Motorsport eNews Issue 236 - December 20 2011 - January 17, 2012

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Issue No. 236 December 20 - January 17 2012

1976-2011

JASON RICHARDS

LOLA T332 1977 Australian Grand Prix 4th Place Oran Park Driver Alan Jones Limited Production Of 1000 pcs Worldwide

Photograph of actual

model

Item #18416

The battle for pole position for the 1977 Australian Grand Prix at Oran Park was held over three qualifying sessions, with the top 8 places separated by only 2 seconds. Pole position would be set by Warwick Brown in a Lola T430 with the time of 65.7s.

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@motorsportenews @mnewsupdates Issue No. 236 | 20-12-11 to 16-01-12

news 4

JR remembered Jason Richards RIP 6 Webb of Intrigue Teknic doubles up 10 Les Men ready for Le Mans Audi gets to work on 2012 12 Ricci don’t lose that number Daniel Tororossiardo 14 Such Kurtesies Busch and Busch at JGR?

chat 24 Five Minutes With ...

Jono Webb

comment 26 AVL: Auf Wiedersehen 27 Lambden: Farewell Jase

race 28 eNews’s Round Table Looking back on 2011 trade 38 Classifieds

NEXT eNEWS: 16 JANUARY, 2012

RICHARDS TO BE HONOURED AT SANDOWN MEMORIAL V8 SUPERCARS

A PUBLIC service at Sandown will be held to celebrate the life of Jason Richards.

The popular driver from Team BOC passed away last Thursday night after a 14-month battle against adrenocortical carcinoma, a particularly aggressive form of cancer. He was 35 years old.

Richards’ diagnosis ended his career as a fulltime V8 Supercar driver, but in the time since he withdrew from the Sandown round of the 2010 season, he maintained his passion for racing, and raced in a number of categories.

In March, he won a Fujitsu V8 Supercar race in Adelaide and at Albert Park, he chased home Garth Tander for second place in one of the AGP support events. Along the way, he found time to race cars as diverse and Ferrari GT racers, Touring Car Masters V8s (winning at Bathurst in his final competitive drive) and even a Porsche 962C Le Mans car.

Richards raced in Formula Ford and was a multiple champion in NZ’s 2-litre touring cars before he made his first appearance in Australia at Bathurst. He had his first V8 Supercar race at Bathurst in 2000, for Team Kiwi, for which he raced for two seasons, before moving to Team Dynamik. In 2003, in appalling conditions, he nearly gave that team a win in the Sandown 500.

Tasman Motorsport recruited Richards for 2004, and it was there that he got his best

results. He scored podium finishes at Bathurst with Jamie Whincup in 2005, with Greg Murphy in 2008 and the following year, with Cameron McConville. It was for Tasman that he scored his one V8 Supercar race win, at Winton, the following season.

For 2009, he moved to Brad Jones Racing and he slipped into the family oriented Albury team well. It was fitting that when Jason Bright scored BJR’s breakthrough win at Winton, Richards shared the champagne spray with him. That clearly broke rules, but no one was about to point that out.

During his illness, Richards was never one to complain, and pursued golf as an outlet for his competitive instincts. At one stage, he was planning to play in a number of celebrity/ pro events in the USA, but his deteriorating health prevented the travel required for that to take place. As recently as Wednesday, he played in the Australian Masters Pro Am in Melbourne, playing in the same group as his friend, pro and noted racing enthusiast, Richard Green.

Richards was in attendance at the final round of the 2011 in Sydney, fulfilling the hopes of many fans who stopped by for an autograph and photo. His absence from the cockpit on a regular basis had no effect on his fans, and Jason’s popularity among followers of Holden and Ford, on both sides of the Australia/New Zealand divide, never diminished.

SPECIAL TRIBUTE: REACTIONS TO THE LOSS OF A G Greg Murphy Countryman, former team-mate at Tasman Motorsport “What can I say? Jason was more passionate about the sport and his involvement in it than many people. It was his life; he loved competing, driving, the challenge of the sport. He was into every fact of being a racing driver; he worked very hard at it and he managed it so well.

“He made it all work, somehow.

He knew that it was important to look after the fans, look after the sponsors. He knew you had to work, but at the same time, he knew that it was a privilege for him, anyone, to be a professional racing driver. This is a huge loss.”

Brad Jones Team owner, Team BOC “Jason is going to be deeply missed at BJR. Of all the drivers

we have had, he was far more than being just a racing driver that we hired. He was a great friend to everyone in the team.

“He worked on his cancer like he worked on his driving. He did all the research he could and he knew more about the cancer, and how it worked, than many doctors would have. He was like that with his racing, and he was like that with his golf.

“He had the ability to control

his pain tolerance. He could have a bad night and to still be able to jump out of bed in the morning and be so positive.”

John Bowe Former rival, and neighbour of the Richards family in Melbourne “I am at a loss. I feel like I have lost my little brother.

“I don’t think that he ever really received the credit he deserved for his driving ability. I really motorsport news

NEWS

WHY JASON RICHARDS WAS SPECIAL

By PHIL BRANAGAN

A

Dirk Klynsmith

GREAT MAN only learned how much effort he put into it, and just how good he was, in the last few years. He was an exceptional talent, as he showed in a number of different cars in the last few months.

“My family and his are very close and it is going to be a tough time. It is just a very sad loss. He was a very special bloke. I will have that with me forever.” www.mnews.com.au

T the Sandown 500 in 2003, the rules went out the window.

Mark Skaife looked to have the race in the bag, in spite of the fact that his brandnew Holden Racing Team Commodore was having a few electrical dramas. But out of the rain and fog came a challenger; Team Dynamik’s Commodore, with Jason Richards at the helm. He got closer and closer to Skaife until, with a lap and a bit to go, he dived inside at Dandenong Road Corner.

That’s when we broke the rules. If you work in the media room, you are supposed to be neutral, and show no favouritsm. When Richards took the lead, for a few seconds, we stood and cheered like schoolboys. Then the cars clashed; steering broken, Richards ended the race in the kitty litter on the outside of the track. Skaife (and Todd Kelly) won.

At the post-race press conference, Skaifey was professional and explained how he managed the dramas. We were professional too, and pretended that most of us didn’t wish that the clash would have ended the other way around.

Fast forward eight years. Taking a couple of weeks off from his cancer treatment, Richards is in the BOC car, at Albert Park. I watch it inch closer to leader Garth Tander and as it does, more and more cheers are coming for him in the pressroom. But, a difference; this is the international pressroom, full of Formula 1 journos whose heads rarely raise from their laptops unless it is for a story about Sebastian or Lewis or Fernando. As the ones who know the Richards story share it with those who don’t, they also tear up the rulebook and cheer Jason on.

That is the effect he had on people. Rules or not, you could not help but cheer for him. In a world in which rivalries and damaged or broken relationships are as common as used brake pads, some drivers are respected, some widely liked, and some not at all. Hand on my heart, I cannot think of anyone in this sport who did not love JR. My last talk with Jase was at Sandown. He flashed his beaming smile and reminded me that I was losing my hair. Much of his had been devastated by various cancer treatments, but the chat was gossip about racing, the same as it has been for a decade in places like Bathurst, Bahrain or Shanghai. He threw in, very matter-of-factly, that the cancer had spread into his bones, but it was

clear that while cancer had taken his health, it had not taken him.

I can only imagine the pain being felt at Brad Jones Racing. So close were they, it would be easy to describe the relationship Jason had with veteran engineer Wally Storey as being like father and son, were it not for the fact that the man who managed JR’s tyres was Dave Richards, as he had done for his son at his previous V8 teams. Some drivers bring an entourage to a team; Richards brought his family, who rolled up their sleeves and joined in. At BJR, it is difficult sometimes to know who is from which family; in truth, it probably doesn’t matter.

While Richards scored only a single win at V8 Supercar Championship level, as much as he wanted more, that fact never seemed to trouble him as much as it might have to some other drivers on the grid. Of all the men who sought success, and worked so hard to achieve it, Jase seemed to have the balance of racing, family and ‘real life’ sorted better than most. He was always the same bloke, whether at the track, dropping into our office unannounced or bumping into him, in our local neighbourhood.

A few weeks ago, he was talking about another drug trial, another treatment, despite the advanced state of his illness. That’s what he was like; he should have waited for another gap to pass Skaife, but there was an opportunity there, he was confident he could fit through it and he jumped in, boots and all. He battled his cancer like he drove his racecars; all in, all the time. He shared his life, his races, even his illness with his fans, and us, and never backed down.

To his wife Charlotte, their daughters Sienna and Olivia, and the whole Richards family, who have lost so much; to their friends, Jason’s teams’ members past and present; and his many fans on both sides of the Tasman, we offer our heartfelt condolences at the passing of a remarkably passionate, positive and much-loved man. We also want to thank them for being generous, and sharing with us their time with him, of which there was far too little.

Even if he left us much too soon, motor racing in both countries was lucky to have Jason Richards.

We will never forget him and we will we miss him always.

Serge Mironenko

WEBB: THREE DRIVERS IN THE FRAME FOR SECOND SEAT V8 SUPERCARS

JONATHON Webb says the list of candidates for his team’s second driver in 2012 is down to three.

Tekno Autosport will expand to field a second car next year and switch from a Triple Eight-built Falcon to a pair of T8-built Commodores, sourced from Paul Morris Motorsports. The Commodores were part of a deal including one of PMM’s Racing Entitlements Contracts, while Webb’s

Falcon has gone to PMM ahead of its flagged joint venture with Dick Johnson Racing.

Andrew Thompson remains the favourite for the second seat, while the likes of David Russell and Alex Davison have also been linked to Tekno. Webb says he’s taken a back seat in the process, largely leaving it to team manager Bruce Jenkins.

“I think there’s probably still three guys there, that we’re toing and froing with,” Webb told eNews on Monday.

“I’ve been fortunate with Bruce Jenkins coming on board. The problem I’ve got is that I’m friends with a lot of the guys, so I’m trying not to be too biased towards one or the other.

“I’ve really just left it to him to go through the hard data of who’s got the potential and who’s going to be the quickest.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

For more with Webb on his team’s expansion, see 5 Minutes With on Page 24

HAMPTON DOWNS HAPPY TO HOST V8s V8 SUPERCARS THE owners of the Hampton Downs Raceway outside Auckland are to table a proposal to host rounds of the 2013 V8 Supercar Championship in New Zealand.

The purpose-built track, which is to host the opening round of the V8 SuperTourers championship in February, is looking to take over the NZ round from Hamilton, which will host its final V8 Supercar event in April.

“We have been working with a consortium of financial advisors, planners and investors for the past year analysing potential track operations and the future for a motor sport focused business park,” said the Managing Director of Hampton Downs, Tony Roberts.

“Based on that work we anticipate being in a position to take our proposal to the V8

Supercar organisers in the first quarter of next year.

“Hampton Downs has the potential to be the long-term future home of motorsport, and the pre-eminent motorsport park in Australasia.”

The track’s present length is 2.7km but the necessary resource consent is in place, to allow the track to be extended to 3.8km.

“It already has a fully functioning 2.7 kilometre track with the necessary FIA Category 3 standard for V8 Supercar racing, and we have “This extension can be undertaken at any time and could be completed a full year ahead of when the track would be needed for the V8s.

“When fully completed spectators will have extensive views of the track from various vantage points.

“Our current resource consent allows us to hold events with

up to 20,000 spectators,” said Roberts, “and we have the land capacity to easily accommodate more than 60,000 people.

Hampton Downs is 45 minute drive down State Highway 1 from downtown Auckland, and has a population catchment area of more than a third of New Zealand’s population within an hour’s drive, and half the population within a three hour drive.

“While Hampton Downs has ample room to cater for large numbers of cars and buses, we are in discussions with the local authority to develop park and ride facilities within 10 minutes of the venue, and the racetrack is located between two existing train stations within 10 minutes.

“There are 23 months between now and when the 2013 V8 event is scheduled to be held in New Zealand, which is sufficient time for Hampton Downs to be upgraded to host

more than 60,000 spectators, the track extended and other infrastructure completed.

“The benefit Hampton Downs offers is that it is a dedicated, purpose built motor racing track, which means organisers are not involved in expensive set up and pack down costs that have been the downfall of one-off events.

“Our infrastructure will be used on a year-round basis and offers the V8 Supercars a longterm solution, rather than a temporary fix.

“Within what we are planning, the V8 event would form part of a total motor racing and motor sport programme, operating within a motor sport business park cluster.

“While not ready to release the details of our proposals, we are making this statement to counter the suggestion that the V8 supercar series will inevitably be lost to New Zealand.” motorsport news

NEWS

WHINCUP WANTS EARLY COTF DEBUT V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

JAMIE Whincup is looking forward to V8 Supercars’ new Car of The Future – in fact, if he had his way, the new car would be racing next year.

Straight after sealing his third V8 Supercar title in four years at Homebush, Whincup told Motorsport News that he was looking forward to the new car so much, he wants it a year ahead of its planned introduction date in 2013.

“In some ways, I wish that Car of The Future was next year,” he said. “I feel like we have achieved a lot with our current car. If I had my own way, I would try to make Car of The Future ready for next year. That will never happen but I think that I will try to focus on performing at those new events.

I am looking forward to that.

Whincup says that, far from being satisfied, he is looking

forward to making room on the mantle for more trophies in the future.

“I still have the hunger, without doubt. I am pretty squeaky clean on the outside, but there is plenty of room for improvement.

I can see a few other blokes really stepping up, or they stepped up at the end of this year. They will be hard to beat next year.

“I am already thinking about the challenge. I am looking forward to seeing if I can beat those guys again.”

Whincup also talks about the effect that TeamVodafone principal Adrian Burgess made on the team and, in a twist, MN asked Burgess to compare the title he guided James Courtney to in 2010 and Whincup’s efforts this season.

For more on Whincup and Burgess, see Motorsport News, on sale this Wednesday, December 21.

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NEW PLAYER IN ‘12 TBA V8 SUPERCARS

RAFAEL Toda has emerged as a key player for V8 Supercars’ Asian expansion.

Toda is heavily involved with efforts to take V8 Supercars to the Philippines in 2013, and is working with other possible V8 Supercar venues in Asia, including filling the current TBA on the 2012 calendar. While working independently to V8 Supercars, Toda is in constant

communication with the series and entertained representatives from potential future destinations at the Homebush season finale.

“I’m working with V8s on opportunities for TBA,” Toda told eNews.

“It’s interesting, there are opportunities that structurally are there, but perhaps scheduling isn’t quite there, program-wise. There are others that are a possibility, but we’re

still in very, very early stages of discussions, to the point where we’re not yet sure whether they’d be ready for November 2012. I’m not going to know if I can deliver an event until at least February, and something else might have emerged by then.”

Beyond working to fill the 2012 TBA, Toda says interest in the series across Asia is promising.

“These are new ones that

STONER TAKES HIS V8 CHANCE V8 SUPERCARS CASEY Stoner is no less willing to be a V8 Supercar racer after tasting one in Queensland last week.

The two-time MotoGP World Champion completed 90 laps Driving Centre at Norwell, and came away full of praise for Craig Lowndes’ Vodafone Commodore.

“With everything I am learning today, I have to forget everything I know about bikes and change to learn to drive these, and it is the same thing going from cars to bikes,” he said after the drive.

“I am surprised at how well they absorb the kerbs, they are still going to be a stiff race machine but they do absorb the bumps pretty well and of course the power is still there. We have to deal with a fair bit of power myself. The hardest thing I have had to do is change whatever I know about braking and changing through gears. I am having to rethink it again.”

Three-time V8 Supercar Champion Jamie Whincup was impressed with the Honda racer.

“Casey did a great job today,” he said.

“These are really cool cars, it doesn’t matter if you are an F1 driver or a MotoGP rider we are really lucky here in Australia we have an awesome product.”

Lowndes was also impressed.

“He did a really good job and is the ultimate professional it was an amazing experience to work with him,” he said.

“He actually knows more about us than what we do, it is quite incredible. Casey travels the world with Moto GP but keeps a really keen eye on what we do.”

Team boss Roland Dane, a noted bike racing fans, has not ruled out facing Stoner on the track, on four wheels, in the future.

“It is in his hands if he wants to drive a V8 Supercar one day I suspect he will end up doing it,” he said.

are exploring the opportunity because I’m going out there and scouring it in Asia, looking at what’s around, who’s around, who’s interested and all of that sort of stuff,” he said.

“Everybody’s really interested in knowing, because it’s much, much more than just a motorsport event. It’s entertainment, it’s education, it’s very family-oriented and a good corporate platform.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

PERCAT/ SUPERCHEAP LINK FIRMS UP V8 SUPERCARS WALKINSHAW Racing has clearly marked Nick Percat as the man to replace Russell Ingall in the Supercheap Autos Commodore in 2013.

The Bathurst 1000 winner has extended his contract for a further two years, and will race full-time in the Development Series next season. He will also partner Garth Tander at Sandown and Bathurst in the Holden Racing Team Commodore.

WR Director Ryan Walkinshaw said he was delighted to re-sign Percat.

“Nick has been a part of the Walkinshaw Racing family for almost five years now and re-confirmed our confidence in him with his stunning drive at Bathurst alongside Garth,” Walkinshaw said.

“He is a level headed and talented young driver who has a promising future in V8 Supercars. We look forward to further developing his skills and preparing him for his entry into the V8 Supercars main series in a couple of year’s time.”

Percat, who admits he had discussions with other team regarding a Championship Series driver next season, appears pleased with the deal.

“Jumping straight up into V8 Supercars after the Bathurst success obviously had some appeal,” he said, “but ensuring I work through a thorough apprenticeship and by being patient at this stage of my development should reap benefits when I do make the next step.” motorsport news

NEWS Dirk Klynsmith

PIT ORDER FOR 2012 CONFIRMED V8 SUPERCARS

THERE are plenty of changes in the V8 Supercars 2012 V8 pitlane order for 2012.

TeamVodafone stays one ‘pole position’ by dint of its dominant 2011 results but changes in the order indicate that a number of deals talked about in recent weeks appear to be close to coming to fruition.

It appears that a rumoured deal that would see one of Paul Morris Motorsport’s Racing Entitlements Contracts (RECs) run by Dick Johnson Racing is going ahead. As expected, the

#17 and #18 Jim Beam Racing Falcons, which will be driven by Steve Johnson and Dean Fiore, are paired with Fiore’s Triple F (#12) entry, but they are split by Nemo Racing (PMM)’s #49.

Tekno Autosport’s second entry will carry #91, a reversal of team boss Jonathon Webb’s #19.

There is also a change with Supercheap’s entry, which was unveiled under #74. The list shows that Russell Ingall’s new ride will wear #66. Ingall preferred the number, with which he had some success in his karting days.

2012 V8 SUPERCAR PIT-LANE ORDER 1 TeamVodafone 2 TeamVodafone 3 Fujitsu Racing/GRM 4 Fujitsu Racing/GRM 5 Jack Daniel’s Racing 6 Jack Daniel’s Racing 7 Kelly Racing 8 Kelly Racing 9 Stone Brothers Racing 10 Stone Brothers Racing 11 JR Racing 12 Rod Nash Racing 13 FPR 14 FPR www.mnews.com.au

#1 #888 #33 #34 #7 #15 #11 #16 #4 #9 #47 #55 #5 #6

15 Tekno Autosport #19 16 Tekno Autosport #91 17 Toll Holden Racing Team #2 18 Toll Holden Racing Team #22 19 Supercheap Auto Racing #66 20 Brad Jones Racing #21 21 Brad Jones Racing #14 22 Brad Jones Racing #8 23 Dick Johnson Racing #17 24 Dick Johnson Racing #18 25 Nemo Racing #49 26 Triple F Racing #12 27 Tony D’Alberto Racing #3 28 LDM #30

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NEWS

AUDI’N THE OPEN SPORTSCARS AUDI has started testing ahead of its 2012 World Endurance Championship campaign.

The Audi LMP1 racer made its public

debut at Sebring, in Florida, the same circuit that will host the WEC opener in March. Six drivers are taking part in the testing program – ‘11 Le Mans winners Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer, Benout Treluyer, as well as Dindo Capello, Tom

Kristensen and Allan McNish.

While the car has broken cover, a lot of details are still sketchy, such as the technical differences between the new car and the R18 that Audi produced for its 2011 program.

HAND JOINS BMW’S DTM PROGRAM FOR 2012 DTM BMW has recruited Joey Hand into its DTM squad.

The American, a standout in his debut appearance at the Gold Coast 600 in October, will join Brit Andy Priaux, Brazil’s Augusto Farfus, Canadian Bruno Spengler and reigning DTM

Champion Martin Tomczyk of Germany as DTM drivers for the 2012 season. One driver remains to be named in the six-car team.

“I am really looking forward to my new challenge in the DTM, and thank BMW sincerely for the company’s confidence in me,” said Hand, 32, who tested a DTM car a month ago in Spain.

“I immediately enjoyed the BMW M3 DTM. Its downforce and carbon brakes are extremely impressive. I know some of the team members from the past, and was able to acquaint myself with the others in Monteblanco.”

Last season Hand partnered Dirk Müller to win the ALMS

GTE class, and helped BMW Motorsport and BMW Team RLL to the teams’ and manufacturers’ titles. He also won the Daytona 24 Hour with a Riley BMW, and made his debut in the Le Mans 24 Hour with Müller and Priaulx, resulting in the trio scoring a podium place with third in the GTE-Pro class

FORD COMMITS TO WRC, SIGNS SOLBERG WORLD RALLY

10

sutton-images.com

PETTER Solberg is back in a factory drive in the World Rally Championship after signing a one-year deal with Ford.

The Norwegian, who took the title with Subaru eight years ago, will partner JariMatti Latvala in a pair of Fiesta RSs next year. Solberg’s co-driver will be Briton Chris Patterson.

“The addition of Petter to the team brings one of the sport’s most experienced and

flamboyant drivers back to where he started his top-level career,” said Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe’s senior manager for motorsport.

“A drivers’ world title and 13 World Rally victories are testament to his abilities, and his vast experience will be a great asset to our line-up.”

Ford has also confirmed its presence in the WRC for the next two seasons. Once again, the Ford program will be run by Cumbria-based M-Sport. motorsport news

www.mnews.com.au

11

RICCIARDO RELIEVED TO BAG TORO ROSSO SEAT FORMULA 1 DANIEL Ricciardo has admitted that he is relieved to have signed with Scuderia Toro Rosso for the 2012 season.

Just days after Ricciardo publically stated that he thought an STR drive for 2012 was unlikely, the team sacked both is its existing drivers, Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari, and signed Ricciardo and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne for next season.

“I was actually at home, it was after dinner and the phone call came,” Ricciardo said.

“It was short, sharp and to the point, but it contained all the news I wanted to hear.

It was an awesome Christmas present and a big relief. I was with Mum and Dad at the time and I came out of my room and told them the news and it felt pretty special.

“Until something is done you are always going to be a little bit concerned, but I know everyone at Red Bull is looking after my interests and I felt I had done a good enough job this year for them to try and find me a seat for 2012. I had faith something would come through.”

Vergne, meanwhile, has already admitted that beating Ricciardo in the early stages of 2012 might be a big job, with the West Australian having started 11 races this season with Hispania, and the Frenchman’s F1 experience limited to testing and some Friday running with STR. “Dan could probably have a slight edge over me at first, as he has done 11 races this year,” said Vergne.

“But let’s see how it develops, as we have all the winter testing ahead of us before we start racing.”

NEW MANAGER FOR HRT, BUT STILL NO SECOND FORMULA 1 HISPANIA Racing Team has signed a new team manager, but is yet to lock down a second driver to partner Pedro de la Rosa for 2012.

Former Minardi driver Luis PerezSala has replaced Collin Kolles at the helm of HRT, with his early challenges involving shifting the team’s technical base from Munich to Spain, and finding a driver to partner de la Rosa. According to Perez-Sala, the second task is the

less important one.

“We are in advanced talks with several drivers but we can’t anticipate anything yet,” Perez-Sala said.

“It’s a decision we surely won’t make until the start of next year because, at this stage, who will be the team’s second driver for next season is perhaps the least urgent one right now.”

One driver hoping to take the seat is Tonio Liuzzi, who drove for the team in 2011 after entering a “longterm contract” with the team’s former

owners at the start of the season.

“At the start of 2011, we agreed on a long-term deal,” Liuzzi told Motorsport News.

“There was no point making a oneyear deal with a team at that level, you need to make it a project for the future. That’s why I want to stay there in 2012.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN For more with Tonio Liuzzi, check out the latest issue of Motorsport News, in newsagents this Wednesday.

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12

motorsport news

NEWS

THE HULK IS BACK FORMULA 1

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IT’S official; Nico Hulkenberg will replace Adrian Sutil at Force India in 2012.

Sutil has joined Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna back on the driver market after Force India decided to replace him with young Hulkenberg. The younger German was unceremoniously dumped by Williams in favour of oilbacked Pastor Maldonado at the end of the 2010 season, despite Hulkenberg showing plenty of promise. He joined FI as a test driver for the 2011 season, and will now partner Paul di Resta for the 2012 season.

“I’m obviously delighted to be staying with Sahara Force India and to be given the chance to race next year,” said Hulkenberg.

“It wasn’t easy to watch from the sidelines this season, but I did my best to help the team and show what I was capable of.

“I’m extremely motivated for 2012 and would like to thank everyone for believing in me and giving me this chance. I’m keen to get down to work over the winter to develop our new car and help the team build on this year’s achievements. The first test in Jerez can’t come soon enough.”

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D DRIVER

LEHTO FACING JAIL OVER BOAT CRASH FORMULA 1

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FORMER Grand Prix driver JJ Lehto faces more than two years in jail after being found guilty of causing the death of a friend.

Jyrki Jarvilehto (his real name) was sentenced to two years four months in custody after a court ruled he was driving a boat

while intoxicated in an accident in June last year. Police reports indicate that Lehto, 45, hit a bridge pylon while speeding at night in a narrow canal at Raasepori, Finland.

Lehto claimed in court that he was not the driver of the boat but the court accepted that the injuries sustained by the deceased could not

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A PUSH FOR BUSCH NASCAR THE future of Kurt Busch is still be to announced but Joe Gibbs Racing could play a role. eNews sources report that Busch, who was recently fired from Penske Racing, is a possible home for the driver, meaning that

that both firey brothers could race Toyotas next season.

Others apparently interested in Busch include Phoenix Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports, however RPM’s strong ties with Roush Fenway Racing could keep him from that seat. It’s widely acknowledged that team owner Jack Roush has no time for the

NASCAR Media

Kurt Busch linked to Joe Gibbs – or Kyle’s own team

outspoken Busch.

Busch also has an interest in drag racing, having run the NHRA Gatornationals Pro Stock event in March this year, so a split NHRA/NASCAR Nationwide or Truck Series events with his brother Kyle’s self-owned team could also be an option.

– MARTIN D CLARK

Smoke reunites with Zipadelli NASCAR

14

NASCAR Media

GREG Zipadelli has joined Stewart Haas Racing.

For 13 years Zipadelli was crew chief at Joe Gibbs Racing, and worked with Tony Stewart to take 33 wins and two Sprint Cup Championships.

His role at SHR will be as director of competition but it also expected that he will be interim crew chief for Danica Patrick’s debut in the Sprint Cup Series at Daytona. A crew

chief is yet to be named for the former Indycar driver, who will be running a part-time Cup program with SHR next season.

Zipadelli, has been replaced at JGR by longtime employee Jason Ratcliff who moves over from crew chief duties in the Nationwide Series where he has been responsible for 30 wins, 68 top five and 85 top-ten results over the last three years.

Ratcliff should be sitting on Joey Logano’s pit box in 2012.

– MARTIN D CLARK motorsport news

NEWS

NASCAR ACTS ON TWO-CAR DRAFTS

NASCAR Media

NASCAR NASCAR continues in its efforts to break up two-car tandems.

Gone will be the huge highpressure five-gallon radiators used at the restrictor plate tracks

of Daytona and Talladega. The units will be replaced by smaller two-gallon units, while the overflow tanks will also shrink from one to a half-gallon.

The other major change will be to the radiator air opening,

which will move from below the front bumper to the front bumper facia itself, which if bump drafting will cut airflow to the car almost totally. There will be a larger intake manifold restrictor plate, softer springs

and a smaller rear spoiler.

With the exception of the radical changes to the cooling system, all the other changes were tested at Daytona during November.

– MARTIN D CLARK

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AUSSIES OVERSEAS JACK le Brocq has tested the new EcoBoost Formula Ford in the United Kingdom, ahead of his 2012 British Formula Ford Championship campaign.

The young Australian was recently selected for the FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy, and eNews understands that he will race for multiple title-winning team Jamun in the 2012 British Championship. Le Brocq had a small taste of his 2012 program at Silverstone last week, when he tested the all-new turbocharged, Mygale-built car.

“I think it’s a really good car,” he said.

“The way the chassis and the tyres work together give it a lot of grip and I like the sequential gearbox; its good experience for the categories a driver will come to further in his career.”

Young rally star Brendan Reeves is also in the FIA Academy.

Dirk Klynsmith

JACK OF ALL MYGALES

BRABS GRABS RIDE AUSSIES OVERSEAS MATTHEW Brabham will head to the USA in 2012 to race in the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda.

After running the full Australian Formula Ford Championship as a CAMS Rising Star in 2010, the third generation racer scaled back his program in 2011 to focus on his final year of school. With Sonic, Brabham contested the Victorian State Series and selected National rounds, picking up his maiden victory at Winton.

Now, with his schooling completed, the 17-year-old will make his first steps into American racing, in which his father Geoff raced successfully in the 1980s. In the USF2000 National Championship – the

first step on the ‘Road to Indy’ ladder – Brabham will drive for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing.

“I am really looking forward to competing in the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship with Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing,” Brabham said.

“I was very impressed when I tested with the team, and I feel it is a great opportunity for me to work with Dominic and Nicholas in 2012. I am sure my goal is the same as everyone else, and that is to try and win the championship. I know it will be tough as there are a lot of good drivers and teams, but I am excited about the challenge ahead and will give it my best shot.”

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motorsport news

NEWS

PYE CLOSES ON EURO F3 AUSSIES OVERSEAS AFTER a successful test in Spain last week, Scott Pye’s attention has turned to locking down his budget to contest the 2012 F3 Euroseries.

Pye tested with 2011 Euroseries and Macau winners Prema Powerteam at Valencia, as he looks to switch from British F3 to join the team. The South Australian was pleased with how the whirlwind trip and test went.

“It was really good,” he told eNews.

“The team was mega, I was really impressed with them. They’re definitely pretty dominant at the minute, their attention to detail, infrastructure ... everything’s down to a tee – there’s no real surprise that they’re a top running team.

And it’s looking like, next season if I can do it with them, I’ll have strong team-mates as well.

“Our pace was very good. Compared to the British guys, we were running fairly competitively, given I was on Kumho tyres, which are seven or eight tenths a lap

www.mnews.com.au

slower (ED: compared to the Cooper Tires used in British F3). Most of the British guys, including the Carlin guys, I was only a couple of tenths off them, if not sometimes quicker than some of them, which was a good sign.”

Back in Australia, Pye’s next mission is to secure the balance of the budget required for a Prema Powerteam campaign. As previously reported, Pye has backing from Mercedes-Benz and is on a path that could see him become the first Australian to compete in the DTM. “It’s really going to be the budget that’s the deciding factor,” he said.

“Mercedes-Benz have confirmed their support for me, but how significant that is, I don’t know yet – I’ll find that out this week, hopefully. And then it’ll be trying to put together the rest of our sponsorship. We’ve got a bit to find, still, which is going to be the difficult thing.

“I’d say our chances are quite high, probably around 80 percent, which is promising, but 20 percent is still plenty hard to find. I’ll keep my head down.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

17

COMING SOON ...

FORMULA 3 A BRAND new team will bring some brand new machinery to the 2012 Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship.

To be based in Melbourne, Harvest Motorsport is importing one of Mygale’s M-08 F3 racers to use when it enters the championship for the first time next year. The team has been formed by Terry Stott, an experienced F3 mechanic with experience with a range of teams domestically and Fortec Motorsport in British Formula 3. Purchased from

British outfit Nick Tandy Racing, Harvest Motorsport’s M-08 will be the first 20082011 generation F3 car to enter the local championship, and the first Mygale.

“After years of working as a Formula 3 mechanic in Australia and in the UK it is a dream of mine to finally announce the formation of Harvest Motorsport,” Stott explained.

“We are in the process of putting the pieces in place to become a championship-contending outfit from the very first round of the 2012 season with our ex-Nick Tandy Racing Mygale and support from the factory both here

in Australia and from France.

“Now is the best time to get into Australian Formula 3 as the series is ready for a period of growth. There is a huge amount of interest in the championship and the calendar for the new season is the best ever.

“I’ve worked with the best in Australia and with championship-winning team Fortec in the UK and over the years have learnt a massive amount about how to run a successful team. I’m looking forward to putting that into practice next season when Harvest Motorsport hits the track.”

with R-Tek Motorsport, and step up to one of the team’s F307 Dallaras for a crack at the Gold Star.

“It is a great feeling to be able to commit for another season, stepping up into the championship class with R-Tek Motorsport and also committing to the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship,” Guiliana said.

“I am very happy that we made the decision to race in the Forpark Australia National Class in 2011 as it provided me with exceptional experience on important tracks and I’m now looking forward to a rewarding 2012 season.

“I have always believed in my ability as a racing driver and my dream to race Formula One.”

... STICKING AROUND

FORMULA 3 THE winner of the National Class in 2011, Steel Guiliana has confirmed he’ll step up to outright competition in the 2012 Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship.

Having also won the Forpark Australia Scholarship this year, Guiliana will remain 18

motorsport news

NEWS

KIDS, STAY IN COOL YOUNG DRIVERS APPLICATIONS for Fujitsu’s Cool Driver Program in 2012 will open on New Year’s Day. The maiden crop of Cool Drivers included Formula Ford Champion Cameron Waters and Sonic team-mate Nick Foster. As his prize for finishing as the best of the four Formula Ford drivers, Waters tested a Garry Rogers Motorsport V8 Supercar last week, while Foster made his Carrera Cup debut at Homebush with backing from Fujitsu. A total of seven karters were also supported.

Next year the program will be expanded to include more Formula Ford drivers, while karters as young as seven will be eligible to apply.

“The program kicked off in 2011 with one of the key objectives of finding talented young drivers, supporting them financially and also offering them a clearer pathway to V8 Supercars,” Milton Kaloudis, National Marketing Manager for Fujitsu General Australia, said.

“We were very proud to be making that commitment and offering our support, but by the end of the year, it was the Fujitsu ‘Cool’ Drivers who had done us proud. Arriving at the decision to continue the program into 2012 was a very easy one and we look forward to another year of talented young drivers representing Fujitsu while achieving amazing success on the track.” www.mnews.com.au

RICHO BREAKS COVER (KINDA) TCM THIS is the first glimpse of Jim Richards’ eagerly anticipated AMC Javelin.

After much speculation throughout the course of its build, Richards’ new ride for the Touring Car

Masters presented by Autobarn finally turned a wheel for the first time last week – Richards conducting a private test at Calder Park on Tuesday (December 13). The Javelin is expected to be launched in February, ahead of the 2012 TCM season opener at the Clipsal 500.

YOUNG’UNS GET F3 MILES FORMULA 3 A TOTAL of nine drivers had their first taste of Formula 3 machinery today, Monday.

Mallala hosted the Kumho Tyres Formula 3 Drive Experience, with R-Tek Motorsport and Team BRM running cars. State Formula Ford champions Christopher Slusarski (South Australia), Steven Charman (NSW) and Hayden Cooper (Queensland) turned laps, along with runners-ups Scott Andrews (Victorian Kent) and Greg Edwards (SA).

New Aussie Racing Car Champion Adrian Cottrell was the highest profile participant, joined by karters Tyler Greenbury and Garnett Pattinson and South African Gordon Connelly.

“The braking has been the big difference to get used to, getting all the braking done at the start of the braking zone,” Cottrell, pictured, said.

“I’ve also been learning about the aero as well because I’ve not driven a car with this kind of aero before. It’s a totally different kettle of fish – the sequential box is about the only major similarity.

“The way you brake and get the power on is totally different and you can’t have oversteer – it’s been a lot to get my head around. It’s been a great day and the guys have been great to get the car prepared and on the track. It’s been a good experience and a really good day.”

Separate to the Drive Experience, Team BRM also

ran a car for Jordan Skinner. The South Australian has spent the last two years in England and is keen to return to Australia to race in the 2012 championship.

19

FIRST SUV ENTRANT COMMITS FOR 2012 AUSTRALIAN RALLY

FORMER Australian F2 Rally Champion Brett Middleton is the first competitor to publically commit to the Bosch Australian Rally Championship’s new SUV class.

Middleton will run a turbo diesel Subaru Forester in the new ECB Australian SUV Rally Challenge in 2012, with the car

currently being prepared at his Sydney workshop. The Forester will feature a pink and white livery, to raise awareness for the McGrath Foundation.

“On paper the Subaru will be the car to beat in terms of power to weight ratio and the pedigree of the chassis and we are very excited at pioneering the Forester in the ECB SUV Rally Challenge,” Middleton said.

“We know there are other teams close to committing to an assault on the ECB SUV Rally Challenge and I hope our announcement will act as a catalyst for them.

“I am really excited by the SUV category because it will enable manufacturers to showcase one of the most popular classes of vehicle in the Australian market.

At MRT Performance we have

been tuning and enhancing an increasing number of SUVs for customers over the past couple of years so I know first hand the interest and potential in rallying SUVs. “We will be using our involvement in the ECB SUV Rally Challenge to showcase MRT Performance’s capability and ideas for tuning and improving road going SUVs.”

CAN THE ARC BUY A DOWEL? AUSTRALIAN RALLY REIGNING Champions Justin Dowel and Matt Lee will be back in the Bosch Australian Rally Championship in 2012, but it won’t be in their title-winning Lancer.

The pair wrapped up their maiden ARC title at Rally Victoria last month in what’s set to be the last for the Mitsubishi Evo IX. Dowel has confirmed he’ll run next year with #1, but has yet to lock in his machinery.

“I’ll be retiring the Evo 9,” Dowel told eNews.

“Unfortunately, Mitsubishi aren’t keeping parts in Australia anymore for the Evo, so it’s too risky for us to keep running that. It could take three or four weeks to get parts in, we just don’t have that time.

20

“It’s my championship winning car, and that car has copped a hiding over the last two years, so I’m really happy I kept it straight at Rally Vic so I could put it in my shed and it can stay there.

“We’re looking at a couple of other options, we’re not sure whether we’re going to go twowheel-drive, either. Matt and I have worked hard to get the number 1 on our door, so we want to go and enjoy it next year and have some fun.

“I’m talking to a couple of people about driving a car that I’m very, very passionate about.”

– MITCHELL ADAM For more with Justin Dowel, see the January edition of Motorsport News, on sale this Wednesday. motorsport news

NEWS

PEDDER JOINS HONDA AUSTRALIAN RALLY

MARK Pedder will join Eli Evans in Honda’s two-car 2012 Bosch Australian Rally Championship campaign.

The Japanese manufacturer will switch from the Civic Evans has raced in the last two seasons to their Jazz model, adding a second car. Honda’s program comes as part of the ARC’s new G2 regulations, which will become the outright platform for the championship in 2013.

With the program run by Evans Motorsport, Evans will continue, joined by Pedder and co-driver Claire Ryan.

“Joining Evans Motorsport and Honda for 2012 is an awesome opportunity,” Pedder said.

“They have proved over the last two seasons what a great car and team they have. With the new cars on the horizon it’s very exciting times and the first event at Calder cannot come quick enough.”

The two new cars are being developed

ahead of the 2012 season opener, Rally Calder on March 2.

“For the past few years, I’ve been chasing the Pedder brothers around the forests of the ARC,” Evans said.

“I love rallying against these guys, we have a great rivalry. Once you add Claire Ryan to the co-driver’s seat, I have no doubt they will do a fine job. I can’t wait to share the fun driving the brand new Honda Jazz G2 rally car. The Hondas will be super fast!”

Michael Vettas

www.mnews.com.au

21

NEWS

B12 GOES LIVE IN ‘12 BATHURST 12 HOUR SPEED TV will air the conclusion of the 2012 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour live.

Since it returned in 2007, the 12 Hour has been aired in post-produced packages, but the 2012 deal with the PayTV broadcaster will give it live coverage for the first time. At the conclusion of Phillip Island’s World Superbike Championship round on the

same day – approximately 4:45pm – SPEED will cross to the track for the final 90 minutes of the 12 Hour.

A three-hour package will also be produced and shown on March 24.

“We have been targeting a live component on TV for some time and we are thrilled to be working with the SPEED Australia team next year,” Event Director James O’Brien said.

“In just one full year of

broadcasting SPEED has established itself as the place for motorsports in Australia, so there is no better place than SPEED for the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour to go live for the first time in the current era.

“This announcement takes the event to a new level with live coverage complimenting the post-produced show to give competitors excellent exposure. The fact SPEED will cross directly from their live

coverage of the popular World Superbike championship round at Phillip Island to Mount Panorama for the closing stages of the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour shows their commitment to the event.

“SPEED’s live broadcast will showcase what we expect to be a dramatic conclusion to a race that is looking to have a strong field representing teams from Australia and around the world.”

Dirk Klynsmith

FEELING THE SYNERGY FORMULA FORD SYNERGY Motorsport has placed the first orders for Spectrum’s new 014 Formula Ford racer.

The Sydney outfit has also confirmed its driver line-up for the 2012 Australian Formula Ford Championship.

As previously reported, Sam 22

Power will step up from State competition to join 2011 fulltimers Liam Sager, pictured, and Mathew Hart.

“We had a very encouraging finish to 2011 with Liam Sager posting his first win in Surfers Paradise and Mathew Hart winning the Rookie of the Year title,” Synergy boss Justin Cotter said.

“Both Liam and Mathew worked very well together in 2011 and are now ready to battle for regular race wins and the championship, while we look forward to having Sam join them in 2012.

“As long-time supporters of Spectrum products, we are delighted to be the first team to take delivery of the new

014 and have every reason to believe we can win our third Australian Formula Ford Championship title with the new car.

“After the successes of Paul Laskazeski in 2008 and Chaz Mostert in 2010, it seems we have a thing for winning the championship every two years, so look out in 2012!” motorsport news

: P U C N I WH E R O M 10 S R YEA OF ST ISSUE HE 2011 E T A L E H IN T T NEWS, T EVEALS R O P S R O R MOT R CHAMP T FOR A C R E P U U V8 S TAYING P ND A S ’S E H T THA CADE ... A E D R E H T ANO MORE! T O L E L O WH

PLUS: WE GO UNDER THE SKIN OF V8’S CAR OF THE FUTURE, TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE CHAMPIONS OF 2011, SPEAK TO FORMULA 1 JOURNEYMAN TONIO LIUZZI, HAVE DINNER WITH JORG BERGMEISTER, THE FAMOUS MN XMAS QUIZ, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!

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23

Five Minutes with ...

JONATHON WEBB Webby’s had a bit on recently ... His Tekno Autosport will expand from one car to two in 2012, and switch from Ford to Holden. MITCHELL ADAM spoke to him MOTORSPORT NEWS: After Homebush, most of the guys you’ve been racing against all year have been starting to wind down, but your workload has gone the other way with the upcoming expansion ...

JONATHON WEBB: That’s exactly right. It’s all sort of happened reasonably quickly, I guess.

I think a lot of people speculated that we’ve been wheeling and dealing for a long time, but it was all pretty much done at the last minute.

When did 2012 as an expansion option really emerge?

Probably in November there, somewhere. Typically, the deadline in V8 Supercars was December 1, and that was the day we signed it all and got it locked in.

And since then you’ve been putting everything else together.

Yeah. Both cars rolled into the workshop last week and have been stripped back to bare shells.

They’ll be sent off to make

sure they’re straight and freshly painted for the first day back next year when the boys roll in.

How’s everything progressing on the driver front? At this time of the year with plenty of drivers looking for seats, I imagine the phone will have been running hot.

It’s been busy. I’ve been fortunate with Bruce Jenkins (ED: team manager) coming on board. The problem I’ve got is that I’m friends with a lot of the guys, so I’m trying not to be too biased towards one or the other.

I’ve really just left it to him to go through the hard data of who’s got the potential and who’s going to be the quickest.

How many would you say are on that list at the moment?

I think there’s probably still three guys there, that we’re toing and froing with.

What’s your timeframe for having it all in place?

February 11!

Ah, the test day. Nice work, Garry Rogers. Similarly,

sponsors – how’s that all looking at the moment, particularly with Mother?

It’s the same sort of thing. It’s probably up in the air a little bit, especially going to two cars.

Typically, it’d be nice to try and find a sponsor we can put across both and really tie us in well as a team. But at the end of the day, if that doesn’t work, we’ll just see how it plays out.

Given the new machinery, is the plan to establish stronger links with Triple Eight next year?

I think we’ve definitely got a good relationship with them already. Going to the Holden brand certainly isn’t going to hurt, we’re looking forward to having that on the front and seeing if we can tighten that relationship a bit more.

We’re still toing and froing with them to see what relationship we can put in place.

Stepping back from the future, let’s talk 2011. Moving away from DJR to start your own team, how did you find it all, overall?

It was definitely a tough year at the start, as we knew it was always going to be. We really put in place that it was going to be 2011 and 2012, and by 2013 we’d have it all sorted and running towards the front.

I think the end of 2011 went really, really well for us, particularly with Bruce coming on board and giving us a bit more direction. And I’ve been working really hard on the driver side; getting fit and a bit of sports psych work.

Overall, just making sure we can get everything 100 percent.

We’re ahead of where I thought we’d be at this time.

Onto 2012, obviously it will be another growing year and a learning year with the new cars, any early thoughts on goals for the season?

Not too much at this stage.

We’ll just hit the track knowing that both drivers and both cars are as good as they can be, and after the first couple of race weekends we can start putting a bit of a plan in place for the rest of the season.

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25

FAREWELLS

T

HE second week in December isn’t usually a big one in terms of the motor racing news cycle, but the past seven days have been an exception.

The fact that Daniel Ricciardo will continue to race in Formula 1 is great news for the young West Aussie. As we discuss in our unique season review, which kicks off over the page, Ricciardo did all he could with that HRT seat. He beat Tonio Liuzzi, he learnt a lot about the Pirelli tyres and Formula 1 cars in general, and he proved to his backers that he is the real deal.

Personally, I think Toro Rosso has done the right thing by getting rid of both Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi. Both drivers have done a reasonable job, but that’s the point. They’re reasonable drivers, not world-beating superstars.

In other words, they’re not potential Webber replacements.

Let’s not forget that Buemi first appeared in the team back in 2008, so he’s had more than enough time to show some wow factor.

But he hasn’t, and I admire STR and Red Bull for having the guts to sack two drivers who haven’t actually done much wrong, and

AN INS TO EVE

OPINION Andrew van Leeuwen Outgoing eNews Editor give two rookies their big break, on the off chance that they might be superstars. That’s an exciting mentality, and that’s why Red Bull are dominating F1.

The Ricciardo/Jean-Eric Vergne battle will be a fascinating one.

Vergne is a man with a lot of confidence, and a willingness to tell the media how good he is.

Now he has to prove it. Ricciardo is the opposite, he’s always let his driving do the talking. This whole situation reminds me a little of Ricciardo and Brendan Hartley last year, vying for ongoing Red Bull support in Formula Renault 3.5 ... Hartley was out of the program by the middle of the season. I’m not saying that Vergne will be an easy-beat, but I’m predicting that Ricciardo will be happy to take the fight to the talkative Frenchman.

In much sadder news, Jason Richards has lost his fight with cancer. To keep it brief and simple, JR was the toppest of

top blokes, a terrifically exciting racecar driver, and someone who will be sorely missed. I’m hugely privileged to say I knew the man well, and to leave that sort of impression on people takes a heck of a character. And that’s JR to a tee. Rest In Peace, mate.

Finally, this is the issue where I sign off as editor of Motorsport eNews. The fact that this is the 236th time we’ve put an eNews together is a credit to our very small team, and I’d like to thank Branners for his ongoing guidance, and Madam for his tireless work as assistant editor.

The Big Chair will now slide under Madam’s desk as he takes over the editor role, a role I know he will exceed at.

I’d also like to thank all our readers for their support.

Without you guys, there wouldn’t be an eNews. With that in mind, please have a Merry Christmas, and a very safe New Year.

sutton-images.com

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motorsport news

COMMENT

SPIRATION ERYONE

OPINION Chris Lambden, Ex-MN publisher, V8 Supercars Commisioner

M

John Morris

www.mnews.com.au

OTORSPORT fans understand that along the way they are going to have to deal with death. In motorsport, it happens sometimes.

This year, Dan Wheldon and Marco Simoncelli paid the ultimate price associated with our sport. On each occasion, as it was for me as far back as May 1, 1994, when we lost Ayrton Senna, the shock and sense of loss hits you like a sledge-hammer. It’s outof-the-blue; no warning.

The passing, last Thursday evening, of Jason Richards, is something completely different.

We knew, despite the bursts of optimism, that it was coming.

Jason was diagnosed with what is a pretty rare, and difficult-totreat, form of cancer, 14 months ago. Many cancers can be successfully treated these days – this was something else.

I’ve lost a couple of good mates in that same 14-month period to different cancers, guys who have fought their battles away from the public glare that Jason, as a current sports star, couldn’t.

As the world watched Senna die at Imola, so the Australian motorsport industry and its fans have watched on in admiration as Jason fought his extended fight.

It must have been doubly tough for the crew at Brad Jones Racing, close motorsport mates John Bowe, Greg Murphy and Cam McConville and others more directly involved with Jason as he doggedly used the sport as an extraordinary additional motivation to fight on – over and above the love for and from his wife Charlotte and two young daughters.

To a lesser extent, we’ve all watched on as this incredibly focussed man fought tooth and nail a fight that he was not going to win. The Fujitsu race win at

Clipsal; the superb second in the main show at the AGP; the Muscle Car appearances, will all be talked about for a long time.

These were, for him, massively therapeutic things which, I am convinced, gave him more time.

Like many, I bumped into Jason on a few occasions in pit lane over this time – we both started out in motorsport in and around Christchurch, NZ (albeit in different decades ...

Jason was a regular starter in the Christchurch Kart Club annual endurance event until quite recently), so there was usually something to chat about. Always up-beat; always smiling ...

How would I handle something like this, I would wonder as I wandered away; would I see him again? How could those close to him keep this up?

Families up and down the country deal with cancer daily; it claims people of all ages. It is indiscriminate. Jason’s public battle with it provided inspiration for many less driven people fighting similar battles. He was the motorsport equivalent of much-loved AFL legend Jim Stynes, who still fights his own battle.

If it ever happens to me, I just hope I handle it with a fraction of the disarming optimism, drive, and sheer will that Jason Richards did. His openness about everything, including the state of play in his health battle, was amazing.

I don’t know Charlotte personally, but I feel devastated for her. There are no words which will make a significant difference now, but she should know, and can tell Sienna and Olivia as they grow up, that their Dad was not just a great sportsman in the sport he chose, but a special man.

A real, inspirational, man. It was a privilege to have known him.

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2011 – TH

With another season of racing back at what made 2011 such ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN: Right, let’s kick off with V8 Supercars, and let’s start with discussing what worked in 2011. Mitchell, what worked for you?

MITCHELL ADAM: It’s hard to pick a level of Triple Eight that didn’t work. They were on it all the way through, despite a few niggling things like the trumpet cover at Queensland Raceway, and the alternator at Bathurst, but the reality is that they were so far ahead that it didn’t matter.

AVL: And for a lot of teams, the trumpet cover would have been a ‘one of those things’ moment, but you know someone at Triple Eight would have got in big trouble for that!

MA: On Sunday afternoon at QR, after Lowndes had won all three races, Roland Dane looked livid!

AVL: I know, and it’s the little things like that the team do so well. I mean, bringing Adrian Burgess into the team, it was never going to be anything but a Triple Eight 1-2 this year, was it? The only surprise is that they didn’t win Bathurst.

PHIL BRANAGAN: Yeah, but they didn’t win Bathurst because they gave up track position on a pit-stop, which is something they normally don’t do, and HRT, which had a strong year coming back, had a particularly good Bathurst. And let’s not forget that Garth Tander is just such a great driver.

AVL: Garth worked in 2011. The team signed the reigning champion pre-season, and with the cash that went into the deal, you might have thought that it would become James Courtney’s team. But Garth, very quickly, made sure that wasn’t the case. He made sure it was his team all season.

MA: Garth just kept putting in those typical Garth drives.

Dirk Klynsmith

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AVL: Yeah, where they’d qualify nowhere, and look hopeless, and then Garth would finish third ... simply because he just keeps on going.

MA: On Saturday at Homebush, Garth motorsport news

COMMENT

HE YEAR THAT WAS

done and dusted, ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN, PHIL BRANAGAN and MITCHELL ADAM looked an interesting year qualified 11th, didn’t look that fast, and almost won the race. When fuel became an issue he drove to a number, the number got better, and he fell half a car length short of winning.

PB: FPR came back, Winterbottom was third in the championship, but they still don’t look a match for Triple Eight.

AVL: I was impressed with how FPR ended the season. They had speed on both tyres, and Will Davison looked strong at the end of the season. But things like the steering arms at Homebush, there always seems to be something that ruins that car speed.

MA: They still need to put together a year.

FPR needs to rock up to Clipsal next year with the speed they had at Homebush this year.

AVL: And still have it at Homebush next year.

MA: Exactly.

PB: And Stone Brothers; they had some good moments, but they weren’t good all the time. Shane van Gisbergen was fast, won races, but lacked consistency. Tim Slade had some great days, and some less great

days, and Alex Davison, well, he remains an enigma. He looked fantastic in Abu Dhabi, but less so everywhere else.

But I really hope Alex gets a drive, because if I was a team owner, and everything the people who have driven the Car of the Future said is true ...

AVL: It could really suit him.

PB: It could work out very well for Alex.

is BJR. They had their breakthrough win after 73 years in V8 Supercars races.

AVL: But where did that speed go?

PB: Well, in the same season as they got two cars on the podium in Perth, and won races on merit, I was watching another qualifying session where they had three cars in the bottom four positions – and the team were scratching their heads.

AVL: The thing with Stones is that you’re never surprised to see van Gisbergen qualify third, or 17th. They are capable of both those results. That’s something that Triple Eight don’t do; even when it’s a circuit like Symmons Plains, and it’s all very close, the Triple Eight cars will still be near the front.

AVL: Okay, so what didn’t work? For me, we have to finally say that the Abu Dhabi event, as a standalone round, just didn’t work.

PB: And if they have a bad session, they bounce back.

AVL: I think it’s a really good result. I think if V8 Supercars want to race in Abu Dhabi, it’s the best way to do it. You’re right Phil, this is a great outcome.

MA: Going back to the Stones, I think Slade had a stand-out year to finish ninth in the championship. Not to take anything away from Tim, but that’s probably one result that not many people would have picked at the start of the year.

PB: I think the last team we need to discuss

PB: That’s been recognised. I don’t think it’s a bad result, having F1 and V8 Supercars on the same weekend.

PB: The other race that didn’t look busy this year was Phillip Island. It’s a tough sell, and I’m completely happy with having the 500 back at Sandown.

AVL: Let’s talk about Formula 1. It was Dirk Klynsmith

Deserted: The standalone V8 round in the Middle East didn’t work. www.mnews.com.au

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a tale of two Bulls wasn’t it. Sebastian Vettel was too good for everyone, and Mark Webber ... wasn’t.

I don’t know that the RB7 was as good as everyone thought it was. I mean Webber is a Grand Prix-winning driver, and he was struggling against the McLarens. I believe 2011 was more about Vettel than it was the car, because I think the McLarens were quicker for a lot of the season.

PB: He is particularly fantastic at qualifying, and that’s a fair advantage to have these days. And he’s able to bring his tyres up to temperature over the first two laps of the race.

AVL: He checks every box, and Phil’s right, Vettel was won the race two laps in. He does the hard work on Saturday and the first two laps of Sunday, and that’s it. He just had an amazing year.

PB: Webber is still deserving of his seat. He says he’s adjusted to the Pirelli tyres now, and he does have to make better starts, but his racing was terrific.

AVL: Unfortunately he spent too much of the year proving how good his racecraft is, because he was back in the pack!

MA: He would have rather been in the Vettel position, where people think you can’t overtake because you never have to.

AVL: Yeah, if anyone thinks Vettel can’t overtake they should watch the footage from Monza where he went around the outside of Alonso.

PB: Yeah, with a World Championship on the line!

How about Jenson Button? All I can say is that everyone thought it would be a very tight battle between he and Lewis Hamilton

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this season, but Button hosed Lewis.

AVL: I thought Lewis would have the edge in car speed, and on a lot of occasions he did, but ... Lewis just lost the plot. He got drawn into this battle with Felipe Massa that he shouldn’t have been in. Who wants to be racing Massa, anyway?

MA: Exactly! If you’re in a McLaren, you shouldn’t be anywhere near Massa.

PB: Lewis looks like he has the speed to beat Vettel, but it seems to me that Vettel spends 24/7 thinking about beating everyone else, and Lewis doesn’t. If he wants to get to that level, he has to clear the decks and go and race Vettel.

AVL: What about Ricciardo? I think he had a good debut half season. When I was writing the piece on Tonio Liuzzi for the latest Motorsport News, I realised that, in races where both HRTs finished, Liuzzi only beat Ricciardo once – and that was the British Grand Prix.

PB: The other thing is that HRT have budget constraints, so they couldn’t afford broken cars. Dan didn’t crash, he didn’t spin, he didn’t run it off the road, and according to one report I read at the end of the season, he didn’t even lock a brake.

AVL: That’s impressive. The other thing I took away from the Liuzzi chat is where Tonio said that driving a bad car is a heck of a lot harder than driving a good car. He had a good year, he’s the real deal. He had to beat Liuzzi, and he did.

PB: One of the things I’m looking forward to in 2012 is Ricciardo verse Jean-Eric Vergne.

That will be a great battle.

AVL: He’s not low on self-confidence, Vergne.

He’s already come out and said he’s be at least as fast as Webber in a Red Bull. Now he’s got to put his money where his mouth is.

PB: IndyCars ... Will Power was robbed. I think Dario Franchitti is a great driver, a great ambassador for the sport, but there were moments when you looked at it and thought ... the officials are seeing red. I’m

motorsport news

COMMENT Star Performer: Daniel Ricciardo beat his team-mate – and that’s exactly what he needed to do.

sutton-images.com

not picking on Dario, but I think Will Power was the better driver.

AVL: And he’s still getting better. His oval speed will keep on improving. He was one of the stand-outs of Australian motorsport.

PB: The crash was an unfortunate, tragic end to the season. It’s now been put down to Dan Wheldon’s head striking a fence post.

www.mnews.com.au

But, 14 drivers walked away from a 200mph crash almost uninjured, and that’s a great testament to the work that’s been put in on the safety of motor racing.

Despite what some hysterical columnists in newspapers have been saying, steps are being taken to make sure these things don’t happen again.

Anyway, before the crash, the biggest stories of the year for IndyCar were all about

the officials – and one of them put Will Power on every sporting news program in the world, when he threw the bird to race control. When that is your main story, a series is in trouble, and I think IndyCar’s heading in the right direction, but it has a long way to go.

AVL: Yeah, re-starting a race, in the rain, on an oval ... wow.

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Ups and Downs: Lewis Hamilton and Tony Stewart swapped cars in 2011, but the two had very different seasons ...

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MA: To their credit, they’ve done some restructuring, and that should lead to a less controversial 2012.

PB: NASCAR, I’ve got to say the last 10 weeks of the season were about as good as motor racing gets. It was fantastically entertaining to see Tony Stewart win the championship, after walking out of Joe Gibbs Racing three years ago and virtually setting up his own team. And let’s not forget, he almost missed out on The Chase! He was fighting with his crew chief, too ... and they won five of the 10 races in The Chase.

Carl Edwards is possibly the best runnerup in the history of the sport, a point I made in my column in the next Motorsport News, which is on sale this Wednesday.

As for Marcos Ambrose, only a handful of

32

foreign-born drivers have won a NASCAR race, and he’s one of them.

AVL: People will talk about the fact that it was a road course win, but still, he won a race.

MA: It’s like Will Power; look at Marcos’ background, and oval racing is so foreign.

He’s still making in-roads on ovals, and he looked good this season.

AVL: I think sometimes we underestimate how tough it is to go to NASCAR and be competitive, and Marcos is competitive.

PB: And let’s not forget how good these guys are. I mean, Brad Keselowski was one of the stories of the year. He went on that tear,

including winning a road race, with a broken ankle.

Then there were the Busch brothers. I mean, come on Kyle, we all know the Lexus LFA is a fast car, you didn’t need to prove it!

And then Kurt is shown the door by Penske at the end of the season.

MA: Surely there is a reality TV show there – The Busch Brothers.

PB: It sounds like a reality TV show! Just imagine being at the Busch family Christmas.

Dale Earnhardt Junior, the mystery continues. He’s the world’s most popular racing driver in terms of actual humber of fans, and he struggles. And I think that will continue, with Kasey Kahne going to Hendrick’s next year. Actually, if I had

motorsport news

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The L Word: Loeb took his eighth straight WRC title, and muscled his team-mate out of the Citroen fold.

sutton-images.com

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motorsport news

COMMENT to predict who will win the title next year, I’d probably say Kasey.

AVL: What about the World Rally Championship? I think they’ve done the right thing with these new cars. They’ve nailed it. We’re going into 2012 with four manufacturers coming, which is great. You’ve seen them live Mitchell, what are they like?

MA: They’re noisy, they sound angry and they look quick. They’re a spectacle.

AVL: When you talk about the good old days of the WRC, you’re talking about four or five manufacturers. The WRC still has a bit of work to do, but it’s heading in the right direction.

How about that three-way title fight? That came out of nowhere!

MA: Yeah, everyone headed to Coffs Harbour and everyone was talking about how early Sebastien Loeb would wrap up the title. I spoke to Malcolm Wilson from Ford on the Friday, and at that point they hadn’t won since February, and the reality was they were a long way behind. Two hours later both the Citroens were in the trees, Mikko Hirvonen won the rally and the title fight was on. Ford

nearly snatched the unwinnable title.

PB: There’s a lot to look forward to; Solberg in a Ford, Ogier in a Skoda – he might be able to snatch the odd point even in the S2000 car.

AVL: Ogier will score World Championship points next season, for sure. And when the VW WRC car is good to go, they’ll come out firing. They’ve proven that by signing Ogier. And the MINI looks promising too, with a podium finish and a few stage wins throughout the season.

Okay, let’s wrap up with Man of the Year.

Phil?

PB: Tony Stewart. In terms of sheer talent, not necessary physical fitness, but being able to focus on what he needed to do, I can’t go past Tony Stewart. He was just fantastic. He’s every man’s championship racing driver. He’s the man that a lot of racing drivers would like to be.

MA: I’m going to go for another man who won a title, Sebastian Vettel. He did so much with that car. He got the job done. You could never question Vettel’s application; there was a story pre-season where he was the

AVL: Kimi would have been eating an icecream.

MA: I have to thank Seb personally, because he helped me win our F1 tipping competition. At the start of the year, I made the decision to tip Vettel to win every race, and it paid off handsomely.

AVL: My Man of the Year is Sebastien Loeb, not only because he won his eighth World Championship in a row, which is a pretty awesome effort, although a little boring. But what I really admire is that Ogier came in, fast, French and young, and Loeb managed to run him out of the team half-way through his contract. The old bloke, with probably only a year left in the WRC, talked Citroen into sending their young prodigy, the guy who could have been the future of Citroen, to a rival manufacturer. Loeb is obviously a very good politician! sutton-images.com

Weltmeister: Seb Vettel was in a class of his own in 2011.

only driver to visit Pirelli’s headquarters. In India, he was down on all fours on a track walk looking at the kerbs. Even at Abu Dhabi, when he had that puncture he was looking under the car in the garage, and then spent the rest of the race sitting in pit wall. Who else would do that?

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35

HOME GROWN VEAL TAKES SPEEDWAY JAMIE Veal’s domination of the 2011-12 Eureka Sprintcar Series continued at his home track at Premier Speedway Warrnambool last Saturday night, with another tear away win.

Veal has now won three rounds of six that have actually

been raced, and leads the series aggregate by more than 200 points.

He had to fend off 42 other cars including six-time national champion Garry Brazier, Robbie Farr, James McFadden and Steven Lines.

Veal claimed pole position for the 30-lap feature and was blown way at the start by a

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super quick Daniel Pestka, who skipped to a handy lead in the car Steve Lines campaigned two seasons ago.

Lines gave chase and eventually hauled in the young Pestka as Veal slipped to third, and eventually fourth. Pestka’s lead quickly evaporated as Lines made a decisive move in Turn 3 on the sixth lap, flying to the

lead as a result.

With 12 laps to go heartbreak struck for Pestka as his right rear Hoosier tyre – like many others in the race – blew apart entering Turn 3, sending Pestka out of the race. Lines appeared to be home with 10 laps left as Veal followed closely from John Vogels and Mike Van Bremen and Brett Milburn.

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MONASH, AUSSIE HERO ONCE AGAIN ...

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But the race was starting to sour for Lines as he had an obviously deflating left rear and with five to go. It inevitably blew, and Veal motored to the lead with Vogels in tow. Vogels too, however, would suffer a heart breaking left rear tyre deflate on him, eventually relegating him to a mid- pack finish. Veal crossed the line

www.mnews.com.au

Geoff Gracie

S THE BEEF

punching the air as a very jubilant but relieved winner ahead of Van Bremen, with Milburn in third ahead of Mollenoyux.

“I blew the start of the race and thought that was it, I just kept my head down and well, here we are again in Victory Lane,” said Veal of his victory.

– GEOFF ROUNDS

THE 2011 Formula SAE competition was held over the weekend at Victoria University, where, despite some strong competition from overseas, two standout Australian Universities came to the forefront to dominate the proceedings.

After taking the honours at last year’s competition, Monash University took the silverware one again, crossing the line in first position for both of the endurance sessions on Sunday. Monash also took wins in the Skid Pan and the second Autocross session on their way to the overall victory.

Their closest competition came in the form of the University of Western Australia, who took a third and a second place in the two endurance sessions. Running in the 98 Octane class, the team from the West also took wins in the opening Autocross session and the acceleration heat, with Monash coming 17th in the acceleration stakes.

Two universities from Japan, Osaka and Nippon, and the University of Auckland were also among the 20-strong field of Universities. Auckland proved by the end of the weekend that they were the overall pick of the international visitors with consistent results across the board in a great looking SAE car.

After having their best year in 2010, Swinburne University of Technology immediately halted their petrol programme at the beginning of 2011 in favour of their existing Electric-powered programme for 2012. The team enjoyed a solid weekend, taking home the second place trophy for Electric Vehicles.

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motorsport news

rear of grid

When will you make your Daytona 24 Hour debut?

When I’m 64

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DAYTONA may resemble a Highway to Hell when AC/DC singer Brian Johnson makes his debut in the Rolex 24 hour race in February.

Johnson, 64, is a keen historic racer, and will join fellow historic racer Byron DeFoor in the classic race after testing a Riley Daytona Prototype for the fist time recently.

“I just always wanted to be part of it, but to actually drive in it, was just ...” Johnson told American magazine Sports Illustrated.

“I didn’t even have the ability to even mix with these puppies, but after about 12 years of vintage racing, everybody said, ‘come on Brian. Give it a shot. You got a few podiums,’ and stuff like that. Byron just made it happen.”

Further details, including other codrivers, are expected in the near future.

ON THIS DAY 19 NOVEMBER 2000

YEP, we know that the date is wrong. But not much ever happens in motor racing in December – and this date was the first time we got to see Jason Richards drive a V8 Supercar. It was the FAI 1000, in teemed with rain and Richards and Angus Fogg managed to haul the Team Kiwi Racing Commodore (#777) home in 16th place, four laps from the lead. Richard finished on the podium three times in ensuing Bathurst 1000 starts, with Jamie Whincup, Greg Murphy and Cameron McConville as co-drivers.

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www.mnews.com.au

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