense speculation about the futures of top F1 drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. Full story...

You're probably thinking that we don't need yet another big SUV crowding our streets, and you're arguably right. But the new MKT might not be a bad idea, since it could convince luxury SUV buyers that a Navigator is no longer required. Ford probably doesn't want this to happen, as they would rather see the MKT steal sales away from its rivals, and I would think the same. But it could happen. Full story...

Olivier Panis and Nicolas Lapierre gave team Oreca's first LMS win today at Silverstone, while Aston Martin drivers Charouz/Enge/Mücke clinched title. Full story...

Antoine L'Estage and Nathalie Richard steered clear of danger to win the 2009 Rallye Defi, the fourth round of the Canadian Rally Championship. With the win, the pair also move to first spot of the 2009 championship. Full story...

BMW-Sauber has a buyer for its Hinwil based team, should the FIA grant it the thirteenth spot on the 2010 formula one grid. That is the claim of the Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick, although team founder and minor shareholder Peter Sauber was giving nothing away at Monza when he said: "The negotiations are at a crucial stage. I can't say anything." Full story...

At last, Denny Hamlin won before his home crowd, dominating the 400 lap race taking the lead on lap four and leading a race-high 298 laps easily keeping ahead of second-place Kurt Busch. Hamlin's best and only real challenger, Jeff Gordon, was sent up the track on a late race restart by Clint Bowyer, but recovered to finish third while Mark Martin was fourth. Full story...

Lewis Hamilton admitted he made a mistake after crashing heavily out of a sure podium place on the last lap of Sunday's Italian grand prix. The reigning world champion had just set the fastest first sector of the entire race in pursuit of Brawn's Jenson Button, but lost the rear of his McLaren on the exit of the first Lesmo curve. Full story...

Nico Hulkenberg on Sunday secured the 2009 GP2 championship with one round to spare. The young German, who is Williams' test driver and tipped for a race seat next season, finished the Monza sprint race third, enough to secure the necessary points advantage over his title rival Vitaly Petrov. Full story...

The 2009 championship has become effectively a race between teammates, after the Brawns finished one-two at Monza and their title rivals at Red Bull had a poor Italian grand prix. "The man sat next to me here is obviously my big rival for the title now," said second placed Jenson Button, referring to his lead over winner Rubens Barrichello that shrank by 2 points to 14 on Sunday. Full story...

Alain Prost is first in line should the 'crash-gate' scandal result in Flavio Briatore's departure from formula one as Renault team boss. The German magazine Auto Motor und Sport said Prost, the quadruple world champion and former owner and boss of an eponymous team, has been lined up by Renault should it need another manager for the Enstone based outfit. Full story...

Skoda Motorsport ace Jan Kopecky completed back-to-back victories on the IRC series trail by winning the Rally Principe de Asturias. Full story...

Don Thomson Jr. won the Torbram Electric 300 part of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule on Saturday night in front of a full-capacity crowd. Racing in Barrie is the epitome of short-track competition and Thomson a race-high 106 laps on the cozy .333-mile tri-oval and took his Chevrolet across the finish line in front of the others for the first time this season. Full story...

Not only did Rubens Barrichello not change is gearbox before the race, but he dominated the Italian Grand Prix to take his second victory in the three last events. Full story...

The all-new 2010 Lincoln MKT three-row crossover - arriving in dealerships now - is raising the bar not only on luxury, but also on safety after earning a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). To earn this designation, a vehicle must receive a rating of "good" in offset frontal-, side- and rear-impact evaluations and offer electronic stability control. The new MKT offers an array of standard crash-protection, crash-avoidance and driver-awareness features, and further solidifies Ford Motor Company's industry-leading number of Top Safety Picks. Full story...

For the first time ever, Volvo Cars is launching a global communication platform. The theme is "There's more to life than a Volvo. That's why you drive one". The aim is clear: "Volvo is to be perceived as a brand that stands out from the crowd, one that is bolder, inspires passion and is at the same time refined," says Michael Persson, global marketing communications director at Volvo Cars. Full story...

VANCOUVER,- Powertech, BC Hydro's subsidiary specializing in clean energy solutions, announced that it was selected by Shell Hydrogen, LLC to provide a new hydrogen-fuelling station at its gasoline retail station in Newport Beach, California. Full story...

Ripping the roof from their entry-level sports sedan was a smart move by Lexus. Not only is this segment searing hot these days, participation in this market can also be highly effective in transforming a manufacturer's reputation from soft and boring to youthful and free-spirited. Full story...

TORRANCE, Calif., - The 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHV) Concept vehicle will make its world debut next week at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Full story...

Brawn is still yet to decide whether to change Rubens Barrichello's Spa-specification gearbox ahead of the Italian grand prix. Despite having some concerns about the unit after the oil leak and fire at the end of the Spa race two weeks ago, it successfully got the Brazilian through third practice and qualifying at high-speed Monza on Saturday. Full story...