Motorsport News Issue 382 - April 2009

AUSTRALIA'S NUMBER 1 MOtOMSPORTMONTHLY

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No.382 APRIL 2009 Australia $7.95 NZ $8.50 inc GST

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Issue 382 APRIL 2009

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NEWS 4

Winner takes All FIA changes points system, for now

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Photo Credits:

6

KERS or Curse? Differing views on FTs latest toy

12 The Beastly Boys Red car, your mates and Targa. Bewdy!

Peter Bury Dirk Klyr:smith Contents:

18 Winding Back

Cover:

A ripping yarn. About a tunnel. Honest

sutton-images.com

OPINION 15 Motor Mouth 24 Box Seat

Mosley got Formula 2 right

82 The Back Page

eNews appeared. [Was that only 2 years ago?]

The Ups and Downs of FI's Testing Winter

FEATURES 22 Five Minutes with Mario Theissen n

26 All in the Family Todd and Rick Kelly on how, and why, they started afresh 34 Bright does the Time Warp, Again...

Ford's V8 Supercar star tries out the Biante-winning Mustang 42 The colours of the Renault Rainbow How Pat Symonds plans to upset McLaren and Ferrari 48 Wolf. Williams. Benetton. Ferrari. Honda. Me! Ross Brawn talks about his biggest move yet 52 Growing up in Public Four Fujitsu V8 drivers make the step for 2009 58 Ten out of Ten Inside Ten Kate Honda's winning (and tall!) team

May issue on sale April 29

NATIONAL On Track 64

Formula 3's latest Brit, Joey Foster

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40years of Formula Ford in Australia

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McLaren-Mercedes Lewis Hamilton

Heikki Kovalainen

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Ferrari Kimi Raikkonen Felipe Massa

FI 2009 The new FI season is here. PHIL BRANAGAN looks at some ofthe changes before the lights go out

T

HE Formula 1 teams are

preparing their charges for this weekend's Australian Grand Prix with a late but fundamental change to the way that the World Championship will be decided.

Last week,the FIA announced that the World Motor Sport Council had determined that the driver who scores the most wins during the course of the season will win the title and the current pointscore system, 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1, will be used in the Drivers'Championship only event of a tie. The Constructors' Championship remains unaffected by the changes.

"The WMSC accepted the proposal from Formula One Management to award the drivers'championship to the driver who has won the most races during the season," said the FIA in a statement.

"If two or more drivers finish the season with the same number of wins,the title will be awarded to the driver with the most points, the allocation of points being based on the current 10,8,6 etc. system.

"The rest of the standings,from second to last place, will be decided

by the current.points system.There is no provision to award medals for first, second or third place. The Constructors'Championship is unaffected."

The Formula One Teams' Association FOTA had lobbied the FIA to change the system to change the points system to 12,9 and 7 points for the first three positions, with the next five placing to receive the same points as the system used to the end of last season.This was rejected by the FIA. While not adopting fully the 'medals'system pushed by Formula One Management boss Bernie Ecclestone,the new initiative does represent a major shift in the way the sport is run. Had the'most wins'system been in place in 2008, Felipe Massa would be coming to Australia with the number 1 on his Ferrari, rather than Lewis Hamilton carrying that marker on his McLaren-Mercedes.

One of the intended aims of the new system is thought to be to stop a driver who consistently gathers points, together with the odd victory, and therefore seals the title early, as Michael Schumacher motorsportmews

ScbastiM Buemi Sebastien Bourdon

Red Bull-Renault Mark Webber

Sebastian Vettel ”:r

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son ofChange The ever-changing face of Formula 1

New points, new champion?

Under the 2009 race-winning ruies, Feiipe Massa,above, wouid have won the 2008 title.

did earlier this decade.The problem may be, however, quite the opposite; that should one team get on top of the technical package resulting from the raft of changes brought in for 2009, and gain an advantage,the season could be as good as over before the end of the northern summer.

Of course,these changes were announced on Tuesday March 17 and, with 10 days'worth of negotiating time before the cars roll out at Albert Park, much could potentially change in the interim. www.mnews.coin.au

OTHER changes mooted for Formula 1 this season appear to be a boon for fans attending the race, the television viewers and the media.

Drivers will be required to attend mandatory autograph sessions in the pitlane during the first day of practice - usually a Friday - and will also be obligated to be accessible to the media after each race, unless they finished on the podium (and therefore, attended the press post-race media conference.) in many races, particularly those in Europe, drivers have disappeared immediately after races and, in some cases due to a premature retirement, left the track even before the chequered flag.

Another area that will be less'grey' from now on will be the mystery of which drivers are carrying what fuel loads. The FIA has announced that it will publish the weight of every car as it finished the qualifying sessions, the final period of which is set with cars carry'race'fuel loads. As a results, commentators and the media will have a much better insight into a team's race strategy prior to the race.

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SANDOWN'S round of the V8 Supercar Championship has received a welcome boost from software giant Symantec.

The iconic Meibourne track will play host to the Norton 360 Sandown Challenge, which was launched last month at Albert Park.

As well as its backing of the July 31August 2 event,the Norton branding will feature on the racecars of Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes.

SEPTEHIBER CflLLnG V8 SUPERCAR teams have been filiing up their endurance seats.

TeamVodafone has grabbed Brit V8 rookie James Thompson to join Allan Simonsen, while HRT recently * tested Steve Owen.The current Fujitsu Champ is expected to partner Will Davison in the big races, while Craig Baird joins Garth Tander.

GT's wife Leanne Tander also has secured a seat,alongside Michael Patrizi in the Wilson Security Ford.

REUI SPOnSDR FOR SUPERGP QUEENSLAND'S SuperGP has received backing from Nitro Energy Drink for its October event.

The Australian-owned product, which has its national headquarters on the Gold Coast, will be the naming rights sponsor of the event, which combines V8 Supercars and A1GP,for the next three years.

DOUGLAS RETURRS FORMER Stone Brothers Racing Technical Director Ken Douglas has made a return to V8 Supercars.

Douglas, who was with the Ford team during its title-winning years in 2003-'04-'05, is back in Australia after stints with NASCAR teams Wood Bros and JTG Racing. He is working in a consultancy role with a number of teams,including Jim Beam Racing, while they learn about their new 2009 cars.

6

As the FI teams unpack their newest2009toys

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Will KERS be afactor?

ONE of the talking points of the have not developed it sufficiently, off-season has been how the new- and the Hondas [Brawns]seem for-2009 Kinetic Energy Recovery to have been doing the times without the KERS units fitted to System (KERS) will be used in the cars.

Grands Prix this year.

Since the FIA announced that "I don't know a huge amount the use of the units, which provide about it. I hear things, but I am a burst of extra 80 horsepower for sure we will see some things a maximum of 6.6s per lap, will be change through the season." permitted - it is not mandatory Cameron McConvilie until next season - development has been running at full speed. But V8 Supercar driver and Network 10 FI commentator there is still no certainty what will happen;some teams, like BMW 'I think that it could have an and Renault, have said that their systems are ready and operational, effect, particularly is one of the but Brawn GP boss Ross Brawn teams starts the season with KERS says in this issue that his team will operational. It fails and one of more of the other teams steal a definitely not be using the system.

So, we asked for some notions march and gaps them in points. on the subject; "Look at the pace of the Brawn; a non-KERS car looks like being the Tim Edwards thing to have early in the season.

Team Principal FPR,and former Low Centre of Gravity, and a big team manager ofJordan Grand weight advantage.

Prix "This is a season in which how a 'I don't think that many of the team performs over the course of teams will turn up on Melbourne the year might be dictated by how with the units on the cars. They they start in the first four or five

rounds. Even the teams that say they are going to run the system, does that means that they will, in all the races? I will believe that when I see it.

"It is all a question mark until we see what happens."

Tim Schenken AGP Race Director and former FI driver "I think it will be a factor. From what I have read, I think that it will be used at some circuits but not others.That is because of the nature of the tracks and the loads on the units.

"I wonder whether it will be a factor in deciding the title.

It will have an advantage in overtaking, but there appear to be development Issues. Ferrari has been saying that there are some heating issues, so I wonder whether we will see it for a while.

There are a lot of factors that will Influence whether you will use KERS, as its weight is a factor, and that can affect tyre degradation."

motorsDort news

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MV FRVOURITE RRCE SPIN'OFF! JOHNNV HERBERT :: MRLRVSIRN BRRND PRIH. SEPRNG.1999

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MY Formula Ford Festival win in 1985 leaps to mind, but my alltime favourite was probably the 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix.

It was the race after the European GP that year, which I had won, and so we went to Malaysia feeling really positive. Qualifying went well - the car felt really good and we qualified fifth behind the two Ferraris and the two McLarens, which was great for a little team.

The car had a really good balance and before the race, we looked at possible strategies and opted for a one-stop to try something different. It was a risk, but I felt it

was a risk worth taking so I said, 'Let's go for it'. . The McLarens and Ferraris were two-stopping and because they were lighter, I was a bit slower at the start. But I was consistent in my lap times and I was in contention for a podium because after my stop, Mika [Hakkinen] made a third stop and came out behind me.

I just felt so good - a podium was looking likely and the car felt great: the set-up,the balance, everything. It was just so nice to drive it. It felt like I had this connection with the car, something drivers dream of, and

since my accident (in Formula 3000 at Brands Hatch in 1988) I had very few moments like this.

I was keeping pace but near the end I made a small mistake and ran wide at the hairpin at the back of the circuit, which let Hakkinen past me.That was disappointing but I had just enjoyed the race, because I was enjoying the car so much that it didn't matter.

It was a happy environment as well at the team, compared to other teams I had driven for.That weekend,everything just felt great!

-JOHNNY HERBERT RNSUERS ON PHBE 13

TRIV OF VOUR TONGUE

Who was your hero when you were a kid?

Ayrton Senna - he still is.

If you could tell the Prime Minister one thing, what would it be?

Stop handing out the cash... put it into long term infrastructure projects and make more noise about the good stories out there. It's not all doom and gloom.Should I get offmy soapbox how?

What is the best place for a holiday?

I'vejust returned from ^ Queenstown in New Zealand(my wife's a Kiwi).

Awesome mountain biking and adventure sports.

What is the worst experience you have ever had on a plane?

1

Elio de Angelis won his first Grand Prix in Austria in 1982, above. Who did he beat?

3

How many New Zealanders have raced in a Formula 1 GP? And who was the most recent?

3

There are three families to have had a father, a son and an uncle participate in a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Name’them.

4

What was notable about the most recently-performed driver in the answer to Q3,above?

5.

Which driver holds the'distinction'of driving the most GPs without scoring a point?

www.mnews.coni.au

it was actually in a helicopter, i don't fly in them all that often but after the 2005 Bathurst race, I had to get back to Sydney for a MotoGP call. The landing skid scrapped along the ground as we took off. Ifit had dug in or hit a rock, it would have been all over!

What is the one television program that must be recorded every week at your place?

I'm a big fan of Underbelly and Rove.

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I LOVE shooting some particular events, because you have time to go out and shoot people and moods, and not just take images of racing cars.

The Bathurst 12-Hour was perfect for such moments. It brings together the many of the elements that can be composed into a great image, regardless of where you are and what the subject

It was a the circuits in a Stealth FF1600.

matter is; early morning light, tired drivers, keen drivers, anticipation and concentration. Eric Bana is all of these and more, and when I was able to shoot tight on him early on Saturday, all the elements fell together.

Images need to portray the feelings a person is going through,that is the essence of capturing the moment,and

super sharp is not always the best option With this pic, half the battle was making sure that the moment was captured by the pixels, and the other half was what happened later.

I have dropped in some grain to really give the pic some depth and feeling and, oh yes, I took out all the colours and left the Blacks and Whites!

up

A year later, he was a Holden Young Lion and had a breakout Bathurst 1000 debut.

TIMELINE :: RICK KELLV n

returned to his

After a controversial finish to the 2006 V8

I

It was a perfect Bathurst 1000 in 2003, Rick

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TOP 10 SHDDT-DUT UBLV GRRND PRIM CRRS 19“IS: TVRRELL P34No,it was not ajoke. But when the covers were pulled off Tyrrell’s P34, many observers thought that it was.

Such was the secrecy surrounding the car's development that few people had any idea that it existed, which was some feat considering that 10 inch wheels and small tyres had to be made to accomodate the design.

Designer Derek Gardner's brief was to minimise the frontal area ofthe car by reducing the size ofthe wheels. And the funniest thing was,it worked.

Tyrrell debuted the car at the Spanish Grand Prix in 1976,and it proved to be on the pace. In its second race atZolder,Jody Scheckter was fourth;one race later at Monaco, he was second, with team-mate Patrick Depailler third.

Next time out at Anderstorp,Scheckter won from pole, with Depailler second.

And that was that. Goodyear did not maintain any development ofits little tyres, and in 1977, the P34s started to struggle. By the end ofthat season, work had begun on a conventional car, and shortly after, the FIA dictated that FI cars should have no more than four wheels.

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March's'customer'GP car was bulbous,flexed like pasta and looked like its aerodynamics were done by Ikea. Particularly attractive was the 'coffee table'front wing, quickly replaced by a full width version.

19-|1: BRRBHRM BT3H-

Luigi Colani redesigned the March 721 and came up with this;an even uglier car, with a rear vision mirror mounted on a periscope in front ofthe driver. The abnormally brave RolfStommelen drove it in eight GPs;best result, 10th.

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In an attempt to maximise its downforce, the aero boffins at Arrows came up with this idea for Monaco. It combined all the ugly features of#2 and #3, with the bonus oforange and black paint.

Gawdy aero add-ons were promptly prohibited.

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Jack Brabham had sold his team when Ron Tauranac designed Brabham's famed 'Lobster Claw', which had twin front radiators mounted low, with a single, central front wing. Main claim to fame: Graham Hill's last GP win came in this car.

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No great chassis grip to speak of, so McLaren's designers raided the wings bin and came up with this. Mika Flakkinen somehow dragged one to second at Suzuka, then had his huge crash in a 1 OB Adelaide.

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4 '!5 It is easily to believe that Ferruccio Lamborghini started out building tractors when you look at this. Triangular sidepods, hand-cut cooling vents, a heavy VI2 and Eric van der Poele driving (he deserved better). Showed only glimpses of speed.

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Arturo Merzario set up his own team and came up with the A1, which combined huge bodywork with odd handling. The A2 was not much better and the team soon stepped back to Formula 2.

10

Dubbed 'The Walrus', the stubby car had a twin keel chassis and unusual front end design, which didn't work. A converted 'conventional' FW26B scored the team's last GP win in Brazil.

Gerard Ducarouge designed Guy Ligier's first Grand Prix car, which was known as 'The Tea Pot'.

The Matra V12-powered car scored a pole and a second place, and a total of 20 points.

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* The Bottle-0 supports the responsible service of alcohol. All orders are subject to availablity. These prices are valid for a limited time and are subject to alteration without notice in the event that suppliers change their prices or Government imposes some further impost, or erroR are made in printing. Some products may not be available at all outlets and prices may vary. Tobacco and alcohol not sold to under IBs.These specials are not available at the Bottle-0 Neighbourhood stores.

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FOR the hardcore racing fan. Race Pro is a must,especially if you fancy yourself as a worthy opponent to the likes of Andy Priaulx and his World Touring Car Championship rivals.

Beyond the competitive world of the FIA WTCC,you can also compete against the Sportscar stars of the FIA GT Championship.

Race Pro is the most cost-effective way for you to join Lewis Hamilton as an FIA Championship winnerl Rest assured,the game is not an arcade game - it's a true simulation.The real tracks,the real cars and the real stars.

In recent times, arcade racing games - like Gran Turismo, Forza and Grid - have stolen some of the limelight of the traditional simulations. At Motorsport News, we love any excuse to drop our pens and grab hold of a console controller, but there's nothing quite like rubbing panels with the factory BMWs,Chevys, SEATs and Hondas in the WTCC. For a simulation. Race Pro is incredibly realistic, although you could debate that'general'console players might get more of a kick out of the GranTurismos of the world - simply because the cars in Race Pro are designed to be as realistic as possible, compromising the'fun'factor...

But for the purist, this is a cracker. And as an MNews reader, we can guess exactly which category of gamer you fit into ...

So, with an international game like this on the market, it begs the question - when are we going to see another'VB Supercar' inspired game? The previous three editions have all excelled themselves, and with the recent advancements in the consoles, 'V8s 4'is sure to be worth the spend ...

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Race Pro, rated G, distributed by Atari, exclusively forXbox ... consoles. Available from all good gaming retailers

QUIZ RNSUERS: 1. De Angelis led Keke Rosberg (Williams)to the flag in Austria.

2. Eight Kiwis have raced Formula 1; Chris Amon,Howden Ganley, Denny Hulme, left, Bruce McLaren, Graham McRae,John Nicholson,Tony Shelly and the most recent MikeThackwell, in 1984.

3.The Fittipaldis (Emerson, his brother Wilson and Wilson's son Christian);the Villenueves (Gilles, his brother Jacques and

Gilles's son Jacques); and the Winkelhocks (Manfred, his brother Joachim and Manfred's son Markus).

4. Markus Winkelhock drove in one,and only one GP. He started last on the grid,and was leading the 2007 European GP when it was red-flagged, which meant he took the restart of the race from pole position.

5. Luca Badoer has started in 48 GPs and scored zero points.

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opinion

In Praise of the President (and the First Lady) \ mOTORmOUTH PhilBranagan Executive Editor

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OU might want to take a note of this issue number of Motorsport News,- it's #382- because I am about to write something positive about Max Mosley.

No, I am not going to pass comment on his private habits, as documented last year by that touchstone of acceptable social behaviour,the British tabloid press.

No, I am not going to suggest that his pet Formula 1 project, KERS, is an expensive boondoggle, particularly since FOTA is now pushing for a onesize-fits-all, standard KERS unit.

No, I am not going to comment that on his watch,the World Rally Championship is at the lowest point of manufacturer participation in its history.

And, I am not even going to wait for him to appear in his reserved parking space at Albert Park this weekend.The FI press corps was in a tizz a couple of years ago when it was suggested he might just, on a decidedly rare occasion visit the southern hemisphere. His intended trip was derailed by that trickiest of pitfalls (even for a barrister), an airline booking SNAFU.Turns out that typing travelocity.com is a lot more difficult than we all thought.

[Since we are on that topic, if Mosley is unlikely to arrive at Albert Park - and

The grid may not be filled with household names, but the quality of the drivers is already high, and the inclusion of the category on the WTCC program,and the potential for parallel media attention, is likely to ensure that F2 has a bright future.

A spec open-wheeler category,that costs less than F3, and which promises a great deal more.The recent history of open wheeler racing in this country is to watch what has been popular in Europe and, after a few years,follow a few steps behind. I wonder what may happen here in by 2015?

he always has been - is it too fanciful of me to suggest that the privileged inside-the-track car space reserved for the FIA President, and enough tickets to admit a family to a comfortable viewing point, could be awarded to a Victorian firefighter?]

Nor am I going to suggest that the person choosing the bands for the Australian Grand Prix's recent Sunday night concerts must be Mosley, or somebody else born in 1940. How can we question that Kiss and The Who Elsewhere in this issue, Andrew van Leeuwen writes about the 40are cutting edge acts? I will hold my year anniversary of Formula Ford in Judgement on this matter until next Australia. year, but if Gerry and the Pacemakers Over the generations,the wingless or The Monkees show up, I may start to racers have been a great proving wonder... ground for everyone from Larry to No need for that. I am going to Laska, and not just drivers have learned compliment Mosley on his latest their craft in the category. Many people brainchild; Formula 2. have contributed to the ongoing su When he announced a low-cost, ccess of the class, and while normally technically straightforward alternative it would not be astute to single out one to the rampantly costly categories that such person, in this case, I believe it is have mushroomed over recent decades, appropriate. many suggested he was dreaming.

Margaret Hardy has been involved Even Will Buxton, our own FI editor, in Formula Ford for many years,for no said it was a pipe dream. reason other than a deep affection With the involvement of FI driverfor the class and its participants. She turned-entrepreneur Jonathon Palmer, remains a friend of many of those who and his former team boss Sir Frank have been involved in the class over Williams, F2 has been developed the decades,on any number of levels under tight guidelines, and now the and I include myself in that group. first prototype is showing some speed If I can be presumptuous enough on the tracks of England.The car's to speak on behalf of a large group of performance curve is already above people, none of whom have authorised that of Formula 3, in spite of the me to do so, thank you Margaret relative lack of development of the (and please accept my apologies for aero and tyre packages.There looks to embarrassing you). As always, I look be much more speed to come. forward to seeing you at the next race.

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Do you really need a race to get a great image - or even spectators? Maybe you just need Heikki Kovalainen, a McLaren-Mercedes, a Barcelona sunset and an empty grandstand.

Adrian Sutil is still getting used to the Force India-Mercedes and will be hoping that it reaily can do what the signwriting suggests...

Josh Herrin and Ben Bostrom were in the heat of the battle for the 2009 Daytona 200 but, in the end, the two Graves Yamahas were only chasing shadows - and BenBos, #7, won.

Daylight turns to night, but before it does,it presents some great opportunities to capture some specialimages. The Aston Martin team is testing its Lolas m preparation for a 50th anniversary return to Le Mans, and Paul Ricard’s test provided those special conditions. above.

On the other hand. sometimes you do not need speed and twilight to produce a greatlook.In fact, we reckon that we can guess exactly how slowly Shane Van Gisbergen was going when Dirk Klynsmith took this shot...

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THE VEHR THRT UJR5 lll

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On the Straight and Narrow If you thought that winning races was all about boffins with computers,here is a yarn from the USA about PHIL BRANAGAN racecars speeding through a tunnel. No,not a windtunnel,an actualtunnel

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ART of the speed shown by the Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Dallara Hondas-and Grand

representatives of the team,are the mysterious tenants conducting straight-line testing in an abandoned tunnel that was once

Am Rileys, and maybe even its Dodge Sprint Cup cars - in recent seasons may be due to developments made deep inside a mountain in the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania.

Ganassi may be the team that has been using a tunnel to aid the development of its multi-faceted race teams'cars. No, not a wind tunnel, an actual tunnel. Like, a horizontal cylindrical hole dug through a mountain, with a road at the bottom. A tunnel.

While team members have declined to comment on the matter - Motorsport News requested a comment from the team, but received no reply we believe that Ganassi, or

part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

The CGR Dallaras have become the cars to beat on oval events, which make up the majority of IndyCar's schedule. For instance, in 2008 seven out of 11 oval events fell to the red cars - in a series where all teams run Hondapowered Dallaras.The engines and tyres are identical on all cars, but the cars can be, and are, modified, according to teams'and drivers' preferences.

IndyCar forbids oval track testing, other than pre-scheduled 'all in'sessions arranged by the governing body,such as the recent tests at Sebring and Homestead.

Teams are permitted to conduct straight-line testing, and it is

18

obvious that the dominant teams Ganassi,Team Penske and Andretti Green Racing - do,and often.

Ganassi Managing Director Mike Hull has confirmed that the team does straight-line testing but was vague with the geography,saying only that it was"in the United States" when quizzed on the matter by Racecar Engineering in 2007.

So, why a tunnel and not a windtunnel? There are a limited number of windtunnels in the USA and,therefore, availability to individual teams is severely compromised. While a windtunnel with a moving floor somewhat accurately replicates the actions of a car on the track, there is an inevitable margin of error because the car is not actually moving, and its engine (and therefore, its cooling systems) are not operating.

Furthermore, a full-size windtunnel is expensive to build (more that $50 million) and is costly to staff and operate.The alternative is a smaller, scale windtunnel - and to operate that program, you need model makers, aerodynamicists and computers to build to that scale and then extrapolate developments to realsize racecars.

So,straight-line testing is easier, cheaper and more'real'.

The problem is, you need to do it at a place that is both suitable (a long, smooth and mostly straight road) yet private. How private is an airport - and what do you do about its availability problems?

(One NASCAR Sprint Car team that had its'secret'straight-line testing interrupted because - and this is absolutely factual - NASA ordered the Stock Cars off the

motorsport news

The colours ofthe rainbow: GanassVs Target-backed Dallara Hondas have become the cars to beat in IndyCar racing, opposite.

Before the team merged with DEI for this season. Chip Ganassi, above,ran Dodges like Juan Pablo Montoya's, above left, in NASCAR. The team has had greatsuccess in Grand Am with its Lexus Rileys, left.

airstrip at the Kennedy Space Center so that the Space Shuttle could land!)

A tunnel is private, has a controlled atmosphere,there are no crosswinds and the temperature and humidity are relatively constant. If you have one handy,such a tunnel would seem to be the ideal place to conduct straight-line testing.

But there are challenges. First, you need to be able to measure the results of your testing of a car moving at high speed.You can do this with sensors but, ideally, you would need something past which a car could travel at a predetermined speed, while being observed and the results recorded.

Such a thing exists, it is the 'Apparatus for testing a moving vehicle', protected by two patents logged by the US Patent and Trademark Office in September 2004 by Ben Bowlby - the Englishborn former Chief Designer at Lola who moved to Ganassi in 2002 and Chip Ganassi.

Next, you need - d'uh!- a tunnel. Several exist - and one www.mnews.com.au

is the Laurel Flill Tunnel, near Donegal in Pennsylvania [see next page]. Both ends of the tunnel features recently-built metal structures, with sliding doors large enough to allow a racecar hauler to park within in. The other 'lane'features what appears to be a slip road, with narrowing concrete barriers on either side, with stacks of used racing tyres at the end. If you were to build a speed containment barrier-'crash barrier'is such a crude and one dimensional expression - this is at least one way of doing it.

To get results relevant to racing on an oval,the road within the tunnel would need to be updated from its abandoned state. Ideally, the surface would be repaved to the same standard of that an oval, possibly even smoother.

This might be costly as a start-up endeavour, but it is not especiaily problematic - particularly if you consider that Floyd Ganassi, Chip's father, built a successful business in gravel and sand, and supplied concrete and asphalt contractors from his base in Pennsylvania. In

other words, Ganassi Sr dealt with the people and the companies that made roads in that part of the world, possibly even the very companies that built theTurnpike.

And it is likely to be IndyCars that would be mostly tested there.The current NASCAR rules allow little aero development to be done to a Stock Car, and the bigger, heavier cars would need more than 1.3km (with turntables at each end)to get up to a decent speed and have enough road left to stop before they cannon through the end.

One the other hand, lighter Grand Am and IndyCars would accelerate and brake to a useful speed in that space; Formula 1 cars can accelerate from virtually a stop to about 300kmh,and then virtually to a stop again, in much less distance. In fact, they do exactly that, every May, in Monaco.

Any performance deficiencies in the cars could be compensated for by'hotting' up the cars (after all, they do not need to undergo what Americans call Technical Inspection, or scrutineering,for a

straight-line test) and the insular nature of the tests (ie, one car on one piece of road) means that parts otherwise designed for one purpose can be modified for another.

For instance, one part contained within the papers Motorsport News obtained from the US Patents Office looked for all the world identical to a rear vision mirror from a Dallara IndyCar. It was labelled'Fleadlight'. Someone has been thinking outside the box on this one...

So, is the tunnel the secret edge that allows the Target cars to stay at the head of the pack?

Maybe, maybe not. The Penn Turnpike Commission will only confirm that the site is leased to a private tenant. There are images of ancillary equipment, like satellite dishes and barbecues, empty 44gallon drums of Sunoco racing fuel, and empty boxes of take-out food, outside locked and chained doors.

So something is going on in there ...

To see the site of the Laurel Hill Tunnel, turn the page 19

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On the Outside looking in The tunnels is that there is never onetrouble aroundwith when you need one - unless you are an enthusiast of closed roadways,and know where to look.

Such people exist, and because of their relentless (if slightly eccentric) interests, the history of the Pennsylvania Turnpike,the first attempt at building a superhighway in the USA, is well-preserved.

Constructiori of the tunnel under Laurel Hill in the Allegheny Mountains was started in 1890, as part of the construction of the South Pennsylvania Railroad, backed by railway magnate William Vanderbilt and banker JP Morgan.The project, which was dogged by labour and financial tensions, never came to fruition, and what had been dug out and built of the tunnel sat idle for some years.

In 1937,the Penn Turnpike Commission acquired six abandoned railway tunnels and work restarted, and a two-lane Laurel Hill tunnel started to carry traffic as part of the Penn Turnpike in 1940.The road quickly became very popular, because it predated America's highway system, had a substantial support infrastructure (like gas stations and restaurants), was in a rapidly growing part of the USA and - we love this partit imitated German's autobahn system by having no speed limits, other than a SSmph maximum on the approach to, and within, the tunnels.

But by the early 1960s, It was obvious that more lanes were needed;four lanes of traffic bottlenecked down to two for what had become seven tunnels and, while four of the seven existing tunnels were'twinned'to allow traffic flow to double,the cost of rerouting a new multi lane road around the other three was far less than that of boring another two-lane tunnel alongside.

In 1964,three tunnels, including Laurel Hill, were closed; like any abandoned road, it deteriorated, the edges of the road in particular falling into disrepair.

Until 2003,the tunnel sat abandoned and used for storing road maintenance equipment, and salt for clearing show on other parts of the Turnpike. But in 2004,the roads in and out of the tunnel was closed off and new structures were erected at both ends and things started changing.

Hikers reported hearing mechanical sounds, and ancilliary equipment appeared. Security was ramped up, and what happens inside stays inside.

As late as 2000 the two other abandoned tunnels were used to store military equipment - there are even reports that fighter jets were parked on the unused roadways during the warmer months, but nowadays, you can go cycle through them, and the highway in between. In 2001,the PTC sold the property for the grand total of US$1, and the area is being redeveloped as a bicycle tourism destination.

So feel free to go and have a ride - but if you stumble across something at the 99.2-mile post that looks like Area 51, sounds like the Milwaukee Mile and smells like ethanol, don't tell Chip you read about it here ...

20

nn

Something old,something new; The Laurel Hill Tunnel dates back to the 1890s but the

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new metal building, top, is definitely 21st century.

The dilapidated exterior of the old tunnel entry contrasts with some of the newer equipment. like the satellite dish in the left lower corner, above.

Service vehicles have access to the rear of the new structure. left- and that sure looks like a tyre barrier to us... motorsportiitews

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^ 5 minUTES UJITH l ll It has been a winter of hard work,awayfrom the track,for the German engineer and his team.But the BMW army is making confident sounds about breaking through for a title challenge QUESTION:Is the BMW Sauber FI Team well prepared for the new season?

MARIO THEISSEN; Yes,things are looking good after all the testing.

The drivers and the engineers have given positive feedback. We are heading in the right direction with the BMW Sauber FI.09.

What have been the biggest technical challenges?

The engineers have had to adjust to fundamental changes in four different areas.There are new developments to be considered in terms of aerodynamics,tyres and KERS technology. Plus, the engines have to cover twice the mileage this year compared to 2008. Never before in Formula 1 have they had to last so long.

The changes to the cars' aerodynamics are so fundamental that the engineers really did have to start again with atilank sheet.

The introduction of KERS brake energy regeneration technology into Formula 1 also represented new territory. This has been a huge challenge, one which we have taken on with great drive and determination.

When I look back at how far we have come in such a short space of time, it really is very impressive.

Fiere, Formula 1 has taken on the role of technology accelerator for series production cars of the future.

Will you be using the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) in Melbourne?

We've got our KERS to the stage where it is race-ready, which means we can use it in Melbourne.

Now it's just a matter of weighing up the pros and cons.

On the positive side, the drivers would have an extra 82hp at their disposal for 6.6 seconds per lap.

However,the system adds weight to the car and this has an impact on the car's weight distribution and tyre wear. We will make a decision on a driver-by-driver, circuit-by-circuit basis.

Does KERS place heavier drivers at a disadvantage?

The minimum weight of 605 22

amount of testing allowed by half for 2009 and placed restrictions on the use of wind tunnels and supercomputers.These steps will be followed by a much more extensive package of measures in 2010.The top category of motor racing remains a unique mixture of cutting-edge^technology, sport, business and glamour.

Flowever,times have changed and Formula 1 has to adapt accordingly. I think our sport is heading in the right direction.

kilograms stipulated for the cars in the regulations includes the driver.

The difference between the actual weight and minimum weight is levelled out by positioning ballast around the car to optimum effect.

Traditionally, this means that a heavier driver has been at a disadvantage, as he has had less ballast to balance out the car.

Using the KERS will further reduce - by the weight of the system - the amount of ballast available.

In order to prevent Formula 1 from becoming a jockeys' competition, we are pushing for an increase of the minimum weight in the future.

Flow do you assess the significance on a political level of the Formula OneTeams Association (FOTA)for the future of Formula 1?

There has never been such unity between the Formula 1 teams as we are seeing now. At the first FOTA press conference in Geneva at the start of March, Chairman Luca di Montezemolo spoke - with good reason - of an historic event.

The teams have come together within FOTA to provide an equal partner for the FIA and FOM. What are your key aims?

Our common aim is to reduce costs without taking away the ingredients that make Formula 1 so captivating and so attractive.

For example, we have cut the

What kinds of cost-saving measures has the BMW Sauber FI Team already taken?

We have supported cost-saving measures for a number of years and have always pursued a policy of moderation. From its formation, the BMW Sauber FI Team has focused on efficiency and reduced its expenditure each year.

Today, BMW is spending 40 percent less on its involvement in Formula 1 than in 2005. Back then we were an engine supplier, but now have our own team,of course. Significant savings have been achieved through increases in the mileage required of each engine.

When BMW returned to Formula 1 in 2000, we were using one engine for free practice, replacing it for qualifying and then fitting another new one for the race.This outlay has since been gradually reigned in and today each driver has to make do with eight engines for the full duration of the season.

The heavily reduced testing schedule has brought further substantial budget savings.

Testing on race circuits is banned outside of race weekends until 31st December 2009.The only exception will be tests for junior drivers with no GP experience after the season has finished. So we have put together a whole package of measures to reduce costs.

How do you see the future of Formula 1?

We have the opportunity - in the critical phase in which we now find ourselves - to exert

a positive influence over the future of Formula 1. And I am in no doubt that Formula 1 will emerge stronger from the current situation.

Once the cost-cutting measures have taken full effect, I expect further independent teams to come into Formula 1 and be able to compete on a sound financial footing. Added to which,the technical regulations are now geared towards the FI machines playing an important role In the development of series production cars.This allows Formula 1 to serve as a pioneer with regard to future technologies.

Is the investment in the Formula 1 project justifiable for BIVIW in the current economic climate?

Most definitely. Alongside the savings I've already mentioned, which will be backed up by further economising in the future, we have started to enjoy success on the track.

And so it's not only our marketing experts who are saying that Formula 1 is a valuable tool for BMW. FI remains the core of our motor sport programme.

Nowhere else will you find such charisma exuded on a global level on such a frequent basis. And nothing else offers a technical challenge so fruitful that it benefits the research activities of an entire company. From a costbenefit point of view. Formula 1 is very positive for us.

What is your aim for the season?

We are following a long-term timetable. In our first year, we set out to finish regularly in the points, in year two we wanted to record podium finishes and in ourthird year we were aiming to notch up our first victory. We achieved all of these ambitious alms.

In 2009 we are looking to take the next and most difficult step yet - we want to be fighting for the World Championship title. The FI.09 gives us a good platform to fulfill this aim; now we have to see what happens in the season's 17 races. What we know for certain is that you can plan your level of performance, but not your results,

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Y the time this magazine hits the newsstands, we'll be just days away from the first competitive running of the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship, and from the results of recent testing all we really know is that we don't know much.

The variables incorporated into winter testing for this new FI season means it is almost impossible to judge who is on form and who is lagging behind. For some, the element of surprise is frustrating, but to my mind it only serves to make the expectation all the greater.

The massive regulation changes over what is and what is not allowed aerodynamically have given us 10 very different looking cars (OK, nine very different looking cars and a Toro Rosso, which looks quite a bit like the Red Bull.) While the regulations are pretty tight in what they allow from a design perspective, it has been fascinating to see how the different design offices have come up with varied solutions to recapturing the downforce lost by the banishing of the additional aero furniture which had become so common-place in recent seasons.

Then there's KERS, and the lack of knowledge as to who has set their times with or without the systems. There's still uncertainty as to who will use KERS in Australia, and indeed, who even intends to use it this season at all.There's Williams and Toyota and their clever diffusers, which have caused some consternation within FI that they don't stick to the letter of the law,*even though the FIA seems to think they're pretty much

fine.

The reintroduction of slick tyres has made times difficult to judge as teams have found the lack of aerodynamic grip difficult to contend with while attempting to get used to the graining patterns of the new rubber. While the slicks should provide more grip, the very new aerodynamics have meant that with minimal grip, it's very easy to knacker a set of tyres in no time.

And then there are the age-old questions of fuel loads.

Who's on a glory run and who is sandbagging? Who's going for reliability and who's trying to get sponsors?

It's a tricky time’of year, we arrive in Australia fora season which could be and hotlysocontested.

If we take testing on its merits, it would seem as though Honda made.the greatest of all its pitiful mistakes in its final decision to quit, as for the first time in a long time it appears as though they had actually come up with a great car. But Honda's loss is Brawn GP's gain, and the BGP001 not only looks neat, tidy and incredibly well thought through, it seems to be running fast and reliably.

So, too, the Toyota. Tidy, fast and novel, could 2009 be the

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year that the Euro-Japanese squad finally makes good on the now billions of dollars it has invested into FI? The drivers certainly seem confident, so too the team bosses. A Brawn vs Toyota fight would just pour salt in the still raw wounds of the Honda Motor Company, still reeling from its embarrassing departure from FI. ~ Then there's Williams, Red Bull and Renault, who all look pacey. Even the Force Indians have turned up to play every now and then since the team launch just one week before the Brawn team.

Oddly enough, it's last season's top teams that have the greatest question marks. Ferrari, McLaren and BMW's form has been all over the place. Sometimes fast, other times absolutely nowhere. And it's not for want of trying. Lewis Hamilton's multiple off-track excursions in testing were proof evident that he was pushing hard ... too hard, in fact.

But it's only testing. Chances are, we'll get to Melbourne and Hamilton will win from Raikkonen, but that's the brilliant thing.

Right now, nobody knows,

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hat is evident however, is how much the testing restrictions have hit the teams.

Development curves have to be far steeper, and it was telling that the Brawn GP car, on its first run, achieved over 100 laps on each of the four days in Barcelona, with no major reliability issues. Now, while this is good from a cost perspective, spare a thought for the drivers. Poor weather, allied to the already reduced testing program, means many of them will arrive for the first race heavily underprepared.

And, what of the even younger generation? Those in GP2 who spark an interest in the FI teams will, if they are lucky, be afforded some limited running at the end of the season.

But here's where it gets a bit silly. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that either Fernando Alonso or Nelson Piquet get injured and can't contest a Grand Prix. Remain Grosjean would have to replace them, having never sat in Renault's R29 before.

And that's just bonkers.

Piquet himself complained at the start of 2008 that he had spent half the time in the Renault as Heikki Kovalainen did before his debut in 2007, and that lack of time had impacted on how fast he'd been able to get up to speed. How then are the future generation supposed to prepare themselves?

Elsewhere in this issue, Renault's Pat Symonds suggests that more accidents are caused in Australia by out-of-form drivers, than major reliability issues with the cars. Whether the reduction in testing will see an increase in driver errors is yet to be seen, and while it may shake up the order, it may also deprive future generations of a decent opportunity of proving their worth.

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Will Buxton Formula 1 Correspondent

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OTORSPORT NEWS;The million-dollar question - maybe it's even more than that- is why?

TODD:Why not? [Smiles].

We have been in the sport professionally for 10 years, with different teams,and this has not been engineered to fit that. But the timing has been perfect. As it has turned out,this is the way that we want to go racing, that is how that turned out with me going to Larry's last year and the relationship I built with him.Then,the relationship with Dad and Rick, and Clayton, how that ended up panning out.The whole thing just fell into place.

It is all timing. As far as myself,and how I felt about going racing this year, it is fantastic. It is not a burden, it is no stress that we are doing this. It is all good, because we can do it how we want to do it, down to the stickers on the wall, the cars. We have had a huge input into the cars,things like making our own pedal boxes, and we have complete control over how the whole thing is going.

As I said, it is not a burden to us.There are heaps of people here at every level who can take the burden of running the team. But at the same time, we can still have as much input as we want to have in any aspect of it, and oversee any aspect of it. It is pretty cool, really.

Over the past couple of years, you have both had'down'seasons.You [Rick] have won the championship, you have both won Bathurst.Yet, at the end of last year, you both showed speed about where we might expect it to be. Did that make it harder to take this step?

Rick: Not really.

Todd: It is a continuation of the black car, a bit. We have built two brand-new chassis,and ...

Rick: We are at the point where it was comfortable to take that next step. We were not worried about it.

At the start of last year,the DealerTeam had a brand-new team, brand-new guys.Todd had that as well. We worked away, both of us,throughout the year to get to the point where we were both competitive again.Then we both sat back; you have to look at where you are in your career, and for us, it was time to do it.

With the relationship with Clayton, it was definitely time for us to do this.

Todd talks about touchstones; you need to go through your career, no matter where you are working, to get this working of that working. Finally, we have the opportunity to put these ideas together and implement them.

When the switch happened between HRT and HSV a couple of years ago [Ed: in 2006], you [Todd]said that you did not want to drive with your brother on a full-time basis, because, you said, you felt like you needed a little bit ofj competitive tension with your team-mate.

Rick: Nothing has changed!

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What we have been through now, for the rest of the year, it does not matter how many crashed cars, how many problems we have. It will be a walk in the park compared to how we have got this operation set up. That is as good a test as you would ever get.

We will be helping each other as much as possible. If one is quicker, any of the four drivers, if you find any speed on the track somewhere and you keep it to yourself, you are going to get a kick in the bum for it. We are about making each other go faster and there are not many teams that are about their drivers genuinely there to lift the whole outfit up.

Drivers say all the time, my biggest competitor is my team-mate. You always hide stuff from your team-mate! But that will not be the case here. On the track, everyone will do the best they can but we are not going to beat

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Triple Eight if we are fighting among ourselves.

Do you have to build a hierarchy into that?

You are an older brother, you are a younger brother. We know what that is like; I know what that is like. Do you have to build rules?

Rick: You don't have to. We are both drivers.

So far as preferences are, and so on, it depends on how we are going on the track. We only have one pit boom so, if I am 20th and he is leading, he goes first. Vice versa. Otherwise, we are both on a level playing field.

We are all working towards the same goal.

There is no issue there. We have always been in competitive teams, we are trying to beat everyone and that has always worked well. We will implement the best way of doing it.

In a racing team environment, usually, there is a boss. One boss. Everyone knows who the boss is. Who is the boss of this team?

Our operations manager, Patrick Ricci. He is like the head guy. Then we have Joe [Bremner] and Matty House, they cover all the day-to-day issues that we are involved in. Then there is a board of directors, like Dad [John Kelly], and Patrick, and Larry [Perkins] is involved with bits and pieces of that.

As far as the racing operations, it is Patrick. If there is an issue that anyone is not happy with, it goes to Dad. So we have a clear operations manual and clear procedures to go through.

In deciding to set up the team, with this

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in, for a start, would not have been a good one to be paired up in. Since we did drive together in those enduros, we have been through a lot of stuff together and we have both matured. One hundred percent, if we have done it back then, it would have been a disaster. But the way Rick and I are now, it is a timing thing. We have both talked about how we want to go racing, and there has not been one time - and we have seen each other 10, 12,14 hours a day since December - when we have had a blue, or any tension. We are cruising along fine. If there was ever going to be a breaking point in our relationship in this, it would have been between December and now.

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All grown up: The Kellys have come a long way from the lads that grew up in KMart colours...

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structure, how much consideration did you give to the fact that the owner-driver model has not worked? And before you answer, may I point out that two years ago, almost to the day, I asked Jason Bright the same question.

Todd: You look at what those people's roles have been in their business and within their teams, and no one has done it like we are doing it. Notone.

Rick: It is about how you go about business, and implementing it. We got asked the same question before and, in my opinion, some of the owner-drivers who have been asked that before, how they went about it, going from a driver to an owner-driver...

They have not lost their driving talent. The thing that lets them down in the team, and the organsation of it while they are in the car. They still have their talent there. Everyone says, 'It is affecting how you drive the car'. I reckon that is bullshit. You are as quick as you were back then, maybe not as fit, because you probably have not had the time to go train, or whatever.

But the running of the team has been the weakness.

That is the way we have structured things.

We are not sitting in the top seats here, blowing our own horns, we have good people in position and we can focus on our job. They can focus on the running of the team.

Todd: Rick and I are both flat-out here. We are across everything, and we can see everything that goes on in every department. I work in the Fab Shop here, and Rick has been in the

motorsportnews

BOTH OF US WORKED AWAY THROUGHOUT LAST YEAH TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE re WERE COMPETITIVE AGAIN. THEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR CAREER. AND FOR US, IT tttS TIME TO DO IT TODD TALKS ABOUT 2008 AND TIMING

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Composites Shop at Moorabbin. We all have something to do with every bit of the team on the floor, so we know how it operates. Running the race team,and the finances? Even though we are across that, it is not our burden.We have Patrick and the people put in place.

If we are in Adelaide, and there is a drama with a sponsor, or whatever, none of that will come to us. Our roles in the place are still over everything, but the structure that we have got here, I don't think that you could name an owner-driver that has had any sort of ownership in the team that has had the same environment, in the structure that we have at our place.

Rick: And ... it works in NASCAR. Family teams?

Rick: It works in NASCAR too.

The Wood Brothers?

Rick: Who? Todd: We want our actions to speak louder than words. You could go around, and there are that many people saying things like,'this is going to fail','we don't know what we are doing','we don't know what is involved'.

People have got no idea what goes on behind these walls. I am happy for people to say that stuff for as long as they like. Eventually, that is going to help. We have not gone into this half-hearted, and you can see that here.

The people here have got enough experience in the sport to make this work. Our goal is to www.mnews.com.aii

make those people. In 12 months,or three years, or five years, let them know how it feels to win.

So what is going to be done in-house? Is it easier to answer what won't be done in-house?

Todd: Between here and Moorabbin, we will do everything in-house, other than some engine machine work.This here is the racing operations, and some sub assembly stuff, wiring looms, but basically, the race preparation and the race stuff. At Moorabbin will be all the manufacturing, all the CNC and the major fabrication, all the composites, painting and the manufacturing side of it.

Between the two places we won't need to, basically, outsource anything.

The model that a lot of teams are operating to now is just that. For instance.Triple Eight produces the cars and DJR and Cruickshank are clients. Walkinshaw [Racing] is the same.

We you conscious of setting it up like that?

Todd: No, we had to set it up like this.The way things are, it is by far the cheapest way of doing it, to build two new cars.

With what we had at Perkins last year, to turn that into what we have now we have not had to really had to bring on so much more equipment,or to hire twice the number of people. So, the cost of it has been better.There was no way to structure it so that one, you have complete control over it, and two,the

cost. It was the only way it could be done.

Relative to everything else that is going on, are the cars the easy part, given that the speed at the end of'08 put them in the top 10?

Todd: We are really lucky. We have some unbelievable people down there. My car came out of the paint shop a few days ago and we are aiming to get it to Winton for a shakedown soon. If we roll down there and say,'Right, we have nine days to put the car together',they will just make that happen. So building the cars and everything that we have done here has been massive, but the people we have around us have made it easier, it is hard to find that. You only need one or two bad eggs to take all the goodwill out of it, even though the hours has been big and the workload is still huge,the morale has been good. It has been big, but the boys are well capable of it.

How many people are here at the moment?

Todd: Forty-five. Rick and I, and Jack [Perkins] have been here, and there has been plenty of help on top of that 45.

Is 45 it? More?

Todd:The biggest part is from now to the Clipsal. Forty-five is plenty.

Do you allow yourself expectations for this season?

Rick: You have to set goals.

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What are yours?

Rick: We want to be on the podium, i have set personal goals,from the word go. For us, Adelaide is going to be a gelling event for us and we want to get through that without any major teething problems.

We want to finish in the top five in points and then take it from there. While everyone else is fighting on the track and fighting each other, we will be sneaking away in the background, gathering points.

Hopefully towards the end of the year we will be in a position where we can be close to race wins and podiums. I think you have to aim for that. If you aim for anything less, you are not in it to win it.

There are a lot of people who have similar aims, including sponsors. We have to aim to be at the front as soon as we can/ Todd: Our goal is not to be dreamersT Look at all the stuff that gets printed. All the stuff that says,'I can win','I can be a championship contender', none of them end up anywhere.Triple Eight said a few years back,'We want to build up to win the championship in the next three years'.

That was a proper goal. And they did it. They were realistic.

So, like Rick said, we are not going to say,'The cars are awesome at the moment','We will win in Adelaide', and so on. We want to get to the end of the year and be genuine frontrunning cars, and be genuine championship contenders for the following year. A lot of work has to be done through the year and we are realistic about it. If we tell people we are going to win straight-up, we will be letting a lot of people down, potentially.

You are in a unique position to make those calls Todd, because in the last two years, you have driven a Walkinshaw car and a Perkins car.They evolve, but you have a mental blueprint and some insight about where you are at the start of'09. So, where are you?

Todd: We have changes a lot of stuff.

Rick: You changed a lot through last year., Todd: Massive!

Rick: But no miracles, it's evolution.

Todd:Yes. So, we have always had, at Larry's, a working list of what we need to do to make the car faster and what is achievable. We got to the end of the year and knew we needed to build two new cars.

We have knocked a lot of things off that list.

Essentially, these two cars are a bit different to the ones that we ended up with last year, there are a few things in the cage and the suspension that are different.There are little bits and pieces right through the car, subtle things. We don't know exactly what that will do for us until we get a few races under our belts.

Was it a matter of the Perkins partnership evolving to the point it is now, did you ever look at having another technical partner in your own team?

Rick: It came down to it, I guess.

Todd:Yeah. We couldn't engineer this, and if you tried to engineer it any other year, any other time, it would never happen.

The way things were at Perkins, the relationship I had with Larry and all this coming about, it happened. We never had to sit down,scratch our heads and figure out how to do it, it just all fell into place. It fitted in with what Larry wanted to do and what we wanted to do, it was perfect.

With you [Rick] and your mum and dad moving away from Walkinshaw's, was that a ...

motorsport news

Todd: It was what had to happen. Dad could not do that there with what we wanted to do here.

Why? Todd:[Pause] A lot of reasons.

Had that relationship gone to its logical conclusion?

Rick: Yes. It was a big part of our past but a lot of the people who helpedTodd and I to get into motorsport, all those people aren't there now - like John Crennan [and] Jeff Grech.

Tom and the guys there now have got a different idea on racing than what we have. For us, moving forward from where we are in our careers and where Dad is, in his position, this is something we had to do and is something we are all comfortable and satisfied with.

Is this a'Keily thing'? Kellys build things. Your family history is one of building things ...

Rick: We boughtthis joint!

I know! Not literally this building, but your father builds and develops properties, and you are building cars and, now, a team.

Rick: For sure.

Todd: We enjoy building things.

The work that has been done cannot be described,from December until now. Building the workshop,the layout, who do we hire?

Who do we need? What do we need? The new facilities, the new cars, and that is why we sit here so comfortable. We have ownership of www.mnews.com.ay

every little corner of the place and how it has been done. It is Kelly Racing.

Is this also a legacy? You are both young guys but, when you get to my age, hopefully, you will not be driving racing cars. Is this what you do when you stop driving?

Todd: 1 don't think that either of us ever planned to have our own team. Getting paid to drive year after year after year meant that this was something that we didn't always want to do.

But as it has turned out, this is fantastic and it is the only thing we will do. Race driving goes on;so far, so good!

Is four cars the only way to go? Is that the only way it would work?

Todd:Yep. The same thing is happening in America. You cannot have the facilities and the infrastructure that you need in place to service two cars. As I said, you don't need need to hire twice as many people to run fours cars and you do with two.

You might need another six people. But you get too big and it detracts from what you are trying to achieve.

Is it difficult to get a team up with the economic dowaturn? Were there no second thoughts?

Todd: It is an advantage, if you look at it right.

Rick: If you make it work now, when the going does become good, you are set, aren't you?

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Todd: When you look at what we have got, we are extrennely lucky. We have just come onto the scene and we have a lot more than a lot of people have got...

Rick: Sponsorship-wise.

Todd:Yeah. When things are bad, really, really bad, you find out who is of what calibre. People who can get through it and survive will do that when things are harder. So when it is three,four times as hard.Just to get a sticker on the car, it is like a lot of things. Companies, when times are hard, stop spending money. Others,their eyes light up and they go,'Now is the time to have a dip!'Everyone else is running away.So it depends how you look at that one.

Are you getting a good response in the marketplace?

Todd: It Is difficult. Nobody is saying that it is easy.

Rick:There is a lot of excitement about what we are doing. It is one aspect that myself and Todd want to do,for reasons other than the PR point of view. We are opening new dpors, different doors, myself and Todd,and there is a bit of hype.The response has been quite good.

That has not necessarily gained us a heap of sponsors,for the reasons we just said. It is quite tough out there.

What is Todd good at that you are not?

Rick:Todd is more experienced,for one. He is a lot more knowledgable with a car set-up and that side of it, the physics of why the cars works.

That is why we are similar in a lot of ways. We like to build things,to make things ourselves. As drivers, in a lot of ways. we are similar but the good thing is we are different in ways that help each other. For me, I can use Todd's knowledge in those areas to make me more competitive and to move my car further up the grid. So I think that this combination, myself and Todd, is really good. I have been lucky enough to work with Murph, and Garth and PD, and I learned a lot of things from those guys.The differences between me and Todd will mean that there is a lot for me to learn, and that helps both of us.

Todd, what is he good at?

Todd: It's funny. We are a little bit like the Stone Brothers, in that our skills and interests don't overlap a huge amount.

We never walk in and he says,'I'll do that'and I go,'No, I'll do it, I wouldn't mind doing that'. He is always doing his thing and I am always doing mine. He is good at doing and knowing not just driving, but the corporate stuff and the sponsorship stuff, all of his signwriting stuff, and I am in the Fab Shop and making benches, and setting up the workshop.

Everything that we do, as we said, hardly ever overlaps.

Together, we have got most of it covered.

motorsport news

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O one likes being bossed around especially Jason Bright.

The time demands of a former team owner and current leading driver can be quite taxing, especially leading up to the start of a new racing season. Sponsor engagements,testing, debriefs, not to mention the fact that he is living in Melbourne while driving for the Queensland-based Stone Brothers Racing team.

Time is money in the modern world.

But there weren't too many qualms from Bright when Motorsport News and BianteTouring Car Masters car owner Gavin Bullas asked him to come and test Bullas' championship-winning 1969 Ford Boss Mustang.

Bullas steered the immaculately prepared Mustang to his first national crown in 2008, beating the likes of Jim Richards, John Bowe and the rest of the Biante Series regulars.

But on this sunny Calder Park Raceway day, it was Bright's turn to show those present who is Boss.

Bright was the perfect candidate to sample the Boss brute.The 1998 Bathurst 1000 winner is not only known for his ability to drain every last tenth out of modern day V8 Supercars, but he has the technical know-how to make his race cars fast, accurate and reliable.

When Motorsport News suggested Bright to Bullas as a candidate to drive the Mustang, he didn't hesitate. Bullas is a smart man. Not only would his car be on the cover of everyone's favourite motorsport monthly (!), placing Bright in the saddle might offer him a few handy suggestions on exploiting some of the car's strengths and weaknesses.

On the flipside. Bright was very willing to put his helmet in his car and make a special trip out to Calder for the test. For starters, the oldest car that Bright had ever driven was his Van Diemen RF86 from back in his Formula

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Ford days.

This touring car was going to be a totally different challenge.

But cool as a cucumber(not reference intended to the green strips on his Fujitsu race suit). Bright hopped in, obeyed instructions and steadily built up to speed for his first stint in the classic Ford.

No locked brakes, no tail sides, no fuss.

Bright pulled the car into pit lane, flicked off the engine and sat content in the car for a few moments.

What did he think? First impressions last.

Bullas was within earshot of everything that Bright had to say about his laps, and the response was positive.

I am actually surprised. It was actually much nicer to drive than what I expected," Bright said, helmet still in hand.

"It pulls up, it's got good power, and you know, it s a lot offun to drive.

The hardest part to get used to was how much steering lock its got to get through the corners. Coming through the chicane on the back straight, you've got to use a lot of steering compared to a modern car.

"But it was a lot of fun. It would be a lot of with a whole pack of cars around you in a race situation."

Bright admits that before his Mustang test, he wasn't sure what ^

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you can actually have a good race in them.

"It's obviously got a lot of power, but with the weight it carries, you probably don't notice it as much. It puts its power down much better than I expected. I'm sure after 15 or 20 laps around a more demanding track,the tyres would start to feel it and you'd start to notice the power a lot more. But the car actually puts the power down quite well.

"Braking-wise, I was pretty impressed. It's hard to say what they'd be like after 15 laps of Clipsal or a track like that. Certainly, around Calder, as hard as I was pushing it around here,they certainly felt like they were coping quite well. But seeing as this is not my car, I don't think I'd hang it off the fence..."

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to expect.

"You watch them race at our race meetings and they are moving around and sliding and everything," he says.

"In years gone by,the problem with the Group N cars was always brakes. With these cars as they are now, you can actually drive the cars hard under brakes and have a bit of a go.They are obviously now a lot more racier than what the old Group N cars were.

"Theyaren'ta bad car to drive.They've got reasonable tyres, they've got good power and good brakes so

Good point, and Bullas probably appreciated that! Bright,though, is used to driving his own V8 Supercars and knows the time and trouble it takes to get a car race-prepared and ready.

So, how does the championship-winning Touring Car Masters Mustang compare to a modern day V8 Supercar?

"I think the biggest difference is, probably,the tyres," he says.

"We've got a bit more downforce and quite a considerable amount less weight.You've got to be a bit more precise than a modern day V8 Supercar.These cars might move around a little bit more, but certainly, they are a lot of fun.

"I guess, our cars these days steam back to the tyres.The tyres are much better, they are much wider, very grippler compared to what this Mustang runs on,and that steams I throughout to everything else on the car. You end up with

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stiffer suspension, stiffer shocks and everything, which means they are much more on edge to drive than what something like the Mustang is.

"The Mustang is probably a lot more forgiving, but a lot of fun."

'Fun'is a word that springs up often in this chat. Brighty clearly enjoyed his time behind the wheel, but did he enjoy it enough to consider racing one of these amongst a hungry pack?

"Yeah, I'd like to know at what point in my career I get to step into one of these!" he joked.

"Who knows, it would certainly be a lot offun out there with a whole field of cars. It looks like a lot offun, and having spoken to John Bowe about driving them, he speaks very highly of them and he looks like he's having a ball out there. Maybe in 10 years'time ..."

n I'D LIKE TO KIMQW AT WHAT = POINT OF MY CAREER I GET TO ’ STEP INTO ONE OF THESE!

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1700kg car, so you'd expect it to be lazy and move around a little bit on the tyre."

Another aspect that Bright found 'interesting' was the four speed gearbox. The last time he drove a four speed was his Formula Ford!

"Yeah, that was interesting.The gearstick was quite interesting too.The first time that I changed to second and fourth, my hand slipped straight off the gearstick because it leans back quite a way.

"But the gearbox is very nice. Gavin said it was bulletproof before I went out there, and it never looked like missing a gear and it felt very comfortable.

"It's interesting jumping in different cars, and my expectation was that it was going to be a difficult car to drive, you know, the steering might not be right or the gearbox might be

efore we fast forward a decade, Bright is in the ideal position to offer suggestions on what could be tweaked within the Mustang to make it a better car to drive in the limit.

"The biggest thing for me to get used to was the amount of steering lock you have to use," he says.

"If the steering was much faster, it would have probably have made it easier for me. I couldn't really say, though, that it was bad in anyway. It doesn't do too much wrong.

"It's a big heavy car, so you wouldn't expect it to be the sharpest car to drive. It moves around a little bit, but on the whole, it puts the power down quite well, it stops quite well, but It's a

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hard work, but it was all pretty easy from where I was sitting."

Easy to drive and easy to look at. Bright has an appreciation for the aesthetics of the Mustang.

"It's one of my favourite shaped cars of all time," he agreed.

"It's a pretty tough looking thing. When I saw it on the trailer this morning, I was trying to compare it to what we race these-days. I feel that this certainly looks a lot tougher.

"Our cars these days look pretty sexy with all the wings on them, but these are certainly sexy race cars.

"And the Mustang is a massive part of that Australian Touring Car history. I know that they get the attention of the crowd at every race meeting that we go to around the country."

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BRIGHTY WON T YOU DRIVE MY CRR BULLR5 WHS IN R FOREIGN LRND. BY RNDREW YRN LEEUWEN

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ATCHING Jason Bright fang around Calder Park is an interesting experience for Gavin Bullas.

For starters, Bullas has never watched his car go around and around before. He's usually the one going around and around. And the other thing is, as we stand on Calder's pit wall to watch the test it's less than a week before season-opening Clipsal 500. Nervous, Gav? Ummmm,"hesays, his pause revealing more than words ever could,"nah not really." He's clearly lying, but there's no point calling him on it. Gav's got enough to deal with right now.

As it turns out, any unspoken fears Bullas might have had turn out to be unfounded as well. Brighty is consummate behind the wheel of the Mustang, and returns it in one piece.

"I've learnt that it's loud,"says Bullas in a fit of laughter as Bright climbs out(which is probably more relief that amusement).

This isn't a track where you can see a lot, but you can see that he's driving it really well.That wasn't really going to be an issue; Jason's a very good driver.The car looks nice, it's a good looking car on the track, and this is the first time I've seen it on the track because I'm always driving it.

So, as Grant Rowley quizzes Bright on his impressions of the Mustang, I decide to find out what Bullas thinks of his rather brisk toy.

'Just the look of the car," he says.

"We've got it really nice now, and with the new power steering and four-wheel disc brakes, they're a lot of fun to drive. If you want to, you can hang the tail out real easy, because there is a loads of power there to use. And you don't have any real problems using the power.

Using the power, or the car as a whole. Isn't an issue these days for Biante Series guys. Sure, a 600odd horsepower touring car is never going to be a piece of cake to drive, but the recent relaxation of the'as it was is how it will be'style of ruling that usually shapes historic motorsport has made the cars a bit easier to race and cheaper to run.

'You know what?"asks Bullas,"it was never about creature comforts, it was always about safety. A couple of years ago, before I had power steering on this car, I was at Sandown and the back kicked out on me atTurn 3. With no power steering, it was hard to catch. I put the thing into the fence and bent a guard.

The reason we wanted to do this was a safety issue to begin with, but then it became about saving costs too. i'll give you a for i nstance; we were at Symmons Plains a while back when I had the old brakes on the car. and we were going through a set of pad and a set of rotors every outing, because Symmons Plains is hard on brakes and the car weighs 1570kg.Trying to pull it up wasn't feasible.

So we allowed better pads and rotors and callipers, and last year with the new Brembos we went through two sets of pads In the whole season. Sure,the brakes cost a lot to begin with, but you end up coming out way ahead.

"That's why we did it. People were breaking engines and gearboxes and losing brakes,so we wanted to make them safer to drive, as well as more fun to drive."

The other thing that is changing, or evolving, in the series is the quality of drivers. Bullas, as the reigning Champion, is going to have his work cut out for him this season when Jim Richards and John Bowe get serious. Is he worried? Far from it. Bullas can't wait to rub wheels and panels with the big boys.

1 always looked at JB and Richo as two of the best drivers in the country,"says Bullas.

"I've always thought Richo was the best touring car driver in the country. We have a great rapport with those guys, notjust me, but everyone in the category.They love to mix it up. It's a lot of fun."

OLD TOYS WITH NEW TRICKS 1 T MECHRNICRL RND RDVERTI5ING RLLDWRNCE5 HRVE LIFTED THE BIRNTE SERIES TD R NEW LEVEL

HE Biante Touring Car Masters is a category borne out of the Group N class that has been run in Australia for many years.

At the end of the 2006 Biante Series season, competitors and administrators combined to form a new set of rules, designed to improve the reliability of the cars, and to also include sponsorship on the panels which are strictly prohibited jn 'Historic'racing.

The outcome was the creation of the Touring Car Masters - old cars, up-specced running gear with a modern exterior.

Since the changes,the category has boomed, with the introduction of new cars and familiar faces, including John Bowe,Jim Richards and Glenn Seton.

Bowe contested the 2008 season with great success,finishing second in the series, despite missing a round, and the two-times Bathurst winner is a huge fan of the class.

"The way the rules are, they are really quite sensible," he said.

"It's got to be keeping in the period and the modifications they allow that Group N don't allow are mostly for longevity and to stop rampant,stupid spending.

"They've got rev-limits on the engines that vary for different capacity engines and allowances for a dog gearbox, which is simply a NASCAR gearbox, which never breaks down.

"Compared to the Group N cars, they busted themselves apart all the time because they've got too much power for what drive gear can cope with, "The cars themselves are interesting to drive.

They aren't easy to drive.They are actually quite difficult and they are wayward. It's a challenge to drive them.

"The fact that I won some races and got some pole positions is good, but it's just the way we are as competitive racing drivers. It's not the be all and end all and if you ask someone like Jim Richards, he'd say the same thing."

Bowe says that it is hard to tell who enjoys the category more - the drivers within or the race fans at the track.

'10

JBsCamaro: Bowe sports anew,sharper, new livery for the 2009 Biante Touring Car Masters Series.

"The race fans get pretty excited about these cars,"he says.

"They are probably more excited about this category compared to anything else other than the Main Game V8s. It's got a terrific following.

"It's a pretty important era of motoring - the mid-60s, early 70s.The world had some pretty muscly cars and that's exactly what these are.

"The blokes in the Biante Series are just a good group of guys. Most of them have been racing for years.There are some really good dudes in it, funny characters. Just life loving fellas. And that's right through the field.

"More and more people are coming into it all the time. People are building cars and I think it's got a really good future.

"And to have a sponsor like Biante, who have quite a profile in the car world and make some extraordinary models, I think that adds to the flavour as well."

As discussed above,theTCM regulations allow'sensible'advertising on the cars. In Group N racing, advertising is prohibited, but to help drivers and teams fund their racing.

TCM introduced changes to the rules to allow for sponsorships - as long as the graphics and logos are kept to a nostalgic look.

Accepting advertising has ensured that a known face like JB's is able to enter the series with his personal deals.

"I couldn't do it unless I was supported," he says.

"I've got help from WesTrac, Wilson Security and Infomedia. What that allows me to do is get on the grid. I simply wouldn't be there without their help. I'm able to have sponsorship arrangements with these companies that I've had for a long time and it allows me to continue racing. Personally, I think it's fabulous," And finally, asked whether he was a chance to win the 2009 title, JB simply says "I wouldn't have a clue.

"It honestly doesn't concern me that much, but what I'd like to do is be competitive.That doesn't necessarily mean winning, but at least be in with a chance of winning and enjoy the racing.That's why I do it."

- GRANT ROWLEY

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PERSONALLY like change and I think we manage change very well at Renault,"says Pat Symonds, Renault FVs Executive Director of Engineering.

It's a complicated and fussy title for a man who's been going racing for over 30 years and who is well-known for his no-nonsense. no-bullshit approach to the sport.

Ask the man a question and you get an answer, a straight answer. and more often than not, a really interesting answer to boot.

With all bar two of the winter tests completed at the time of this interview, and Renault's R29 faring better than its boxy front end aesthetics might have given one cause to believe, Symonds is in a good mood.

I thinkthings are going reasonably well, actually, and I

think I'm reasonably happy," he tells Motorsport News ... in typically no-bullshit fashion.

'You can't get ecstatic at this time of year until we see where everything is. We had a few problems at the first test and I was very impressed with the way the guys overcame it.There's been a l ot of aero stuff going on the car test-on-test, and the car is going quicker and quicker. It appears that we are catching up and overtaking a number of the others and we've had good reliability.

KERS is working well ... so all in all, we've really got to feel quite happy.'

Despite starting off its life towards the bottom of the time sheets,there seems of late to have been an air of understated confidence about Renault - as if

us don't. A clean sheet of paper with all-new technical regulations has given every team its best opportunity in years to mark itself out,to get a head start on its rivals by making the right choices and making them early, and Symonds is confident that his boys have done the job.

"I said at the end of last year that I'd been so impressed with the way our guys had out-developed every single one of their rivals, so that we really had become a very competitive team by the end of the year, which we hadn't been at the beginning of the year. And that gave me confidence for 2009.

"I always think that our guys have always been good at innovation and of course,there's scope for a lot of it this year, and I think I've nil

they know something the rest of

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been justified in that optimism because the guys have done a greatjob."

But the R29 took a knock on its launch. Ugly was perhaps the kindest word associated with its design, with some cynical paddock types joking that Renault had designed the car from rear to front, and had run out of money just after the cockpit. Symonds however, while admitting it isn't exactly the most gorgeous front end to a car Formula 1 has ever seen, explalhs that it may just give the team the edge it requires in 2009.

"With the prescribed centre section of the front wing, it was really necessary to think of the nose as much more of the aero package than we had in the past. We needed to do what we could with the nose to generate downforce and,certainly, not to make it a lifting surface or anything like that, and really that dictated it being larger than noses have been in the past. I think that's something that's been taken up by a few other teams. Ours may not be prettiest, but it seems to be working OK. "As for the front wing itself, you will see a number of changes in enci plates, to be honest, and even what we were running last week is different to what we launched with.There's still more to come there. Because the centre section

"The tyres are not easy to use," Symonds confirms.

"There's quite a lot of rear degradation on any of the softer compounds and quite a lot of graining on them. But you know, as every year we're testing around tracks that are, if we're lucky, up into the 20 degree marks, and by the time we get to Malaysia we're dealing with high 40s, low 50s,so there's much to be learned yet."

The raft of regulation changes have opened up a new set of variables in Formula 1, and perhaps the most fascinating part of the winter has been to see how every team has reacted to the fairly limited and strict

rules regarding aerodynamics.

Symonds agrees that 2009 will see more individuality than we have become used to of late, but that as soon as one team starts doing well,their car's design traits will be adopted pretty quickly by the others.

"To me,that's quite normal when you get totally new regulations.

While the regulations themselves dictate a certain amount of the shape of the car, when everyone is given a new set of regulations, there is a reasonable amount of individualism applied. As time goes on and we all see what's working and what isn't working, the designs tend to end up

looking like each other and over the last few years, even with the individuality that was allowed with things like bargeboards, X-wings, flicks and the rest of the stuff,the cars were ending up looking very, very similar.They will do again with the 2009 set of regulations I'm sure, but we all need a bit of time to find our way.

"Toyota and Williams,for example, we think have found a very good, very interesting solution with the diffuser which we hadn't done and I'm sure that everyone is looking at that at the mome'nt. In time, I don't know how long, I'm sure we will see more cars with that sort offeature on it."

Perhaps the most difficult part of the winter testing experience has been the reduction in testing for 2009. Part-designed to save money,and part-designed to keep the teams closer together in their developmental curves, it's not just the late-starting Bra'wnGP team that will arrive in Melbourne feeling somewhat underprepared.

"It is going to affect us, there's no doubt about it and we are going to Australia this year way below what we always said was our signoff mileage for some parts. That's not just [the] test restriction, it's the appalling weather we've had as well, which hasn't helped us at all. But it's the same for everyone.

"I think the maturity of design these days is very impressive. It

of the front wing is neutral, a lot needs to be done with the outer parts, and because they are even more influenced by the tyre, I think there is still a fair bit to be learned there. I think that's an area where we'll see a lot of changes in cars in the first few months."

So there's a lot to be learned with the front wing, and much of that has to do with the manner in which the new-for-2009 slick

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wasn't that long ago that we wouldn't consider even taking a car to Spain for its first test until we'd done a shakedown at Silverstone in the snow or something. We always expected things not to work. But now, we'll take a car to Spain, plan a fourday test and know that on the first day, the thing will run properly. So the designed-in reliability of the cars is so much better, but having said that, it only takes one of the tens of thousands of parts on the car to fail and it'll stop the car. So I think we'll see a slight reduction in reliability, but it won't be stunning.

"You've got to remember," he laughs, "that in Australia, you historically get more retirements from driver error than anything else and that's not changed ... although maybe that will be a bit worse, because the guys have done less testing! I'm sure that's why we get these problems in Australia."

Ah yes, the drivers. While Renault has at its disposal arguably the best driver in Formula 1 today. its second driver came in for a fair amount of stick in 2008. Nelson Piquet (no longer Junior please. he doesn't like that anymore) had a pretty torrid induction to FI. However, when one considers that he'd had half the testing to prepare him for his FI debut as

had Heikki Kovalainen one year previously, his performances really weren't that bad. Under immense pressure, he pulled out some great performances however, and finished the season with a new contract in his pocket for 2009.

'That's the reason why he's driving for us in 2009 and I think that says it all. If we weren't happy with what he'd done in the latter half of 2008, he wouldn't be with us now. He did turn it around and he showed some great maturity at times. Japan really stands out for me and even in Germany where, OK, luck may have put him in a great place, but he responded very well. It would have been very easy to get it all wrong then, but he didn't challenge someone who he could have got into trouble challenging and yet he didn't give up with the others. He showed maturity and I think that's got to boost his confidence going into 2009."

Lining up alongside him then, is two-time Formula 1 World

champion Fernando Alonso. Not an easy team-mate for anyone, let alone an underperforming rookie.

The thing about Alonso though is that he is Renault. He lives and breathes the place. And the love that he clearly has for the team is mirrored by the team's clear love for him, as Symonds explains.

"I do think he is probably the most complete driver in FI at the moment, although I must say I am not detracting from [Felipe] Massa, [Lewis] Hamilton or [Kimi] Raikkonen in that. Massa came on incredibly last year and showed a lot of maturity we hadn't seen before, and Hamilton has a lot of natural ability.

"But if I had them all lined up in front of me and it didn't cost any money, or they were all the same price, Fernando is who I would chose. He's just such a fighter. He is so bright and he reads a race so

well, and he enjoys racing and that is so important.

"I want the best of everything: the best car, the best tyres, I want tne best engine, the best team, and I want the best driver. He is part of that equation."

So the ultimate question; can Renault win the championship?

"I have to say I am confident with where we are, there’s still more to come. I am genuinely, although the problem is everyone says this so it Just sounds like bullshit doesn't it, but I really, really believe that we are there and we will be fighting for the wins ... and so does Fernando."

Pat Symonds is not known for his bullshit, so we'll Just have to take his word for it.

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7979;First win,Jabouille, RS10,French Grand Prix, Circuit Paul Ricard.

7981:Alain Prostjoins Renault, wins his first also in France.

RENAULT:A HISTORY 7985: While Renaultflounders,Ayrton Senna wins first GPin Lotus-Renault. Renault leaves FI in 1987.

1992: Nigel Mansell wins World title, only to quit Williams-Renault. Replaced by Prost...

7995; Michael Schumacher wins his second title in a Benetton-Renault. Only five to go!

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1998-2000: Renaults rebadged as 'Supertecs'and 'Playlifes'. Renault acquires Benetton in 2000.

2003:Fernando Alonso wins his first GP in Hur Renault's first win in its own name since 1983.

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7983:Nelson Piquet pips Prost for title, Prost quits and joins the now-Ron Dennis-owned McLaren.

1984:Derek Warwickjoins Eddie Cheever,0 wins, Renault withdraws to become engine supplier in 7986.

(in Shorthand)

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ERE is a secret;the Circuit de Catalunya outside Barcelona is not a perfect, pristine Formula 1 environment. l In fact, outside the confines of the garages and paddock,there are some parts that are a little,.. well, down-at-heel.These can be discovered in a trek outside the paddock to the back of the track, through gates, up and down steps and behind a wall, in a world not usually inhabited by Journalists.

This is the world of flaggies, corner marshals and photographers. It is a strange, alien and catering-free place.

Such places are off-limits, but making the effort to get out to see the twisting parts of the track from the areas that are accessible provides a closer view of what makes the great drivers great, and an insight into whose new cars are working and whose are not.

Of course, at times, marshals wander over with enquiring looks, and it helps to flourish a pad and a pen and know that the Spanish word for journalist is per/od/sta-though the illusion or professionalism may be shattered a little if-Gthers realised I had just written down'Mil k, bread,n uts, pretzels'.,.

Then,the reason I was here. You hear the cars before you see them, as the climb the Slight rise out 0f Nissan and dive down into La Caixa.This is one of the best places to watch a GP car tie itself in knots, and the first of the Mercedespowered cars does just that. Even in,ai welhbalanced car, Lewis Hamilton fires his front wheels across the transition from braking: to apex like a wrestler.

The genius that won him the 'WITOTi 111 l AVfcffliTTnran

World Championship is that, as he stamps on the throttle, he sorts out to inevitable correction in a single gesture. But this day,the car wants two, maybe even more reassurances before it changes direction and climbs the slight rise to Banc Sadabell.

Not so the white Mercedespowered car just behind. It is smooth as butter as Jenson Button blurs the line between 'stop' and 'go', and it looks like it is not accelerating so much as serenely acquiring speed.

In 82 seconds,the scenario is repeated.In another 82,again.

Then,there is only one car,the white one,as the McLaren has returned to its life support system in the pits.

If someone offered me a million dollars to identify Which car was built by the 28-year-oid FI team, and which by the team launched only five days ago, I would have got it wrong.

This day. Button topped the time sheets,fine.this is Formuia 1 winter testing, and'previous 'seasons'have been led by such as Antonia Pizzonia's Jaguar, and JarnoTruili's Frost. But, with Ross Brawn's nascent team,there is something;... different going on.

To start with,the Brawn RBOI is not the work of a few days. Or weeks. Only the Mercedes-Benz part of it is.

"It's 15 months of work,"says a clearly content Brawn.

"We said that we were sacrificing last year to concentrate on this car, and what you see is what we said we would do.So it is perfectly rational in my mind. But that is what we have."

'Rational'. You would expect nothing less.The world may have seen the demise of Honda FI and the debut of Brawn FI as a metamorphOsis-like event of miraculous proportions. Not Brawn.

He has been around enough,and seen enough,to know that there are no miracles in the sport,just an unending number of obstacies.

"Well, we've passed the first hurdle, which was to get to Melbourne," he says.

"And now we have to build for the future.That is the next challenge;to create a long-term future for the team."

"It is not so different, actually,it is the same problems."

Brawn is an engineer, not some entrepreneur who sees GP racing as a way to make money,or a businessman who wants to dangle his toes in the water. FT is his life's work. And'this has been a stressful time.

"It's been very trying for the whole team," he admits.

'It has been trying for the staiff because it has not always been possible to share with

them everything that has been happening. Of course,in these days of the Internet,there seems to be a new rumour[every day].

They have been fantastic in terms of their devotion to getting the car out.

"And it has been stressful for the management. If we hadn't stayed together as a group, myself, Nick Fry, Nigel Kerr, Caroline McGrory, John Marsden, if we hadn't stayed together it would have been very difficult to achieve because there have been some very black days In trying to keep this team alive.

I'm glad to say here we are and we are going to Melbourne,so it is fantastic."

The rumours. He addresses some ofthem; Fry is CEO,the same role he filled at Honda FI. Other rumours he deftly allows to pass by.

Is there any buyer on the horizon?

"Not necessarily."

Commercial sponsors? "i don't want to comment on the commercial situation for the team."

Is this a short-term solution, or is this for the long-haul?

"This is a medium-term solution, at the moment."

He will not confirm the duration of the arrangement with MercedesBenz, but leaves you in no doubt about the support his team has received from the manufacturer.

"I cannot thank Mercedes-Benz enough," he says, smiling.

"In fact, both Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz were exceptional in the support they offered, but it came down to the fact that the Mercedes-Benz engine fitted our chassis more easily than the Ferrari engine. Once we made I'll that decision around

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Christmas time, the Mercedes-Benz happened,and Brawn affirms that. same day as Toro '09'c^,so^’at^a'st i people were fantastic in supporting "Jenson we made a commitment to last year, one way,BGP is'oh a'level playing field’.'But the project. and we are very happy with that commitment. will be as the season progresses,and as.teams develop their newcars,that the team's^hiiettleh But it was a credit to Our staff that they have And if we could we wanted to respect that commitment.So JensOh'was an automatic will be tested. Brawn says that at the start of . done it. If you look at the car, it looks like it A -/ I choice, if we carried Oh" the season> at least,thingswill be tightj . n was designed for it So;there are some things udqet 'IHdnda were kind eriough to grant a The other choice was much less clear ajs that are not quite right and we would not do for January and February, butitiis not lat the saga progressed.There were reportsof it that way if we had started with the engine, l?rwould call'a normal racing budget-Sbl we a Brazilian sponsorship consortium baCltihg butthe number of compromises are small Bruno Senna's graduation to the highest level ' have torecover now going'forward'- andi*,.^Y and it looks okay."

In a short time,the work has been huge. . .'but, in the end, no money was forthcoming l l ''it means it will be tight in the first couple 0 and Brawn was pleased to have his ally iraces.ButTthink we will'manage."

The similarity ini engine arehite.ctuire, di@tated^ and friend Rubens BarriChello return to the .irhis day,'itwas clear. Brawn had a good day. by the ru les, mean that changing from one to partnefshipforged overseasons atiperrari and Button was quick,the car completed two GP the other is not the irapossibliity it Once may Honda. distances without major dramas,and waMaslf have been, but the effort committed to take a "Iwas very Impressed with Brunor Brawn ' ' l o'rt'short runs and long. Early days,andiBfewn- ^ ' car designed'for a Honda engine and;implant is much too wise to get excited'Ovgr the-f one from Mercedes-Benz has been significant. explains. prospect of beating:the MereedeSHBenzforks j' ■‘"I thodght he dida great job in testing, but And it was not like the Brawhi engineirs gotio team withrin effect,,ai'Customer'verSion^itS , the lack of testingi and the challenge we are install a whole new rear eftdito suit. ^ f1 powerpiaht. ' - ' ‘ going to face made Rubens the preferred "It is our own gearbox,"Brawn clarifies.

"It is not a comment I want to make," he Says. choice. I think Rubens has still got a huge "We converted'the gearbox to mount on "Our ambition, is to be in front of everyone, amount left in him. He has showed incredible the Mercedes-Benz engine because all the whoever'it is. That &0uram‘bitigp;we ,hayi enthusiasm and commitment this winter, rear suspension, we wanted'to carry that i no specific interest in who it mightibeJWeiiwsf ' and I am very excited to be working with over.IdOh'tthink Mercedes-Benz could have wanttodoas welfaS wecan." y ^r both drivers, lit was a need to have Rubens supplied a gearbox even if we wa nted them Ross Brawn clearly does not believe in experience’ andiihis speed, becatisef think'hei to.'but we wanted to stick with our own sorcery, but if his team manages tcpulli Off* ;, is very quick." , „ ,, gearbox." what they are trying'to,^l'just might e The car hit the track at BareelOna On tn There is also the q,uestion of KERS, a version -* of which Honda was in the process of testing last season, after the team's focus shifted , from the stubborn RA0O8 to this years new^^ generation car. But, there is nO KERS, "We don't have KERS,"says Brawn, "That may be something for later in the season, but with the time we have had avaii'able, quite frankly we have not considered' KERS." 'But he is happy to speak of his drivers, Button was always likely to be a part of what iin

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always Beiieveo tuat tuey would pace iiu 2009 Q. How much were you on tenterhooks thinking the deal wasn't going to go through?

JENSON BUTTON;When it was announced on Friday, that's when I knew it was 100 percent. It was just like the initial announcement.

We were told the day before the shakedown and the whole factory was in one room. Ross gave a speech and told everyone that we would be racing this year and there was just the biggest round of applause and cheers. All the guys are emotionally involved in this team after what we have been through.

Was there a'Plan B'?

Not racingl I really wanted to be with this team in 2009 and that is why I turned down other possibilities.This is, for sure, the best choice for me.

There are reports that you made some big sacrifices to help save the team.Is it true that you have taken a

RT 615, pay cut?

Yes. I don't want to talk about contracts but I think it is necessary for all the people that are involved to sacrifice certain things. I want to go racing and I am so happy that the team is on the grid as Brawn GP and that is the most important thing for me.

Whatever people have said about drivers in the past, and me personally, I am here to race. I love racing and this is the best place to be doing it. You have got to make a lot of sacrifices.

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Q.You said you had a feeling that you would still be in the team. Can you explain that a little bit more?

RUBENS BARRICHELLO: Nothing that can be expiained. All I heard at that last race in Brazil was people saying, how does it feel that this could be my last race? Something told me that it wasn't my last race, but I don't think it is explainable. I just felt very secure and all my friends and family, that is what they tell me now - how could you feel so secure?

I went to the gym, not because I wanted to show my body on the beach, it was because I knew I was driving the car. But nobody told me I was driving the car, it was a case of being good within myself and to keep on working. I went every day to the gym thinking I had to keep my body strong, my neck strong, because at some point somebody would call and I would have to drive.

So,that is what I have done and I have done it with some security from myself. But nobody told me, apart from Ross who kept telling me to keep fit as we might call you.

And [you] pleased that you will be driving it in Australia? www.mnews.com.au

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The day that that doesn't happen, I don't care anything about the numbers.

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WHO SAYS THE FUJITSU V8 SUPERCAR SERIES DOESNT DEVELOP EMERGING TALENT? IN 8009, FOUR DRIVERS - DAVID REYNOLDS, TIM SLADE, DALE WOOD AND JACK PERKINS - WILL MAKE THE GIANT STEP FROM FUJITSU HOPEFULS TO MAIN SERIES CONTENDERS. lY GRANT ROWLEY 52

motorsport news

DAVID REYNOLDS MOTORSPORT NEWS:The top three irSlast year's Fujitsu V8 Series haven't ended up with drives in the Main Series, but the drivers who finished fourth to seventh have. Does this prove that the Fujitsu Series develops good drivers, even if they're not winning races?

DAVID gEYNOLDS: It's a good series, l^t the car I drove last year is totallydifferent to the car I've got noCi have to get used to a whole new car again.

It's got the same sort of engine and all that, but it feels totally different in the way it behaves.

But you'd agree that you're better off with that one season under your belt?

Yeah, in a way. If I had to do three years Fujitsu Series, I reckon that would equate to one season's worth of Main Series driving.You simply don't get enough miles, which makes me think that you're simply better off going straight to the Main Series. But I'm not really sure about that.

You've been involved in the Main Series before with the endurance races. What's the biggest difference between the Main Series and the Fujitsu Series?

The level of competition,the depth of the field and the professionalism of the teams.

Everyone is bang-on with their set-up and there is only a couple of tenths between first and 10th.

You've pretty much got to extract every hundredth of a second out of the car to get further up the grid

There's a little bit of pressure and expectation on you.You're driving for a team that won two titles only a couple of years ago.

What's your expectation?

I don't really have an expectation or a position I'm going to finish this year. I'm just going to try and work with my engineers as best as I can and get the car how I want it to feel. Everytime I've driven a Main Series car in a test or raced at the enduros, I've always driven with someone else's set-up.

Now that I've got my own car, I want to direct the car to how 1 want it to be. I feel a lot more comfortable.I think we could be up for a few good results along the way.

Qualifying is going to be the hardest thing. And now that qualifying is going to be as important as ever with the new rules, it places a huge emphasis on that.

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The racing that you've done in the past has been with relatively small teams Sonic Motor Racing Services and Tony D'Alberto Racing.Walkinshaw Racing is a factory effort.What are the big differences you've noticed early?

It's the level of resources,the personnel and the management side.There's directors, marketing managers,sponsorship managers - every aspect is covered. At Sonic andTDR,it isn't anything like that-it's just about a'

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such an iconic brand associated with myself and the team for this year. 1 know that everyone at Bundaberg Rum and Walkinshaw Racing have been working hard to make the best impression possible.

Another bit of pressure is the sponsor that Walkinshaw Racing has secured (Bundaberg Red Rum).It's a one year deal, with option for a second year. ResultsVlfi|^ will play their part in Bundy's decision to stay or go...

Exactly. Results speak for themselves. It's awesome to have

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TEAM:Walkinshaw Racing BEST FV8ROUND FINISH:2nd, Wakefield Park,2008 BESTFV8SERIES FINISH:Fourth,2008 MAIN SERIES STARTS:4

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the race cars for them. Here at Walkinshaws, it's just a massively professional business.

There's going to be some changes in your life this year. More racing, driving for a professional team.

What are some ofthe major things that will change for you?

I don't really kno^yetl I'll be a little busier week4o-week.There's still only,14 races for the season, which isn't that many. It's similar to what I've always done with eight or nine races in Australia and five or six in New Zealand [ED:Porsche Series].

I'm going to put a lot more effort into the team this year and make sure that everyone's happy so it all works better.

TIM SLADE MOTORSPORT NEWS:You did the Fujitsu V8s for a couple of seasons.What's the big change for you this year?

Probably the actual racing and the series being a lot more competitive than the Fujitsu Series.

The lap times across the field are much less. A lot of people have said this in the past, but in the Fujitsu field, you can be half a second off the front row and still be fifth or sixth. In the Main Series, you'll find yourself in the high teens.

So,the whole competitiveness ofthe series is the big change that I'rh going to find,

TEAM:Supercheap Auto Racing BEST FV8 ROUND FINISH: 1st, Wakefield Park,2008 BEST FV8SERIES FINISH:Seventh,2008 MAIN SERIES STARTS:Zero t

What's some of things that you need to change in yourself to be competitive amongst the elite field?

There's probably not one thing. It's more of a package to step it up in all areas.

I've never really felt like I've had the right opportunity to get the right results out of myself-Just through a lack of miles.The first year, I did one test day, and last year I did one at the start and one Just before Bathurst. With seven race meetings, it makes it hard to get your head around the cars and the way they work.The cars require such a unique driving style.

So I'm looking forward to the extra miles and the extra testing.

I guess,the results at the end of a race meeting are going to be dependent on qualifying and making sure I'm up to speed. With the different format this year, it's going to affect the guys at the back of the field a little bit, as opposed to the guys at the top 10.

If you're back in the teens or early 20s, and have a good run,say get up to 12th or 13th,then you go back to where you qualify.

It's going to make qualifying is going to be pretty important and it would be nice for me to work on it and get the most out of the session.

It's been a bit of a whirlwind six months.Trying to get an enduro drive, which you didn't, and now you find yourself in a full-time Main Series ride...

Yeah, it's pretty surreal, really. It's (t been exciting for me. I've aivvays . had the belief in myself that if P liwas provided with the right opportunity as a whole, I feel as Tm more than capable of doing the Job. As.l said before, it's hard with , my lack of miles. I didn't really get ; much in terms of results, but it was ' good to finish the year on a good note (ED: Slade finished second at n Oran Park).

It's been good to build a

relationship with Paul [Morris].

He has faith in me,as does Supercheap and Russell [Ingall], and I'm really looking forward to a good future with the team.

So you're readyfor the Main Series?

Yeah, definitely. l I wouldn't say that I'm nervous or anything. It's gtiod to have Russell there who has a lot of experience and all of the other guys in the team.'

All I have to do is make sure that I'm finishing races in the first half of the year and get as many miles under my belt as I can.

What about the sequential shifter? The regular V8 drivers have a year under their belt, before Clipsal, you've had one test day. Did that test make you totally comfortable with it or will it take more time?

I won't have to think about it.

Since I've Jumped into cars with gears, starting with Formula Ford, I've skipped gears on the down changes. But that's just a small thing that I have to get used to going through every gear on the down change.

My first couple of sessions at Queensland Raceway, I found myself thinking about the gear changes, but by the end of the day. it was second nature.

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DALE HOOD MOTORSPORT NEWS:What's the biggest thing that you'll be able to take from your time in the Fujitsu V8 Series and use in the Main Series?

TEAM:Kelly Racing BESTFV8 ROUND FINISH:2nd,Bathurst,2007 BESTFV8SERIES FINISH:Sixth,2008 MAIN SERIES STARTS:2

I suppose it's the fact that I've already driven this style of car.

Each car varies in its own way a little bit, but I've driven V8s for two years now so that's probably the biggest thing that carries through.

Otherwise,the step, I expect is going to be quite big. I compare the step similar from Formula Ford to the Fujitsu Series. I think the step from that to the Main Series is going to be equally as big. It rivals the intensity that these guys carry to every circuit and how they race.

Do you think you're ready for the Main Series?

Teah, I think so,for sure.

You drove the car at Winton in your first test with Kelly Racing.

What were your first impressions?

I absolutely loved the car,There's no drama there at all. We had a few engine issues, but that was sorted pretty quick. I ended up with some good times, nothing seems to be a drama and the team works together really well.

It's a big team,and considering it's a start-up organisation, you'd probably agree that there's going to be some challenges along the way...

There's going to be some challenges, there always are, but I don't think it's just a matter of being a new team.The team has pulled a lot of good guys together. so it's not exactly a ground-up team. We've just put four walls around a bunch of good guys.

In terms of mental preparation, what have you done differently for this year?

My ideal preparation is just to be relaxed. No stress,just relax and enjoy the ride. My expectations are pretty low. I don't want to over think things, wanting a top 10 or anything like that because I'm probably going to be let down.

During the test at Winton, you ran decals thanking the team for its preseason efforts.That just shows that it has been a pretty big off-season to pull this all together.

It has been a big couple of months.

It was just a matter of the team and it's organisers getting everything together. Patrick [Ricci],Todd, John [Kelly] and the rest of them. It was a sign to show that we really do appreciate what they've done in the last few months.There hasn't been much sleep ...

And now it's a matter of doing a good enough to not only keep your place in the team but to show that you're worthy of a fulltime seat.

Absolutely. For some people, a good job might be to consistently run in the top five.

Obviously,that's not what I'm looking for. For me, it's to finish somewhere in the teens and keep bringing home a straight car. In my first year, that would be a really good year for my first season.

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JACK PERKINS MOTORSPORT NEWS:You're in a different boat to these other Fujitsu V8 graduates. In 2006, you started in the Fujitsu Series before being promoted to the Main Series.Then last year, you did another season of Fujitsus, and now you'ye got your second shot at The Show. How is this one going to be different?

JACK PERKINS: I guess it's a case of been there, done that. I've got more experience now a couple of years down the track, with a good team and a good car, so I'm really looking forward to the year.

It's a brand-new operation [Kelly Racing]. It's been no-mean feat to get the deal up and running.

From your perspective, what's the vibe like within?

The team has done an excellent job to get four cars ready. It's been great to be part of it all and personally, it's great to have been part of it all.

I'm looking forward to having a good year, doing a good job for the guys and doing my bit on the track with the Dodo Commodore.

How vital is it to have had the

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TEAM:Kelly Racing BESTFV8 ROUND FINISH: 1st, Oran Park,2008.

BESTFV8SERIES FINISH: Third,2006 MAIN SERIES STARTS:21

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experience in the Fujitsu Series before stepping up to the Main Game?

The Fujitsu Series Kelps a lot.

Obviously, it teaches you how to race these cars throughout the year.The step from the Fujitsu Series to the Main Series is massive.

The good thing about last year s Development Series is that we had some good calibre drivers who were a good bench mark for the field.

Last year will probably go down as one of the most competitive seasons in Fujitsu Series history.

What about expectations. What's your realistic goal? lit will be good to have a good consistent run. In the past, we've had abit of bad luck along the way and some reliability problems, ailhings didn't really fall my way. It ilLbe g0dd to have a consistent ■ar, strong finishes and good ^ed along the way.

I think if Ibeing between the top TO and topJO is a must and as the year goes on,.<itppuld be good to neak into the top If and really ^ix it with the olass leaders.

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debut year, do you feel lilA you've got something to prove this year?

Yeah, absolutely. 2007 was a tough year for both myself and Shane [Price], We were somewhat thrown into the deep end in a little way, but this year, it's roy fourth year driving the carsand my second in the Main Gam% m just looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead^and making the most of it.

In 2007, I'd only ever driven the car eight times before being stuck in the Main Game and it was tough. We had brand-new VEs was probably trying too hard and trying to punch above my weight.

Now, I've matured in that sense and becoming somewhat of a regular and deserving my place in the field.That's my aim.

You're dad (Larry) has taken a back step this year in terms of team ownership. How do you feel about that?

I'm pretty grateful that the Kellys have given me an opportunity to be part of their new team.

The equipment is obviously something that I've got a bit of familiarity with, having driven for the Jack Daniel's team in the past. and it's good to have a fresh team pop up in the series.

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Just like a V8 Supercar, it’s what’s inside a Fujitsu Smart Inverter Air Conditioner that counts. We’re talking grunt, and buckets of it.

Enough to reach the desired room temperature more quickly and to

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HERE are usually any number of eyes watching the World Superbike Championship but this year, it seems,there will be Just that many more. , After a major shakeup a few years ago,the production bikebased series appears to have overtaken MotoGP as the mustsee championship on two wheels.

While the prototype series struggles for numbers,and the American Series is going through a difficult rebirthing,the WSBK is booming; huge grids, seven manufacturers, great racing.

The series brings fascinating insights into how teams work and no team in the pitlane gives a better look at that than Hannspree Ten Kate Honda.The Dutch team has ruled Supersport racing with an iron fist, winning the last seven titles in the 600cc class. In Superbike, it won the 2007 crown with James Toseland.

One of the fascinating parts

58

about the team is that, while it represents Honda at WSBK level and carries the famed logo of HRC (Honda Racing Corporation)- it operates from a base at the rear of the Ten Kate Honda dealership in Niewleusen,the Netherlands.

From small beginnings, it has become a big team.

It is also a team that the United Nations could feature on its posters. In Supersport, Aussie Andrew Pitt partners Turk Kenan Sofuoglu,the two having split the last two world titles between them.

In Superbikes, Spanish veteran Carlos Checa, whose name has adorned many brands of motorcycle in racing since he threw his leg over a saddle in 1993, partners Jonny Rea, the 22-yearold from Baliyclare, Ireland, who just may be the Next Big Thing in motorcycle racing. At the end of the garage, in the colours of Honda Genuine Accessories rather than television and computer

monitor maker Hannspree, is Ryuichi Kiyonari,the mercuriai Japanese who made such a big impact on the series last season.

And it is a big team (and I am not referring to the fact that two of the team's mechanics are more than 208cm tall). TK Honda brought 10 bikes, 25 people and tons of spares to Phillip Island, and at non-flyaway races, another three people are present. And it all operates with such calm, no matter what happens. At Ducati, there is Italian fire and brio, and nobody can accuse Noriyuki Haga of being shy. At Kawasaki,there is a quiet British way of going about things in the Paul Bird Motorsportrun team. At Ten Kate, there is no fuss, no bother,just a quiet Presbyterian Dutch work ethic.

The team arrived at The Island with expectations high. Rea topped the last pre-season test . at the track the week before the race but along the way,there were problems. Checa had a high-speed

tumble that resulted in a sore head and shoulder, and forced him to miss the final day. Kiyo had some set-up problems in the test, and that would be the story when race weekend started on Friday.

All the Ten Kate Hoqdas struggled, with Kiyo crashing after a gearshift SNAFU and the other two bikes struggling with the higher-than-expected temperatures. At the end of the day, Kiyo was 10th, Checa 14th and Rea 17th.

But that was not the problem.

The problem was that Leon Haslam was third, and his Stiggy Honda looked to have no set-up dramas at all. And Johan Stigefelt's team was in its first-ever Superbike race.

But the devil was in the detail.

Checa was still hampered by his shoulder, and Rea had completed a race distance and finished the session on a well-used Pirelli tyre. nil

motorspon news

mORLD SUPERBIHiES

IT TAKES A LOT OR PEOPLE TO PREPARE IO BIKES AHD S RIDERS FOR t WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.BUT PCaDCk[310103^ FOUND NOTHING BUT ORDER INSIDE TEN KATE HONDA RACING

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Checa andJonny Rea. The Irishman was right on the pace at the opening lap of Race 1, top, but faded after that. www.mnews.com.au

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Haslam had cranked out his time on a fresh slick so the good news was that it was really not a fair'fight'.

Saturday was cooler and things got better. Rea stood up, which was what he was expecting. It is no secret that Sofuoglu was one of the disappointments of the 2008 season, with many expecting him to continue his Supersport dominance in Superbike.The opposite happened; he was beset with difficulties, including the death of his brother Sinan in a

From bicycles to World titles WHAT started off as a hobby for Gerrit ten Kate has turned into a big business.

The Dutchman,right, was a noted motocross racer in his youth - always orT Hondas and when it came to starting a business, it did not take long to figure out that motorcycles were going to be involved. From the back of his bicycle shop, he was soon selling 50 competition bikes a year and, quickly, motorcycles and racing took over.

With the growth of the team, his nephew Ronald ten Kate, top with Kenan Sofuoglu, now runs the racing side of things, and Ten Kate Honda in Nieuwluesen is now the biggest Honda dealership in the Netherlands, moving more than 400 bikes last year. On top of that, its competition department Ten Kate Tuning sells everything from parts to complete bikes, in all manner of tune depending on

what series the customer wants to race in.

One customer wanted something special, and is now the proud owner of a World Superbike-spec, road-legal CBRl OOORR FIreblade. What started out as a massively fastbut-tame roadster now packs about 215 horsepower.

The cost? As they say, if you have to ask...

racing crash, but at no time did he look like a cbntender on the lOOOcc bike. Kiyo and Checa both scored wins, but it was up to Rea to show that he was not going to follow in the same footsteps at Sofuoglu.

And he didn't. In the new Superpole format, he dazzled.

In the second session, he fired in a lm31.3s lap, and had a rear tyre up his sleeve for the final session. Ben Spies hit a home run with a 1m31.0s for pole, and Rea contented himself to be second - which became third when Max Biaggi heroed out a 31.4s in the' last moments of the session.

This was maybe the best indicator of how the team works.

At the time he did the lap, Rea's 31.3s was the fastest Superbike lap ever recorded at the track, but there was no screaming, no fists punching the air from his crew.

In fact, there was no reaction at all; none. Rea had a chance to go out and be a superstar to take on Spies's lap time, but the team chose not to. Jonny was going to be on the front row,second row at

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worst,and the speed was required when it counted, in the races, not qualifying.

Sunday dawned cool and then warmed up. It was not one of the team's greatest race days; Klyo got hit by Ruben Xaus on the opening lap of Race 1 and went through the gravel to 23rd in Race 2; Checa was 12th and 13th after losing tyre grip; and Rea, who led Race 1 for three laps, dropped back to fifth and ninth in the two races.

"There's no point in trying to disguise the fact that we've had a very disappointing day," Ronald ten Kate said matter-of-factly.

"The race simulations we did suggested that our race set-up was very strong,so I have to admit that we're also a little surprised by these results. The only positive was Johnny's result in Race 1 but, for sure, we have a lot of work to do in order to perform better in Qatar."

According to Pitt, who knows the team as well as any rider, that is the Ten Kate way.

"It is typical; they have been around fora lot of years and they have had a lot of success," he says.

"Each race is just a piece of the puzzle of the championship as a whole.

"They started out with a pushbike shop,then a motorcycle shop,they are all trained locally and it is family. It is quite unique compared to the other teams."

It would be foolish to write the team off. In Supersport, Sofuoglu and Pitt dominated,taking a 12.The Superbike battle is the one they want to win and the team knows that a long season lies ahead. Whatever happens, nobody is going to panic ...

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Nothing but Hanns:Sofuoglu and Pitt had by far the best of the team's results over the weekend and fought out an all-Ten Kate finish in the World Supersport race.

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Suspension and Sensibilities Things change quickly in the up-and-down world of development P '

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Stripped bare: There seems to be Honda and Ten Kate in equal parts.

Note WP forks, above.

Magic Moments: Chris Vermeulen was TK's first man in the WSBK, above,in 2004.

James Toseland sealed the 2007 B crown and I] triggered a ceiebration that went on for some l?J time, left.

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TEN Kate Honda may be backed

by Honda but, have no doubts,it is independent - and Dutch - to its core.

Take the suspension on its 10 race bikes,for instance. You would expect that a Honda team would use Showa technology; after all, Showa is a subsidiary company of Honda,so it is a no-brainer, right? Er, nope. For years,the team has used WP suspension, which was originally known as White Power,and which started in 1977 - in Holland. It has extensive experience in all kinds of racing, including Formula 1, and has been a leader in the business for ages.

But there is a wrinkle. In 1999, KTM took over WP,and the Austrian company is now the sole owner of the brand (ever if it is still based in Holland, at Malden).

With KTM starting to flex its road racing muscles, it will come as no surprise thatTK is looking at alternative suppliers.

So,finally, Showa? Still no.Ten Kate recently tested Kayaba, which already has links with Honda (through the F.C.C team) and is also expected to test Kayaba, which is a brand of KYB, the world's largest supplier of shock absorbers.

So, why the attraction? Money is a factor.The team now has to pay for its suspension, and as Ten KateTuning is a growing business, whatever the race team does is financially attractive to suppliers, as there is a trickle-down effect to customers.

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EING a co-driving is all about being an unsung hero.

Eor instance, when your casual motorsports fan thinks of an Australian doing a part-time program with Citroen in the World Rally Championship, they think of Chris Atkinson. The news that sort of falls through the cracks is that across the garage from Atkinson, in another one of the Citroen JuniorTeam's C4s, is another Aussie; Dale Moscatt, The difference is, Moscatt sits on the left side of the car, calling the shots for Russian young gun Evgeny Novikov.

It might not be the glamourous life of the driver, but making the WRC is something Moscatt has been working on for a long time.

And it all started back in 2005, when Cody Crocker had just won the Australian Rally Championship for the third time, the first with Moscatt by his side, and Subaru decided to stop rallying in Australia.

"When we won the championship in 2005 with Subaru, and they withdrew, it made me revaluate where I was and what I wanted to do, and when I should make the move overseas," says Moscatt.

"Fortunately, that's led the to 62

some getting to. While the rough road that young drivers have to traverse to make it big overseas is well documented, it's easy to overlook that it's the same deal for the co-drivers.

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the paths that have got me to where I am now. In a way. I'm glad it took a little bit longer, because there are a lot of lessons to learn on the way, and if you get there too nearly the chances of stuffing it up are higher. I have so much experience leading up to getting here."

'Here'is an eight-round program sitting next to Novikov in a C4, and, as he alludes to. It's taking

"Yeah it is, it's cut-throat,"agrees Moscatt.

"A lot of us co-drivers are good friends, but we are still competing for jobs. It's like any industry, and the motorsport industry can be especially fickle at times, so there's a lot of to-ing and fro-ing. Co drivers changes teams as much as drivers.

"So networking is as important a Job as the actual job you do In the car. That's what opens the doors, more so than what you do in the car. These days you can showcase your in-car skills a bit better thanks to on-board footage, but it is still networking that opens the doors."

It doesn't take a lot of speaking with Moscatt to appreciate why he is so good at what he does. His communication skills are evident in the way he describes his job, and what he's had to do to get to the WRC, on the record. And his ability to analyse a situation is made obvious when he's asked about Novikov. He rates him highly, which you could call a knee-jerk reaction given that

Novikov has helped him to thebig-time. But when he pleads the Russian's case, well, it's a pretty convincing argument that this kid will win World Championships.

"I've sat next to some quick drivers,"he says.

"Cody was so consistent and fast, and Martin Rowe was a Production Car World Champion, so he knew what it took to win championships and was incredibly fast when everything was in place.

But, taking nothing away from those guys, Evgeny is 18 years old and is already surpassing the speed those guys have got. That's incredibly rare at such a young age. He's got a lot of natural talent.

"Evgeny stands out from the other guys because he has the speed and the car control at such a young age. Jari-Matti Latvala is the closest drive you can compare when it comes to coming into the WRC at a young age, and he still didn't win his first rally until he was 22. Evgeny set a secondfastest time in Norway, his first rally in the car, and he's 18, so there's a lot of promise for the future."

So Moscatt's got a good driver.

What about the car? Is it really as fast as the trophies suggest, or is that more of a Sebastien Loeb thing?

motorsport news

lUORLD RALLVinG

l-reciue\nt\i^ Asked Questms Kallij co-drlAn(^ ~ iA/itki he\!e hAoscdCt

Do you look out the windscreen? Or Just at the notes? iI do look out the windscreen a lot, but it's a personal thing and each individual is different.

I use a lot of visuals with my pace notes, so 1 read with the book quite upright, so I can look out a lot. But it depends what rally car you're in, because in the C4 things are coming a lot faster, but I still like the visual aids so I see a lot of the stage.

Has motion sickness ever been a problem?

No.That's just luck; you either get sick in the car or you don't, and luckily I don't.

Will a heads-up-style electronic display ever be used?

I don't think so.The co-driving aspect of rallying is one of the most exciting and attractive aspects of it, so I think that would be taking away one of the elements that makes rallying different and exciting to watch.The fact that you're relying on more than one person, and the camaraderie between the drivers, is something that the sport would miss. So I certainly hope not!

Even though you're not actually driving,do you have a favourite surface?

I enjoy tarmac rallying, but gravel rallying is the best for having the car sliding around.

Who does the driving in your family? it's always me,actually. I'm not a good passenger in road cars. In a rally car I'm never worried about safety, because I know the driver doesn't want to crash any more than I want to crash.There is no problem, but in a road car I'm a bad passenger.

What is the most FAQ you get about what you do?

'What's your real job?'People find it hard to believe that you can do this professionally, so I spend a lot of time explaining that is a real job.

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a great experience to be with Citroen, because the car and the team have got the runs on the board. If you can dial yourself into the way it works,then you'll be fast, because the car has been proven to work well in the right hands.

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December 6,1974 Syndey, Australia Married to Selina

Debut:

1993 Oberon Rally

Dale Moscatt first appeared in the ARC back in 1998, and won the title in 2005 with Cody Crocker. He co-drove for Molly Taylor in 2008 when she was F16 champion.

Masters and apprentices; Moscatt once learnt the business from one of the best, Cody Crocker,left. Now,he's passing the experience on to the amazingly youthful Evgeny Novikov, below.

"As far as we're concerned it's

"We are now learning whether we have to change Evgeny's driving style, or whether what he does already will work. But the car is fantastic, and he looks very comfortable in the car. We just need to get to the point where things are working as instinct for both of us, so we can get on with doing our job."

DOB: Home: Status:

Quick 50 SEBASTIEN Loeb has somehow added another milestone to his amazing career with a 50th WRC

event win in Cyprus recently.

Loeb set up his 50th win and third from three events this season - on the rallies first day.While he had been critical pre-event about the requirement to use only gravel tyres despite a whole day of bitumen running at the start, he typically used the black top to his advantage, making an early break.

When the rally switched to gravel on the second and third days. Ford's number one Mikko Hirvonen became the fastest man on the rally. But it was too little and too late, Hirvonen only managing to cut the lead down to 27s on the final day.

"I lost my chance of victory on Friday morning because I didn't drive well enough," he admitted.

"Once the rally moved onto gravel I was faster than Loeb and that's a big boost as there are now seven consecutive loose surface events to come."

As interesting as the race for the lead was, all eyes were on the battle for third.

Fetter Solberg, in a Citroen Xsara that was actually built before Loeb was a World Rally driver,finished third after overcoming a rather ordinary looking Dani Sordo.

CVPRU5 1 Sebastien Loeb

Citroen

Daniel Elena

4:50:34.7s

2 Mikko Hirvonen

Ford

Jarmo Lehtinen

+27.2S

3 Fetter Solberg Phil Mills 4 Dani Sordo

Citroen

Marc Marti 5 Matthew Wilson

+2:26.3s Ford

Scott Martin

+6:41.Os

6 Conrad Rautenbach Daniel Barritt 7 Federico Villegra J Perez Companc 8 Khalid Al Qassimi Michael Orr

i

Citroen +1:49.4s

Citroen +11:11.9s Ford +13:18.5s Ford 13:44.1s

Points: Loeb 30, Hirvonen 22,Sordo 17, H Solberg 10,P Solberg 9,Wilson 8.

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EDITED BY GRANT ROWLEY

COVERAGE OF AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL MOTOR RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS & SERIES

Is this Australia's next Formula 3 Champion?

Australian Formula 3 is turning into the go-to place for British drivers to race - and win. Ben Clucas did it in 2006, and James Winslow found success last year. Can accomplished racer Joey Foster do the same for Team BRM in 2009? GRANT ROWLEY asked him ●●● >:^

FQRmULRB

MOTORSPORT NEWS: What the appeal of the Australian Formula 3 Championship?

JOEY FOSTER: If you look at what's going on in Europe at the moment and how the cost have risen in Formula 3, budgets for Euroseries and so on, the budgets are around £500,000. Trying to find that money from a sponsor to go racing in this day and age is almost impossible.

Looking at Australia, it was a better option. You get good racing, and for me, I just need to be in a car and get out there. It just makes sense.

Flave you seen much of our local racing here?

I've watched a lot of V8s on TV. I've also spoken to Ben Clucas and James Winslow about things and they've told me about all the advantages and how good the lifestyle is down here. So I thought, why not!

Will you be living in Australia this year?

Yeah, definitely. The deal came together so late, the last week has been a bit of a daze, but I'll be here. I'm not quite sure yet, but I'll be here for the year.

You've already ticked a few boxes in your racing career, which means anything but a championship win will probably seem like a failure. Is that how you look at this year?

That is true in some ways. Last year I drove Sportscars and I really tried to pursue that this year.

But after just running one season, and with the championship having such

few races, it was really hard to establish yourself.

For me, Formula 3 is unfinished business.

I haven't got a championship win on my CV after the crash I had in Germany in 2006.

I got a win with FIS Technik at the end of the year, I managed to get in for one race, but I'm still after a championship. Yeah, I guess there is a bit of pressure, but it's all being put on by myself.

I understand that V8 Supercars is something you've looked at. Both Clucas and Winslow were interested, but found it difficult to lock something in. This question has two parts. A) Is V8 Supercars on your agenda? and B) Do you think its realistic?

V8s is what I'd love to get into. I've watched the championship for many years and it's fantastic racing, wheel-to-wheel stuff. It's high profile and there are some great teams and great technology behind it. That's really appealing for a driver.

And yeah, it's realistic. I want to see what it's like over here, and push every opportunity to try and get an opportunity in a car. i've been speaking to Neil Cunningham a lot. Lie's been advising me and I think he knows a few people in V8s. Maybe there's a way for him to make things happen, but we'll see.

You've just arrived in Australia. What are your first impressions?

It's exactly what I expected! After talking to everyone, it's a lot more laid back, relaxed.

As soon as I got off the plane I could see that. It will be good to get a bit of sun on my back as well!

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The next Pom has landed: Joey Foster, right, raced for Embassy Racing in itsj.e Mans team last year, above. In 2003, he won the Formula Ford Festival before sustaining serious injuries in 2006, setting him back. He plans to resurrect his open-wheel career in Australian F3 with reigning Champions Team BRM, below right.

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FOR ME, F3 IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS. I HAVEN’T GOT A CHAMPIONSHIP ON MY CV. THERE IS A BIT OF PRESSURE, BUT IT’S ALL BEING PUT ON BY MYSELF You had a crash a few years ago on the oval in Germany. How much did that set you back?

Hugely. I had a good set-up for the year. I was running with HSTechnik for the year. The year was funded and I had a great relationship with Lola and there was a real good team atmosphere.

I was leading the championship before I had the shunt midway through the year. I had a big shunt at the Lausitzring oval (Germany). I broke three bones in my neck and three in my back and I was lucky to survive, let alone walk again.

The rehabilitation took a long time. I was in a hospital in Germany for two months before I managed to get back to the UK. After that, it was a question of working on my fitness and trying to get some strength back. I had my final operation a year after the crash to get the final pieces of metal out of my back. It wasn't until a year and a half later that I finally managed to get back in a racing car.

I was a huge knock back. I really thought that after that year and after we won the championship, GP2 or something like that could have been on the cards. But after having that long out of the car, it really sets you back a long way.

It's a familiar tale that you hear up and down

www.mnews.com.au

pit lanes all around the world - the if buts and maybes. Very frustrating ...

Yeah, but it makes you appreciate life a bit more, really. I'm so glad I've still got the chance to race. I've won Formula 3 races, and now I've got the chance to compete for another championship, and that's a huge bonus for me.

I've just got to go out there and finish the job that I started and get it done.

What actually happened in the crash?

It was during a test day before the race meeting, so there was no real pressure. We'd had several days training in road cars to make us how spotters work with cars around us on the oval.

Basically, a slower car was up high on the corner and he carried on coming down to take the inside line and he should have got a call to know I was there but he just carried down. I cut to the inside of the track, which spun me around.

An F3 car would have been interesting on an oval ...

Man, it was flat-out everywhere! Completely flat. The car would jump a bit on the bumps, but you were going 280kmh the whole way. It was pretty extreme.

Who the hell is Joey Foster?

2008

LeMans Series, LeMans 24 Hrs and two Formula 3 races.

2007

Lola Race Cars test & development driver while recovering from injuries sustained in 2006

2006

German F3 Championship, competed in 12 of 20 races before back- breaking crash at Lausitzring.

2005

US Formuia Ford 2000 runner-up, McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year finalist

2004

Formuia Ford Festival 1600 Class Champion, Formula Renault 2000 UK

2003

Formula Renault l/l/(nterSenes Grand Finalist, Formula Ford Festival Champion, UK Formula Ford runner-up

2000-02 First seasons in Formula Ford UK 2000

Formula Vauxhall runner-up

1995-99 Karting 65

FormulaFord:The RealStory The Formula Ford honourrollhassomeprettyimpressive names on it, that'sforsure. Butas ANDREWVANLEEUWEN reports,it'ssomeofthe peopleyou probably haven'theard ofthatmade the category whatitIs today

A

T Phillip Island a couple of weeks ago,53 blokes did something pretty special - celebrated the 40th anniversary of Formula Ford racing in this country exactly how it should have been celebrated.

What made the celebration so appropriate? For starters, there were 53 cars on the grid. It was the single biggest grid of Formula Fords ever in this country, and inspired many an anecdote regarding the 70something cars that rolled into Adelaide for the 1986 Australian Grand Prix support race, the split field for qualifying, and the rain that fell between the two sessions. But that's another story.

The blokes driving the cars at Phillip Island were worthy of a mention too - Geoff Walters, Laurie Bennett, Richard Carter, John Smith,just to name a few. And the cars up the front were good Aussie made cars from the mid-1970s and the early 1980s, cars like Elwyns and Mawers and Birranas. It was like the grainy pages from one of the old green Motor Racing Yearbooks coming to life.

That era of Formula Ford racing - mid-70s and well into the 80s - was the most critical in the category's history. A core group of guys built good cars and raced them hard.They set a high benchmark for competitiveness, and made the category a desirable place to test your skills as a young driver.Then,they shoved it under the noses of the Touring Car teams.This was when Formula Ford, as a development category, was born.

This article might have been more relevant to the passing fan if I'd asked Mark Webber and Jamie Whincup what they thought of the category, and they both would have said nice things about it, but Formula Ford helped the Webbers and Whincups of the world much more than they helped it. Nope, this is the story about the real people that made Formula Ford an exception to the rule that open-wheeler racing doesn't work in Australia, Wally Storey is one bloke that helped Formula Ford a lot. These days he is Jason Richards' main tech man at Brad Jones Racing, but once upon a time he was an ace Formula Ford driver, a sought after car tuner, and half of the brains behind the very successful Elwyn chassis (along with Elwyn Bickley).

"Dave Mawer was our major motivator,"says Storey.

"We were building Clubmans at the time and Dave said 'this is a coming thing, and it's a no excuse category. If you want find out whether you can drive, then whatever else you're doing is a waste.'We had a Clubman half66

finished and we threw it out."

That was when Storey's career, which is now very illustrious, took off, and during that time - he was involved right up until the early 1990s - he saw a lot of changes. But for Storey,there are two moments that stand out as major developments for the category.

"One of the biggest things, and I really am dating myself here, was the Light Car Club that used to be on St Kilda Road in Melbourne," he says.

"I can remember being there one night when I was on the [Formula Ford] committee, in Ian Mcknight's office fighting till the death to try and get Formula Ford at the same meetings as the Touring Cars.The problem was, in those days everyone was like'we don't want to be running with those Touring Car p#$cks!"Why do we need to be there?'

"Well, we needed it, so we had something to sell, and that meant a crowd. We had to take it past the rich kids and too average people, and to do that we had to be a bit entrepreneurial and get a crowd,so if you auction off a sign people are going to see it.

"The other thing that happened was when we had a fellow on the committee called Ian Granger. I don't know where he is now, but he was a pretty bright sort of guy. Fie probably still is! He decided we needed to race these things and Amaroo had good television. It was a good meeting to be at and a good track. But you needed to buy your way in.

"So what we effectively did was bullshitted; said we had a sponsor coming in and we were going to make a big announcement. And then everyone just chucked in. Granger got everyone to chuck in $100, which doesn't sound like much but it was, and we said we'd announce a sponsor and bring the rest of the money.The deal was that whoever won the race had to plead on the TV and say that we'd actually bought the thing and shafted these people, and what we needed was a series sponsor. As luck would have it that job fell to me! No one wants to win nothing, and those two things lifted Formula Ford to a status where people wanted to win."

Steve Moody, who built a very fast car called a Totem out of Geelong (Totem because he wanted it to be on top of the pole), agrees that the alliance with Touring Cars, which survives to this day, was a turning point.

"It really kicked on when people started to get drives at Bathurst," he says,"when Formula Ford drivers were recognised for their skill and started to get co-drives in Touring Cars. You could see that the Touring Car guys could see something in Formula Ford drivers."

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Here today, back tomorrow: John Smith won the'77FFord title in an Australian-built Bowin, main pic, and now races a Lola ofa similar era in historic races

mi),below left.

Amaroo Park was the scene ofsome great Formula Ford races in the 1980s, below.

By the end ofthe 1980s,Formula Ford had moved to the nextstage ofits development,thanks to British technology and young drivers wanting to go a iong way, bottom.

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he other key to Formula Ford's success is the cars. Simple, effective, fast; these three traits made (and still make)the cars hard to drive. And that's why they produce good drivers ...

What was interesting was that at Phillip Island, with 53 cars on the grid, most the ones at the front were Australian-built.That means it wasn't just drivers being developed in those days, but engineers as well. It doesn't happen now, young drivers don't tend to build cars to race, but it was certainly an oddity of the time.

"We started building our own cars because you could build a better one than you could buy,"says Storey.

"The overseas guys were never putting a high enough level of staffing into it, and it was only when they started selling hundreds of cars a year that they sharpened their products up. Up until then, getting an overseas cars wasn't really a step forward. It was actually a disadvantage. About 1985 that all changed.

"When Elwyn and I started building cars in early 70s, Dave Mawer was already building cars, the Green Cars people called them. Fie had guys like Frank Gardner driving them to make sure they were alright, and Dave got some good advice.The Green Car was a really good car."

Laurie Bennett, a Formula Ford stalwart, has always raced Australian cars, mostly Elfins and Wrens. Fie still has his original Elfin 600 he bought back in 1971, and recently took it to Europe to do some historic Formula Ford racing.The Poms(and Belgians and French) didn't know what had hit them,such was the pace of the old car...

"The cars that were developed here were always quick on fast iidi4-

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Memoriesofa Golden Era Think ofthe good ol'days ofFormula Fordracing,andpick afavourite moment ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN had thepleasure oflistening in on somegreatyarnsfrom the guys who builtthe category

Richard Carter-1976 Driverto EuropeSeries winner THE year I won[the championship], and this probably isn't sonriething to be proud of, but the points were such that there was only one point between the positions. So I went into the year with the idea of being consistent, and not necessarily win. It really annoyed some people that I pulled It off I think I only got one or two wins that whole year.

Straight after that, they changed the points system.

I remember the last race at Calder was between Jon

Davison and myself and there was only one point between us,so whoever finished in front would win. And my engine had gone offsong,and I figured it was ignition timing,itook a risk and advanced it, even though it could ofgone the other way,and that made the difference. I started behind Jon, but I finished in front ofhim: The other thing I remember is the camaraderie between us. For instance, Steve Moody actually offered me his car for that final race. Amazing.

JohnSmith-1977Driverto EuropeSeries winner What a I always remember about the category was the F,THERE'S lot ofstuff I can't repeat! camaraderie. I used to prepare cars and race cars with , guys are stiii my friends these days.

Tm talking about the days ofMawer Engineering in the I 1970s when Dave Mawer had a fleet ofcars that he looked after, and there were guys like Wally Storey and Elwyn

BIckley around. There were no secrets and we all went and raced competitively with each other. When you got on the track, it was kill or be killed, but when we were offthe track we were good friends, and we remain good friends to this day. When I think about other categories I went to afterwards, iike Formula 2 and Formula Atlantic, it wasjust never the same.

Steve Moody-Race winnerandcar buiider(1974-1992) I REMEMBER going to the Surfers Paradise circuit one year, and waiting on the grid for the 30-second board. We got the board and we had to do another warm-up lap, and as we started this lap these drops, three inches across it seemed,started to fall. And as we rolled around the drops got bigger, and the rain got heavier, and then it started to bucket like there was no tomorrow.

By the time we got back to the grid you couldn't see the starter on the tower. They dropped the flag and everyone disappeared into the spray, and i reckon a third of the field

went off under the bridge. Just flew offonto the grass. The rest of us disappeared at various spots around the track.

Those that survived crawled down the front straight, and I was driving down the left side of the circuit so I could see the white line. You honestly couldn't see where you were going. Barry Ward spun off the circuit and actuallyjust disappeared. He was sitting In the car, literally up to his chest in water. It was incredible because we don't see rain like that in Victoria. That was a real classic.

LaurieBennett-Rate winner(1971-1988) ONE of the funniest things I ever remember was at Amaroo Park In the 1970s.

Barry Ward had a lose going over the hill, and he backed It into a bank because there were no retaining walls. It was summer and the grass was quite long, and he was backed Into the bank. When he fired the car back up

he flooded it, and when it fired this big fiame came out the back.'Wardy'took offand came around and said 'Did you know there is a bushfire over the back?'And we said 'yes mate, you started it.'

They had to stop the race because the whole track was on fire, it's the only time I've seen a race stopped for a bushfire.

Tim Blaachard-2007Australian FomulaFord Champioa MY First memories ofFormuia Ford date back to 1991 when the old man (John Blanchard) was racing. My chief job was cleaning wheels and driving the car from the pit to scrutineering every weekend.

I grew up around Formula Ford, and I always wanted to win races like Dad did. Mick Ritter used to run Dad in Formula Ford, so my racing has always been a real family thing. That made it mean a lot to me when I did start

winning races.

The year I won the championship, the big highlight for me was winning the round at Winton. Dad won the Australian Formula Ford Festival there two years in a row,so there's a lot offamily history. And don't worry, he reminded me about it. He kept saying 'a Blanchard has never lost in a Formula Ford around Winton, so don't ruin the record!' motorsport news

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HomeandAway The finalproduct:Modern FFord owes^ht to the 1970s... nil

tracks, because we have fast tracks here,"explains Bennett.

"The Europeans didn't always run Formula Ford at big meetings, so they raced on club circuits. Consequently,those cars were good on the twisty slow circuits. But we are racing at places like Phillip Island, Oran Park and Surfers Paradise...

"It's evident when I've got the Elfin in Europe. Places like Spa and Oulton Park it is really quick."

Former Touring Car ace John Smith had a successful professional career sitting in all sorts of racing cars, but naturally, he started in Formula Ford, winning the 1977'Driver to Europe Series', which is what the AFFC was called prior to 1993. Now,with a desire to take a more relaxed approach to motor racing and do it at a historic level, he's chosen Formula Ford ... again.

"I race this category purely for the enjoyment of driving the cars quick," he says.

"I've driven everything from Formula Vees to Formula 1, historic Sportscars to World Championship Sportscars, and production touring cars to V8 Supercars. I've pretty much done everything. And I've come back to Formula Ford because I enjoy the challenge of having to fight for every corner.

"You have to set the car up perfectly to be quick with it, whereas a lot of other cars, you can afford to make a mistake and catch up. In Formula Ford, you make a mistake and you've thrown a whole lap away."

Round 1 March 28-29 Round 2 May 1-3 Round 3 May 29-31 Round 4June 19-21 www.mnews.com.au

INC Australian Formula One Grand Prix VIC Winton VIC Symmons Plains TAS Hidden Valley NT

AS you'd expectfrom a 53car field,there were some interesting cars in the 40th anniversary race at Phillip Island recently.

One of the best stories is that of Laurie Bennett. He bought an Elfin 600 brand spanking new, and races it to this day.

"I had it for sale once,"says Bennett.

"I bought it in 1971,and I ran it for six or seven years before I decided it was at the end of its road. I advertised it for sale

at a meeting at Sandown and I crashed it, which taught me never to advertise a car you are going to race.

"So what I did was pick it up with a forklift and put it up under the roof of my workshop.

There were possums living in it for 18 years.

"When the calendar clicked over and it became historic,the phone started ringing with people asking where my Elfin was. I said 'I know where it is, I've still got it.'"

Round 5July 31- August2 Round 6 August 21-23 Round?September 11-13 Round s October 22-25

Another interesting entry was one that came all the way from England just for the weekend at PI - PalliserWDF2-2.The car was

driven by its owner Andy Newall, who is a well-known historic racecar driver in Europe. In faa, Newell has driven more genuine GT40 chassis numbers than anyone else alive.

The thing about WDF2-2 is that it's the exact car that the first ever'Driver to Europe Series' winner, Richard Knight, raced when he got to England.

"After Richard won the championship here in an Elfin, he got a free drive in England with Palliser,"explains Newall.

"Our gearbox builder in the UK used to work for Palliser and has a record of all the cars.

When we bought chassis WDF22, we were talking one day and he said'I remember that car.'It turned out to be Richard Knight's car. It didn't mean a lot at the time, but when the car is here it has a real sense of history."

- ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Sandown Raceway VIC Queensland Raceway VIC Phillip Island VIC Surfers Paradise QLD

Tim's Rankin'with th

T

HE name Rankin has had an

association with the Simpson Speedway Club for over 30 years,and it looks set to continue with burgeoning young Sprintcar driver Tim Rankin keen to continue the family tradition.

Tim follows in the footsteps of his well-known father Mai Rankin, and Uncle Rob Rankin, Who are both life members at the popular western Victorian speedway, having been regular racers in the heartland of one of Victoria's major dairy farming communities.

Tim's family, consisting of Mai, mum Gail and sister Jess, also have the task of milking 600 cows to help pay the bills. But Tim is more than happy to admit he avoids the precious dairy cattle at all costs.

"I don't milk cows, I can't stand touching the cows," he says.

"I get rashes from them,so I don't have much to do with the cows ... I mainly sit my bum in a tractor all day."

For two decades Tim has got to know every inch of the rich red soil that makes Simpson so well-known,first being wheeled into the pits in another set of wheels*by his parents.

"Mum bought me here in the pram when I was born and I've been coming here ever since."

Now,on the eve of his 21 st birthday, Rankin says he knows he is much luckier than some to be behind the wheel of his #47 Cool Sprintcar for a number of reasons; an undiagnosed and unknown broken neck from birth nearly had Tim never racing.

"I took up karts at the age of six then I had an accident," he recalls.

"I found out I might have something wrong with my neck. I was about 13 at the time and got put in a neck brace and flown to Melbourne ... then they found a small crack in my neck.

"I couldn't lift anything for two months, and now it's calcified and it's now twice as strong. I got told I've had the broken neck since birth and we never had any idea about it. If I have a crash,then I have to take a bit longer getting out of the car than others might, but I know I am very lucky."

His speedway career gathered momentum almost immediately after making the decision to give away kart racing for speedway racing.

"In the first year of speedway, it was a big learning curve for me.Jumping out of a Junior [sedan] to a Formula [500], I finished third in the Australian F500 title in my first year in the class.

The next year I won the [F500] Victorian 70

title and placed second in the South Australian title, also I come second in the Australian Formula 500 title."

After his brief two seasons in Formula 500s, Rankin made the progression into Sprintcars during the 2006-07 season and quickly adapted to the class of racing.

"That first year was another real big learning curve for me," Rankin said.

"I guess also there was some pressure to do well with dad and Rob having raced and raced successfully in Sprintcars.They both are great and help me out heaps. Dad's always in my corner and he's the crew chief.They both give good advice on what I'm doing right or wrong.They're really good to have around and I know they've been a big help in making my driving get a lot smoother and faster."

The 2008-09 season began terribly for the Rankin team, with a succession of broken drivelines adding to poor form and frustration forTim and his team.

"We had a fair bit of trouble with mechanical stuff early in the season but it sorted it self out now.

"The [Grand Annual Sprintcar] Classic disappointed me a fair bit. I wanted to have a good run in the event and in the end, we had a radius rod go through the sump.That really put us back a long way. It's all sort of started getting better after that and we've been on the

ir-j

r '

podium nearly each race we've been in since then."

Like many competing in the Sprintcar ranks, sponsors and money will again be a deciding factor in Tim's immediate racing future.

"I really want to keep racing n Sprintcars,"Tim says.

"I also want to go to the highest level I can which is World Series [Sprintcars].

You need a massive budget to do that and we as a family can't afford to do that. We're struggling to do the local SRA as it is.

"Hopefully,someone's out there looking out for a driver and then I might be a chance of picking up a drive.

I definitely want to keep at racing as long as I can,though, I Just love it. It's Just a great sport to be in."

HOPEFULLY,SOMEOWE’S OUT THERE LOOKING FOR A DRIVER. 1 WANT TO KEEP RACING FOR AS LONG AS 1 CAN. 1 LOVE IT - TIM RANKIN motorsporlnews

5P6EDIUflV ^ Having practically grown up at Simpson Speedwayjim Ranking never really stood a chance. Not that he minds...Sprintcar racing is what he loves.

By GEOFF ROUNDS

\ ’

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Easy does it: A lack offunds means Tim Rankin generally has to keep the unwanted excitement to a minimum,above,so the #47 Cooi usualiy looks pretty straight, right. www.mnews.Gom.at!i

71

itiJf

>

GREG BOSCATO looks at a father/son team, and a father/daughter team

T

HE Parramatta City Raceway is regarded by many as the home of Sprintcar racing in Australia, and it's developed into a real family affair with dads, mums,sons and daughters all getting involved.

Over the years, the PCR has produced Bob,John and now Sammy Walsh,three generations of Sprintcar racers, Denis Farr and his two sons Colin and Robert, Brian Linigen and his twin daughters Kelly and Melinda, and the Dumesnys, with Max and Melinda now joined by Mitchell.

The summer of 2008/9 is quickly coming to a close, and this season second-generation Grant Tunks is currently running second to another second-generation driver, Mitchell Dumesny. While Mitch, racing for his grandfather Sid Moore (Melinda Dumesny's dad), has been impressive, posting a number of feature race victories.

Grant has quietly building up his points tally. And while he hasn't been fighting for the race wins, to finish first, you must first finish, and that's certainly what the quiet achiever has been doing this summer, funks joined his father Bob 72

racing in a two-car Sprintcar team way back in the late-80s as a young 17-year-old. Bob Tunks has been one of New South Wales'best Sprintcar and Super Modified stars since the 1960s, picking up the Australian crown back in 1967. When Parramatta opened. Bob quickly became one of the top guns, winning the track championship many times until he retired a decade ago. Bob stayed deeply involved in Sprintcar racing and has been either Club Secretary or Club President since the NSW club was formed 40 years ago. Now, he's running Grant's racing operation; complete with the famous #54 on the Maxim's tail.

TheTunks team is a budget operation, but when Parramatta swapped over to World of Outlaws rules and the introduction of the bigger 410 cubic inch engines.

Grant started to make people notice. His battle with Joey Saldana a few years ago put the Sydneysider on the map,and despite already picking up a few feature race wins, it looked like his luck had turned. Around the same time, after a season long battle with South Australian ace Trevor Green, it came down to the

final meeting with Grant and his #54 machine taking down the rich $10,000 Dash for Cash.That's been his biggest win to date.

While that has been a few years since he was racing right at the front of the field, consistency is the key to any season-long championship. With his dad Bob always on his side, the Tunks team just live for Sprintcar racing and this summer is shaping up to be Grant's best. He has been up with the leaders before, but with just a few meetings left to run, all Dumesny needs is a bad night and we might see another Tunks on the track Championship and NSW Club Championship trophies. And that would certainly please the legion of Tunks fans at Parramatta ... nother one of the Parramatta family affairs is the Peter and Taylor Johnson combination from the NSW's Central Coast.

Peter, the proprietor of EWT Auto Dismantlers, has provided winning Sprintcars for John Walsh, Todd Wanless and MickTurner.

After missing from the scene for a few years, Peter returned with a couple of ex-World of Outlaws Sprintcars and took up

racing himself. Then, last summer, his 16-year-old daughter Taylor, a product of the speedway karts, took up racing the 800-plus horsepower Sprintcar.

Taylor, who is still at school, has been a stand-out and put in some very impressive drives, even picking up a few heat race victories. Sprintcar racing is in her blood, as her cousin is another one of the PCR Sprintcar families, Sammy Walsh.

"Ever since I was in karts, I told Dad I wanted to race Sprintcars," says Taylor,"and he finally let me do it when I was old enough."

"I've just got my car licence so it's a long way off before I settle down and get married. I'm too young to bethinking about that sort of stuff.

I'm still at school, I've got this year to think about my future, but my school work will not hamper my Sprintcar racing. Sprintcars come first, but don't tell mumi" With her Dad still racing, there are time when there is a father and daughter combination racing on the fast PCR track.

"Dad and I do talk about racing at home but my whole life doesn't revolve around it. I do hang around the shed when the guys are working on the cars." motorsportnews

5PEEDUIRV ^

Crash,Bang

GrantTunks has had a consistent season... mostly.

There was this little scrape back in December, which was captured by crash expert John Morris

73

The Western Pointer GRANT ROWLEY spoke to Top Doorslammers leader John Zappia about working hard,expandil^his racing operation and the issue of bonus points for east coast invaders lll MOTORSPORT NEWS: Another great start to the year, and with only three rounds to go, you have a handy Top Doorslammer series lead. What are you thoughts leading into the deciding rounds?

JOHN ZAPPIA: Fantastic. The team is working really hard. It's taken this year to get a handle on the car and get on top of the combination, but we've finally got the car to a point where it's consistent, we can run within a couple of hundredths of what we think we should be running.

The competition has stepped up too. When Robin Judd came out with a 5.86s a couple of meetings ago, we had to turn the wicks up and we went 5.90s.That got us a lane choice for the final and we went 5.88s in the final and beat Robin.

We are both locked within two-hundredths of performance of each other. We set the mile-per-hour record at Willowbank(New Year Series). We've been striving to pick up the top speed record for some time now. With my HQ Monaro having the blunt, flat front

end, it has to push through a lot of air, unlike the Studebaker and the Camaro - they've got pointier, swooping fronts. We've been struggling with that, so it's good in the end that we've been able to get that sort of speed.

In the last meeting, we set our personal best speed at Kwinnana - 243.24mph.That equalled the top speed of the event.

So, we're finally making progress on getting performing at both ends of the track. We've still got a little way to go off the startline area, and we believe that we should be able to run consistent high 5.80s.

This isn't very good news for your rivals if you think there's further room for improvement...

No, definitely not! Some of them have got it there as well, but they are struggling with consistency.They can do a good run here or there, and you can't underestimate any of them.

Peter Kapiris came out with a 5.94s straight off the trailer, so who knows where that could

end up.That might be able to run a 5.80 in the near future...

We can run them like clockwork, and that's what you need to do at the moment. And the class is so close that you can still get beaten by a better reaction time. We're not sitting back relaxing, I can tell you.

Robin Judd is currently second in points. Is he your most likely rival?

For sure. He's second. It's basically him that I need to keep ahead of. He needs to win the next three meetings, and I need to go out in the next three for him to have a chance.

We're going to do our best to make that not happen.

In regards to the aero deficiencies you say your car has, is there any scope for you to upgrade to a sleeker model,even if you do currently run a very fast and popular chassis?

I don't think so. We've got two of these now.

The new car is nearly finished, it's painted and it looks fantastic. .LlliJlLliJjJUj'! MjAVC-.

DRnGRncinG

3

7

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I went away from the Monaro once. I had a Pontiac Funny Car and people kept coming up and talking about the Monaro! As soon as I went back to the Monaro,the success just went haywire with sponsorship and everything else.This car is me, I just have to put up with it.

I have to find other ways to get around the lack of aerodynamics that the Monaro has.

In saying that,there is scope for changing the front ends. When you apply to ANDRA, you are allowed to extend the front end by four inches. I haven't got that, and if I did, my car would be getting to the finish line four inches earlier...

When do we expect to see the car in competition?

We were hoping to get it out and test it on a couple of weeks, but the way the economy is, we've had to cut back on our spending.

We'll probably debut it to the public at the Australian Performance Show in Perth in May. After that, we'll finish it properly and start testing it in May and get it ready for the new season.

We've got to get (driver) Craig Pedley ready and licensed for his debut. Craig's been driving a VE GTS in local racing here. He's been doing that which gives us the two-car team appearance in Perth. He's run 11.6s, 120mph, so it's not too bad.

So you've got a bit of faith in his ability and future ...

vivivitiiiR-m aaiMs

IF BONUS POINTS IS"\/l^/!iTlf TAKOTMSfNG PEOPLE TO PERTH, WELL THEN TH^^REAf DOORSLAMMERS POINTS LEADER JOlW^PIA ON THE GREAT BONUS POfNfS DEBATE

Yeah,for sure. He does what he's told and he's when they got the bonus points.

If bonus points is what it takes to bring very realistic. He knows he's not going to learn people to Perth, well then that's great. how to drive a Doorslammer overnight. It will It makes no difference to me. I don't get take laps. He's got to learn how to do burnouts, -paid any money for going to the East Coast. he's got to learn every step.

And I don't get any bonus points for going He's tolid me that he doesn't just want a car there. They come here and they do. Even if set-up, ready to go straight down the track. He they come runner-up, they are still picking up says he needs to get the laps and handle the car. bonus points.

I don't think it's a big factor. Some people I've seen him handle the GTS, completely will say"because he wins the two Perth rounds, sideways,and carry on and made a run. He it's impossible to win the championship."The didn't just bail out because it got too scary! He rains out have been a factor in that.There's showed that he knows what to do when the been two rounds which we haven't been able car isn't doing what it should. I'm confident that he'll be able to do it. to do which makes it tighter, in other years.

I've only ever won one of those rounds in the past. Someone else won the other. I don't One of the points of note this year is the see it as the be all and end all. I made sure bonus points factor (ED:for entrants from this year that I was on the receiving end for a the east competing in the west). Do you change! agree with it or disagree?

There's for and against with it all, but I'm all Look, I don't care whether they have it or not. for people travelling to Perth. If bonus points People are now whingeing about it because and tow-money is what it takes, then ail the I've finally won two of them, but every other better. year, I didn't hear them complaining about it

F

UNNY Car racer Ron Capps is off to the best start of his career on the NHRA

Full Throttle Drag Racing Series with a new attitude and approach to the way he and the NAPA Auto Parts Funny Car team contend the'09 season.

Capps credits his crew chief Ed 'Ace' McCulloch for the NAPA team's newfound success they've enjoyed this season, scoring victories in the season's first two events.

"He's the man,"said Capps."He's done well in his career, driven Funny Cars, and Top Fuel dragsters.

He's my hero, and I can't tell you how I feel right now. More than anything, this is great for the NAPA guys and for Ace. He's really worked hard in the off-season and kind of started from scratch with the tune-up."

Capps took the win at the rainsoaked season opener, stopping John Force, BobTasca and Robert Hight, before defeating Jim Head in the final round.

"It's like a really good cook learning how to cook again completely differently.The car is just so different to run, to feel, and it puts me in the trunk at half-track.

Our focus this year is to roll into each event and rip their hearts out on each run, and focus on winning the race. The points will come,the Countdown will come."

Capps second win of'09 came at Phoenix, where he scored a final round win on a single over Mike Neff after earlier defeating Jeff Arend,team-mate Matt Hagen and Del Worsham.

"It's a great feeling, because we were embarrassed by not winning any races last year. We didn't give NAPA what they deserved, and they came on board when they saw what we did 2005 through 2007,taking 11 wins in those three years.This season is what we should have been doing for them last year."

Capps had his win streak of two-for-two in the first events

of the 2009 season snapped at Gainesville when he lost a close round one race to Tony Pedregon.

Despite his early exit in the opening round of Funny Car eliminations at the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, Capps continues to lead the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car standings. He is now 38 points ahead of BobTasca III. "That's the way It goes,"said Capps.

"The NAPA Dodge ran great, I think it was sixth quickest of that round,and I've been on the other side of that deal when I've won."

While Capps Is enjoying the attention to be leading the points, with a weekend off where lot of teams might have been on vacation, the NAPA team was at West Palm where they tested on Monday prior to the Gainesville event. It just shows the drive and determination of the entire NAPA

at the track testing.

"This NAPA team has always been great. We win as a team and we definitely lose as a team. As cliche as it sounds,there's not one guy who would ever have a bad thing to say, and it really brings us together. We're obviously happy with the NAPA car right now.

"When you go up every session and it's one of the fastest cars in that session it Just shows how good a car we have. Ace is really on his game,and we're going to take it to Houston and try to win there."

team.They are leading the points and won two in a row, we were still

W f fes my Hero,and i can t tell you how I feel right now. l ie's really worked hard in the off season,and kind of started from scratch with the tune-up Capps,right,is living the dream with McCulloch 76

UP motorsport news

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Ford Capri - Full Chasfts This car has been ®found for years taithas'Jns^.beeTi cashed wWi new ^pilhtj'lhsl^&and out. Wie motor h®f Just eecaSly been tuned andj^ cndy h§d a tew runs.The ear Ian shwroom condition apd hasnt the track with Its rressr pednt. Srst to S££, wUI Mi

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Ready for Tarmac Rally or Road Use ,Fresh litre rover with all quality internals and components,Supra 5 Speed ,koni suspension,big brakes, LSD, comp seats fitted, has had full resto ,top to bottom,would suit a fussy purchaser looking for a top example of this marque serious inquiries only. $20,000 ONO. Call Gregg 02 9674 5651(day) & 0428745651 (evening).

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EVO 9 Club Spec GSR One of few EVO 9 Club Spec for road & rally. Motec ECU by Autotech, Koni shocks, Seibon carbon bonnet, boot, lip, mirrors, Enkei wheels. New clutch/ flywheel, CAMS cage, SABELT harness, much more + spares,11,000km on ODO, new engine ~6,000km, rallied once, NSW Rego - EV-009. First to see will buy. $ 52,500 Neg. Craig 0416006666, www.myl05.eom/58608 LS2 Race Engine

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Gemini Sports Sedan Powder coated inside, new paint, extensive new suspension work.

THOUSANDS spent. Adjustable Koni's F & R, AP 4 spots front, Wilwood 2 spot rear, pedal box, Mazda diff, set up for SR20 and Nissan 5 speed. New seat, moulds, panels.More pictures www,sr20.com.au/gemini/index,html and EBay. $22,000 ONO. Craig Hill 0419266972. www.myl05.com/26175

Group A BMW M3 Genuine '87 Black Gold JPS M3 then '88 Brock/Richards Mobil car. Original Log books and long history. Just completed all mechanical resto.Overhauled shocks, brakes, rims, rear susp. New tank,6 spd and 5 spd boxes. Call Jervis on 0409 137 629 for more info. $ 272,000 Neg. Jervis Ward 0409137629 / 0409137629. www.myl05.com/25238

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iHi-L1t«YourAd Block Coloured Ads Out ROW! iHii ti Tan<fei^ort off® tof sale thtSr ace winning Dellara FSOfc agordless of cost during entire life « Pactoiy.Opel car In Eurp^ Long.WC Base front-suspensten.Car co mes coaiplete O^iAaritfnai AP CaN damtso^s. ytCHS carbon dutch, spae complete frcBt 'noSB/^ln|g.CSa9n one^ Wheels. $38tt neg. Many othst gmas avaMsfe lepoitlii^^olud complete sp®e;enii|lhe, complete-set of wlshbom,drB»tWtsrs|^e%reslle^ (turning vanes.searflaor.V Block, rear wmg ptemari^iE)and too moreto li»(4 $80,000 Nag. Leanne+61 3 97M 7^1. vuucw.my 105.com/81085

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FACTORY DRIVE in FIA SERIES Drives Available in 2008 Championship Winning (1-2) Team in factory backed cars for the 2009 Asian Touring Car Max series. FIA recognised series over 6

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i

n THE 'H' TEHm

TRLh COnUERTOR HERE IS A COLLECTION OF THE BEST SNIPPETS PUBLISHED IN ENEWS OVER THE PAST MONTH

n Editorial Executive Editor; Phil Branagan editor@mnews.com.au Deputy Editor: Grant Rowley grant@mnews.com.au National Editor: Andrew van Leeuwen andrew@mnews.com.au n Production Graphic Design & Web:Jayne Uthmeyer design@mnews.com.au B Advertising National Sales Manager: Oriana Kennedy P 03 9596 5555 F 03 9596 5030 M 0422 624 349 oriana@mnews.com.a u fl Administration 357 Nepean Highway, Brighton East, VIC,3187 (PO Box 7072, Brighton, VIC,3186) P 03 9596 5555 F 03 9596 5030 admin@mnews.com.au Managing Director/Publisher: Chris Lambden publisher@mnews.com.au B Contributors fl:Will Buxton, Mark Glendenning, Paolo Filisetti forope;David Addison 05;Martin D. Clark, Phil Morris, Mary Bignotti Mendez Speedway:Greg Boscato, Geoff Rounds, Darren Sutton,Tony Millard (UK), Geoff Grade Rally: Ryan Lahiff DragRadng:Dave Ostaszewski(USA), Ken Ferguson,John Bosher National: Lachlan Mansell, Mark Jones, Aaron Shaw, Daniel Powell 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) Motorsport News is published by Australasian Motorsport News ABN 55 125 120 702 Publisher: C Lambden Printed by: Webstar Printing Distributed by: NDD Ltd Material published by MOTORSPORT NEWS is copyright and may not be reproduced in full or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Freelance contributions are welcome,and while all care will be taken, Australasian Motorsport News does not accept responsibility for damage or loss of material submitted.

'Opinions expressed in Motorsport News are not necessarily those of Australasian Motorsport News or its staff.

Australia (IncGST) Overseas (airmail): New Zealand &SE Asia Rest of the World

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A$240 A$300

POST cheque/money order to the address above FAX credit card details(VISA or Mastercard) to 03 9596 5030(int'l +613 9596 5030) EMAILtosubs@mnews.com.au or PAY ONLINE at:

www,mnews.c@m„aM 82

mail@mnews.com.au

SEND US YOUR THOUGHTS: PO BOX 7072, BRIGHTON,VIC, 3186 Save Steve Society What more does Steve Owen have to do?

given their marching orders.

I understand that we are in recession but to wait until the cars

generation of drivers.

The only thing is that he is going to have to unlearn the media

The guy is fast, consistent and doesn't bend cars. Some teams could regret their new signings once they see their damage bills for the season.

Matthew Wilson reckons Owen ^ should have got a Main Series drive this year

are finished is just wrong.

Strange reasoning by Daniel Vella; FPR needed to make cuts in these tough times, and you wanted your friend to lose hisjob sooner?

training they give all young drivers these days,so they can prat on for two minutes and say absolutely nothing of any meaning!

We were right, Michael Kingsbrough, as are you. Using 1000 words when one will do can be frustrating for a journotoo!

Hey there, good lookin' Just wanted to say how good the mag looks in its ever-evolving electronic and print format. I have been a MN subbie for what seems forever and as an ex publisher and lifetime print man (Australian Aviation) it is interesting to see how you have handled the ever changing modern era environment.

No, we don't pay Jim Thorn.

But we like him Timing is everything What great timing by FPR - cars finished,then workers sacked.

I know this as one of my best friends one of the people

Off the limiter Can you find out what is going on with that RPM show please?

I tried checking Ten's website but it looks like they shut it down.

When we called the station, no one seemed to know if it was coming back or not.

I have watched that show for years, so I hope it hasn't been 'boned'as Eddie McGuire would say.

Unfortunately for Lance Laudenbach, RPM has been...

Skaife Speak I hope your story about Mark Skaife getting a spot on the Channel Seven commentary team is correct. I have always found him to be among the more lucid and well spoken of the current

2 years ago

Issue 001 (eNews)- 24=30 April,2007

THEY say change is as good as a holiday. Well, exactly two years ago,the staff at Motorsport News were finding out that change can actually mean a lack of holidays ...

Because, in April 2007, we were working around the clock developing a product that has quickly become a staple of the motor racing media - Motorsport eNews. Yep, being the environmentally friendly crew that we are, we decided to cut our paper usage in half, turn our fortnightly into a monthly (and what a monthly!) and send you the latest and greatest news direct to your desktop once a week.

At the time, there were detractors. But two years on eNews is still going strong and has been readily accepted by our loyal readership.Thanks guys and girls.

Anyway,on to that first issue. Like an omen from above, Paul Morris hit the wall hard at Pukekohe,sending his

Commodore end-over-end. And our chief snapper Dirk Klynsmith was on the scene, an unusual stroke of luck from the man who complains most about drivers never crashing in front of him. It was the perfect cover shot, which we reproduced on pages six and seven in a vibrancy that only a screen can send to your eyes.

Scary for Paul, but it made for gorgeous photography.

And there was news too.The lead spread of our first online issue talked about John Marshall taking over PWR Racing from Kees Week It was practically a certainty at the time, but as history shows, it never happened.

Russell Ingall was also in the news thanks to the big question mark over his future with SBR. We predicted he'd play a big part in the upcoming silly season, and we were right.

Another interesting headline is the one that reads'Honda dramas'.

Although early in the FI season.

Tents Words I have been attending since 2000 and normally I go to Bathurst with 10-15 others.

However,due to the changes introduced this year, only two of us were willing anci able to commit, at this early stage of the year, to attending. For starters, there vvas the increase in price of the sites.

Secondly,a lot of us are unable to get our holidays approved more than six months in advance. So because of all of these changes, noone was willing to commit.

Col F will be adding to Seven's TV figures, not VESA's crowd figures, for this year's 1000.

inetirsPll

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TEAM SOLD V8 brake Usues

Lights out at AGP

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Pukekohe'sfinal fling

acuiar sequeni IngalUSayingtoOS!

it was obvious that the team that had won a race in 2006 stood about as much chance as Branagan did of winning one in 2007. Now the team doesn't even exist - not in its former guise, anyway.

See, a lot can change in two years. Like the way you get your Motorsport News.

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MONEY CAN^T BUY EXPERIENCE Some of Australia's leading V8 supercar drivers will take part in a Fan Day fundraiser at Queensland Raceway this April. David Besnard will take fans for the ride of their life to help victims of the Victorian bushfires and the North Queensland Floods.

The Real Deal I Supercar Appeal day scheduled for April 26 at «,|v the Ipswich racetrack will feature an action-packed day of motoring, motor sport, sporting and entertainment activities.

V8 Supercar driver 'David Besnard' has purchased the Stone Brothers Racing three-seat Supercar ride car which will be used' tp give fans the ridepf their life. .p , ■ Sj

It's shaping up as a massive day and one which everyone involved will be proud of because it is helping out victims of the bushfires and floods."

"Australian's have already donated generously but this is just another way of chipping in to do our bit", Besnard said.

THE DRIVERS The 700bhp Supercar will be driven

by Besnard with fellow V8 racers Craig Lowndes, James Courtney, Steven Johnson, Shane van Gisbergen, Alex Davison, Craig Baird and Glenn Seton confirmed for the day.

Fans will be strapped into the Supercar for three hot laps of the Queensland Raceway circuit and will be given special privileges in a VIP package.

www.supercarrides.com.au

THE FUNDS The Salvation Army v\/ill collect and distribute all monies raised on the day to the victims of the Black Saturday Victorian bushfires and the North Queensland floods.

The day will also feature stunt displays, show n shines, a speed comparison between a lOOOcc super bike. Falcon XR8 roadcar and the Supercar.

Notable Australian touring car displays featuring Barry "Bo" Seton's Ford Capri, Glenn Seton's Peter Jackson Nissan Skyline from the 1980's and Dick Johnson's famous Tru-Blu and Greens Tuff Falcons promise to be a highlight for racing afficianados.

Sporting memorabilia will also be auctioned on the day and giveaways include 20 rides in Craig Baird's 997 series Porsche Carrera Cup car.