Not too long ago, Honda was planning a revival of the NSX, apparently called the Acura Sports. Then they axed it. Then they announced it wasn’t dead yet. And they announced that it was dead. And now it’s alive. Well, sort of.
Category Archives: Motorsports
Renault set to stay in F1, sells stake
After a period of rumours that Renault could quit Formula 1, the French manufacturer has announced that it is set to remain committed to their F1 racing programme.
Ferrari will allow Schumacher to leave
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has said that he will let Schumacher leave to Mercedes-Benz GP if he chooses to do so.
Formula 1 Gets New Points System
The FIA has announced that the Formula 1 World Championship will get another points scoring system in 2010. As next year we will have 26 cars on the grid, the governing body of F1 announced a change was needed to deal with the increased interests of new teams to join the championship. Under the old system, points were accorded as following:
- 10 points
- 8 points
- 6 points
- 5 points
- 4 points
- 3 points
- 2 points
- 1 point
However, with the new system, points will be awarded to the first 10 drivers as follows:
- 25 points
- 20 points
- 15 points
- 10 points
- 8 points
- 6 points
- 5 points
- 3 points
- 2 points
- 1 point
The FIA say that this new system will be more appropriate with the increased number of cars on the grid, allowing some of the new teams which haven’t got so much money to score. As always in F1 lately, controversy has already sparked on the new points system with some people saying that by introducing this new regulation, comparisons between past and current drivers points will no longer be possible. The 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 system was introduced in 2003 and the new one is said to be the greatest point system change in F1 history. Even tough I don’t usually agree with the FIA, this time I think they are absolutely right.
Source: Autosport
Video: DTM – The Golden Years HD
Some brilliant bloke called DTMEnthusiast put up this amazing collection of old DTM clips from the “golden era” of the sport. I’ve found it and I thought I could share it with you as DTM is one of the biggest touring car championships in the world standing next to the BTCC and WTCC. Please note that the HD button is available and I highly recommend you press it.
Video found via Mycarvid
Silverstone Gets F1 GP Deal
After all the controversy and scandal between Donington and Silverstone these months, it has finally been set: Silverstone will retain the F1 British GP for the 2010 calendar of Formula 1. It all looked lost for Silverstone as last year Bernie Ecclestone signed a 17-year deal with Donington Park to host the F1 GP’s from 2010 on. Unfortunately, Donington didn’t have enough money for the project so Bernie ripped their contract, talked with Silverstone and here we are today: It’s all official.
The deal will also be for 17 years as the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) announced the agreement today. The BRDC president, a certain Damon Hill said: “Everyone was well aware that the British GP is not just a sporting event, but it is dynamo of the industry in this country. Losing it would have been damaging and perhaps there would have been no coming back.”. Personally, I would have liked to see Donington on the calendar rather than Silverstone as it is for me a much better track with that something else that makes it great. Bernie threatened however throughout the year that a British GP isn’t necessary just to remind the guy’s who’s the boss but only to put that little more pressure on the circuit managers. Silverstone has also announced a modernization for the pits and the paddock.
Subaru to Make Rally Comeback
The Japanese manufacturer Subaru has entered next year’s IRC – International Rally Championship. However, they will not register any factory teams but instead will allow privateers running Subaru’s in the championship to score manufacturer points. Alongside Fiat, Honda, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Proton, Skoda and Volkswagen from next year we will be finding Subaru there as well, making them the 8th team in the championship. After their WRC withdrawal, Subaru hasn’t had a factory team in any other rally championship but they now claim that the IRC is the way to go: “The IRC provides an ideal arena to develop our customer competition activities. With approximately 1000 Subaru cars rallying around the world, this is a great opportunity for our customers.” said Subaru’s motor sport director.
There isn’t much else to say really, maybe this “entry” in the IRC is the first step in preparing a factory team for the championship, maybe they want to acquire precious data to set up their street cars better, with the chaotic motor sport climate lately, anything is possible. Anyway, we wish them good luck and a speedy return to the WRC as Subaru is was one good rally team.
WRC Ride for Kimi Raikkonen
Former F1 racing driver and world champion Kimi Raikkonen has signed with Citroen for 12 races in the 2010 World Rally Championship. He will get to drive the Citroen C4, a car that dominated about everything since it was launched. Failing to find a seat in the 2010 F1 Championship, the Finn has focused on his other racing passion: Rallying. He got to drive a Fiat Punto S2000 earlier this year, but unfortunately he ended his rally with a DNF. For 2010 he will be joining Citroen’s junior squad and his co-driver will be fellow countryman Kaj Lindstrom. Raikkonen said: “I always wanted to compete in rally, especially in the World Rally Championship at some point in my career,” and he thanked Red Bull, his sponsor, which helped him get there.
Source: GP Update
Limited Edition Maserati GranTurismo for Middle East
Maserati has created a limited edition of their GranTurismo S just for the Middle East market. It’s called the Maserati GranTurismo S MC Sport Line.
It’s been decked out with bits from Maserati’s MC Sport Line, hence the name. The car also gets a matte white paint job.
Little details have been given, but only 12 will be made, all sold in the Middle East. 12 is to honour the 12 trophies (Contructor’s and driver’s) that the Maserati MC12 has won in the FIA GT Championship since 2005. There are also exactly 12 cities with Maserati dealers in the Middle East. Each car will feature an internal plaque with the name of the city it is dedicated to.
Italy will also be getting a version of this car. It will be painted in matte white pearl, and only 11 will be made, all for the Italian market.
It looks brilliant, but with so little details, it’s hard to understand whether or not there’s any difference between this and just a GranTurismo S with bits from the MC Sport Line.
Here’s the press release, but don’t expect much more details than what I’ve just said.
Limited-edition GranTurismo S MC Sport Line
30/11/2009 – ModenaThe limited-edition Maserati GranTurismo S MC Sport Line with Matt White “ice” finishing is here portrayed in front of the futuristic structure of the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, where it was unveiled in a dedicated event for a selected number of Maserati customers of the Middle East.
Designed to enhance the sporty DNA of the Trident, the “MC Sport Line” sums up the experience acquired on the track by the Maserati Corse racing department, whose contribution to the design of the functional components has been invaluable. The world of motor racing also inspired Maserati’s designers when it came to styling, hence the extensive use of carbon fiber.
Only twelve GranTurismos in this configuration will be produced in Modena, all for the Middle East markets. Twelve is also the number of world titles which make up the prestigious palmares of the MC12 in the FIA GT International Championship since 2005: 2 Constructors’ Cups (2005 and 2007), 4 Drivers’ Titles 4 (Bartels-Bertolini in 2006, Thomas Biagi in 2007, Bartels-Bertolini in 2008 and 2009); 5 Teams’ Titles (from 2005 onwards uninterruptedly with the Vitaphone Racing Team); 1 Citation Cup in 2007 with the gentleman driver Ben Aucott.
Furthermore, twelve are the Middle East cities where Maserati is present with a dedicated showroom: each car will feature an internal plaque with the name of the city to which it is committed.
A limited and numbered edition of the GranTurismo S MC Sport Line, finished in a Matt Bianco Fuji with eye-catching pearlescent nuances, will be dedicated to the Italian market. Only eleven customers in Italy will be able to sit behind the wheel of this exclusive car.
Source: Autoblog
Car of the Week: Audi R10 TDI
We’ve had a few Cars of the Week now, but this will our first race car: The Audi R10 TDI.