Motorsport eNews Issue 12 - July 10-16, 2007

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WOW!

Issue No. 012 10 – 16 July 2007

FrenchmAn SET for v8 Debut

RYAN POWER! Briscoe and Power win in the states

THIS ISSUE OF MOTORSPORT eNEWS BOUGHT TO BY THE ALL-NEW HONDA

Editorial Editor: Grant Rowley grant@mnews.com.au Deputy Editor: Aaron Noonan noonz@mnews.com.au National Editor: Andrew van Leeuwen andrew@mnews.com.au Executive Editor: Phil Branagan editor@mnews.com.au

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Issue No. 012 | 10 – 16 July 2007

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Contributing Writers F1: Joe Saward, Mark Glendenning, Adam Cooper, Paolo Filisetti Europe: Quentin Spurring, David Addison US: Martin D. Clark, Phil Morris Speedway: Greg Boscato, Geoff Rounds, Darren Sutton, Tony Millard (UK) Rally: Ryan Lahiff Drag Racing: Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Ken Ferguson, John Bosher National: Mark Wicks, Mark Jones, Aaron Shaw, Daniel Powell.

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Ferrari’s Jean Todt USA Today goes NASCAR Jason Richards speaks up Not so keen on Geelong I’ll take Britain for 10 pts Will Wins Wet Toronto

trade 34 Trade and Industry / Raceshop 36 Classifieds

Photographers Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Marshall Cass, John Morris/Mpix, AF1 Images, James Smith, Peter Bury, Neil Blackbourn, Chris Carter, Coopers Photography, Paris Charles, Bob Potts, Neil Hammond, Joel Strickland, Mike Patrick (UK)

WPS opts for Frenchman Espionage hits F1 Kanaan and Sam biffo!

A very small Toyota

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Caltex pulls out of V8s STONE Brothers Racing is determined to hit back hard after its Darwin disasters, despite the news last week that sponsor Caltex would depart the team at the end of the year.

The oil giant, which has been a sponsor of the triple title-winning team since 2000, announced last week that it was withdrawing from V8 Supercar racing. That means it will also conclude its current deal with TeamVodafone.

SBR co-principal Ross Stone was working hard at getting his team ready for its home round at Queensland Raceway.

“It is a part of the deal, we need to get organised and get on with the racing,” Stone said this week.

While Caltex is out of V8 Supercar racing, it is not out of the sport, as its current partnership with Toyota Racing Developments (which has been ongoing for more than a decade) will continue unaffected.

Caltex’s V8 decision is not entirely unexpected. Its Marketing General Manager Mark Burrowes left the company three months ago, and while many of the activities planned for the current sponsorships remain in place, there has clearly been an evolution in the company’s targets.

“There are times when our priorities change,” Caltex’s National Brand Manager and Communications Liz Whiteway said on Monday.

“When we entered the sport, it was about engine oils, and then a premium fuel. The public focus is moving on to bio fuels and the growth in diesel.”

It is unknown what, if any affect, the move will have any decision on the future of Russell Ingall, whose contract with Stone Brothers expires at the end of the year.

“We have not even discussed that,” said Stone, “and I have not spoken to Russell about that.”

However, it would appear unlikely that a team would approach a potential, new naming rights sponsor with a driver who was not secured by a long-term contract with the team. An opposition team’s marketing boss told eNews that, if he had to approach a new sponsor, “it would be with the new driver, front and centre” …

Options are an option Viva le

Champ Car star firms as favo

Dunlop secures V8 tyre contract until 2012 – and has option tyres in mind

V8 SUPERCARS

V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

OPTION tyres remain an option for V8 Supercars, after Dunlop was last week awarded a new five-year deal to supply the category’s control tyres.

The company, which has been the sole supplier of tyres in the class since 2002, will continue in its role for both the V8 Supercar Championship Series and Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series until the end of the 2012 season.

But whether of not there is a potentially faster but less durable ‘option’ tyre available, as is the case in both Formula 1 and Champ Car, remains to be seen. Dunlop is expected to discuss the matter with officials of TEGA at Queensland Raceway next week.

The tender decision means that there is continuity of supplier, though it is has not yet been determined whether Dunlop will continue to supply only the current K5P5 tyre, which has been in use since 2002.

Should the company and TEGA choose to pursue the notion of using a new tyre, the new five-year deal gives both the opportunity to conduct testing through the remainder of this season or even into 2008, and still implement changes economically for a four-year span.

Dunlop has produced 50,000 V8 Supercar tyres over the last five years, each one handmade at its plant in Nagoya, Japan.

FRENCHMAN Nelson Philippe is the favourite to fill the fourth seat at WPS Racing for Sandown and Bathurst this year.

The 21-year-old looks set to make his V8 Supercar debut with the Craig Gore-owned operation after testing with the Queensland-based team earlier in the year.

Pending upcoming testing, expect to see regular drivers Max Wilson and Jason Bargwanna suit up in the #10 WPS Falcon, with Michael Caruso and Philippe in the #8 WOW entry.

However, this will not be confirmed until Philippe completes another test day with the team. WPS Racing has a test day scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday), which Philippe was not due to attend.

news

Marshall Cass

Bathurst?

urite to drive with WPS Racing at Sandown and Bathurst Philippe tested WPS Racing’s ride car in early June and, after some initial difficulties with the H-pattern gearbox, the team reported that he tested well, leading them to lean towards him for the drive.

Philippe – last year’s Gold Coast Indy winner – commented on his personal website that he enjoyed his V8 test debut.

“The car is so different to what I’m used to, but it brakes better than I anticipated and it has some serious horsepower under the hood,” he said.

“Every time I got on the power for the straightaways, it was so loud it sounded like an alien was dying in there!”

While he adapts to the car, he also made his intentions clear …

“I am very much looking forward to racing in such a professional racing series and will do my best to kick

some Aussie butt!”

Born in Valence, France, Nelson now resides in Florida, USA. Philippe started his career racing karts before getting a chance in the Barber Dodge Pro Series in 2003.

He graduated straight to the Champ Car World Series in 2004, with his career-highlight coming at last year’s Surfers Paradise round.

The only other non-Australasian drivers competing at Sandown and Bathurst this year is fellow WPS Racing driver Max Wilson, Dane Alan Simonsen and Irishman Richard Lyons.

The last Frenchman to drive a V8 Supercar was Yvan Muller, who competed with Craig Lowndes in the Triple 8 Falcons – winning the Sandown 500 in 2005.

– GRANT ROWLEY

BRIEFLY...

– QUENTIN SPURRING

FERRARI will be in the High Court in London today [Tuesday] for the next round of legal action against Mike Coughlan, the McLaren chief designer, who has been suspended by the Woking team since last week, above left, after a large number of Ferrari documents were found at his home during a search (see sidebar).

It is not clear what will happen next – Ferrari is not saying – but it is likely to be the next step in a civil action against Coughlan. In Italy the team is pursuing its action against both Coughlan and Nigel Stepney, above right.

The next big hurdle for McLaren is an FIA investigation to establish whether the team has contravened any regulations.

The crux of the matter is whether or not McLaren could have gained any advantage from the information and there is an FIA rule which states that teams are responsible for all actions of their employees, and this could be applied even if a rogue engineer has acted on his own.

The question of whether there have been any changes to the McLarens based on Ferrari information is one that can be assessed by FIA

engineers, as McLaren is willing to reveal all the modifications made. The reality is that it is not quite that simple because just putting Ferrari ideas on a McLaren would not necessarily make the cars any quicker because of the complex nature of modern F1 aerodynamics.

It is also very difficult to prove that McLaren’s string of good results was due to the team improving – or whether Ferrari tailed off because its wind-tunnel was out of action due to serious maintenance problems.

– JOE SAWARD

An Emotional Time for Dennis ONE of the most remarkable things about the whole ‘Stepneygate’ Saga happened last Thursday at Silverstone.

sutton-images.com

n Spyker is reported to have agreed to accept a compromise over the ‘customer’ cars controversy, and to drop the arbitration proceedings against Super Aguri and Toro Rosso. Bernie Ecclestone called all the team principals to a special meeting between the practice sessions at Silverstone on Friday, when Spyker was apparently persuaded to accept a deal.

The three teams concerned will each receive an equal share of the TV rights income, whatever their respective final positions in the Constructors championship.

FORMULA 1

sutton-images.com

n Spyker plans to use Dutch veteran Jos Verstappen for its Friday test program during the Belgian Grand Prix.

Formula 1 rocked sutton-images.com

n Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman Ron Walker was in London this week for meetings with Bernie Ecclestone about the future of the race at Albert Park.

Walker is seeking to extend AGPC’s contract beyond 2010.

In response to Ecclestone’s recent suggestion of a night race to boost the TV audience in Europe, Walker offered to delay the start of next year’s event by one hour. He said: “There are negotiations to change the starting time,” he said.

“We’re looking at a 3pm start because, in Melbourne in March, we get a depreciation of the light. A 4pm start would mean it would be getting dark [before the end of the race]. I think the [Victorian state] Government’s view, and indeed our board’s view, is that the more people who watch the Grand Prix in Melbourne, the better. If we can increase the audience by some tens of millions by going an hour later, it would certainly be very helpful to Victoria.”

After making it clear that he wouldn’t be taking any questions about the matter, McLaren boss Ron Dennis spoke for five minutes about the new McLaren Brand Centre pit facility, before showing a five-minute movie about the structure. Just as it was all wrapping up he took the microphone back, and said, “I live and breathe this team ...”. At which point he paused, began to choke up, and actually started shedding tears.

He just managed to collect himself enough to finish his sentence: “... and there’s no way anything incorrect would ever happen with this team” – and had to turn away because he was weeping!

He was back 30 seconds later saying “I nearly lost it, didn’t I?” But the entire paddock was agog. It seems that it is the first time anyone has seen Ron Dennis cry.

Just a week before, he told the press that he leaves his emotions at home ...

– MARK GLENDENNING

news

by Espionage Scandal Ferrari alleges theft and sabotage: McLaren suspends chief designer: Dennis breaks down at British GP Court to obtain an order to accommodate a search of Coughlan’s house. This did not involve the police as there is in English law a rare search warrant which is used in civil actions. According to Ferrari, the search McLaren did not name the employee but revealed that Coughlan had more thaan 500 pages of detailed information about revealed that he had personally received Ferrari. a package of technical information from a Ferrari started a legal process in Italy Ferrari employee at the end of April. for “the theft of technical information” McLaren went on to say that it has involving Nigel Stepney and Coughlan. no involvement in the matter and This was in addition to a case against condemned it, adding that it will fully Stepney for sabotage. McLaren completed co-operate with any investigation. The an internal investigation and said that individual involved has been suspended “no Ferrari intellectual property has been by the team. passed to any other members of the team It soon became clear that the Ferrari or incorporated into its cars” and invited allegations were made against Mike the FIA to conduct a full review of its Coughlan, McLaren’s chief designer. It cars to satisfy itself that the team has not quickly emerged that Coughlan was benefited from any Ferrari intellectual exposed when his wife went to a copying property. shop and asked for a large number of It then began to emerge that Stepney drawings to be transformed into digital and Coughlan had offered their services information. The shop recognised that the drawings were from Ferrari and called Italy to Honda and that Stepney had two meetings with Honda Racing F1 boss to alert Ferrari to the situation.

Nick Fry. The second was attended by The team immediately consulted a Coughlan. No deal was agreed and Honda London law firm and went to the High ON the Tuesday after the French Grand Prix, the Formula 1 world suddenly tumbled into a huge scandal, signalled by a press release from McLaren that indicated that a senior member of its staff was implicated in an industrial espionage case.

ANALYSIS Joe Saward Formula 1 Correspondent said that “at no point during this meeting was any confidential information offered or received”.

Stepney then spoke to members of the F1 media and denied both the sabotage and espionage claims and said that he fell out with the Ferrari management and then claimed that the team was hounding him.

He claimed that he and his family has been followed by detectives and that there had even been high-speed car chases and claimed that he had found tracking equipment in his car.

Stepney said that he believed he was being discredited because “I guess I know where the bodies have been buried for the last 10 years”.

– JOE SAWARD

sutton-images.com

Spikes for Spyker in F1?

DC back for 2008 RED Bull Racing announced at Silverstone that it has re-signed David Coulthard for another one-year deal.

FORMULA 1 THERE has been a lot of action in the last few days with speculation over the future of Spyker F1 and Spyker Cars.

sutton-images.com

sutton-images.com

The two companies were linked after the purchase of the team last year, based on the logic that it would be sensible for the car company to use the team to publicise and glamorise the cars.

The problem is that the car company has turned out to be a drag on the resources of the racing team and that has resulted in some changes in recent months as the big shareholders – notably the Mol Family – have tried to wrest control of the business away from founder and chairman Victor Muller.

The latest rumours in Holland suggest that the company will soon delist from the Amsterdam Euronext stock exchange and then sell the car company to someone else. The racing team would thus be able to operate independently and would be stronger as a result. There have also been rumours that Muller is planning to bring in more investors and buy the business from the Mols.

While all this is going on, the team continues to do what it can to survive. The performance is improving gradually as the effects of Mike Gascoyne’s recruitment are felt but the team still does not have sufficient funding to operate without the drivers bringing money.

– JOE SAWARD

It seems to have come about because Coulthard gets on very well with the team’s top engineer Adrian Newey, the two men having worked together at McLaren before they moved to Red Bull. It is anticipated that the team will also re-sign Mark Webber as it appears to value experience rather more than long-term potential.

This is sad news for the Red Bull Junior Team concept which has run on to the rocks as none of those involved has been allowed to progress to the top of the Red Bull ladder. One by one, they are heading off to do other things. Given the amount of money that Red Bull has invested over the years this makes absolutely no sense at all.

One of the biggest problems seems to be that there is infighting within the Red Bull empire over the control of the young driver programmes with Toro Rosso, which exists to help the youngsters into F1, wanting to pick its own, while Red Bull’s Helmut Marko naturally wants to maintain his program.

Much will depend on whether Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz decides to support Marko or the Toro Rosso team.

– JOE SAWARD

Can of Ralf Bull?

Bourdais and Schumacher on Toro Rosso radar SCUDERIA Toro Rosso looks like having a clear-out of drivers at the end of the season with neither of the current pilots very keen on staying with the team, and the Austrians trying to import someone with a bigger name.

The rumours in Silverstone suggested that Ralf Schumacher is top of the list.

However in Austria, there are reports that Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz is not interested in either Ralf or in Sebastien Bourdais.

The Frenchman is under option to the team until the end of the month but it seems that Mateschitz would rather see Red Bull drivers in the team.

Bourdais is keen to return to Europe after three-consecutive titles in the Champ Car Series.

That means his only real

choice is to try to break into F1 and, to this end, he has done a deal to be represented in Europe by Nicolas Todt, the manager of Felipe Massa and son of Ferrari boss Jean Todt.

Toro Rosso is a Ferrari client and thus there will probably be a deal for an engine supply situation if Bourdais is included in the team.

The current drivers are hoping that a seat will appear at Red Bull Racing but the resigning of David Coulthard and the likely confirmation that Mark Webber is staying, means that Red Bull is unlikely to have much to offer them. The one chance is that Webber goes off to Toyota – but that appears to be unlikely.

– JOE SAWARD

BRIEFLY... n NASCAR issued fines and penalties to the Chevrolets of Kyle Busch and Johnny Sauter as a result of rule infractions found during post-race inspections last week at New Hampshire Speedway.

Both cars failed to meet the minimum front car height requirements, specifically on the left front and as a result, Busch and Sauter have each been penalised 25 driver championship points and their respective crew chiefs Alan Gustafson and Robert ‘Bootie’ Barker have each been fined US$25,000 and placed on probation until September 19.

The fines came a day after NASCAR chairman Brian France promised tougher penalties for future violators and a change was made regarding suspended crew chiefs. In the past they could be at the track, albeit not in areas where their license is required, however a new ruling bans them from tracks totally while under suspension. n Following the merger of phone companies Nextel and Sprint, the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series (so named in 2003 when Nextel replaced Winston as title sponsor), will become the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2008.

NASCAR Truck Series driver Aaron Fike has been arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, including Heroin.

Fike, 24, sits eighth in Truck Series points driving the Red Horse Racing Toyota coowned by TV analyst Jeff Hammond.

NASCAR have not issued a release though it’s expected Fike, a former USAC sprint car winner, will be suspended indefinitely.

– MARTIN D CLARK n

10

Porsche choked Ryan's winning Penske rocket cops penalty as ACO also looks at rule change AMERICAN LE MANS AFTER a string of wins by Penske Porsche, LMP2 cars running in the American Le Mans Series have been penalised by a five percent reduction in air-intake area.

The change, following pressure from Audi, was implemented at Sunday’s Lime Rock round of the series.

However, the short and bumpy layout at the Connecticut track didn’t really penalise the power reduction – which should show up more in later rounds.

The change brings the US category into line with the European ACO ‘parent’ series regs.

Speaking of the ACO regulations, the total domination of the LMP1 category in Le Mans sports car racing by Audi’s diesel-

powered car is likely to see regulation changes for 2008 to open up the class again.

Last weekend’s ALMS race at Lime Rock, US, was abuzz with suggestions that the ACO has decided to investigate – but has an open mind on what to do.

A change in equivalency

is likely to encourage manufacturers without a suitable diesel engine to have a go at LMP1.

It is being suggested that at least two manufacturers will look at LMP1 if a suitable change is made.

– CHRIS LAMBDEN

A trap for young players A FRAUDSTER offering to help young motor racing drivers is under investigation by Victoria Police after the whistle was blown following the Hidden Valley V8 Supercar round.

The woman, Candice Weeden, pictured, claimed to be working for Holden in public relations and also claimed to have terminal cervical cancer. She had made enquiries with a range of young drivers, offering to assist with PR and provide funding for drives.

She allegedly offered funding to Aussie Racing Cars driver Charles Davison to make his V8 Ute debut with Hi-Tech Motorsport in Darwin, which the third-generation

racer followed through on.

However, the cheque bounced with the Suncorp Bank on the Monday morning following the race meeting as well as an additional one for further testing at Queensland Raceway and it’s also alleged she siphoned funds from elsewhere to pay for rental cars, hotels and meals.

The woman’s MySpace.com page has been shut down,

but not before eNews logged onto it, discovering that she pertained to be heading to work in Formula 1 in 2008 (with Williams) and stated she worked for Holden and travelled the country with the V8 Supercar category and its supports.

The woman was seen at Hidden Valley as well as on the Sunday night at the after party at Discovery nightclub.

The Suncorp Bank in Queensland, Victoria Police and Holden Ltd are continuing to investigate the matter.

– AARON NOONAN

news

Rumble at the Glen

COMING

Kanaan and Hornish Jr – and Hornish Sr! – come to blows post-race in US

International

The two had made contact on track as Hornish Jr charged past the Brazilian in a no-holdsbarred move that allowed him to finish second, his best-ever road course result.

But things turned nasty as Kanaan swerved at the former IndyCar champ entering the pits on the slow-down lap before a verbal altercation that resulted in Sam Hornish Sr shoving the Andretti Green driver after initially trying to take his son away from the altercation.

Following Hornish Sr’s shove of Kanaan, an unidentified associate of AGR wrestled him to the ground before security personnel and other team members from both Penske and AGR intervened.

“He drove by me and ran into me, bent the toe links and tried to put me in the inside wall, and that’s something I’m not going to take, especially coming to the pit lane where you’ve got all the guys going

IRL IndyCar Series

INDY Racing League officials will investigate a post-race clash between Sam Hornish Jr and Tony Kanaan following the Watkins Glen round of the IRL IndyCar Series on Sunday.

IRL IndyCar Series

IRL INDYCAR

THIS WEEK MotoGP – Sachsenring NASCAR – Chicagoland

Australia CAMS Nationals – Eastern Creek AMRS – Adelaide NexT Week (JULY 21 -22)

International German F1 GP - Hockenheim Champ Car – Edmonton MotoGP – Laguna Seca, USA

Australia

over the wall changing tyres, doing all that stuff and people that aren’t expecting two cars to come down there having problems,” Hornish Jr said.

Kanaan wasn’t happy postrace either.

“After the race, I wasn’t very happy and I got out of the car to talk to him,” he said.

“Sam’s dad bumped me and I think that’s totally wrong.

When something happens on the track, we need to sort it out between ourselves and if we can't sort it out, Brian Barnhart needs to sort it out. I was not going to fight with Sam. I was not going to punch him.

We were obviously both hot

and were talking about what happened and his dad came in and bumped me.

“He needs his dad to defend him, which I think is totally wrong. I was not going to fight.

That's why dads should be in the grandstands.”

John Griffin, vice president of public relations for the Indy Racing League, said “sanctions will be handed down after we see the video.”

To view the incident, head to the IndyCar Series official website – www.indycar.com

V8 Supercars - QLD R/WAY includes: Formula Ford, FujitsuV8 Supercars and Carrera Cup

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to view the incident

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BRIEFLY...

12

FUJITSU V8s DEXION has withdrawn its support from Tony Evangelou’s ANT Racing team.

A number of changes within Dexion’s management has seen the them make an amicable split.

The team has enjoyed the support of Dexion since the second round of the development series in 2004, with their best result being

sixth at Clipsal in 2006.

Dexion will continue to support TeamVodafone and has a personal deal with Craig Lowndes.

ANT Racing is entered for

Queensland Raceway and is working towards racing at ‘The Paperclip’ with a new driver and a new sponsor. Evangelou himself will not drive the car.

– GRANT ROWLEY

Graham gets QR FFord FORMULA FORD QUEENSLAND karter Adam Graham will race in next week’s fifth round of the Australian Formula Ford Championship at Queensland Raceway.

Graham will race the Spectrum 011 that Ben Morley campaigned at the Eastern Creek round last month, which is the same car that took John Martin to the 2006 Australian Formula Ford Championship.

This isn’t the Lismore youngster’s first appearance in national Formula Ford competition, having contested seven rounds in 2003 after a stint in the Ford Kartstars series.

Graham then ran the now defunct Lotus Series in 2006.

Minda Motorsport will prepare the car.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

John Morris/Mpix

V8 Ute Series front-runner Layton Crambrook will take over the Falcon previously driven by Matt Moorhead for the next round of the Yokohama-backed series at Queensland Raceway.

Returning to the series will be Ryal Harris and Scott Jennings, while the category has also adopted new radiators from PWR to deal with high temperatures, particularly with the Indy event later in the year in mind due to its lack of air circulation on the concretelined streets.

– GRANT ROWLEY n

ANT moves into new era James Smith

n WOLLONGONG Performance Racing’s Damien White will have a new ‘Man on the Cans’ at Queensland Raceway. The Fujitsu V8 driver will have Paul Morris calling the shots after White’s former engineer Des Conway departed the team. Conway will continue in his Wollongong-based engineering consultancy firm Conway Engineering.

Stepping in as the data analyst for White is WPR’s Marketing and Public Relations employee Jaimie Dyer. The multi-tasker is spending two days training at Paul Morris Motorsport to step in as ‘Data Chick’ on the WPR entry at QR. Dyer will be responsible for keeping an eye on critical readings throughout the races.

news

A happy Falcon family Performers!

V8 SUPERCARS REGULAR readers of Motorsport eNews would know the endurance drivers at Ford Performance Racing.

And the keen-eyed readers

would have already read that Steven Richards will be partnered by Owen Kelly in the #6 Castrol Ford, while Mark Winterbottom will be joined

by Kiwi Matt Halliday in the #5 Ford Credit/Orrcon Ford.

But if you didn't believe us, here is proof.

The FPR lads and lasses gathered for an Orrcon photo at Winton recently, with all drivers posing in their respective colours.

Toyota set to up local involvement Aussie Racing Cars could get cash injection from Toyota Australia AUSSIE RACING CARS TOYOTA is considering upping its involvement in Australian motorsport.

The Japanese motoring giant has been looking at a number of local racing options over the past few years, with the Toyota Racing

Series constantly mooted as a possible new open-wheel category to penetrate the local market.

But another angle that Toyota is said to be investigating is the Aussie Racing Cars Series.

It is believed that up to six Aurion-bodied cars could be

on the grid next year in Phil Ward’s pint-sized racer class. It is understood that two factory cars would be joined by up to four privateer entries.

At the moment, Toyota’s only factory motor racing program is the Neal Bates-run TRD Motorsport program.

– GRANT ROWLEY

BATHURST 12 HOUR PERFORMANCE Cars and V8 Utes will be eligible for the 2008 Bathurst 12 Hour, to be held on February 15-17.

The new cars and the date change also brings a new event name – the WPS Bathurst Motor Festival (International has been dropped).

Performance Car category manager Craig Nayda is excited about the news. ”We are all delighted to be a part of the WPS Bathurst 12-Hour and believe Performance Cars should deliver a healthy boost to the entry list,” he said.

Further class structures for the 12 Hour will be confirmed in due course.

13

Holden’s on Safari AUSTRALIAN SAFARI HOLDEN will return to the Australian Safari this year with the PWR Holden Rally Team.

Eight-time Safari winner John Hederics will lead the squad in the Holden Rodeo that he raced at the last Australian Safari back in 2004.

Event Director Justin Hunt says Holden’s involvement is likely to inspire more manufacturer involvement in the Safari,

which will run for the first time in Western Australian next month.

“I believe [this will help] will in the future,” Hunt told eNews.

“Our job as a category is to demonstrate to the manufacturers that these off-road events are a good vehicle to place their brands in; That it’s a worthwhile marketing tool.”

“And we’re also really happy with the response in motorbikes. We’re looking good to crack 70 entires and it will be

anyone’s race.”

Included in the bumper bike field is American Casey McCoy, the Yamaha supported rider making his sixth Safari start.

Other internationals include the HondaGecko Team, an eight-rider squad of expats living in Dubai.

In other Safari news, Reliance Petroleum has pledged a tanker of BP Ultimate for the event.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Young Gun! AUSTRALIAN RALLYING

14

Joel Strickland

BRENDAN REEVES may have only contested three NEC Australian Rally Championship Rounds and, at only 18, be one of the youngest drivers competing, but rally veteran Les Walkden has confirmed his potential by signing him to a two and a half year deal.

“To be honest I was surprised when I got the phone call,” admitted Reeves.

“But obviously I’m ecstatic with Les’ offer; you couldn’t imagine more at 18 years of age to be offered a drive with one of the best teams in Australian rallying.”

Reeves has run under the Les Walkden Rallying banner in a borrowed Impreza during the first three rounds of this year’s ARC. But the recently finalised arrangement will see Reeves and co-driving sister Rhianon Smyth officially drive under Walkden’s rally team for the remainder of the 2007 season and then onward through 2008 and 2009.

– RYAN LAHIFF

15

Skelta’s Sunshine Success

TOOWOOMBA driver Ray Vandersee has scored his first victory in his selfdesigned Skelta G-Force Sportscar at the inaugural Suncoast Classic.

Vandersee and navigator Jahmeil Taylor

led from start to finish, dominating the event.

“We’ve finally done it,“ he said. “It’s great to stand on the main step of the podium and get a taste of the victory champagne.”

In second place was Grant Denyer/Dale Moscatt in a Subaru, from Matt Close/ Casey Close and the Porsche combos of Jim Richards and Barry Oliver and Tony Quinn and Keith Wenn.

MINI CHALLENGE M3 MOTORSPORT has announced plans to join the new MINI Challenge next year with a four-car team based out of Sydney.

The team, run by former touring car privateer and current Carrera Cup Driving Standards Observer Peter Doulman, has been idle since dropping out of competing in V8 Supercars, however will return to prepare cars for four as-yet unnamed drivers.

Doulman started his racing

16

career in Mini Coopers on numerous tracks in NSW and sees the new series, and the ability for his team to run ‘arrive and drive’ packages, as a natural progression.

“This was going to be a fantastic category, one I just knew I had to be involved in,” said Doulman.

“I just love them as race cars.

The marque certainly gave me a springboard into racing, a situation I would now love to offer other up and coming race drivers.”

– AARON NOONAN

Ash Budd

M3 sures up Minis

Karting Restrictions KARTING NEWCOMERS to AKA karting will not be able to compete in 125cc classes.

That’s the major – and controversial – ruling to come from the AKA’s National Karting Council mid-year conference. This will potentially change the face of Australian karting as the new ruling will see only A and B grade licensed drivers able to compete in classes such as Rotax, Leopard and 125 TaG.

Further outcomes include the mandatory use of clutches in all classes from 2009, compulsory display of an AKA promotional sticker on all karts, plastic ‘smart card’ licences to replace the current paper logbooks and wet weather tyres not to be fitted until a meeting is officially declared wet.

A full analysis of these and other decisions will appear in the next issue of Motorsport News magazine.

– MARK WICKS

news

FIA Media

Indy’s MotoGP

Mig’s Big Gig Gresini calls up Fabrizio and veteran Duhamel to fill-in for injured Elias MOTOGP

MOTOGP

MIGUEL Duhamel is a surprise returnee to the top rank of motorcycle racing, and will race for Gresini Racing Honda at Laguna Seca next month.

INDIANAPOLIS looks set to host a second MotoGP in the United States.

MotoGP organisers DORNA and Speedway officials are expected to confirm next Monday that the premier series will race on a shortened version of the Grand Prix track, above, possibly in September 2008.

The current US round will continue at Laguna Seca in California, with promoters confirming last week that their rights to exclusively run an American round end with this month’s event.

It is expected that the race at The Speedway, which already hosts the world-famous Indianapolis 500, Formula 1 and NASCAR events, will replace the troubled Shanghai event on the 2008 calendar.

The Canadian veteran, above, will ‘sub’ for Toni Elias, who broke his leg in practice at Assen last month. Italian Superbike regular Michael Fabrizio will race the Hanspree-backed Honda RC212V at this weekend’s German GP at the Sachsenring alongside Marco Melandri.

Duhamel, 39, will also ride his usual American Honda CBR1000RR Superbike, left, in the support event at the USGP. This will not be the first time that Duhamel has raced at the highest level. In his only season in the 500cc World Championship in 1992, he piloted a Yamaha to 12th overall, with nine top-10 finishes and a best result of fifth in Brazil.

Honda Pro Images

Just what The Doctor Ordered VALENTINO Rossi may soon have some Ducati-like power inside his Yamaha M1.

Engineers are working overtime in Japan to develop pneumatic valves for the 800cc four-cylinder engines in a bid to return the crown to Yamaha. Current plans are to have the new unit trackready in five weeks.

“They are working on [the engine] in Japan,” Fiat Yamaha Team director Davide Brivio told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “It will arrive once it has been tested.

“We are lucky that in Japan they only have a one week vacation … I

don’t know if the new engine will be raced at Brno, but we should certainly have it to test on the Monday.”

Suzuki and Kawasaki already use the Formula 1-inspired technology in its motors, while Ducati utilises its traditional desmodromic valve system, which manually opens and closes the valves.

MotoGP has its summer break following next week’s USGP at Laguna Seca. The first race back, the Czech Republic GP, will take place on August 17-19.

Yamaha Racing

17

5 Minutes with ...

JEAN TODT

Ferrari’s boss speaks about Massa and Raikkonen – but not Stepneygate

Kimi Raikkonen’s last two wins have come off a difficult period. How has he dealt with the first half of the year?

I have always said that I am happy with Kimi. I think that he is a very talented driver, and that he is doing a great job inside the team and we give him as much support as we do Felipe.

We have two great drivers, and it is up to us to give them a good car. And sometimes we do not give them a good car, sometimes like today we don’t give them a car that is reliable enough, and we pay the consequences. It’s not a question of drivers. We have two of the best drivers in Formula 1. We are very happy, very proud to have them, and it’s up to us to do the rest of the job.

Nigel Stepney spoke to some of the British newspapers about the current scandal involving the team. Did you read what he said?

Unfortunately, the situation is quite clear. In answer to your question, yes I have been

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MOTORSPORT NEWS: Do you know what caused Felipe [Massa] to stall on the grid?

JEAN TODT: When he went to the grid he just informed us by radio that the engine had stalled, and for the time being we do not understand what the reason was.

Hopefully, we will understand it in the coming hours, but we don’t know yet why it happened. But it was something that went wrong with the car – he did not do anything to make it stall.

MARK GLENDENNING

IN 14 YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME GOOD TIMES, SOME TOUGH TIMES, BUT NOTHING WHICH CANNOT COME OUT JEAN TODT reading some papers where people have been writing about that, but at the moment I am not allowed to make any comment.

I wish I could answer in more detail now, but as it is a court case, I am simply not allowed.

But if you analyse the different official statements that have been done by people who are involved in it, you can make your own judgement from what has been officially stated.

You will need to ask him. But we will meet over the coming weeks.

Honda has admitted that it spoke to Nigel Stepney and Mike Coghlan recently. Are you satisfied that they are no longer involved?

I don’t have everything at hand to comment about that. We had a team principal meeting on Friday. Nick Fry came and informed me for the first time about this meeting, and it was the only time we have spoken about that.

Will all of this have any impact upon whether Ross Brawn comes back?

We are talking about two Nigel Stepney says that he completely different matters. “knows where the bodies are Ross is a great guy, he has buried”, referring to secrets achieved many great things at that Ferrari may not want him Ferrari. He decided to take a to reveal. Are you concerned sabbatical year … I don’t want that he may talk about team to speak for him, but we are secrets? all very sad about what has It makes me smile – and that’s happened, but it is nothing good sometimes! But you that will interfere with any know, after the last 14 years … choices that he will have to so many things do happen. make for the future.

In 14 years there have

been some good times, some tough times, but nothing which cannot come out. In this business, if something is going to come out, it does not wait for 10 years. We have 900 people that I employ in the company, so the answer is quite easy.

One outfit that is rumoured to be running customer McLarens [Ed: Prodrive] next year has said that its project is going to happen, even if it can’t announce details at the moment. What are your thoughts on Ferrari running a satellite team?

At the moment we are supplying two teams with engines, Toro Rosso and Spyker.

We don’t yet know what will be happening for 2008, but at the moment we are having strong discussions about continuing to supply the engines.

If we are facing different offers, then of course we will consider them.

chat

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NASCAR: Front-page news WITH all the talk about Formula 1’s ‘Stepneygate’ scandal, and V8 Supercar’s recent ‘Tell it like it is’ policy, a story in last Friday’s USA Today was a bit hard to miss.

The national paper (a kind of American version of The Australian) ran with a story headed ‘NASCAR throws the book at cheaters’, suggesting that driver suspensions may be next as NASCAR tries to wipe out technical ‘grey areas’ in the Nextel Cup. And, just to underline the void that exists between NASCAR and any other form of motor racing Stateside, the paper ran this as its Page 1 lead. Not, Page 1 in the Sports Section, but PAGE 1.

The newspaper highlighted the tussle in NASCAR between the old ‘If you ain’t cheatin’ you ain’t tryin’ mantra and the current move to clamp down on technical infringements.

opinion Chris Lambden mNews Publisher “It’s difficult to change any culture,” NASCAR Vice President (Competition) Robin Pemberton told the newspaper, as he confirmed that NASCAR plans to continue to wield a heavy stick as it reshapes its teams’ approach “in the name of integrity, cost containment and improved competition.”

Going into last weekend’s Pepsi 400 at Daytona, eight team crew chiefs have been suspended for a total of 42 races as NASCAR gets tough, heading towards the full season debut of the Car of Tomorrow program in 2008.

Most recently, Chad Knaus and Steve Letarte, crew chiefs for Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon respectively,

were each fined US$100,000 and banned for six races for ‘template’ infringements around the front guard area – widening the sheetmetal in a way that would have increased front downforce.

Despite strong resistance from teams, and particularly former drivers, NASCAR chief Brian France is determined to get his way: “We want the ability of the driver to be the focus, not who has the latest gizmo,” he told USA Today.

Here, here. But it is a timely reminder of the need to have the confidence of the public in the integrity of your sport, and also demonstrates the potential downside of all that media coverage. Yes, it is good to have people be able to speak publicly about the sport.

But the magnifying glass can work both ways …

Letters

Have your say, email us at mail@mnews.com.au. Keep letters to the point.

F1 needs spice Formula 1 is intriguing, exciting, and, at times, boring.

To spice things up even more I believe that Formula 1 need to separate the fuel and tyre stops. My reasoning behind this is because at the moment the tyre stop is always done before they finish refuelling. Separating them would stop events like what happened at Magny Cours with the fuel rig, because the car wouldn’t need to be raised for fuel and the driver

20

goes only when the lollipop is raised.

This will also bring back the two-second tyre stop that used to occur before refuelling was re-introduced, and might work better with the twocompound rule.

I also think it is time that they removed barge boards and winglets and introduced some more under-car or venturi aero just as Champ Car have done with their new car.

Craig Simpson carisi2k@optusnet.com.au

F1 needs spice #2 I would like to see the Formula 1 Grand Prix moved to Mount Panorama when the current contract with Albert Park expires.

Surely the pits would be up to their standard now and the circuit doesn’t differ much from the Spa circuit, with all of its elevation changes. The sight through Reid Park would be absolutely awesome.

Also, I think it would be great to see the V8 Supercars travel to the USA and have a

race meeting at the Laguna Seca circuit. Just imaging a freight-train of thundering V8 Supercars, nose-to-tail, powering through The Corkscrew. I believe the track would be well suited to our machines, and GM and Ford are both US-based companies.

Your thoughts on both ideas please.

Col Forbes Coffs Harbour, NSW ED: In theory, Col, you’re ideas are dead-set cracking.

opinion

I don’t much like Queensland Raceway ONE of the things that can be hard to deal with as a racing driver is going back to a track that is anything but your favourite.

History shows that Queensland Raceway has not been great for me, results-wise.

Given that other things have happened to me there before and that, on that weekend, I am probably going to become a dad, there are other things on my mind.

To be honest, I can’t stand the place – it conjures up

F1 at Bathurst would be awesome, as would V8s at Laguna Seca. But these things aren’t so simple, and there would be a few safety issues, particularly on The Mountain, which would make the concept impossible.

Jason Richards V8 Supercar driver nothing but bad memories for me and I just don’t enjoy it. The track designers did a poor job from the start. They had a blank sheet of paper and plenty of cash and all they came up with was a paper clip.

It’s the most mind-numbing track we drive on and is seriously as painful as pulling teeth.

Not only is it a lousy design, but the track is deteriorating and getting lots of bumps in it – it’s in generally poor shape.

You can’t enjoy it on any level. Even if you are having a bad day at Phillip Island or Oran Park you can enjoy the circuit, but not Queensland.

I take my hat off to the local V8 teams for having the patience to test there. I wouldn’t.

Of course, everyone remembers that I had the biggest accident in my 20

years of racing at QR. I’d had a relatively similar experience in 2003 in New Zealand, but this time the impact was so much greater. The car was hitting the ground so hard that I honestly thought for a moment I was going to die – there was so much flying around inside there. It was the scariest day of my life.

There is a good point to the track. Spectators can see the whole track from almost any vantage point, so that is a plus.

Too bad I’m not a spectator.

commentator then tried to pathetically explain his lack of participation.

It was like V8SC fans were second rate to AFL fans. So, let me say from a life-time AFL and V8SC fan, the only thing that is second rate is Channel 7’s coverage of both sports.

Not centimetre perfect!

Brett Chapman duck050@bigpond.net.au ATT: Punter I read your article on Summer V8s in last week’s E-News.

I think it is a very interesting idea, and I would like it to be considered, however Channel 7 may not be happy as there is a two month ratings ‘break’ from December to January.

This could lessen the chance of the plan being adopted.

Ed Greenhalgh Ed_greenhalgh@hotmail.com

sutton-images.com

Faking Interest I am a huge AFL fan (Go Cats!), and I am also a huge V8 Supercar fan (Go Murph).

However I was disgusted to hear two high profile AFL Channel 7 commentators ridicule V8SC fans after the Cats/Bombers game on Friday night football.

When Channel 7 showed the V8 programming for Saturday, the main commentator ridiculed the contents of one program and then told his fellow commentator to “act interested.” The fellow

opinion

V8s through Laguna Seca’s famous Corkscrew? Yes please ...

Thanks mate!

Just a short note from across the ditch to commend you on your current status as the supreme provider of the most up-to-date news in motorsport.

In some instances you are able to beat our dailies with the news and have immediately rendered other publications out of date.

Stephen Bidwell Auckland, New Zealand

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FORMULA 1 ROUND 9 – SILVERSTONE

Kimi steals Lewis’ thunder

Amid controversy, Ferrari bounced back with two-on-the-trot ... By JOE SAWARD 22

race sutton-images.com

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T

HE fans came to Silverstone to see Lewis Hamilton win his first British Grand Prix but they all went home disappointed.

The McLaren did not have the pace to compete with Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari, despite the fact that both Hamilton and Fernando Alonso led the race at various stages. But it was an illusion; Hamilton won the start, from pole, but his set-up never gave him the speed he needed.

Alonso took the lead on a short-fill first stop and that was never going to get him, permanently, in front of the Ferrari.

At the end of the second stint, Raikkonen ran further than the McLarens and moved into the lead and that was the end of the story. Towards the end Alonso closed up to within a few seconds but the challenge was never really serious.

Hamilton was third and probably a little lucky to be there because Felipe Massa’s race was ruined before the start when the car cut out on the grid. That meant that the Brazilian had to start from the pits and charged up through the field but ended up

24

stuck behind the BMW of Robert Kubica in the closing laps. Not only did he miss out on challenging Hamilton, but Massa also dropped behind Raikkonen in the World Championship.

When all was said and done, however, Hamilton had done well to minimise the damage on a day when Ferrari (which dominated the Silverstone test last month, remember) was obviously at an advantage. He continues to lead the World Championship by 12 points.

“I made a mistake with the set-up,” said Hamilton. “I had a different rear end to Fernando and that caused me problems in the race, and even in qualifying I did not had the pace expected. It was a good lesson.

But I am still the most consistent driver.

Obviously I am disappointed but to come home on the podium in your first home Grand Prix is not bad. And I have had nine podiums in a row!”

McLaren ran Alonso with a completely different tyre strategy but even that did not really help.

“We changed strategy, thinking that we

should be able to maintain the lead at the second stop,” said Fernando.

“It seemed the right thing to do. You never know what is going to happen but Kimi had more fuel. Ferrari was just a little bit too quick today. Second was the maximum I could do today.”

For Raikkonen it was his second victory in seven days and suddenly his disappointing season is not looking quite that bad.

“The championship is not over yet,” he said.

It was a good day for BMW Sauber with Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld giving the team another eight points with fourth and sixth to cement the team’s position in third place in the Constructors’ Championship.

Renault too added more points and is now solidly fourth, under no real threat at the moment from Williams. which continues to flatter but is still not delivering the points that the car seems to be capable of scoring.

It was not a great race, but as F1 looks back over the first half of the year, it is now fair to say that after the dip in performance caused by a major mishap in the wind tunnel, Ferrari is back on top.

race

Heroes an zeroes: Left main, Lewis chose aggressive lines to the first turn, holding off Kimi Raikkonen, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from the top step of the podium, top. The Williams of Alex Wurz and the Red Bull of David Coulthard clashed, above.

The Hamilton factor: On home soil, Lewis finished third after leading the opening stint. A slight mistake in pit lane didn’t help.

All pics: sutton-images.com

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SOME think it looks like an office block.

For others, it is more reminiscent of an airport terminal. But at first glance, there is no way that anyone would pick McLaren’s new pride and joy as a F1 motorhome.

The McLaren Communications Centre, which dominated the European paddocks for five years, is no more.

In its place, meet the even bigger, vastly more state-of-the-art, and unquestionably more expensive McLaren Brand Centre.

Owned jointly by McLaren, Mercedes and

Better Safe?

26

The older generation of F1 drivers are surviving and that is really not a great idea for the sport. The excitement caused

by Lewis Hamilton and Robert Kubica is an indication that the sports needs new generations but the executives in the big corporations seem unwilling to take any risks for fear that they will lose their jobs if the choices do not work out. As a results the F1 driver market is a little stagnant.

But thank goodness for Lewis Hamilton!

– JOE SAWARD

have showers, MP3 docks and wireless games consoles linked between rooms, presumably so that they can defuse any brewing tension with some virtual wrestling.

Like all of the hospitality motorhomes, the MBC will only travel to European races, meaning that you unfortunately won’t get a chance to see it looming over the paddock walls at Albert Park. But between the MBC, the Red Bull Energy Station and the new Ferrari motorhome, the Euro paddocks are becoming increasingly high-rise …

– MARK GLENDENNING

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THE announcement that David Coulthard has been re-signed by Red Bull Racing did not come as a surprise.

Nor will it be surprising when Honda announces in a week or two that Rubens Barrichello will be staying on for another year at Honda. Toyota seems to have finally given up on the idea of keeping Ralf Schumacher (but you never really know until the announcement is made) but if he does get booted out of the team, it looks like he will end up in a Toro Rosso.

Vodafone, the MBC appeared for the first time at Silverstone last weekend. As easy it would be to wax lyrical about it, space constraints dictate letting the numbers speak for themselves. This facility is transported on 12 trucks (the team hopes to get it down to 10), and takes 20 people two days to erect.

Inside the three-storey centre are a common area for media and guests, a kitchen, a bar, four meeting rooms, eight offices, 20 further office spaces, wireless internet, and private rooms for Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton to hide in. These

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Welcome to Ron’s Office

race

Slim Rim Things Despite the off-track complications, Maranello shows a new tweak. By Technical Editor PAOLO FILISETTI

F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP | Round 9 SILVERSTONE

FERRARI may have had windtunnel probems this season but there was a neat aero tweak on-show at Silverstone.

For the first time at a race weekend, the team adopted wheel rim shields. These devices were already tested in Barcelona prior of the Spanish GP and also at Paul Ricard, but so far they were not yet used.

The purpose of these elements is two-fold. At the front, the aim is to direct the hot air generated under braking underneath the car. The slit present in the rim shield has a 27-degree angle, precisely calculated to divert airflow directly through the rims’ lowest portion to flow underneath the floor of the car.

The hot air helps in terms of accelerating the airflow, hence helping the extraction of the air from underneath the car by means of the diffuser.

This helps in terms of additional downforce and better stability of the car, thanks to an improved aero balance.

At the rear, the direction of the airflow is slightly less critical as the rims’ main purpose is to promote better brake cooling and turbulence reduction.

– PAOLO FILISETTI

Pos #

Driver

Team

Time

Qual

1 6 2 1 3 2 4 10 5 5 6 9 7 4 8 3 9 8 10 7 11 14 12 16 13 17 14 22 15 21 16 18 Ret 12 Ret 23 Ret 19 Ret 11 Ret 20 Ret 15

Kimi Räikkönen Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton Robert Kubica Felipe Massa Nick Heidfeld Heikki Kovalainen Giancarlo Fisichella Rubens Barrichello Jenson Button David Coulthard Nico Rosberg Alexander Wurz Takuma Sato Christijan Albers Vitantonio Liuzzi Jarno Trulli Anthony Davidson Scott Speed Ralf Schumacher Adrian Sutil Mark Webber

Ferrari McLaren-Mercedes McLaren-Mercedes BMW Ferrari BMW Renault Renault Honda Honda Red Bull-Renault Williams-Toyota Williams-Toyota Super Aguri-Honda Spyker-Ferrari STR-Ferrari Toyota Super Aguri-Honda STR-Ferrari Toyota Spyker-Ferrari Red Bull-Renault

1:21:43.074 +2.4 secs +39.3 secs +53.3 secs +54.0 secs +56.3 secs +1 Lap +1 Lap +1 Lap +1 Lap +1 Lap +1 Lap +1 Lap +2 Laps +2 Laps Gearbox Retired Mechanical Accident Wheel Engine Hydraulics

2 3 1 5 4 9 7 8 14 18 12 17 13 21 22 16 10 19 15 6 20 11

Fastest Lap: Kimi Räikkönen on Lap 17, 1m20.638s

F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP | Driver’s points Points: Hamilton 70, Alonso 58, Raikkonen 52, Massa Heidfeld 33, Kubica 22, Fisichella 17, Kovalainen 14, Wurz 8, Trulli 7, Rosberg 5, Coulthard 4, Sato 4, Webber 2, Schumacher 2, Button 1, Vettel 1.

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F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP | Constructor’s points Points: McLaren-Mercedes 128, Ferrari 103, BMW 56, Renault 31, Williams-Toyota 13, Toyota 9, Red Bull-Renault 6, Super Aguri-Honda 4, Honda 1.

27

CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES ROUND 7 – TORONTO

Max Power There was rain and there was shine – and there was a green and gold Panoz out front at the finish. Yep, it was Will’s weekend in Toronto

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race

Champ Car World Series

29

M

Champ Car World Series

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OTOR racing is a weird business. Just ask Will Power.

On Friday, mechanical problems stopped the Queenslander early in practice and when he did get going, he was slowest in the session.

Partly because of the lost track time, he qualified a lowly seventh.

On Sunday, it rained in downtown Toronto. With the streets of the National Exhibition Place (think ‘Toronto Showgrounds’ and you are close) wet and treacherous, this would be Power’s nightmare round, surely?

Nope. He finished, one of only eight drivers to do so.

He won. And better still, his main opposition, erstwhile co-leaders Sebastien Bourdais and Robert Doornbos, crashed. And just to make Power’s day complete, Seabass and Doorknobs crashed into each other.

But this was no fluke win. Once past Friday’s fusses, Power had proven to be fast, no matter what the weather.

“Yeah, well, it was an interesting race,” he understated post-race. “Yeah, it was great that it rained, but also in the dry we went a lap longer than everyone. We were looking good then. We were looking good either way.

“So, you know, I’m very happy for the team. The start was really good for wets. We gained a position there.

Obviously these guys came out in front of us because they pitted a lap earlier. This is exactly what we needed points-wise, and also for Sebastien not to finish, that really helps us in the championship. We’ve got some pretty strong tracks coming up.”

Power did what it is needed to win in Champ Car these days; he stretched his fuel, dictated the restarts and asserted his authority.

Rookie Neel Jani scored his second podium after starting ninth, making his change to rain tyres one lap later than most, but a yellow flag stop later vaulted him to second.

“Obviously then Will passed me, but he was too quick today,” said the Swiss. “In the end, when I got past [into second], I just tried to keep eye contact with Will and not look into the mirrors who was there. It worked out.”

Justin Wilson took third after an early spin, but the talking point was the Doornbos-Bourdais incident. The Minardi car was able to continue to finish in the points, giving the rookie a narrow series lead.

“Robert made a small mistake but it had a big consequence on both the race and the (championship) standings for the McDonald’s team,” explained Bourdais.

“I could see in his eyes (at the crash site) that he was sorry and he apologised after the race. I didn’t see anything, he just T-boned me and was able to continue, which gained him another six or so points which was enough to take over the lead.”

In two weeks’ time, the Canadian swing ends in Edmonton and now, Doornbos, Power and Bourdais are separated only by three points. Team Australia, which also scored a fourth with Simon Pagenaud, leads the series-within-a-series Canadian Triple Crown. Bourdais and Doornbos will not be nice to each other, and Power has his own score to settle with the Frenchman after Surfers last year.

There will be much to watch in Canada’s wild west …

Champ Car World Series

Canadian Crunch: Pagenaud’s front wing got stuck at the front of Tracy’s car after an early bingle.

Champ Car World Series

Dalzielling ‘em! Ryan Dalziel, left, led the race thanks to strategy, and looked on for a podium before crashing late in the race. Robert Doornbos, above, was involved in a crash too, bumping Bourdais off the track on his way to sixth.

Neel Jani finished second to Power, below.

Champ Car World Series

Champ Car World Series

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GLOBE TROTTER sutton-images.com

IRL INDYCAR

GP2 ADAM Carroll did what Lewis Hamilton couldn’t do at Silverstone last weekend; get the British national anthem played over the loudspeaker.

Carroll won the second GP2 race after Andreas Zuber won the Feature.

NHRA

STAR MAZDA

Briscoe Briscoe Briscoe, oi oi oi

Flyin’ Ryan takes another ALMS win at Lime Rock AMERICAN LE MANS RYAN Briscoe and Penske Porsche team-mate Sascha Maasen took their second ALMS win in a row at the weekend despite the LMP2 cars being penalised technically in the lead-up (see news pages).

Briscoe headed home a Penske 1-2 after his strategist – Roger Penske himself – took the extra seconds to fit new tyres to the #6 Porsche at a laterace Safety Car. That provided Briscoe with the armoury to hunt down and pass the sister Dumas/ Bernhard car and ease away for a seven second win. The Acura of Aussie David Brabham and Stefan Johansson finished third.

Porsche Media

JAMES Davison put in a storming drive at Toronto to finish fifth in the Star Mazda race.

Davison had qualified third for the race, but an early mechanical problem dropped him to the back of the grid.

He then sliced his way through the field and into the top five.

The race was won by polesitter Dane Cameron.

KIWI Scott Dixon remains the only driver to have his name inscribed on the Cameron R. Argetsinger Trophy after winning the Watkins Glen round of the IRL IndyCar Series for the third year in a row.

Dixon grabbed the lead when pole-sitter and early leader Helio Castroneves made a mistake on lap 20, and after being stuck in traffic mid-race, found his way back to the front after the final stops.

“In some ways it was a tough race,” said Dixon.

“Other people can start to get in front of you through pit stops and yellow flags. So definitely, dealing with traffic was very difficult.”

Second for the race was Sam Hornish Jr, however it was his post-race skirmish with Tony Kanaan that stole Dixon’s limelight.

Having clashed on the track, Hornish and Kanaan confronted each other in pitlane, resulting in physical contact between Hornish’s father Sam and Kanaan.

Series leader Dario Franchitti finished third.

Indycar Media

IN Bristol, John Force returned to the Funny Car winner’s circle after his worst start ever on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

Force raced to his first win of the season, stopping Cruz Pedregon in the Funny Car final, 4.99s/284mph to 5.02s/279mph. For Force, it was the first final round he’s appeared in this year, having not advanced past the second round with just two round wins to his credit.

Joining the 14-time series champion was Top Fuel winner Brandon Bernstein and Pro Stock’s Jeg Coughlin Jr.

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Dixon’s Watkins Triple

The small, bumpy Lime Rock circuit nullified any comparative gain by the Audi LMP1 cars, which struggled to keep up with the leading LMP2 cars – Allan McNish

spinning twice and Marco Werner rejoining the race many laps down after a suspension failure pitched his car into the wall.

– CHRIS LAMBDEN

race

NASCAR JAMIE McMurray ended a 166 race winless streak dating back to 2002 at Charlotte – his second career Cup race – with a win on Saturday night under the lights in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona.

McMurray edged Kyle Busch by 0.005s at the finish line, a push by his RoushFenway Ford team-mate Carl Edwards – who finished fourth – helping McMurray to the win. Kurt Busch came home third with Jeff Gordon fifth.

“I’ve said that there would never be another victory like the one at Charlotte,” said McMurray, who overcame a drivethrough penalty for dropping below the

yellow apron line on track.

“But when you wait so long to win, it’s just incredible, I can’t believe I’m in victory lane at Daytona of all places.”

Tony Stewart got into the rear of leader and Joe Gibbs team-mate Denny Hamlin on lap 14 and ended up taking both cars from contention and Dale Earnhardt Jr among others. Stewart came home 38th, Hamlin was last.

“All of a sudden, he just stops on the exit of turn four in front of 42 cars and he can’t expect all of us to drive around him.” said Stewart of his team-mate.

“He just wrecked two really good race cars. He tried to wreck us in practice on Friday and didn’t get it done. At least he

finished it off today. He’s a young guy and he wants to be successful, but I don’t know if he knows what the definition of ‘team’ is right now.”

Hamlin countered by saying Stewart caused the collision. But he later took the high road and accepted responsibility for the crash – an unusual move, considering how rare it is for the race leader to start an accident.

Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick saw his chances of a Daytona doubleup dissapear when he hit the wall after contact from Juan Pablo Montoya.

– MARTIN D CLARK Points: J Gordon 2773, Hamlin 2496, Kenseth 2390, Johnson 2366, J Burton 2345.

KYLE Busch has taken a timely Busch Series win at Daytona on the weekend, his first of the season.

On a day where he and the rest of the Buschwackers would have to complete 650 miles of racing thanks to the Cup double-header, Busch was the class of the field, leading the majority of the Winn-Dixie 250.

He took the lead on lap 20 when he pulled off a risky move inside Clint Bowyer and Kyle Krisiloff, risky enough to earn a warning from officials, before taking the win from Kevin Harvick and Dave Blaney.

“We finally get one, we finally get one,’’ Busch said at the finish.

“It means a lot.’’

Marcos Ambrose was unlucky not to score a Top 10 finish

NASCAR Media

Busch wins Busch BUSCH SERIES

NASCAR Media

Jamie gets 1 in 166

after a tyre problem thwarted a late charge to the front.

“It was a really unfortunate thing we had happen in the end there,” said Ambrose.

“In the last 10 laps I thought I had a tyre going down, so we came in and changed it.”

Points: Carl Edwards 2966, Harvick 2168, David Reutimann 2095, Blaney 2056, Jason Leffler 2033, David Ragan 2010, Bobby Hamilton Jr 1983, Ambrose 1887.

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rear of grid

Formula 1 in Geelong? Serious?

Odd Spot

punter@mnews.com.au

THE GOOD THING ABOUT GOING TO ALBERT PARK IS THAT YOU CANNOT TAKE YOUR CAR

sutton-images.com

I DAMN near fell over last Tuesday when eNews arrived and I read about a Formula 1 race in Geelong.

Now, I have not been to Geelong for some years, since I had a few days off after the Grand Prix and I drove down to see The 12 Apostles with my mate Jack.

The Geelong Road was a pretty good run but I can imagine with 100,000 fans trying to drive out of the place after a GP, it would get a bit hectic.

The good thing about going to Albert Park is that you cannot take your car and, with the public transport in an out of the place (and the number of watering holes within easy walking distance), you would be mad to drive, anyway.

I remember seeing the Little River sign on the highway (yes, I admit to having some LRB records in the collection) and while it has been a few years, I do not recall seeing many pubs, hotels or other amenities you might like to have close to a track. Mind you, Jack’s brother is a qualified helicopter pilot, so there may be a solution to the problem, if the race goes there.

Before I went to Melbourne, I spent some time getting in and out of Queensland Raceway, in the days of the 500. While the racing was not bad, I recollect that the ‘500’ referred to the number of metres you could drive out of the circuit in the first hour after the main race. Traffic was a bloody nightmare and several of my mates who attended the race swore never to return to the place – and they never have.

Geelong’s footy team seems to be pretty good, and the city itself might be a great place. There is nothing wrong with building permanent tracks, either. But before someone presses the green button on this, think about amenities, traffic and the fans. And not just the ones in the corporate boxes.

The Tea Kettle reborn

AT eNews, we like a special livery as much as the next bloke. And we like this one a lot.

Renault clocked up The Big 30 at Silverstone. It was 1977 when The Regie rolled into Northamptonshire with its RS01, the first turbocharged Formula 1 car. The ‘Tea Kettle’ blew up; in fact, it would blow up a lot, but it changed the face of motor racing.

To celebrate the anniversary, Renault repainted an R27 in 1977 colours and issued the pics to the media. We reckon it looks stunning, so we include the pic here.

But, did Renault run it in England? Nope; it ran the same dog-awful, somevandal-with-orange-and-blue-paint look it always runs – to keep sponsor ING happy, apparently. Not that anyone noticed; behind the Ferraris, Macs and BMWs, the only time we notice a Renault would be when it gets passed by Sato.

Next time, Renault, take some Man Pills and run the new paint.

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