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News Archive  Nov 2010

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13/12/2010

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30-11-10

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge ‘Driver of the Year’ for 2010 Peter Smallwood visited the HQ of Porsche Cars GB on November 25th, to receive his prize of a road-going Porsche Cayman S for a year. The keys were handed over by Geoff Turrell, General Manager Marketing and Sales for Porsche GB, the occasion also marking the close links between Porsche Cars GB and the Porsche Club GB that run the series. “It’s great to accept the Cayman from Porsche GB,” said 45-year-old Smallwood, “and I’m still really pleased with how the season went and to have this prize is just a fantastic topping to the year. I also get to go to the Porsche Night of Champions at Weissach, which I am really looking forward to. I am now shopping for a 997 GT3 to run in the series next year.” 2010 was the first full season of racing for Towcester-based Smallwood, who only had his first race in October 2009. Running a 996 GT3 Cup car in Class Two of the GT3 Cup Challenge, he clinched the award on count-back after tying on points with season long rival Bertie Carruthers. 2010 was the first season of the Porsche Club GT3 Challenge, the series being a Porsche concept used in nine other locations worldwide, with the UK joined by Japan , Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia in starting up their series in 2010.

GP2: American, Alexander Rossi put together the fourth fastest lap of the two-day GP2 test in Sunday’s final session, driving Racing Engineering’s Dallara GP2/08 around the 3.45-mile (5.5-km) Yas Marina Circuit in 1:47.280.  Rossi was only   0.142-secs slower than Michael Herck’s test-topping 1:47.138, also done Sunday afternoon. Rossi was the fastest rookie in the test, which concluded on-track activity for GP2 until next year. Read more

Formula 3: $50,000 will be awarded to a deserving young driver at the conclusion of the 2011 Formula 3 Australian Drivers championship following the announcement of the Forpark Australia Formula 3 Scholarship.  Forpark Australia, a family owned Australian company, has been manufacturing and supplying playground equipment and park furniture to local government, education and commercial business throughout Australia since 1979. Their slogan ‘Helping young Australians grow’ offers perfect synergies with Formula 3 and it’s position as the world’s leading formula for developing young driving talent.  The Forpark Australia Scholarship will involve drivers under the age of 23 racing in the Formula 3 National Class, eligible for 1999-2004 model F3 chassis.  To be eligible for the award, drivers must commit to racing the full season. A judging panel made up of Forpark Australia representatives, key V8 Supercar team owners, Formula 3 Management, Formula 3 Championship ambassadors and selected media representatives will select the Scholarship winner at the conclusion of the season.  The winning driver will be judged on a set of criteria including Speed and Performance, Technical feedback, Fitness, media performance and a likelihood to succeed in a professional career.  Forpark Australia owner Mr. Darryl Hansen said his company was proud to be supporting an initiative that backed young talent looking towards the future. “For over thirty years, Forpark Australia has been building and supplying playground equipment for use by thousands upon thousands of young Australians. The Forpark F3 Scholarship is our way of providing a slightly different kind of playground for the next generation of racing drivers,” Mr. Hansen said. “We are very excited to be supporting this innovative concept that will invigorate and grow the Australian Formula 3 Championship as it seeks to find the next racing star.

Facu Regalia will be in action today at a Formula 3 Italia test, this time at the wheel of a Team Ghinzani car, one of the top squads in the Italian championship.  The Spanish-Argentinean driver will be at Vallelunga with the Piercarlo Ghinzani’s team. “I’m looking forward to sit in the car, after one month far from a single seater. It will be my third day in a Formula 3 car, after the tests that I made with Prema at Mugello and at Vallelunga, so I’ve more experience, something that will allow me to work in the right direction. One of the goals for this test is to understand the relationship that I’ll have with the team”, said Facu, adding, “After the good tests with Prema, some of the best teams of Formula 3 Italia are interested in me, and I want to be between the fastest again and keep evolving as a driver”.

29-11-10

Masters Historic Racing have announced  that they have been appointed to manage all sporting aspects of the 4th Grand Premio Historico do Porto which is run biennially over the streets of the Portuguese city. The event’s will take place on 17-19  June 2011, two weeks before the FIA WTCC races are held over the same streets. The team at Masters Historic Racing will manage all aspects of the races, including technical inspections, entries and race direction. Masters will also coordinate with the City authorities over the promotional and logistical elements of the event.  Porto’s City government has committed to major revisions to the Boavista circuit, following new layout plans agreed with the FIA, aimed at a Grade 2 licence classification, with a new slower complex of curves in the Start-Finish section – now set to become a permanent stretch of race track - as well as an all new paddock, new safety barriers, and an increase in track widths along most of the 5.2 kilometres of city and parkland circuit.Masters will run races for their 3 litre Grand Prix cars, for the 1960s and 1970’s sports cars, the Gentleman Drivers GT grid, and the Pre-1966 Masters Touring cars, both over and under 2 litres. Masters have agreed with ANCAP, the national historic championship of Portugal to host two of their race grids.  “We are pleased that we won a world-wide competition for the rights to this event”, said Masters founder, Ron Maydon: “We did race some of our grids on the old-style circuit back in 2007, and many of those drivers are keen to return, along with dozens more keen to test themselves on this famous, if now much revised, track. The Grade 2 updates to the track, as well as the new facilities were key in this decision, as are the generous benefits on travel and accommodation offered to every entrant. We are sure that this will be a ‘must do’ event for historic racers from all over Europe, and we already have entry inquiries from Australia , Japan and the USA , as well as all over Europe ”. Teams and drivers seeking further information are asked to register with the Masters office on team@themastersseries.com, by December 20th. Details on the accommodation and the travel support package, the races and a first draft provisional timetable will all be made available to all interested competitor inquiries.

Porsche Carrera Cup GB: Tim Harvey, Ollie Jackson and David Bartrum all picked up the keys for new road-going Porsche 911s during the annual awards dinner for the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Marlow on Saturday evening (27 November). Along with cheques for over £60,000 in end-of-season prize money, the keys for brand new 911s were presented to overall champion Harvey, pro-am1 winner Jackson and Bartrum of Motorbase Performance, winner of the teams'  championship. Each of the three major awards winners now has the use of the 911 for a year.Harvey, Michael Caine and Stephen Jelley collected cheques for £15,000, £10,000 and £6000 respectively for finishing first, second and third overall in the championship.  Jackson stepped up to collect the pro-am1 title, while Jonas Gelzinis and Tony Gilham took second and third places in pro-am1 and a share of the £13,000 end of season pro-am1 prize fund.  In pro-am2, Glenn McMenamin, George Brewster and George Richardson shared £9000 in prize money. Teenager Richardson also claimed the special award for the 'most improved driver of the season' along with a further cheque for £1000. In the teams' championship, Motorbase Performance won the top award, with Red Line Racing in second and Team Parker Racing in third. The three top teams in the championship also won £7000, £4000 and £3000 respectively. The Amlin Mechanics' Award of £3000 went to the crew at Team Parker Racing.

FIA GT: It’s in South America that Maxime Martin is ending his 2010 motorsport season, with the final two rounds of the FIA GT1 World Championship held on the circuits of Interlagos (Brazil) and San Luis (Argentina) with the Marc VDS Racing team. Taking on the first qualifying session, Maxime slotted in to the top-5 prior to handing over to his team mate Bas Leinders, who brought the Ford GT into 11th place on the first of the two starting grids. In the Qualification Race on Saturday Leinders took the start and was soon climbing  up through the field, taking advantage of an accident just ahead of him. But having reached  5th place he began falling back due to  tyre wear before handing over the drive to Maxime back in 14th place. “ Not only were we faced with this poor tyre management, but when getting going again the clutch seriously played up and I was obliged to get the car going with the inboard means”, Maxime explained. “I got back on to the track far down in 18th place, before managing to climb back up into 10th spot, and then dropping down a place, once again handicapped by the tyres near the end of the race. And so the Ford GT Marc VDS concluded the first race of the weekend in 11th place “On Sunday Maxime took the start of the Championship Race, promptly moving up two or three places. A progression which was not to alter during the first part of the race “ Not only was I able to follow the pace of the leading group, but I also managed to move up into the top-5. The drivers ahead of me one by one then called into the pits for their stop, and during one lap I found myself leading the race. I must admit that we had solved our early tyre wear problem by adjusting their pressures. “ Leinders then took over for the second part of the race, rejoining in 6th place after the pit-stop. Near the end of the race the Ford Marc VDS was breathing down on the Krumm-Dumbreck Nissan GT-R and Bas got the better in the last lap, giving the Belgian team a top-5 finish. “ A highly positive result, however had the first of the two races been more favourable for us we would definitely have ended up on the podium, Maxime continued. Once again our Ford GT is the best representative of the marque which pleases us no end. We’re now heading off for Argentina and the San Luis circuit which I don’t really know. This season our car has shown itself to be at ease almost everywhere, so we have every belief that we should be in a position to end the season on a high note. Everything feasible will be done to ensure that we finish off this initial FIA GT1 World Championship in the best possible manner. “

Testing: Each year, Racing Steps Foundation (RSF) meets to debate the merits of the country’s top performers with a view to selecting one or two of them to fund for a season’s competition or more. With its stated mission to help to further the careers of talented-but-underfunded competitors, in 2010, the names of a dozen of Britain’s top young drivers appeared on the short-list – and Tom Ingram’s was one of them. The first round of assessment involved a series of psychometric tests, an in-depth interview and a session on a simulator, under the eye of John Surtees.  A fitness test at the Porsche Human Performance Centre at Silverstone to determine each finalist’s strength and stamina was followed by driving a Formula Renault single-seater at Rockingham. “I had to get used to how to drive it, because it’s very different from the Ginetta,” he explained. “Apart from a handful of laps in an Autosport Young Guns car, I had never done anything in a single-seater before, and to have someone assessing everything you are doing does put a little bit of pressure on.”  Sadly missing out in the final reckoning, the Teng Tools and Mr. Signs-backed racer recognised that to have got as far as he did was a superb accomplishment. “Even though I didn’t get picked in the end, the whole experience was really worthwhile and has helped to make me a better driver,” he concluded. “It gave me some good pointers as to where I can improve, so it was really beneficial in that respect. I’d like to thank RSF founder Graham Sharp and the foundation’s Derek Walters for giving me the opportunity, as well its ambassador John Surtees, Fortec boss Richard Dutton and ‘Mr. Karting’ Martin Hines for the time they devoted to assessing me and the other drivers.” Pic Jakob Ebrey Photography/Racing Steps Foundation

Britain’s Dean Smith joined an elite group of racing drivers recently by becoming the latest aspiring Formula One hopeful to actually have the opportunity to test an F1 car with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team. The 22-year-old, who earned the life-changing experience by winning the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award this time last year, delivered an assured performance on his F1 test debut and is now hungrier than ever to fight his way to the pinnacle of motor racing. Very few drivers ever get the opportunity to even sit in the cockpit of an active F1 car, let alone take to the track, so Dean made the most of every second on Silverstone’s South Circuit. After a thorough briefing with McLaren’s test team, the 2009 Formula Renault UK Champion took to the wet track at the wheel of an MP4-23 McLaren Mercedes – the car raced in the 2008 FIA F1 World Championship.  Impressing the team with his pace, application and professionalism, Dean improved with each session and got significantly faster in each of his three, six-lap runs. Feeling comfortable with the car from the off, the West Midlands racer rapidly got used to the immense braking power of the McLaren and the awe-inspiring corner speed and produced a tremendous showing. “Driving a Formula One car is something I’ve wanted to do all my life and to have actually achieved that aim, thanks to everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, really is a dream come true”, said Dean. “When I went out on track for the first time it was pretty wet but that wasn’t a problem, everything felt very comfortable and quite natural actually. We hit 185mph at the end of the main straight but it didn’t feel massively different to cars I’ve raced and tested before, like the World Series by Renault car, because it’s so smooth and well balanced. The McLaren Mercedes is absolutely awesome.” With the Formula One test fresh in his memory, Dean is now working harder than ever to secure the budget to race in F1 support category GP3 again next year. 

28-11-10

DTM: Mercedes-Benz had two reasons to celebrate after the DTM finale in the Chinese metropolis of Shanghai: Gary Paffett and Paul Di Resta scored a 1-2 for the team from Stuttgart in the eleventh round of the season and for the Scot, finishing second behind race winner Paffett was enough to clinch the 2010 DTM championship title. After 49 laps at the 2.465 kilometres long street circuit, Timo Scheider (Audi) finished third. The remaining point-scoring positions were occupied by Martin Tomczyk (Audi), Miguel Molina (Audi), Jamie Green (Mercedes-Benz), Markus Winkelhock (Audi) and David Coulthard (Mercedes-Benz). For former F1 driver Coulthard, eighth place is the best result in his maiden season in the DTM.  Read Report 

27-11-10

DTM: Scot Paul Di Resta has secured himself the best position for the battle for the 2010 DTM title. The Mercedes-Benz driver did the best job at the DTM season finale on the narrow 2.465 kilometre street circuit in Shanghai and will  start from pole position on Sunday.  Gary Paffett will also be starting from the front row after finishing in second place, third in the drivers’ standings, Di Resta’s fellow Mercedes-Benz driver is  still in the title chase . Points’ leader Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz) will be facing a more difficult task. In the first heat of the four-stage qualifying, the Canadian hit the barriers and although his car was repaired, Spengler failed to improve his time and will start from 17th place. Di Resta said about his fourth pole of the  season: “It was a very difficult qualifying with little grip. I tried not to take too many risks. First place on the grid is the best position in the battle for the title, but at this track, that can change quickly. One has to be very careful.”   German Timo Scheider was the best-placed Audi driver in qualifying. The reigning DTM champion ended up fourth behind Briton Jamie Green who  is driving a 2008-spec AMG Mercedes C-Class. Scheider, who had a crash late on in the third qualifying heat  was sidelined from the fourth session. “Crashing at 220 km/h is not a nice feeling. Fortunately, nothing happened to me. We are now working flat out to get the car ready in time for the race”, Scheider said after qualifying had ended. David Coulthard (Mercedes-Benz) scored his best DTM qualifying result to date in sixth place.  The final qualifying of the year brought plenty of action. After the Spengler’s accident  in the first session, the session was stopped. According to the regulations, all 18 drivers moved up into the next heat. However, this session was stopped early as well due to a crash by DTM rookie Darryl O’Young (Audi) from Hong Kong. As a result, all the drivers had a chance to battle for grid positions in the third heat. The final session of the four fastest drivers was stopped after a crash by Green. Thus, the classification of the third qualifying heat was decisive for the starting grid positions on Sunday.  The eleventh and final DTM race of the year will cover 60 laps and 147.9 kilometres. The start is at 8:23 h (CET).  

26-11-10

The FIA Court of Appeal’s decision to retrospectively exclude Andy Priaulx’s BMW from the first WTCC race at Okayama, Japan, not only deprived Priaulx of 2nd place in the race and an outside chance of securing his fourth WTCC title, but it has also cost him a much coveted BRDC Gold Star.  The points scored by Priaulx at Okayama on 31 October (the last date for drivers to accumulate points towards their BRDC standings) saw him overhaul Mark Webber at the top of the BRDC Gold Star leader board. However, the FIA’s post-race decision means that those points have since been rescinded.The beneficiary of the FIA’s ruling is Red Bull Formula One driver Mark Webber, who feared that, following his retirement from the Korean Grand Prix, he had lost out to Andy in the season-long contest for the Gold Star. While the stewards at Okayama had ruled that the sequential gearbox used in the BMW 320si of Priaulx was within the regulations, the FIA’s International Court of Appeal accepted the submissions, made on behalf of Chevrolet, that this was not the case. “Winning the Gold Star was something I was very proud of, so losing it in this way was deeply disappointing for me”, said Priaulx. “It was a shame my year ended in this way, but after scoring six victories and becoming the most successful FIA WTCC driver in history with 18 wins, I must not complain too much.  I want to congratulate Mark on winning the Gold Star.  He is a great driver and I can think of no-one I would rather it went to, as he also had a tough year.” Mark Webber is the third Australian to win the prestigious BRDC Gold Star, following Sir Jack Brabham OBE (1959, 1960, 1966) and Alan Jones (1979, 1980, 1981).  Webber scored Gold Star points in 15 races, including last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 01 November 2009. Overall, he scored 253 points to Andy Priaulx’s reduced total of 239 points.

Formula Ford: The seventh round of the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship was recently held at Symmons Plains in Tasmania.  Catch all the action as Australia’s future stars take to the track over three races on the Apple Isle this Saturday on 7mate. Plenty of thrills and spills in difficult conditions resulted in some of the best racing all season. Sat 27 November at  12:00pm AEDST (check your local guides) on 7mate.     The Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship has wrapped up for another year, but all the action from the final round at Sandown, which took place on November 19-21, in Melbourne will be coming soon.

Karts: Strawberry Racing announce arrival of the Tony Kart Racer EVRR chassis. The new kart is an evolution of the enormously successful EVR and features several developments; including a new petrol tank, bearing carriers and steering wheel. The tank is now flatter and more compact, creating a lower centre of gravity and better weight distribution. The frame, composed of 30mm molybdenum chrome tubes, offers front and rear height adjustability, along with a huge range of caster and camber change options. The EVRR’s new one-piece bearing carriers have stronger structural stiffness and offer a number of fixing points for seat stays - allowing a greater range of seat adjustments. Such have been Tony Kart’s efforts to optimize every part of the kart, that even the steering column supports have been redesigned. The steering wheel also boasts a bold new appearance. The new model has a flatter bottom, improved material for better grip and feel, plus four spokes that create a new data logger holder. Three different versions have been designed for use with AIM, Unipro and PI dashboards.

It is less than a year since Luke Whitworth took his first tentative steps on the British karting stage, but the young Rotherham racer has been demonstrating recently just how far he has come. Having claimed an excellent top 15 championship placing in the Formula Kart Stars (FKS) series, Luke has embarked upon a programme of winter testing and club meetings to gain more mileage and racing experience ahead of the resumption of national hostilities in FKS and Super 1 next year.  Pic: Chris alker/www.kartpix.net      Read report

From Monaco to Las Vegas, passing through Lonato and Kerpen, the Energy Corse kart team claimed both victories and podiums throughout the season in 2010. The "Energy Power" really means a lot for all the drivers and members of the team, who never stop doing their best with a professionalism that guarantees peak performances. Read more

Prior to last weekend, James Singleton had never raced on his birthday before, but in his latest outing at Shenington on the day that he turned 15, the North Wales kart racer made it three triumphs in swift succession with another masterful performance.   read report

Aussie V8 Supercars: Tom Tweedie will make the transition to V8 Supercar racing next year after confirming a deal to race an Ex-Ford Performance Racing BF Falcon for MW Motorsport in the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series. 21-year-old Tweedie, from Hunters Hill in Sydney's Northern suburbs, will debut on home turf at next weekend's Sydney Telstra 500 in an effort to get one-up on his competition ahead of his full-season campaign next year. After finishing third overall in this year's Formula 3 Australian Drivers' Championship and sealing his second National Class title, Tweedie tested a V8 Supercar at Wakefield Park recently and adapted quickly to the 1350kg, 600-horsepower Touring Car. MW Motorsport are the current Fujitsu series champions, having won eight racesand the title in 2009 with Jonathan Webb. Tweedie said he was looking forward to the new challenge of V8 Supercar racing. "I'm really excited to have the opportunity to race for Matthew White Motorsport. They are a front running team and I know they will provide me with a great car," he said. "Racing at Homebush will be like being thrown into the deep end as I've only had minimal laps behind the wheel of a V8 Supercar, but I'm fortunate that I am racing with Matt's team as there are few more experienced outfits in the Fujitsu series to assist my transition. I'm going to approach the weekend with a level head. It's a learning experience but I will still give it 100%, with the main aim to finish the races in the top 10 and, importantly, make sure I stay out of trouble."  MW Motorsport team owner Matthew White said Tweedie's results this year proved he was up to the task of competing at the front in a Fujitsu V8 Supercar. "We're thrilled to have Tom on board. He's a real talent and proved this year to be a championship contender," White said. "We had (Tom's F3 championship rival) Ben Barker in the car at Bathurst and he did an excellent job so we have no reason to expect anything different from Tom. He looks very capable and quick and I think he will be a perfect fit for our team. White said throwing Tweedie into the deep-end at Homebush next weekend was a strategic, long-term move. "It was going to be Homebush or Clipsal next year, so there really wouldn't be much difference," He explained. "Next weekend will basically be like a three-day test for Tom, it's all about getting miles and experience ahead of next season so it's a smart decision to make his debut now ahead of next year." First practice for the final round of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar series begins on Friday, December 3rd with two, 17-lap races concluding the series on December 4-5.

Ginetta have announced new plans to shake up the BTCC-supporting series, previously known as the Michelin Ginetta G50 Cup, by unveiling the new Michelin sponsored Ginetta GT Supercup in which both the G50 and its highly-anticipated sister car the G55 will be eligible to compete.  The move from Ginetta Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson, is set to emulate the class structure in other worldwide GT championships such as the Le Mans Series, ALMS and British GT and competitors will benefit from having a separate points system and podiums.  The launch of the Ginetta G55, which Tomlinson first alluded to in October, will be made at Autosport International on January 13th where exhibition-goers will be able to see the new 370bhp machine. The car will boast a 3.7 litre Ford  engine, Hewland gearbox, cool air induction kit, up-rated front and rear brakes, new exhaust system and stunning new bodywork with improved aerodynamics. Retail price has been set at £75,000. Teams running the current Ginetta G50, will be able to upgrade their existing car to the new G55 for £25,000 or take advantage of a new part-exchange system. The 2011 G50 will run at 300bhp with a 3.5 litre Ford engine, Hewland gearbox and cool air induction kit. Entry fees for the new 2011 Ginetta GT Supercup will be: - £9,750 + VAT for a G50, - £11,750 + VAT for the G55. 

GT: Aston Martin Racing has launched a new Vantage GT4 for 2011. The new V8 engined race car takes inspiration from Aston Martin’s V12 Vantage road car, giving it enhanced aerodynamics and increased downforce. It also has a remapped 4.7 litre engine offering increased levels of power and torque.  As with the current 4.7 litre Vantage GT4, which made its race debut in 2009, the 2011 car is closely based on the V8 Vantage road car with key attributes being carried over including the aluminium chassis, base engine and suspension design.  In addition to the engine and aero upgrades, competitors can, for the first time, choose a race-developed Bosch ABS and traction control system.  This system has been specifically optimised by Bosch Motorsport for the Vantage GT4 to provide   race-enhanced performance in both wet and dry conditions. The Vantage GT4’s new splitter increases downforce at the front of the car, as well as channelling cooling air to the brakes and radiator.  At the rear, the car gains the V12’s larger boot ‘flip’.  This works together with a new carbon fibre diffuser and rear underfloor, which create an area of low pressure under the rear of the car, to increase downforce.  The redesigned underfloor also channels more air through a new rear-mounted high capacity transmission oil cooler. Aston Martin Racing has built and sold more than 80 Vantage GT4s to customers around the world in the last two years and it has become the most successful car in its class.  In 2010, it won the European GT4 Cup as well as the GT4 class at the Dubai 24 Hours, the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the Spa 24 hours.  The car also has its own one-make series, the Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of Great Britain, which was won in its inaugural year by Chris and Ant Scragg.  The new Vantage GT4 will be eligible for this Challenge, as well as the European GT4 Cup and all other series with a GT4 class.

25-11-10

V de V: The final race of the GT/Tourisme season looked set to a close run affair as the Challenge title was a straight fight between the two leading teams, Imsa and Visiom. At the end it was the Imsa Porshce of  Pascal Gibon and Christophe Bourret that came out on top to take both the win and the title, thanks in part to better fuel consumption, resulting in a quicker final pit stop. In the Proto race the Norma UK team of Simon Phillips and Rob Garofall took a comfortable victory.  Pic warm up photo  Read race reports

GP3: Valtteri Bottas will race for Lotus ART in the 2011 GP3 Series. Valtteri, 21,  has already shared in the  success of the team in the F3 Euro Series over the past two seasons. Valtteri Bottas: "A season of GP3 Series with Lotus ART is an ambitious project which is part of a logical progression for two reasons. After having obtained several victories in the F3 Euro Series, in particular the Masters of Zandvoort, I must continue to climb up the ladder which will lead me to the highest level in Motorsport and the GP3 Series is the next step as it proved in the first year of the championship, it takes place as the curtain raiser for Formula 1 and the field is very talented. And secondly because this is my third season with Lotus ART, it gives us the opportunity of giving fresh input into a very profitable partnership on a sportsman and personal level. My first objective is to learn, then be able to race with the best. This new step is, again, possible because of my partners Wihuri, Kemppi but also Williams and my management; so, thank you to all." Frederic Vasseur: "Valtteri is an extremely gifted, fast and very talented driver on a technical level. He is also a charming and intelligent human being with whom the team has always had the pleasure of working with. He is perfectly integrated inside the team and has built strong relationships with it over the past three years. Extremely fast, focused and mentally strong, Valtteri fits the profile that we are looking for in our second year in the GP3 Series."

GP2: The second day of GP2 Series post-season testing at Yas Marina Circuit saw a few changes in the drivers' entry list with some racers switching teams and new ones joining, namely Pal Varhaug at Dams, Daniel Macinelli at Rapax, Dani Clos at Ocean Racing and Luca Filippi at Coloni. The morning session was dominated by Fabio Leimer at the wheel of the #14 car for 2010 Team Champions' Rapax: the Swiss topped the timing sheet from the moment the pitlane opened until the chequered flag, leaving only scraps to his closest rivals. Charles Pic at Addax looked like the man who could come the closest to Leimer's best laptime as he stayed P2 for most of the session, but with five minutes left on the clock, GP2 returnee Filippi picked up some pace and finished two tenths from Leimer. The session was briefly interrupted by three red flags, the second one due to Jake Rosenzweig damaging his Super Nova car on a curb and ending the American's session prematurely. In the afternoon, yesterday's quickest man James Jakes - this time at the wheel of a Racing Engineering car, set the early pace, until Sam Bird at Dams bettered his laptime. On the one hour mark, Michael Herck at DPR reminded everyone that he had been the fastest man on track in yesterday's morning session by going top again, but not for long: Leimer and Josef Kral at Addax bettered the Romanian's laptime. It was then Stefano Coletti's turn to place his Trident car at the top of the timesheet. The fight for today's top honour continued relentlessly with GP3 Series Champion Esteban Gutierrez at ART claiming the top spot temporarily until Leimer went quickest again, improving his morning's laptime by four tenths. He was then never dethroned despite Kral's best efforts: the Addax man finished just one tenth behind the Swiss. In the dying seconds of the session, Clos improved, edging Bird out of the Top 3. Gutierrez finished best rookie of the day.

Porsche Carrera Cup NZ: Defending New Zealand Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge champion Craig Baird will be in fight back mode at Christchurch's Powerbuilt Tools Raceway at Ruapuna Park this weekend after Daniel Gaunt stole a march on him at the opening round of this season's series at Pukekohe Park Raceway earlier this month. Baird qualified quickest at Pukekohe but blew a tyre in the first race and had to serve a drive-through penalty in the third, meaning that though he won the second race he left the circuit in an uncharacteristic fifth place in the points, 48 behind round winner, Triple X Motorsport teammate Daniel Gaunt. Gaunt's weekend did not get off to the best of starts, a car-crunching accident early in the first practice session, but his luck seemed to change the minute sponsor and mentor Michael Morton offered him his car to use. Gaunt was in the right place at the right time, second behind Baird, when the latter was forced to pit to replace a blown rear tyre in the first race, then he muscled his way to the front early in the reverse top six grid final to lead that race from start to finish. With a fourth place in the second race, won by Baird from International Motorsport teammates Jonny Reid and Mitch Cunningham, it was more than enough for Gaunt to claim his maiden round victory and head south with a 28 point lead over Reid and a further four point buffer over Cunningham. Gaunt will be back in his repaired car this weekend, leads a 14-strong field heading into the second s round, that number bolstered by the addition of last season's Mothers 996 Cup Trophy winner Hugh Gardiner, whose new 997 is now repaired after a pre-season testing crash, and the return of series stalwarts Andrew Bagnall and Michael Morton. Craig Baird will not be the only driver gunning for Gaunt after the opening series round, either, with Jonny Reid just as keen to claw back points after being slowed in the first Pukekohe race by a handling problem. Reid came on strongly at the end of his rookie year in the category last season and with Baird and series young guns Mitch Cunningham, Scott Harrison and Ant Pedersen he will have Daniel Gaunt in his sights this weekend. Local interest, meanwhile, will be focused on Christchurch car dealer Paul Kelly who is tied on points in seventh place overall with regular sparring partner, Triple X Motorsport team boss Shane McKillen. In the championship-within-a-championship 996 Cup category for drivers of older model 996 Cup Cars, Auckland driver Simon Evans heads to Powerbuilt Tools Raceway with a handy lead over newcomer Mark Whyman and last season's category runner-up Simon McLennan from Wellington. Evans was the quickest category qualifier at Pukekohe and though McLennan beat him to the line in two of the three races, Evans won the second after McLennan was stopped in his tracks when a bolt in his car's driveline broke. The first Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge race of the weekend will be a sprint over 12 laps rather than the 29-lap mini-enduro originally envisaged for the round. This will be followed by two more sprint races on Sunday.

Karts: Beitske Visser went to Las Vegas last weekend( 20-21 Nov) to attend the  14thSupernationals event on a track in the parking lot of Rio Hotel, Nevada. Far from being overwhelmed  by the event, the talented Dutch girl found herself in with  the fastest group in a category with 39 drivers. Unfortunately for Beitske she was involved in some of the many collisions that marked the meeting and was forced to retire.  Read report

Jordan King admitted that he was thrilled to be able to add trophy to his collection after being crowned the 2010 Warwickshire District Under 18 Male Sports Personality last weekend.Having finished as runner-up in the category last year, Jordan was back at Leamington Town Hall for the ceremony – celebrating the best of local sporting prowess – and this time, he would pick up the winner’s prize. “I only knew I’d won when they made the announcement,” the 16-year-old confessed. “I wasn’t expecting to win – it was nice just to be inside the top three. I was quite surprised, and really happy. It’s good for my CV, obviously, and it raises a bit more awareness not just for myself but also for motorsport in general – people don’t tend to see it as being one of the very biggest sports, and especially not karting.”  Jordan has already begun his fledgling car racing career off the back of a four-year stint in karting, but this weekend he has one final karting outing left to contest in the one-off WSK Nations Cup at La Conca in southern Italy, where he last raced earlier this year and for which he is optimistic a recent change of kit will leave him in fine form to challenge. “I’ve always been quick at La Conca but haven’t had great results, so there’s definitely a bit of unfinished business there,” he acknowledged. “We’re feeling confident because the Birel/BMB combination that I’m on now was fast there back at the start of the season – so hopefully we can end the year with a good performance.”  pic Leamington Courier

24-11-10

European Late Model Series: The latest venue on the European Late Model Series calendar has been announced. The newly built 1km oval at Venray in the Netherlands, is set to host Late Model races in 2011. Several Late Model drivers have visited the venue and setting laps around the 20 second mark with an average laps speed of 95 mph.  The track is 90% complete and will be finished in May 2011. The European Late Models will race at the inaugural  meeting, which is to be held on the last weekend of June 2011. This will be a two day meeting and that will be followed by at least two more double headers, provisionally scheduled for last weekends of July and August. The track features progressive banking in the turns with a top groove of 23 degrees Shallowing out to 11 degrees for the straights. A quarter mile oval has also been built on the infield, allowing the regular short circuit formulas to race on the same bill, completing the weekends entertainment.The European Late Model Series will be making further announcements as the build up to Euro Late Models 2011 continues.

Formula Ford: 2010 has been a remarkable season for Melbourne based racing car constructor, Borland Racing Developments. The company released two brand new models for this year; the Spectrum 012 Formula Ford and the Sabre 02 Formula Vee 1600. Both models made perfect debuts with Chaz Mostert taking pole, a new lap record and the win, first time out. This in the Synergy Motorsport Spectrum 012 at the opening round of the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship. Daniel Reinhardt then repeated that effort at Sandown, driving the JRD Force Tools Sabre 02 in the Victorian Formula Vee Championship.   The year has also been successful away from the track, with the Braeside factory delivering 17 racing cars, a new benchmark for the team. On track results have been nothing short of sensational. Results for the season so far include:

• Australian Formula Ford Champion – Chaz Mostert, Spectrum 012(pictured)

• FFA Victorian Formula Ford Champion – Jesse Fenech, Spectrum 011d

• CAMS Victorian Formula Ford Series R/Up – Garry Jacobson, Spectrum 011c

• CAMS Victorian Formula Ford Series 3rd – Jesse Fenech, Spectrum 011d

• NSW Formula Ford Series 12 of 15 race wins – Synergy Motorsport, Spectrum 011

• CAMS Victorian FF1600 Champion – Luke Ellery, Spectrum 010b

• FFA Victorian FF1600 Series Champion – Nicki Templer, Spectrum 010b

• FFA Victorian FF1600 Series R/Up – Mark Samson, Spectrum 010

Spectrum Formula Fords won 53 races across Australia this season, which is more than all other manufacturers’ combined total!

• Australian Formula Vee Champion – Daniel Reinhardt, Sabre 02

• NSW Formula Vee Champion – Daniel Reynolds, Sabre 01

• CAMS Victorian Formula Vee Champion – Daniel Reinhardt, Sabre 02

Daniel Reinhardt takes a handy lead into the final round of the FVAV Formula Vee Series and will be looking to add that title to the scoreboard at Phillip Island in a little over a week from now.

Formula 3: Donington Park – which is set to return to the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series calendar next year – provided a new challenge for Menasheh Idafar yesterday(Tuesday) during general winter testing. Although having competed at the East Midlands track previously during his time in Formula Renault, the 19-year-old hadn’t experienced the revamped circuit at the wheel of his Volkswagen powered Dallara F310 before. Like most of his outings of late, the track surface was damp for the first half of the day but did dry during the afternoon. Continuing his winter test programme well with the T-Sport team, Menasheh enjoyed the run and – other than a minor excursion at Coppice – everything went according to plan. “It was good to run at Donington today and experience the track in the A Class car”, said the current National Class British F3 Champion, “I like the layout of the chicane since the track was changed, it flows well and you can carry a lot of speed down towards the first corner.Our plan is to get as much mileage as possible before the weather gets too bad and to obviously keep learning about the car before next season – it’s going to be a really big step-up. So far things have gone well, the T-Sport guys are doing a fantastic job.” pic Jakob Ebrey Photography

Formula Abarth:  British team Andy Welch Racing(AWR) is to compete in Formula Abarth starting in 2011. The team, run by engineer Andy Welch, plans to contest the seven-round European Series with at least two cars, they also plan to compete in the Formula Abarth GB Championship. The team, which is based in Kent, is ready to test drivers immediately. Formula Abarth.introduced in Italy in 2010, will  expand in  2011 to include the inaugural European Series, which will be associated with the Ferrari F1 1 team via sponsorship from the Ferrari Driver Academy. As a junior formula, it is ideally placed to train drivers from karting or beginner categories to prepare them for Formula 3 or GP3. AWR will cooperate with  Swiss team Jenzer Motorsport, who Welch  engineered in Formula Renault and Formula Master. “I know people who have run cars in Formula Abarth this year, and it has been a great success, as a competitive training formula without reliability issues,” said Welch. “I have great faith in the products of Tatuus, and Formula Abarth’s opportunities for testing mean that the category is the ideal series for young drivers based in the UK to learn their trade in a highly-competitive environment, on some of Europe’s best circuits.” The Formula Abarth European Series will consist of seven double-header race events competing at Spa, Hockenheim, Monza, Mugello and Misano in Italy, the Red Bull Ring (formerly A1-Ring) in Austria, and the Ricardo Tormo Valencia circuit in Spain. Although details have yet to emerge about Formula Abarth GB, it is anticipated that it will run alongside the British Formula 3 International Series.

LMS: OAK Racing has confirmed it has signed Guillaume Moreau for next 2011 season. The 27-year-old Limoges-based driver will begin a third year with the team after a  season which saw him take four podiums in six races, including the Le Mans 24 Hours. In 2011, he will be at the wheel of the team’s LMP1 Pescarolo and is already playing an active role in the car’s development. For several years, Moreau has dovetailed his success in two different motorsport disciplines, endurance racing and single-seaters, in the World Series by Renault. A GT1 Le Mans Series champion in 2008, he made his debut for OAK Racing at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2009 and has remained ever since, forming an established partnership with the team. François Sicard, Managing Director, OAK Racing: “Guillaume has demonstrated his speed and reliability race after race in the LMP2 class and has integrated perfectly within the team. His role with us is much more than that of just a driver. It’s an obvious decision for us to retain him for our LMP1 programme and utilise his talent to help us develop the car. In the recent Dunlop test in Portimao he undertook his duties with flying colours and we are delighted that he has finalised his contract very early, allowing us to prepare for 2011 in the best way possible. We are also assessing our level of involvement in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and the Le Mans Series next year and are discussing potential co-drivers for Guillaume.”  Guillaume Moreau: “I am delighted with the confidence that OAK Racing is showing in me for the second season in a row. This year has been very positive for me and the team, which has proven many times that it is ready to step up to the premier class, even though there is still lots of work to be done for all of us – the technicians and the drivers. To participate in the car’s development programme is a different level of responsibility for me compared with just doing a good job on a race weekend. It is very rewarding and fantastic for me as I love doing this kind of work on a daily basis. I am lucky that I’m involved with OAK Racing at the same time as the design office has been created and as we welcome new engineers and a new technical director. We are going to do excellent work together.”

23-11-10

WTCC: The final races of the season were full of drama as they always are on the streets of Macau. Overtaking manoeuvres, incidents and red flags provided plenty of excitement in a day that culminated with Chevrolet celebrating a double world and confirmed 26-year old Norbert Michelisz as a top touring car driver at the end of his first professional season. Rob Huff claimed a dominant light-to-flag victory in Race 1, giving Chevrolet the Manufacturers' title and jumping ahead of Gabriele Tarquini to second in the Drivers' Championship. In Race 2 Michelisz imitated Huff, taking the lead from Kristian Poulsen at the first braking point and managing to keep Tarquini at safe distance despite the fact that the race was suspended and restarted. In the six WTCC seasons held so far Michelisz is only the second driver, after Tom Coronel in Japan in 2008,  to claim an overall victory without driving a factory or factory-backed car.  The fight for the second place in the championship ended when Tarquini beat Huff by 0.3secs. They finished the season on equal points, but the Italian prevailed for having won five races against three.
The third man in contention, Andy Priaulx lost his chance when he was caught in a pile up at the start of the first race.  In the Independents' Trophy the hopes of the local fans to see Darryl O'Young to clinch the title vanished when the Hong Kong racer was eliminated by Tom Coronel during the first race. When Kristian Poulsen, who had won Race 1, made a mistake and crashed in the second race, Proteam Motorsport's Sergio Hernandez knew he had won the title. Then he dropped all cautions to chase Franz Engstler and claim his fifth win of the year. The Italian outfit also clinched the Team's Trophy. pic FIA WTCC   Read race reports

Bathurst 12 Hours: The British-built, Chevrolet powered Mosler MT900 GT3 will contest the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour on February 4-6 next year after an entry from Australian GT frontrunner Dean Grant was confirmed this week. Grant will team with experienced Porsche competitor Max Twigg and multiple Commodore Cup Champion and Fujitsu series driver Geoff Emery in a combination sure to feature at the front of the field. The mighty Mosler joins confirmed cars from Chevrolet, Ferrari and Porsche and BMW already entered for the race.

Auto GP will join with the WTCC next year. After a successful debut year, the Auto GP Championship is adding one Event to its calendar and joining WTCC on six of the seven season meetings.  As part of the agreement, Auto GP will benefit from live TV coverage of all 2011 race meetings on Eurosport'. In addition, the Auto GP feed will also be included in the WTCC packages distributed across USA (through Speed TV), Russia and Asia. With two races for each weekend, the first one to be held on Saturday and the second one on Sunday in between the two WTCC races, the 2011 Auto GP season will consist of 14 races that will provide a big challenge.
The season will kick-off in Barcelona on March 23-24 for an official testing session, with the first race event planned for May 15 at Monza. Next up is Marrakech before heading to Brno two weeks later. On July 16 Auto GP will make its race debut in Britain, at Donington, then it will head to Oschersleben for the 5th round of the championship. The Romanian capital city of Bucharest will offer its stage on August 20, while the Series finale will be held in Valencia on September 4.  

Porsche Carrera Cup GB : The 16th and final programme of TV coverage of the 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup GB will be broadcast in the Motorsport UK programme on ITV4 at 5pm on Tuesday 30 November, on ITV1 on the night of Sunday 5 December and will also be repeated on ITV4 on Saturday 4 December. The Motorsport UK series has covered all of the Carrera Cup GB action again this season. Round 20, the final race of the season at Brands Hatch, will feature in this programme. 
Motorsport UK will be broadcast as follows:
Tuesday 30 November at 5pm on ITV4
Saturday 4 December (time tba) on ITV4
Monday 6 December at 2.30am on ITV1

22-11-10

Volkswagen Racing Cup : Britain’s favourite saloon-car race series, the Volkswagen Racing Cup with Fuchs Lubricants, is set next season to build on its success with an exciting schedule of dates and a regular slot alongside the popular British GT Championship. The VW championship will support British GT at six of its UK-circuit dates in 2011, and will also return to the legendary Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands for an early-summer special event. There will be twin races at each meeting to form a 14-race championship. “This year, the championship’s 10th anniversary, was its strongest yet,” said series manager Melissa Wright. “The Volkswagen Racing Cup average grid size was 25 cars, and we know from advance enquiries that we are very likely to exceed that figure in 2011.“The continued stability of the excellent regulations and a good calendar are key to the championship’s success, and we are delighted to have been invited to return to Zandvoort, the venue this season for our first overseas foray. Competitors will also welcome the chance to race the new Snetterton ‘300’ circuit, as well as the ‘Arena’ track at Silverstone.” The championship will provide its fans with a taste of the season to come at the Autosport International show at Birmingham’s NEC 15-16 January, when cars from the series will feature in the Live Action Arena shows.  calendar

Formula Ford is set to enter a new era in 2011 with the launch of a series of blue riband EuroCup events at top European circuits, aimed at drawing the best young single-seater talent from the British, Benelux and Scandinavian Formula Ford championships and introducing the formula to other drivers from around Europe. The four-meeting EuroCup calendar will dovetail with that of the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain to enable UK teams to contest both series. Next summer’s Zandvoort F3 Masters meeting is one the confirmed EuroCup events; Formula Ford promoter RacingLine is seeking races at circuits such as Spa-Francorchamps, Brands Hatch GP and Zolder in Belgium to accompany the Dutch event.  “We are delighted to be able to give Formula Ford a European showcase in which to display its many talents,” said Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe’s Motorsport chief. “In addition to providing the usual Formula Ford guarantee of spectator satisfaction, the four EuroCup events will provide valuable circuit experience for the youngsters taking part and build a platform to introduce FF back into other countries.”   The 2011 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain will meanwhile be contested over 24 races, with plans for eight ‘triple-header’ meetings, including the Zandvoort F3 Masters event as well as seven UK meetings, most supporting British F3. A comprehensive TV schedule including Channel 4 coverage, as well as Motors TV, is part of the package.pic Jakob Ebrey photography Read more

Karts: To be leading the British Championship and elect to switch chassis midway through the campaign is a risky strategy, but Ash Hand is very quick to pay tribute to the pivotal role played by CRG in his triumph in 2010. Having begun the year on an Alonso kart  – a derivative of the popular OTK brand – Ash rapidly established an advantage over his adversaries in the Junior Max class of the Formula Kart Stars Championship (FKS), but when his rivals began to eat away at that margin, the young Nuneaton racer  knew he needed to do something about it. So he switched to Italian manufacturer CRG, a significant departure from the OTK and a kart that – whilst having achieved tremendous success on the European and international stage – has struggled to gain much of a following in Britain. “At the time, the others were starting to catch me up after the start to the year that we’d had,” the 16-year-old recalled, “but when I moved onto the CRG, I just feel it gave me a crucial extra edge over them. It was a massive risk; we could quite easily have fallen off the face of the earth by making the decision we did, and it wasn’t an easy decision to make because some people were saying the CRG wasn’t as good as the OTK – but we soon found out they were wrong. We proved that the CRG is capable of winning races over here, which I don’t think all that many people were expecting, to be honest. The kart always performed, and we were fast everywhere by the end.” Commanding performances at Larkhall in Scotland, Genk in Belgium and an incredible four victories one-after-the-other at Three Sisters near Wigan in FKS and fellow British series Super 1 bore testament to the CRG’s potential, and meant that come season’s end, Ash was a force to be reckoned with  “We proved that the CRG is good enough to win in Britain, and also good enough to enable us to work our way back to the front of the grid quickly. I think the whole experience really helped to progress me as a driver, and if you are considering trying CRG, then you definitely should. It’s a really good kart – and one that you can go a long way with.”

If there was a prize for the most-improved driver of the year in karting, then Ryan Anderton would surely be a contender, for having begun 2010 as a virtual unknown, his latest outing demonstrated that the young Somerset racer is perfectly capable of holding his own. After established  himself in the top 15 in the Formula Kart Stars (FKS) Championship, Ryan has embarked upon a winter programme that he hopes will prepare him as a front-runner in the MSA Cadet class right from the word ‘go’ next season.Chris Walker/www.kartpix.net   Read report

Formula 3: Swiss racing driver Alexandre Imperatori produced a star performance in the Macau Grand Prix at the weekend, fighting his way from the back of the grid to finish 12th overall and the best placed of the Japanese F3 drivers in the category’s unofficial ‘World Cup’ event. The prestigious race, previously won by motorsport luminaries such as Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, attracts the best Formula 3 drivers from the main series across the globe, with a 30-strong grid including drivers from the British, Japanese and Euro Series championships competing this year. Read report

21-10-11

Formula 3: Edoardo Mortara (Signature) wrote motorsport history at the 6.12 kilometres long Guia circuit when the  Italian became the first driver to win the Macau Grand Prix twice. The reigning Formula 3 Euro Series champion was followed home by Laurens Vanthoor (Signature), Valtteri Bottas (Prema Powerteam) and Marco Wittmann (Signature).At the start of the race, Mortara claimed the lead from pole, however after the first safety car intervention, caused by a startline crash, Daniel Abt (Signature) and Laurens Vanthoor overtook the leader . Mortara was not to be denied and a later restart, after another safety car due to an accident involving Abt, allowed him  to claim back the lead. At the flag 23-year old Mortara scored a comfortable win from Vanthoor, Bottas and Witmann. Fifth place for Renger van der Zande (Motopark Academy) was a good result for his team in its first ever Macau Grand Prix.  Edoardo Mortara: “Having made history with my second victory in Macau is a great honour for me. It wasn’t easy, because especially Laurens, Valtteri and Daniel were tough opponents. I had to give 120 percent and drive like in qualifying to pull a gap in order to prevent the drivers behind me from getting a slipstream.”
Qualifying Race- Edoardo Mortarawas also  the man to beat in the qualification race at the Guia circuit, the Italian taking victory with Vanthoor and Abt  following him across the finish line.  Bottas was fourth and Marco Wittmann fifth. Mortara only had to battle for his position at the start of the opening lap, from which he returned with a margin of over two seconds. After that, the only thing the defending Macau Grand Prix winner had to do was avoid making mistakes and to maintain his advantage.  Second place for Laurens Vanthoor wasn’t in danger once he had overtaken Abt,

Formula Ford: Chaz Mostert has dominated the final round of the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship at Sandown International Motor Raceway taking pole position and winning all three races. The three victories gave Mostert a total of 14 for the season, breaking the previous record held by Steve Richards of 13. Ash Walsh finished second for the round to end his season on a high, ahead of Geoff Uhrhane, who also beat teammate Nick Foster to second in the championship by the smallest of margins.  Read report

Formula Ford stars of future seasons joined the top drivers from this year’s Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain on track on Thursday(18 Nov) to underline the continuing success of the world’s longest running and most successful race series for novices.  Rockingham was the venue for the annual Formula Ford Sampler Day, an opportunity for teams old and new to meet and test some of the young hopefuls looking to give their single-seater careers the best possible start. The day provided an opportunity also for the front-runners from 2010 to claim a valuable prize - a test with a leading Formula 3 team.  Read full story

Formula Renault : Jordan King declared his baptism in Formula Renault Winter Series a success following the final rounds Pembrey .After claiming a top ten finish on his debut in the championship at Snetterton, Jordan headed to Pembrey vowing to improve upon that.pic Jakob Ebrey photography  Read report

Jack Hawksworth had probably already done enough to cement his reputation with a pole position and a brace of front-running performances on his car racing debut in the 2010 Formula Renault UK Winter Series at Snetterton. However  three further poles and a clutch of podium finishes in the second and final outing at Pembrey marked him out as one to watch in 2011.Having left observers in no doubt about his speed at Snetterton Jack travelled to Pembrey in South Wales vowing to be more aggressive in the races and to achieve the kind of results his potential merited. A double pole position in a wet-but-drying qualifying session on Saturday was an excellent start. read report

Formula 3: Menasheh Idafar made more strong progress with his Volkswagen-powered Formula 3 car during testing at Brands Hatch and Silverstone last week – the 2010 National Class Champion working to gain as much mileage as possible ahead of next year’s Cooper Tires British F3 International Series. The 19-year-old, who will graduate to the International Class in 2011 with the front-running T-Sport team, wasn’t able to enjoy any dry running over the course of the two tests in Kent and Northamptonshire but the track time still proved very beneficial. At Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on Wednesday, 17th November, the track didn’t dry all day but this was largely due to an application on the surface intended to prevent freezing. This left conditions very tricky indeed and although the use of slicks was attempted, it was too slippery and the requisite heat couldn’t be generated to attain the level of performance needed for dry-weather tyres. Menasheh therefore ran on treaded rubber for almost the entire day and, other than his newly confirmed 2011 team-mate Yann Cunha, the teenager was the sole F3 runner on track although it was fairly busy with Formula Ford and Formula Renault machinery also in action.  Running at Silverstone’s Grand Prix Circuit on Thursday, the British-born Bahraini continued to make small improvements to his car and ended the outing very pleased with his performance. Starting on a completely wet track, the surface didn’t dry fully but towards the end of the day Menasheh was able to enjoy some laps using slicks. “We’ve had another couple of really good days in the car and although the conditions weren’t ideal, we were able to work on some things”, he said, “At Brands Hatch it was really slippery so that made things quite difficult but Silverstone was much better. Even though it was never fully dry, we did a lot of good work and did plenty of laps.”  pic Jakob Ebrey photography

19-11-10

Formula Ford: Chaz Mostert may have clinched the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship at Symmons Plains in Tasmania, but that didn’t stop him topping practice for round eight of the series at Sandown International Motor Raceway today. The Synergy Motorsport driver finished well clear of the field over the day’s two practice sessions, putting himself in the perfect position to finish his Formula Ford career in style. Sonic Motor Racing Services Mygale driver Cameron Waters finished the day in second position, just ahead of Mostert’s Synergy teammate Nathan Morcom. Despite having already wrapped up the championship, Mostert remains focused on rounding out the year on a positive note. “I enjoyed a little bit of a benefit from the slipstream today, but in reality we’ve been really quick all day. Synergy Motorsport always produce a fantastic car for Sandown and this weekend is no exception,” Mostert said. “I’m here to have fun this weekend, the pressures off, but I want to farewell my Formula Ford career with some good tough battles at the front of the field. I really have to say a huge thank you to Synergy Motorsport and Factory Enterprises, who have supported me all year and with whom, none of wha t’s happened so far would have been possible.” Waters produced a time good enough for second position, but ended the day slightly disappointed, after an engine drama cut his second practice session short.  “I’m happy with where we’re placed at the moment, but there’s still plenty of improvement to come from the car this weekend,” Waters said. “The outright speed of the car is quite good, so I think we’ll be in a good position tomorrow. It’s just a pity about the engine, but the guys at Sonic will have it fixed and ready to go by tomorrow morning and I don’t think it will affect us too much this weekend.”  Trent Harrison was fourth in a Mygale ahead of Ash Walsh, Nick Foster and Caleb Rayner, while Ben Jurczak, Geoff Uhrhane and Tom Williamson rounded out the top 10. Round 8 of the series continues with qualifying and race one tomorrow at Sandown International Motor Raceway.
SANDOWN, TAS – PRACTICE 2
1. Chaz Mostert, Spectrum 012, 1:15.1437
2. Cameron Waters, Mygale SJ06a, 1:15.7312
3. Nathan Morcom, Spectrum 012, 1:15.8182
4. Trent Harrison, Mygale SJ10a, 1:15.8428
5. Ashley Walsh, Spectrum 012, 1:15.9017
6. Nick Foster, Mygale SJ10a, 1:15.9173
7. Caleb Rayner, Spectrum 011b, 1:15.9579
8. Ben Jurczak, Spectrum 012, 1:16.0052
9. Geoff Uhrhane, Mygale SJ10a, 1:16.0974
10. Tom Williamson, Mygale SJ09a, 1:16.1547
SANDOWN, TAS – PRACTICE 1
1. Chaz Mostert, Spectrum 012, 1:15.5047
2. Trent Harrison, Mygale SJ10a, 1:15.9928
3. Ashley Walsh, Spectrum 012, 1:16.0193
4. Tom Williamson, Mygale SJ09a, 1:16.0880
5. Cameron Waters, Mygale SJ06a, 1:16.1180
6. Nick Foster, Mygale SJ10a, 1:16.2631
7. Geoff Uhrhane, Mygale SJ10a, 1:16.4540
8. Josh Hunter, Mygale SJ10a, 1:16.6386
9. Jesse Fenech, Spectrum 011d, 1:16.6451
10. Matthew Brabham, Spectrum 011d, 1:16.7236

18-11-10

Porsche Carrera World Cup : The world’s greatest Porsche race is the claim for the Porsche Carrera World Cup, when up to 200 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racers will line up on the Nürburgring Nordschleife on Saturday 25 June. The race will take place prior to the start of the 39th ADAC 24-hour race and will run over a distance of six laps, approximately 95 miles. More than 200,000 spectators are expected to watch the race. The Porsche Carrera World Cup forms the season highlight of Porsche’s 18 brand trophy series worldwide. This race counts as a round of several national Carrera Cups, including Germany and Scandinavia. "We are looking at being involved," said Marion Barnaby, championship manager for the Carrera Cup GB. "We are talking to teams about the logistics of this event and will announce more details in the New Year."  The entry for the race will be divided into two classes: The 911 GT3 Cup with 3.6-litre engines from 2007 to 2009 model years (400 to 420 hp) and the 3.8-litre versions of the 2010 and 2011 model years (450 hp).  For all Nordschleife rookies, an intensive two-day training course will take place in the week leading up to the event with former Porsche works driver Sascha Maassen as the chief instructor.

The Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship once again underlined its credentials as a stepping-stone to Formula 1 this week as no fewer than seven of its former racers took part in the F1 young driver tests at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi. Twenty-year-old Dean Stoneman(left) from Southampton was the most recent Formula Renault UK graduate to test an F1 car after earning the chance to pilot a Williams F1 machine as a prize for winning this year’s FIA Formula Two Championship. Stoneman, who raced in the one-make Renault series in 2008 and 2009 with Alpine Motorsport, instantly impressed on his debut ending the day’s first test session as the fifth quickest driver and ahead of others racers with more experience. Surrey racer Sam Bird, who finished fourth in the 2006 series with Fortec Motorsport, also got the chance to test an F1 car this week at the 3.451m circuit running with the Mercedes GP Team, while 2003 and 2004 Formula Renault UK driver Paul Di Resta got to pilot a Force India F1 car.  There were also tests for 2004 and 2005 Renault racer Rodolfo Gonzalez (Lotus), Oliver Turvey (McLaren), who took part in the 2003 Winter Series, while Force India also tested Antonio Felix de Costa, Winter Series racer in 2008, and 2005 Formula Renault UK driver Yelmer Buurman. In addition, almost all of the drivers taking part in the post-race tests have raced in either Formula Renault 2.0, Formula Renault Eurocup or Formula Renault 3.5 with Daniel Ricciardo, Mikhail Aleshin and Jean Eric Vergne just some of the pilots that have risen through Renault’s worldwide single-seater championships. Championship Promoter Simon North commented: “It’s very encouraging to see so many former Renault racers testing in Abu Dhabi this week and clearly demonstrates the championship’s credentials as a passport to Formula 1. Pedro de La Rosa, Heikki Kovalainen, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Räikkönen are just some of the past Formula Renault UK racers who have achieved F1 stardom and it would be great to see some of this week’s drivers follow in their footsteps.”

Formula 3: This weekend the motor-racing world will be focused on Macau and one of the most prestigious Formula 3 races of the season, the Macau Grand Prix. The venue of the unofficial F3 world final is the 6.21-kilometre street circuit in the former Portuguese colony. The Formula 3 Euro series will be represented by nine drivers and three teams, led by the 2009 Macau GP winner Edoardo Mortara driving for Signature.  Mortara won last year’s Macau Grand Prix, with Jean-Karl Vernay and Sam Bird finishing second and third respectively, an all Euro Series podium. With Valtteri Bottas (Prema Powerteam), an ART Grand Prix driver then, finishing fifth, a total of four Euro Series made it to the top five. Just like Mortara, Bottas also is going to return to Macau this year, the Finn driving for Prema Powerteam. Marco Wittmann (Signature), runner up in the 2010 Euro Series, is contesting his maiden Macau GP, is another of the favourites. Meanwhile, the Motopark Academy squad will  debut at the track with former Euro Series drivers Renger van der Zande and Kimiya Sato.  Edoardo Mortara (Signature): “I have fond memories of Macau as the races in 2008 and 2009 editions went really well for me. I think that we are going to again be competitive this year as the circuit seems to suit both me and my team, Signature. Nonetheless, predicting if we will be able to secure another race win is impossible in Macau as speed is just one factor, there. At the same time, you also must be lucky to avoid getting involved in an incident and escaping any technical problems.” 

17-11-10

V de V: The Circuito do Estoril will host the final round of the V de V Endurance Challenge for the fifth year in succession this weekend. Once again, first place in the GT/Touring Challenge would be decided at the finale, with action the order of the day,  especially at the Parabolica Ayrton Senna that leads onto the main straight. Following a hotly-contested season the last round is set to be very tight. The real attraction of the weekend would be the confrontation between the crew of the leading Ferrari F430, n°1; Jean-Paul Pagny, Thierry Perrier and Anthony Beltoise and their counterparts driving the Porsche 997 RSR n°76 – Pascal Gibon, Christophe Bourret and Raymond Narac – who, were victory to come their way, would have the Champion’s Number 1 on the doors of their car next year.pic Warm Up Photos  Read preview

WTCC: In Paris last Friday at the hearing for the appeals lodged by Chevrolet, the International Court of Appeal annulled decisions n. 1 and 2 taken by the Panel of Stewards on 30 October 2010 at the FIA WTCC event in Okayama that authorized the BMW cars of Augusto Farfus and Andy Priaulx to use sequential gearboxes. Therefore the Court excluded both cars from the results of the event. This means that Colin Turkington inherited victory in the second race (his first WTCC win) and Yvan Muller is out of reach in the Drivers' Championship, as he now lies 55 points ahead of Gabriele Tarquini.  The Court also ordered that, with regard to the event in Macau, any compensation weight to be attributed to Farfus' and Priaulx's cars in accordance with Article 79 of the WTCC Sporting Regulations, be calculated on the basis of their results during the three events preceding the Japanese one.

Yvan Muller's lead in the Championship is now of 55 points ahead of Gabriele Tarquini, with 50 points still to be awarded. Therefore unless a catastrophic point penalty hits him in Macau, the Frenchman has won his second FIA World Touring Car Championship title, the first for Chevrolet.The fight for the runner-up position is still wide opened with Tarquini (246), Andy Priaulx (240) and Rob Huff (236) separated by just ten points.The manufacturers title is still at stake, although Chevrolet has a comfortable margin of 74 points with a maximum of 86 to be awarded. SEAT Customers Technology is second, 27 points ahead of BMW.

In the Independents' Trophy, Proteam Motorsport's Sergio Hernández defends a 21-point lead from bamboo-engineering's Darryl O'Young. As double points will be awarded in the Macau races, the maximum booty available is of 43 points, which leaves a few chances also to Kristian Poulsen and Franz Engstler who lie 27 and 29 points behind respectively. Proteam Motorsport are just one step from winning the Teams' Trophy for the fourth time (previous victories in 2005, 2007, 2008). The Italian outfit lead from bamboo-engineering by 25 points, with 72 still to be awarded.

Zengö Dension Team's Norbert Michelisz is close to being crowned the first WTCC Rookie Challenge champion. The Hungarian youngster was consistent in putting in strong performances throughout the season and tops the standings with 147 points. With 20 points still at stake, his rivals Fredy Barth and Michel Nykjær who have gaps of 17 and 18 points respectively, have only a slim chance left of catching him.

Formula 3: Daniel Abt will race in the Formula 3 Euro Series in 2011. The son of DTM Team Principal Hans-Jürgen Abt has signed a deal with Team Signature.  "I'm truly looking forward to this new challenge," says Daniel . "For several years, now, I have followed the Formula 3 Euro Series held in the DTM support programme and I'm proud of being one of the drivers on its grid, next year."  Daniel, 17, has got three years of single-seater experience under his belt, he has contested two ADAC Formula Masters seasons winning the title in 2009. He then stepped up to the German ATS Formula 3 Cup where he challenged for the title with former Euro Series driver Tom Dillmann, only loosing out at the season finale.  So far he has always raced with Volkswagen engines. "By winning the 2009 ADAC Formula Masters title and finishing runner-up in the ATS Formula 3 Cup, this year, Daniel Abt has proven to be one of Germany's fastest motor-racing young guns," underlines Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "He is ready to make the next step and we are delighted that he remains a member of the Volkswagen family."  Daniel will begin working for his new squad in Macau this weekend.  

Star Mazda: The Junior Open Wheel Talent blog, created in 2008 as a means to help promote drivers and teams in the junior formula ranks, has posted its annual list of 'Unsung Hero' awards for the 2010 season.  The top-5 open-wheel 'ladder series' are included, and Colombian racer Tatiana Calderon has been named the 'unsung hero' of the 2010 season of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear.  Additional winners of the JOWT ‘Unsung Hero’' awards are Nick Andries(Star Mazda), Matthew Powers(US F2000), Chirs Livengood(F2000) and Dan Clarke (Firestone Indy Lights).  JOWT focuses on testing, driver signings, and original analysis of all things junior formula.  Last March, at Sebring International Raceway, Tatiana Calderon jumped right into the deep end of car racing with Juncos Racing; the same team who had been overseeing her development behind the wheel of a go-kart. While one might argue that the USF2000 National Championship might have been a better choice for her development in 2010, Calderon certainly showcased her ability behind-the-wheel of a Star Mazda car as the season wore on. She qualified a measly 22nd out of 23 cars in her first race and finished 20th. Calderon wouldn’t be discouraged though, and continued to work hard. It wasn’t long before her persistence paid off, the 17-year-old securing her first top-10 finish in her third race. She started 16th at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and drove through the field to finish an impressive ninth. She made some big gains at the midpoint of the season, starting with another ninth-place finish during the second race at New Jersey Motorsports Park, then got inside the top-10 on four occasions in the next five races; including a career best seventh-place finish at Autobahn.. Off the track she continued to work hard as well, devoting to a strenuous fitness program under the guidance of Jim Leo and PitFit.  Watch for the young Colombian in 2011, especially if she returns to Star Mazda for a second season of education.

Karts: James Singleton is fast marking himself out as a British title favourite in 2011 after making it two triumphs in quick succession in his latest karting outing at PF International.Having begun his winter campaign with victory at Whilton Mill a fortnight earlier, James travelled to PF bidding to build upon that success and keep the momentum going in preparation for coming out-of-the-blocks fighting next year. Read report

Over the past decade, the Rotax Max Challenge, organised in 40 countries across the world, has become one of the most important international karting series. This year, the 11th edition of Rotax World Final will take place at the Circuit International La Conca in Italy.

The 252 drivers, from five continents across the world, are split into four categories:

Max Junior: 72 drivers (aged between 13 and 17)

Max Senior: 72 drivers (aged 15 years and above)

DD2: 72 drivers (aged between  15 and 32)

DD2Master: 36 drivers (aged 32 and above)

The contestants have one randomly allocated chassis per category, with technical modifications prohibited by the regulations. A level playing field is therefore guaranteed and, considering what’s at stake, the racing promises to be very competitive and spectacular! Motors TV will screen a 52-minute highlights programme bringing the best action from the World Final on Saturday 27 November at 1pm.   Pic BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG.

16-11-10

Formula Ford: The BRSCC has announced that it has agreed a three year deal with Avon Tyres for the Cooper Tire owned company to continue to supply the Club’s Kent engined Formula Ford Championships. The contract encompasses the 2011-13 seasons and covers the Club’s two regional Formula Ford 1600 series – the Northern and Southern Championships, as well as the Kent engined section of the annual Formula Ford Festival.   Announcing the deal BRSCC Chairman Bernard Cottrell said, “I’m delighted that Avon is onboard again and that next season our competitors will benefit from the cost of a set of tyres being pegged at under £400. The BRSCC has always enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Avon and we look forward to building on that in the future.” Paul Coates, General Manager, Avon Tyres Motorsport added “Naturally, we’re delighted to have secured the agreement to supply FF1600 for another three years. We’re very keen to work with the BRSCC on further initiatives to secure the long-term future of Formula Ford. It has long been acknowledged as the very best category in which aspiring racing drivers should cut their teeth. As such, we believe it is one of the most important championships in UK club motorsport and always produces fantastically close racing.”

The Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain is holding its annual ‘Sampler Day’ at Rockingham this Thursday. It is the ideal opportunity to find out why Formula Ford is still the best place to start your racing career. Meet Ford Motorsport, the teams, suppliers and organisers and find out what’s involved. The teams from the 2010 championship have got exclusive use of Rockingham circuit for the day to introduce new drivers to the exciting world of Formula Ford. If you’re serious about your driving career and think you’ve got what it takes, why not come along for the day and meet the teams, see the cars, watch their top drivers test Formula Three cars and have a chat about their exciting plans for the 2011 Championship.  Drivers with an ARDS or kart licence who are considering the 2011 British Championship and want to test a car are encouraged to contact Penny Mattocks, the Championship Co-ordinator via P.Mattocks@racingline.com Teams are also very welcome.

TV Coverage of the Kent and Zetec section of the Festival will be broadcast on Motors TV tonight at 7.05pm, with a repeat on Friday 19th November 19th at 9.15pm. Motors TV can be found on Sky Channel 413 or Virgin Media 545.

Fun Cup: The BRSCC Midlands Centre will run their last meeting of the season this weekend when the Fun Cup Finals come to Donington Park . An impressive entry of 66 cars will line up on the grid with teams entered from France , Belgium , Germany and of course the UK . The six hour race, which has pit windows every hour, takes place on Saturday with qualifying on Friday afternoon. It will be the first time that the Donington Grand Prix circuit has been used this season and among the 200 plus drivers are ex BTCC racer Eugene O’Brien and Nigel Greensall. The race is one of the highlights of the Fun Cup calendar and holds a great deal of prestige for the winner. For more information visit FUN CUP

Club Racing: Entries are still being taken for the Winter Raceday which will be run by the BRSCC North Western Centre at Anglesey on Sunday 28th November. To give as many people as possible an opportunity to race before the end of the season there will be 5 wide ranging categories: Formula Ford 1600, Sports/Saloon cars, Caterham Type Sports Cars, Legends & Two Driver Enduro. The race entry fee for each category is £175 with the exception of the Two Driver Enduro which is £195. These fees include a qualifying session and double-header for each category. Entry forms and Supplementary can be downloaded at ANGLESEY WINTER RACEDAY

Autosport International: It is now less than two months until the Autosport International Show at the NEC, Birmingham , which runs from 13th - 16th January 2011. The Autosport International Show always heralds the unofficial start of the new season and as in previous years, as a significant benefit of membership, BRSCC members can attend any one of the four days for free! To sign-up for your free ticket, please visit the trade registration page on the following link. You will need to have your BRSCC membership number to hand to register. AUTOSPORT SHOW 2011 In addition to the large BRSCC stand, show-goers will get the opportunity to see a fantastic showcase of McLaren cars headlined by the iconic MP4/4, the car that gave Ayrton Senna his first F1 World Championship title in 1988. As ever, there will also be personal appearances from a host of drivers and motorsport personalities. The show is one of the few places where motorsport fans have the rare opportunity to get up-close and personal to their favourite drivers and see their cars away from the racetrack. From grass-roots karting to F1, every rung on the motorsport ladder is represented so for club competitors it is a great opportunity to catch up with all the latest news and technologies from hundreds of stands featuring the largest collection of motorsport trade and memorabilia available in the country. For more information about Autosport International visit their dedicated website www.autosport-international.com

Masters Historic Racing Limited will promote races for Group C historic Le Mans-type sportscars during the 2011 Masters historic festival season, starting at the newly announced Catalan Classic festival on the Barcelona Grand Prix track, on April 9/10th weekend. Masters will be offering a number of race dates, either 4 or 5 depending upon final arrangements with circuit and event owners, in 2011, for the  owners of Group C (also IMSA GTP specification) cars. Owners will be invited to race at events under MHR management control and will complement, not compete with, similar cars run by the long-standing Group C members club. Masters have been considering various expansion options for some time, and have now decided that these iconic 1982-1993 Group C sports cars are the best fit with the existing Masters race grids, which already cover 1950s touring cars to 1980s Grand Prix cars. It is intended that these Masters Group C races will run to technical rules very similar to the existing club’s ones, so that it is possible for entrants to easily switch between organisers.  However, the Sporting rules – race lengths, race operations, driver pit stops and so on - will closely follow established Masters’ practice. Along with the impending release of the full 2011 Masters calendar, the complete set of Masters Group C race dates will be announced very shortly with the first event set for Barcelona on April 9-10. Ron Maydon, Masters’ founder, said: “We have good support behind us from a number of Group C owners for this new venture, which has been vital in setting all this in motion. We are right now about to set out on a wide European tour to meet with those many Group C owners who are looking for new opportunities to race. Naturally, any owners who currently race regularly with the existing group will be welcome to join our races whenever they wish, under the usual rules. At our major Masters race festivals, multi-car owners can enjoy maximum use of their precious racing weekends, for example now being able to run their Grand Prix cars, or their GT cars, as well as their Group C cars all at the same meeting. We have been being asked to do this for over 2 years now by many such car owners, and we look forward to some great racing from this new grid during our busy new season”.

FBMW: 2010 AFR Series champions Asia Racing Team will take a three driver line-up to the 57th Macau Grand Prix. Newly crowned Formula Challenge Japan Juichi Nakayama will make his debut in Macau, as will his compatriot Ryo Hirakawa. Also joining ART will be Chi Chong Li who has raced with ART in the AFR Series earlier this season. Asia Racing Team is looking forward strong performance at their “home track” Circuito da Guia. After the performance in Okayama, Nakayama travels to Macau keen to resume his charge to a podium spot. Hirakawa also had his first experience of the ART Formula BMW car in Okayama and will make his first visit to Macau. The 16 years old driver from Hiroshima showed a good turn of speed on his debutbefore he steps up to F3 in 2011. Completing ART’s line-up will be Chi Cong Li, the 17 year old driver from Guangzhou has never driven a Formula BMW car but he has done two years in Formula Renault. The Guia street circuit is . known as one of the most demanding circuits in the world and is not for the faint-hearted. Speaking ahead of the home race, Team Manager Philippe Descombes, said, “We're looking forward to our annual trip to Macau, which is always a highlight of the season because we are racing at home. We've got a great driver line-up for this year. It will be important for all of them to make the most of the track time and build up to the pace without making any mistakes. We are aiming for Top-5 result”. The 57th Macau Grand Prix will be held from November 18-21.

Britcar: Total Control Racing turned its hand to endurance racing for the first time at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on Saturday, 13th November, by taking a tremendous class win and outright podium finish in the Britcar ‘Into the Night’ race. Running a Ginetta G50 as an invitation entry in Class 3, the car was driven  by Dunlop MSA BTCC ace Alex MacDowall and his father Ray to an overall podium. pic Jakob Ebrey photograph   Read report

GT: Aston Martin Racing have announced a new Official Aston Martin Racing Junior Team - Generation AMR. Focussed on young driver development, the team has been born from the joining of two family teams that competed against each other in the inaugural Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of Great Britain. Anthony Scragg and James Appleby were the class of the field in 2010, racing wheel to wheel all season. An exploratory race in the British GT Championship showed their potential as a pairing, which in turn led to them teaming up for the final round of the Challenge, at which they scored an emphatic win after dominating the competition all weekend. For 2011, they will race together in the latest evolution of the Aston Martin GT4 race car, prepared and run by David Appleby  Engineering.  Generation AMR, based near Tiverton in Devon, will compete in the 2011 GT4 European Cup, with the backing of The Spa Hotel, Royal Tunbridge Wells, and the Hardinge Group. The team will focus on the development of Anthony and James’ talents with the aim of progressing to the FIA GT3 Championship in 2012, while developing other young drivers in the GT4 class next year and beyond. Generation AMR’s programme will include performance mentoring, media training, technical analysis skills and fitness coaching to ensure that the drivers preparation is second to none, with results to match. Tony Schulp, Commercial Director at Aston Martin Racing said: “Racing is a fundamental part of Aston Martin’s heritage. We remain committed to developing race winning cars as well as supporting and encouraging the next generation of racing drivers. Aston Martin Racing has appointed Generation AMR to represent the brand at a junior level in the GT4 category in which they will no doubt offer a professional and structured programme to aspiring talents”.

Karts: Jay Goodwin has signed with Strawberry Racing, one of the leading teams in the sport as he graduates to the Junior Max in 2011. “They are just such a professional team,” he said, “so serious and yet so chilled at the same time. Everyone there works together brilliantly, and I get on really well with Warwick. Strawberry have an excellent record of success in karting – they’re the best team in both Britain and Europe for Rotax, as their results have shown – and I think I can learn a lot from their experience. They’re just on another level to every other team, and I think I’m going to have a lot of fun working with them.”  In 2011 he will race in Super 1, potentially Formula Kart Stars and the Euro Rotax Challenge. He will need to rapidly accustom himself to a different driving style and different tyres, but he has the advantage of having age on his side at only 13 still, meaning he has more time to learn. “After racing at Genk, I think I’m really going to enjoy Europe,” he confessed. “I’ve tested Junior Max a few times now, and because of my weight it suits my driving style better than Mini Max did. It requires quite a bit more force, and you have to brake a bit earlier because you’re going that much faster – in Junior Max you reach the top speed you’ve been used to in Mini Max quicker, and then it hits another power band and climbs again – but you soon get used to it. I’ve picked up a lot of racecraft in Mini Max, and whilst Junior Max has a reputation for being a particularly physical and aggressive class, I think people know I won’t stand for being pushed around. I’m sure I’ll find it hard to begin with, but to get on the podium in Euro Max and Super 1 by the end of the year would be out-of-this-world. I’m hoping to finish inside the top five or ten overall in 2011 – and then to really go for it in 2012. With Strawberry behind me, anything is possible.” pic Chris Walker/www.kartpix.net

Formula Renault Winter Series: Manor Competition’s Josh Hill secured his maiden Formula Renault UK podium during the final day of the 2010 Winter Championship at Pembrey Circuit on Sunday, 14th November – the highlight of an otherwise tricky event for the Nottinghamshire squad. Hill delivered an excellent drive from fourth on the grid in the penultimate round of the winter series to take a deserved third place.  Reigning Formula Renault BARC Champion Alice Powell concluded the UK winter series 12th in the standings after a pair of non-finishes in the last two rounds. Following the first day of action in South Wales, the 17-year-old had climbed to an excellent seventh in the championship thanks to a pair of terrific top 10 results in rounds three and four but Sunday’s racing wasn’t as fruitful. Motor racing rookie Jordan King continued to impress with a fantastic sixth place finish in the first of the weekend’s races – the highest placed Manor driver. However, unfortunate moments in rounds five and six – following a non-finish in round four – meant the 16-year-old had to settle for 16th in the championship. The newcomer’s rapid pace though impressed many throughout the paddock. pic Jakob Ebrey photograph   Read team report

Other News: This year’s offering from the Motorsport Safety fund is a card that features the Ford Escort of Hannu Mikkola and Gunnar Palm en route to victory in the 1970 London To Mexico World Cup Rally. The Escort racked up an enviable tally including two World Rally Championships and eight consecutive RAC Rallies. The striking picture was painted by renowned transport artist Dion Pears and can be viewed here 2010 Christmas Card The cards are priced at £6.50 for ten, including envelopes, postage and packing; they are available from: Motorsport Safety Fund, Penny Farthing, Heythrop, Chipping Norton OX7 5TW

The Beaujolais Run, a unique charity driving experience, now in its 38th year, was today flagged off by Nigel Mansell OBE at Brands Hatch. The circuit, which marked the 50th anniversary of its Grand Prix configuration this year, proved to be the ultimate start to The Beaujolais Run 2010 which this year celebrates 60 years of Formula One. The eclectic grid included modern day leviathans Aston Martin, Ferrari and Maserati alongside classic Triumph, Lotus and Jaguar machinery.  Nigel Mansell was ably supported in his role as starter by John Surtees and MotorSport Vision Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer .  John Surtees’ TS7 Formula One car entertained competitors and spectators alike as it performed demonstration laps of the circuit. The TS7 then became an unusual pace car, leading all three British ex F1 drivers and the 2010 ‘Run competing vehicles on three laps of the Indy Circuit before heading for France . From Brands Hatch, teams will take on the navigational shoot-out at the heart of this unique event, solving cryptic clues to reach a number of checkpoints in the shortest distance; en route to ‘Bring Back The Beaujolais’ after its launch in Beaujeu at midnight on Wednesday (17 November).  As teams sweep some 1,200 miles through the UK and France , they will take in a variety of ‘money can’t buy experiences’, as well as raising money for worthwhile causes.The Beaujolais Run is a not for profit event, which this year will raise much needed funds for the newly formed Henry Surtees Foundation under the direction of the ‘Run’s patron John Surtees. Having already clinched world titles on two wheels, it was 50 years ago this year that Surtees switched to four-wheel racing.  In celebration of John’s achievements the 2010 ‘Run will, for the first time, see its’ first touring motorbike compete alongside vehicles old and new.Not only have competitors had the chance to share the track with Surtees, Mansell and Palmer, they will also experience two other legendary F1 circuits on this year’s ‘Run, which will see a return to Dijon-Prenois. Continuing the journey through 60 Years of Formula One, competitors will also pay tribute at the Reims-Gueux circuit where Surtees drove his first race for Cooper-Maserati in 1966 after leaving Ferrari and as leader of the World Championship.For more information on the event visit www.beaujolaisrun.com.

No other ice racing competition has gained the prestige of the Andros Trophy, which returns to Motors TV for the sixth consecutive year! The stars of the ‘Elite’ championship, such as double-champion in 2009 and 2010 Jean-Philippe Dayraut, 2007 and 2008 victor Alain Prost and former Monaco Grand Prix winner Olivier Panis, will again commit themselves to battle in the seven-round championship. This year will also see the second edition of the Andros Trophy Electric, the first worldwide motorsport competition entirely reserved for cars using 100% electrical power. Last year the inaugural title was won by Nicolas Prost, son of the quadruple F1 World Champion. The season will end in March, as the Andros Trophy returns to the Stade de France for what is always an amazing spectacle.Highlights of the Elite Championship and the Andros Trophy Electric will be screened on Wednesday following each event.

Val Thorens – Thursday 9 December from 8.10pm.
Andorra – Thursday 16 December from 8.10pm.
Alpe d’Huez – Thursday 23 December from 8.10pm.
Isola 2000 – Thursday 13 January from 8.10pm.
Lans en Vercors – Thursday 20 January from 8.10pm.
Saint Dié des Vosges – Thursday 27 January from 8.10pm.
Final: Clermont / Superbesse – Thursday 3 February from 8.10pm.
Super Final: Stade de France – Thursday 10 March from 8.10pm.

pic: Agence Alexis/V-images

Obituary: MARTIN HADWEN 1947 – 2010 - It was with great sadness that the BRSCC learned late last month that Martin Hadwen passed away on Friday 29th October, aged 63. As the founder of the National Motor Racing Archive, Martin has left a remarkable legacy for the future of motor sport. A BRSCC member for many years Martin was a lifetime motor sport enthusiast who combined his love of the sport with a career in the shipping industry. In 1987 he created the Archive, initially using his own collection and then steadily gathering more and more information about the history of the sport, including taking over the records of the BRSCC. Ultimately, he created an unrivalled collection of documents, books, photographs, film and memorabilia. All of this was kept at his Norfolk home and was made available to anyone wanting information.  Martin retired from work three and a half years ago and was able to devote even more time to the Archive, but sadly was struck by cancer and fought a long and brave battle against the illness. The work of the Archive has now been taken over by MotorSport Vision and will now be based at Snetterton, Martin 's home track. Everything that Martin did was carried out with enthusiasm and diligence and with his trademark sense of humour. Martin leaves his wife Sally and two sons and the BRSCC and ‘the Grid’ sends sincere condolences for the loss of an unsung supporter of the sport.

15-11-10

Britcar: Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship ace Alex MacDowall produced a sensational drive on his endurance racing debut at Brands Hatch on Saturday, 13th November, with a stunning class win and outright podium finish in the Britcar ‘Into the Night’ race. Partnering his father Ray, an experienced former BTCC racer himself, the Carlisle-based 19-year-old shone under the night skies over the 1.2-mile Kent track as he steered a Total Control Racing entered Ginetta G50 to the Class 3I victory and third place overall in the 90-minute spectacular.  Read report

Ginetta Jnrs: Seb Morris made history at Pembrey in South Wales on Sunday, 14th November, by sealing the 2010 Ginetta Junior Winter Championship in winning style at the tender age of just 14 – the Hillspeed team’s third title triumph in 2010. pic Jakob Ebrey Photography  Read report

Formula Renault: Fortec Motorsport’s Alex Lynn ended his impressive debut single-seater season at the weekend by securing the 2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Cup title at a testing Pembrey circuit. Together with his Graduate Cup honours from earlier this year, the 17-year-old overcame difficult weather conditions and a very strong rookie field to clinch the title to end a “fantastic year,” and put him among the title favourites for the championship in 2011. As well as a third Winter Cup win for Alex, the four-round action-packed weekend also saw maiden wins for team-mate Joni Wiman (FIN), Atech GP’s Richie Stanaway (NZL) and one of two drivers backed by the Racing Steps Foundation Oliver Rowland, driving for CRS Racing. Podiums also came for Red Bull-backed Russian ace Daniil Kvyat, driving for Koiranen Bros Motorsport, Manor Competition’s Josh Hill, son of 1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon, Fortec Motorsport’s Mitchell Gilbert (AUS), MGR Motorsport’s Luke Wright  and Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Jack Hawksworth.  The real winners of the weekend though were by far the impressive line-up of up and coming rookie racers, many fresh out of karting, which left a lasting mark on the one-make series with Hawksworth in particular securing four of the six Michelin pole positions together with two podiums.pic Jakob Ebrey Photography   Read Race reports

Formula Renault BARC: Josh Webster hopes he can carry his winning ways into next season after ending his maiden car racing year by securing the BARC Class title in the 2010 Michelin Formula Renault Winter Cup at Pembrey circuit this weekend. he 16-year-old Fortec Motorsport racer added a further class win together with three podiums during the thrilling four-round meeting to add to his impressive tally from Snetterton last weekend and claim the title by a sizeable 22-point margin. “I’ve really enjoyed this season and I’m delighted to be ending the year in this way,” commented the Stowmarket youngster. Hillspeed’s David Wagner also impressed during the single-seater mini-series to secure a maiden class win and finish as runner-up to Josh, just ahead of team-mate Howard Fuller who also made his mark during the championship. pic Jakob Ebrey Photography Read report

Running side-by-side with its Ginetta Junior operation at Pembrey this weekend, Hillspeed’s Scottish single-seater rookie David Wagner earned his maiden BARC Class victory during the final round of the 2010 Formula Renault Winter Championship on Sunday afternoon. Adding to double podium success from the opening event at Snetterton in Norfolk during the previous weekend, the Glasgow driver added two more rostrum visits to his tally at Pembrey with an excellent win in the last round on a tricky, drying track surface. pic Jakob Ebrey Photography Read report

Josh Webster capped off his first year of single-seater action at Pembrey on Sunday, 14th November, by sealing his maiden championship crown with a dominant success in the Formula Renault BARC Winter Series. Over the course of the campaign Josh has been the class of the field and during this weekend’s action he delivered a series of strong performances in tricky conditions to take four podiums from the four races contested – including a class victory.  Read report

Super GT: Benoît Tréluyer and Satoshi Motoyama took the wheel of their Motul-Autech team’s #23 Nissan GT-R to Fuli for the ‘Sprint Cup’, the final, non-championship round of the 2010 Super GT 500 season. This is the biggest celebration in Japanese motorsport with the GT500, GT300 and Formula Nippon categories all on the bill. Read report

Formula Ford: The final round of the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship at Sandown International Motor Raceway this weekend will see the debut of a brand new national series team. Garth and Leanne Tander’s TanderSport operation will team up with Brett Lupton’s Western Australian based Fastlane Racing to contest this weekend’s event in preparation for an all out assault on the 2011 Formula Ford Championship. The team will field one brand new Stealth S311D chassis for West Australian Pete Major, who will also contest a full program with the squad in 2011. “TanderSport has been an evolving operation for a number of years now and has gone from strength to strength. We have always intended for it to be a ground for developing young talent and there is no better category than Formula Ford to achieve that,” Garth Tander said. “The new chassis has been doing a fair bit of testing over in Western Australia recently and we are really happy with how the car has performed. We are feeling positive about our debut in the Championship this weekend.The Sandown event for our operation is really a toe in the water exercise, just to see where we are at with the car and to allow our driver to get up to speed so we can hit the ground running in the first event for 2011.At the moment, we are really just looking to gauge where the competition is at, at this level of motor racing.”    Major has been racing in the Western Australia state Formula Ford category this year and will make the step up to the national category this weekend. Major’s last national event was the Targa West where he drove to victory ahead of Australian motorsport legend Jim Richards. Synergy Motorsport driver Chaz Mostert wrapped up the championship at Symmons Plains last round, but the battle for second place is wide open with Geoff Uhrhane leading teammate Nick Foster by just 2 points heading into this weekend. Sandown will see 20 drivers contesting Round 8 of the championship with young Victorian driver Matthew Hunter making his National Series debut for Sonic Motor Racing Services.

GP2: Davide Valsecchi jumped his rivals at the start to take the lead after the first corner of Sunday’s GP2 sprint race in Abu Dhabi, leading all the way to the flag for his first win of the season despite race long pressure from Luiz Razia and Romain Grosjean.  The Italian's victory was set up as the lights went out when pole sitter Josef Kral was slightly slow off the line, handing fellow front row starter Razia a clear line to turn one. However the Brazilian went too deep which allowed Valsecchi and Grosjean to exit the corner side by side and into the lead. When Razia chopped back on track the Frenchman had nowhere to go and dropped back to third to avoid being squeezed on either side. Behind the top three Sam Bird had made a good getaway but was jumped by Dani Clos, fifth was Kral, sixth Sergio Perez with Oliver Turvey seventh. Perez soon passed Kral and looking to  make it a  three way fight for fourth.  he battle was extinguished almost as quickly as it began when Perez dived for  A gap which wasn't really there, colliding with Bird and putting the pair out of the race almost instantly. Meanwhile Razia pushed hard and applied constant pressure to Valsecchi but the altter held on for victory by less than a second with Grosjean holding off a late charge from Clos.  On Saturday in the feature race Sergio Perez crushed his rivals with a dominant win, securing second place in the championship as he easily led the way home by over twenty seconds from Oliver Turvey and Sam Bird.  

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Formula Ford: Chaz Mostert is the new Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Champion after an eventful seventh round of the series at Symmons Plains today. Mostert finished fifth in the final race of the weekend to clinch the title, while Queenslander Geoff Uhrhane excelled in the wet conditions to take his first national round victory winning race two and finishing second in race three to secure the round ahead of Mygale teammate Nick Foster and rookie Trent Harrison.  read race report

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Formula Ford: Chaz Mostert has moved one step closer to the 2010 Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship by winning race one of round seven at Symmons Plains in Tasmania today. The Synergy Motorsport driver enjoyed a race-long battle with 15-year-old Cameron Waters and Ash Walsh, eventually emerging on top. Read report

Formula 3: Korean tyre manufacturer Kumho, the Formula 3 Euro Series tyre partner since the series creation, back in 2003, has designed a new Formula 3 Euro Series control tyre for the 2011 season. The introduction of the new tyre that will be made available to the teams from the first official preparation tests for the coming season is supposed to make for improved equality of opportunity, inter alia for new teams. Two days of testing held recently at Vallelunga, Italy, represented an important step on the way to developing the new F 3 Euro Series control tyre. The results of these tests were incorporated in the design of the new tyre. During the tests that were executed by Renger van der Zande, Kumho tested four different tyres - two completely new designs and two new compounds - with the tyre used in the Formula 3 Euro Series to date representing the reference value. “The tyre that has been chosen, in the end, is incredibly good,” revealed the impressed test driver van der Zande. “Both the performance for a fast qualifying lap and the consistency in the race are remarkable.” The comments of Christoph Hewer, series manager of the Formula 3 Euro Series, also were extremely positive: “For many years, now, the cooperation with Kumho has been extremely constructive. And Kumho also is a reliable and committed partner when it comes to our efforts to increase the attractiveness of the Formula 3 Euro Series.”

WTCC: The clock is ticking for the 2010 FIA World Touring Car Championship as next week the strong field of 30 competitors will hit the track for the last two races of the season. For the sixth consecutive year the final and deciding act will be staged on Macau's infamous 6.1-km Guia street circuit. On Sunday 21st November two nine-lap races will consecrate the 2010 World Champion. In the previous five appearances of Super 2000 cars at Macau, including the 2004 Guia Race, BMW has won seven races out of twelve against Chevrolet's four victories (including Huff's in 2009) and Alfa Romeo's one. SEAT still has to break its duck on the Guia circuit. Local hero André Couto, who will be at the wheel of a SEAT León TDI, will try to match Jörg Müller's record of being the only driver to have won both the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix and the Guia Race. The clock is ticking for the 2010 FIA World Touring Car Championship as next week the strong field of 30 competitors will hit the track for the last two races of the season.For the sixth consecutive year the final and deciding act will be staged on Macau's infamous 6.1-km Guia street circuit. On Sunday 21st November two nine-lap races will consecrate the 2010 World Champion. In the previous five appearances of Super 2000 cars at Macau, including the 2004 Guia Race, BMW has won seven races out of twelve against Chevrolet's four victories (including Huff's in 2009) and Alfa Romeo's one. SEAT still has to break its duck on the Guia circuit.  Local hero André Couto, who will be at the wheel of a SEAT León TDI, will try to match Jörg Müller's record of being the only driver to have won both the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix and the Guia Race. 

Portuguese driver César Campaniço was the latest addition to the FIA WTCC field for the season's finale at Macau.The 30-year old from Lisbon will be at the wheel of a BMW 320si car run by the Team Novadriver Total, the very same car he raced in this year's opening event of the FIA European Touring Car Cup at Braga, where he won the second race from the eventual European champion James Thompson.Campaniço is one of Portugal's more experienced drivers. After claiming a number of victories in karting he climbed up the single seater hierarchy, from the German Formula ADAC to A1GP. He later switched to covered-wheels and clinched the Portuguese Touring Car Championship twice for BMW in 2007 and 2008.He also took part in the Macau F3 Grand Prix twice, finishing 10th in 2002 and 9th in 2003.

The bamboo-engineering team confirmed that Yukinori Taniguchi will race for them once again in Macau. The deal between the British outfit and the Japanese driver covered only the three events in Oschersleben, Valencia and Okayama, but it was extended following Taniguchi's brilliant win in the Independents' first race at Okayama.  Taniguchi was extremely proud after becoming the first victorious Japanese driver in the WTCC Independents' Trophy and is now facing his maiden appearance in Macau at the wheel of the bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Lacetti."I am very pleased at being given this opportunity and I will do my best to help my team-mate Darryl O'Young to clinch the Independents' Trophy title," Taniguchi commented.

Masaki Kano was the latest addition to the Japanese WTCC patrol that will take part in the season's final race meeting at Macau.  The 34-year old driver from Hyogo will re-join the Liqui Moly Team Engstler, as he did in 2008 (when he took part in the events at Okayama and Macau) and 2009 (when he raced at Okayama) at the wheel of a BMW 320si car.Crowned Asian Touring Car Series champion in 2007, Kano completes a Japanese trio in Macau, alongside Nobuteru Taniguchi (Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si) and Yukinori Taniguchi (bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Lacetti).

The final meeting of the 2010 FIA WTCC will see a strong representative of Chinese drivers coming from different territories.The Macau group comprises of five racers from the experienced André Couto (SR-Sport SEAT León TDI) to Henry Ho Wai Kun (Ho Chun Kei BMW 320si) who took part in the event at Okayama two weeks ago and Joseph Rosa Merszei (Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320si) who made his first WTCC appearance last year in Macau. They are joined by WTCC rookies Chan Kin Man (RPM Racing Honda Accord) and Kuok Io Keong (Andy Racing Honda Civic).  WTCC regular Darryl O'Young (bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Lacetti) who is fighting for the Independents' Trophy title is joined by fellow Hong Kong resident Philip Ma Ching Yeung(right) who faces his maiden WTCC appearance in a former JAS Motorsport Honda Accord run by the Jacob & Co Racing Team.Finally, Kevin Chen Nai Chia from Chinese Taipei returns to the wheel of the Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si he drove at Okayama.

Autosport International : David Brabham  will host an exclusive free coaching session for young drivers at Autosport International 2011. The double American Le Mans Series Champion and Le Mans 24 Hours winner, who created the Brabham Performance Clinic and leads MSA Team UK as National Race Coach, will give drivers the chance to learn the fundamentals to develop a winning mental attitude. Run over the past three years, Brabham’s previous free Autosport International workshops were aimed at karters and their parents. The 2011 workshop taking place at 10.30am on Saturday, January 15, will be open to MSA licence holders aged 12 years and over. “I’ve held Brabham Performance Clinic workshops for karters at Autosport International for the last few years,” said Brabham. “Last year we doubled the number of attendees and the room was full of karters and their parents. We received a lot of positive feedback from people who have taken onboard the principles I talk about to have their best year in karting. I’ve already received enquiries from drivers keen to know if the session will be run again. As there seems to be the demand, this year we have worked with Autosport International to expand the age group to 12 years and over, to allow more young drivers to come along. The Brabham Performance Clinic presentation is a way for me to give something back. It’s a free seminar where I explain some of the key areas I feel are very important. Factors that, when under control, allow us to perform at a higher level which I don’t mind sharing. It’s great and I enjoy doing it. The seminar is based on self awareness. It’s such an important part of what we do, not just in racing but in life in general. Once we raise awareness of ourselves in different areas we can control our destiny, in a certain sense. That’s key, particularly if you want to pursue a sporting career.” The free Brabham Performance Clinic Workshop at Autosport International is available to 35 drivers, who must be MSA licence holders aged over 12 years. Participants must hold a valid Autosport International ticket for Saturday. To book your place complete the online form at www.autosportinternational.com by clicking on the Cars & Stars section and then the Young Driver Workshop tab. Alternatively, follow the link: http://www.autosportinternational.com/public/Young+Driver+Workshop

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Australian Formula Ford : Cameron Waters topped the timesheets on the opening day of Round 7 of the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship at Symmons Plains today.   The Victorian produced a quick lap late in the day’s final session to jump to the top of the standings in predominantly dry conditions, ahead of championship leader Chaz Mostert and Brad Jones Racing junior driver Tom Williamson.  Symmons Plains is only Waters’ second outing with Sonic Motor Racing Services, having started the year in a privateer team. “It’s been a really good day for us, considering we haven’t raced here before, but I was able to find a good rhythm early in the day,” Waters said. “Today was about doing as many laps as possible and learning the track, which was difficult because the weather was changing all the time. I’m happy with how everything has gone, so I’m looking forward to qualifying and race one tomorrow.”   Synergy Motorsport pilot Mostert produced some consistently quick times, and despite missing out on the top spot, is feeling confident.  “The track was really good today in the dry and I was able to produce some really good consistent times, so I’m happy with how it’s going,” Mostert said. “It’s still early in the weekend and there is a long way to go, but so far things feel really good.”  Williamson’s third position is his first in  the top three this year and a sure sign that he is beginning to come to grips with his Mygale. “It was a pretty good session, but there is still some pace to come from the car this weekend, which is exciting,” Williamson said. “The car was good, especially in the second session, so we just need to keep our heads down and see how the weekend plays out.”    Ash Walsh was fourth in his Spectrum, ahead of Trent Harrison, Geoff Uhrhane and Ben Jurczak, while Caleb Rayner Nathan Morcom and current second place sitter in the championship Nick Foster rounded out the top 10. Round 7 of the series continues with qualifying and race one tomorrow at Symmons Plains Raceway. 

SYMMONS PLAINS, TAS – PRACTICE 1 & 2

1. Cameron Waters, Mygale SJ06a, 0:56.4527

2. Chaz Mostert, Spectrum 012, 0:56.5364 

3. Tom Williamson, Mygale SJ09a, 0:56.5850 

4. Ashley Walsh, Spectrum 012, 0:56.6855 

5. Trent Harrison, Mygale SJ10a, 0:56.7951 

6. Geoff Uhrhane, Mygale SJ10a, 0:56.8607 

7. Ben Jurczak, Spectrum 012, 0:56.8742 

8. Caleb Rayner, Spectrum 011b, 0:56.9189 

9. Nathan Morcom, Spectrum 012, 0:57.0385 

10. Nick Foster, Mygale SJ10a, 0:57.0425 

Britcar: Total Control Racing is to make its debut in endurance competition at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit tomorrow, Saturday, 13th November, during the Britcar ‘Into the Night’ race. Renowned as one of the most successful teams in saloon car racing, the Wednesbury squad is to reunite with Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship front-runner Alex MacDowall and his father Ray for an assault on the 90-minute encounter in a Ginetta G50. Having run cars in the Michelin Ginetta G50 Cup for the past couple of seasons, and becoming team champions in 2009, TCR now feels the time is right to explore other avenues of sportscar and GT competition.  Team principal Lee Brookes said: “You’ve got to consider every option and for us at TCR we feel the time is right to take a look at GT racing as another string to our bow. One-make championships have been our bread and butter since the team was established but we’re keen to look at new challenges. The opportunity to run one of our Ginetta G50 cars in this weekend’s Britcar race presented itself and Ray and Alex were keen to team up and give it a go so we’ve decided to do it. Obviously it’s a different style of racing for us but we’ll be giving it 100 per cent effort and commitment as usual.”  Britcar GT and Production – which will be known as the MSA British Endurance Championship from next year onward – currently features a wealth of exotic machinery across its multi-class format such as Ferraris, TVRs, Porsches and BMWs. In tomorrow’s race, TCR’s Ginetta G50 will run in Class Three. The team’s first track action will come at 10.40 on Saturday morning with a one hour warm-up ahead of qualifying at 15.25. The 90-minute race will then get underway at 16.55 and will conclude in total darkness at approximately 18.25.  Pic Jakob Ebrey Photography

Bathurst 12 Hours: A pair of Champion Porsche drivers will team up with an established Bathurst V8 Supercar race winner to chase success at Mount Panorama in the 2011 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour Enduro. Queensland-based Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia competitor Roger Lago has entered his 997 GT3 Cup Car in Class B (GT Challenge) and has assembled an all-star line up to partner him in the race. Lago, the recently-crowned 2010 champion of the all-Porsche series, has enlisted the services of his main rival and the 2009 series winner Matt Kingsley to co-drive but also has an ace card up his sleeve in the form of V8 Supercar driver David Russell. The experienced Brisbane-based driver has this year raced in the V8 Supercar endurance events for Dick Johnson Racing (alongside Jonathan Webb) and dominated the recent Bathurst round of the Fujitsu V8 series with an impressive series of wins in his Jayco Ford Falcon. Recent Mount Panorama experience aside, Russell is also a veteran of the Porsche Carrera Cup and has starts in the Bathurst 12 Hour, Bathurst 24 hour and Dubai 24 Hour endurance Events. In other entrant news, former Bathurst 1000 winner and defending Armor All 12 Hour champion John Bowe was last week confirmed as the spearhead of a strong Ferrari attack on the 2011 race. Bowe will team with Peter Edwards and Orange, NSW-based car dealer Tim Leahey behind the wheel of a Maranello Motorsport Ferrari F430 GT3, the first outright (Class A - GT) entrant in the race. Whilst Edwards is a relative rookie to the Mountain and 12-hour Endurance racing, Bowe teamed with Paul Morris and Garry Holt to win this years race driving a BMW 335i Turbo. Meanwhile the production car ranks are also beginning to grow with two New Zealand-based cars having entered recently. Tony Burrowes will team with Lewis Scott and Stuart Owers in a Subaru Impreza STi in whilst Hampton Downs-based Motorsport Services has entered their existing BMW 130i in Class F (Production - Performance).  The 2011 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour is set to be the best yet and will include a broader eligibility list. GT cars will join with production vehicles in 2011, with a total of 31 manufacturers eligible to compete in the around-the-clock Enduro at Mount Panorama from 4-6 February 2011. Historic Group N Touring Cars, Group C&A Historic Touring Cars, Improved Production, HQ Holden's and Formula Vee races will also feature at the event.

WTCC: Michaël Rossi made an impressive debut in the penultimate round of the WTCC at the Okayama circuit in Japan. He was far from home on a track he didn’t know in a car he was racing for the first time, the Seat TDI Leon, plus he was one the ten fastest in qualifying. He was just as quick in the wet races and finished his weekend with a great comeback, recovering from 24th to 13th. He is now hoping to continue in the same vein after his first taste of the WTCC and find a permanent drive in the championship.  Read report

Formula Ford: To celebrate the launch of their new website www.carsrus.com.au, Queensland based online auto parts retailer CarsRus, in conjunction with Borland Racing Developments’ Formula Ford racing team, has announced a 10% off sale for orders placed up to Christmas this year. The factory Spectrum racers of #45 Ash Walsh and #76 Ben Jurczak will carry the distinctive CarsRus livery for the final two rounds of the 2010 Championship at Launceston’s Symmons Plains Raceway this weekend and the following weekend in Melbourne, at Sandown International Motor Raceway. The team’s rookie driver, 16 year old Ben Jurczak is looking forward to meeting the fans at the track. “It’s great being able to show people around the cars and our pit area. I think that’s one of the really good aspects of Formula Ford. Not only is the racing the most exciting you’ll see, but afterwards you can get right up close to the cars,” he said. “That’s right,” said Ash. “So often in motor racing, the fans only get to stand behind a barrier and try to get a look at what’s going on. We like to bring the fans into our pit area. It’s quite a lot of fun letting them sit in the CarsRus Spectrum for photos and explaining the controls to them. I think most are really surprised at how high tech our cars are when they get in and see the MoTeC data logging dash and all of the switches and buttons!”  To get a further 10% off  CarsRus prices, fans need to place their online order and enter the promotional code, which they can get either by visiting the CarsRus Spectrum Formula Ford racing team at Sandown, or by contacting Borland Racing Developments Pty Ltd via email paul@borlandracing.com or telephone 03 9580 5236.

Superleague Formula will take to the city streets once again this weekend when Chris van der Drift demos the Liverpool FC car in Cardiff. His run across the Cardiff Bay Barrage is set to be a highlight of the World Rally Championship street show, the 750bhp, V12-powered single seater blasting from the Penarth end to the Port and back at 17:30 local time on Saturday.  Van der Drift was a challenger for this season's title until suffering a massive accident at Brands Hatch on August 1. While his Olympiacos club went on to finish fourth in the standings with the help of Ben Hanley and Neel Jani, the Kiwi was sidelined for half the season before making a miraculous return from injury at the final round in Spain. It won't be the first time that the championship's cars have strutted their stuff in an urban environment across Europe this season either. Assen, Liverpool, Portimao and Pamplona have all had their foundations shaken in 2010 thanks to the power of Superleague Formula.

Will Bratt continued to prove his credentials as a top line performer in the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2010 and the 22-year-old now has his sights set on moving further up the ladder towards his ultimate goal of Formula One. Driving the bigger, more powerful Euroseries 3000 (now Auto GP) car in 2009 on his way to a double title triumph – including the Italian Formula 3000 crown – the Banbury racer stepped into F2 this year thanks to backing from Michelangelo Search, Whirlpool, Tangerois and Marrakech Grand Prix.  Adapting well to the Williams JPH1B car, he secured four podiums through the season with a best result of second place during the penultimate round in Valencia, Spain. Frustrated not to have been able to take a race victory in F2, Will nonetheless enjoyed the racing and the competition. “There were plenty of opportunities for us to snatch a win or two this year but things just didn’t quite go our way when we needed them to”, he said, “The racing was close though all year and given our budget constraints, Formula 2 was the best option we could have gone for.” Striving to continue his ascension up the international single-seater racing ladder, Will has identified the football-themed Superleague Formula as an attractive proposition for next year. Featuring 750bhp, V12-engined single-seater cars carrying the colours of some of the world’s biggest football clubs, the championship is an intriguing and popular fusion of two of the globe’s greatest sports. One of the most desirable aspects of Superleague Formula for Will is the fact the cars are big and powerful, not dissimilar to the Euroseries 3000 racer he steered to championship success in 2009 and also fairly close to Formula One-style performance. As ever for the Oxon driver though, budget is key and he will be working hard in the coming weeks and months to secure the required funding.

FF2000: Officials of the "Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda" have removed a July 30-31 doubleheader at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Ill. from the series' 2011 schedule. Dan Andersen, the series' promoter, said he does not anticipate adding another doubleheader to the schedule as a replacement, so the series' 2011 schedule now stands at 12 races over seven events. "The Autobahn race organizers were unable to obtain enough sponsorship to ensure the event's success, so that date has been dropped from our 2011 schedule," Andersen said. The USF2000 series is part of both the Road to Indy and the MAZDASPEED Motorsports driver development programs. The 2011 season opener is on St. Patrick's Day in March when the series supports the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at Sebring. It closes in September when it is part of the Labor Day extravaganza at the brand-new street course event at Baltimore's Inner Harbor.  The series will support IZOD IndyCar Series events four times and will be part of the historic "Night Before the 500" show at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis on May 28, a few hours before the Indianapolis 500. calendar

Formula 3: ART Grand Prix will terminate their Formula 3 programme and will no longer be taking part in any F3 Series in 2011. The company will take on some new directions that will be revealed in the near future. ART Grand Prix would like to thank their partners, HWA and Mercedes who have offered a high quality partnership without which it could not have built up such successes in the F3 Euroseries. ART Grand Prix would also like to thank all the drivers who contributed to  the success in the discipline with a hundred race victories. ART Grand Prix remains completely focussed and committed to the GP2/GP3 championships and will continue to strive to succeed and to promote young drivers as they have done in the past with Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Alexandre Premat, Adrian Sutil, Paul di Resta and others. Frederic Vasseur: "The F3 Euro Series was the ideal platform for ART Grand Prix, one on which the company based its growth and its success since the birth of the discipline in 2003. It is with regret that due to the termination of our F3 programme we leave the F3 Euro Series after having obtained all the titles between 2004 and 2009. We make a point of thanking HWA as well as our partners and drivers, but the time has come for ART Grand Prix to concentrate on new ambitious challenges. The team has had the privilege of enjoying a solid and strong relationship with Mercedes-Benz as it was part of the foundation of the company's program in this discipline which constitutes one of the best formative schools for higher levels in autosport. ART Grand Prix wishes them the best for the year to come."

11-10-10

Masters Historic Racing will hold the ‘Catalan Classic Revival’ with all their European grids at the  Barcelona GP track. The new event will honour Barcelona ’s former street circuit at Montjuich Park , under the name “Espiritu de Montjuich”, on 8-11 April 2011. Historic Grand Prix and Le Mans cars will be among those racing on the Circuit de Catalunya, as well as a  selection of sports racing, GT and historic touring car grids.  Masters will be  working with Jesús Pozo’s events company for the three-day celebration of historic racing which will have a strong Catalan theme on the track. It will commemorate achievements of the famous local Escuderia Montjuich 1960s/1970s racing team, as well as remembering the great GP and sports car races once held on the fabled street circuit up on Montjuich hill, which overlooks the main port of the old city. “This new classic festival in Barcelona is a special event for us and for historic racing in general,” said Christopher Tate, series director for Masters, “which we have been working on for a long time. Just recently, we became the first-ever UK group to co-promote - under Spanish Federation rules - a historic race meeting in Spain; that was at our 2010 season-closer at Monteblanco near Seville, which was an enjoyable meeting and something of a dress rehearsal for Barcelona. Very few historic racers across Europe have ever been able to sample the Circuit de Catalunya, and until now, there has never been a true classic festival held there. With the imagination and experience of our Spanish partner, Jesús Pozo, and with the enthusiastic participation of the management team at Circuit de Catalunya, we look forward to a really exciting start to our 2011 racing season.”   Jesús Pozo, creator of the top Spanish classic car shows, as well as the Martini Legends event at Montjuich and a collector himself, says: “ Spain , and the Catalan region in particular, has a great racing history from exactly the period which Masters regularly celebrates, the 1960s and 1970s. Among special features of the new event, we will be displaying some of Escuderia Montjuich’s surviving team cars, as well as taking competitors and visitors around the old circuit on guided tours with team drivers of that era. Barcelona is really looking forward to welcoming Europe ’s top historic cars and drivers in early April – it will be a great weekend!”   Entry applications for the Catalan Classic will open on December 1st, and Masters expects that the festival will prove very popular with many drivers already expressing a keen interest to race on the full GP circuit (not using the latest FOM chicanes).

Formula 3 : Menasheh Idafar concluded his latest winter test outing at Oulton Park on Wednesday, (10 Nov), delighted with the progress he’s making at the wheel of his F310 Dallara-Volkswagen.  Coming off the back of confirmation of a newly agreed 2011 race deal with T-Sport to graduate to the main headline class of the Cooper Tires British F3 International Series, the past couple of days have gone extremely well with the 19-year-old able to enjoy plenty of running in both wet and dry conditions. On Tuesday the weather was mixed but Wednesday’s outing was totally dry which enabled Menasheh and his team to work through a number of options with the car’s set-up and continue their recent progress. In the end, it’s believed the reigning National Class Champion emerged as the fastest driver on both days although all timings were, of course, unofficial. “Both days have been really good for me but today was amazing”, said Menasheh, “We’ve made fantastic progress with the car, I feel really comfortable now as we’ve tried a lot of things and we’re getting the set-up how we want it. We’ve been consistent and quick both days so I’m really pleased. Perhaps the most important thing was for it to be completely dry today, we tried stuff we’ve never tried before and found some things which really work well.” Pic Jakob Ebrey Photography

Carrera Cup GB Scholarship announcement on TV. The announcement for the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup Scholarship is now on-line at the Porsche Origin website.  The 4m17s feature shows the six finalists waiting for the announcement and then the moment when Benji Hetherington and Kieran Vernon were revealed as the two winners for 2011. The clip can be viewed at:  http://origin.porsche.com/uk/articles/carrera-cup-gb-scholarship-day-3

BTCC: Alan Gow has confirmed he's signed a new contract to run the British Touring Car Championship for a minimum of three more years. Gow made the announcement at the BTCC's star-studded annual awards ceremony, held at Holiday Inn, Stratford-upon-Avon at the weekend.

Formula Renault Winter Series: Young karting graduate Jack Hawksworth’s car racing debut in the 2010 Formula Renault Winter Series with Mark Burdett Motorsport at Snetterton when far better than he expected. No only did he stun his rivals with a superb pole position in qualifying but hhe alos put in two solid performances in the races. Pic: Jakob Ebrey Photography     Read report

Karting graduate Jordan King, who on also his competitive Formula Renault debut in the 2010 Winter Series at Snetterton, overcame a bruising pre-weekend testing shunt to battle his way back to an impressive top ten finish on race day.  Pic: Jakob Ebrey Photography   read report

Silverstone: As the 2010 MotoGP season comes to a close, Silverstone is already focusing its attentions on delivering another AirAsia British Grand Prix on 10-12 June next year. MotoGP’s highly anticipated return to Silverstone was a resounding success, praised by riders, fans and media alike, and the Northamptonshire circuit is planning an even bigger two-wheeled festival in 2011. Tickets for next year’s event have been selling well, and with Silverstone’s MotoGP ‘Early Bird’ offer set to end at 17:00hrs on Monday 22 November, fans are being urged to purchase their tickets sooner rather than later, in order to secure tickets at a 20% discounted ‘Early Bird’ rate.  MotoGP tickets, booked via www.silverstone.co.uk before 17:00hrs on Monday 22 November, are available at ‘early bird’ prices, starting at just £12.80 for Friday practice. Weekend Tickets, for all three days (Friday 10 June – Sunday 12 June 2011), are available to purchase for as little as £56.

10-11-10

Oman Air, the flagship airline of the Middle Eastern sultanate, is currently displaying a presentation at the World Travel Market show in London with brand ambassador Ahmad Al Harthy’s Porsche 911 GT3 race car forming a centrepiece of the company’s stand. Billed as the premier global event for the travel industry, the 2010 staging of World Travel Market got underway on Monday, 8th November, and will run until Thursday, 11th November, at ExCel London in the heart of the city’s Royal Docks. Forging a successful and rewarding partnership with 29-year-old Ahmad over the course of the last couple of years, Oman Air has begun to expand its profile as part of the Muscat sportsman’s sponsor portfolio in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship. This year, Ahmad became the first Arab to ever race in the UK based championship where  he finished the season fourth overall in the Pro-Am 1 Class with a total of six podiums. He also entered the motor racing record books in June aby becoming the first Omani to ever compete at the Circuit de la Sarthe in France – the home of the Le Mans 24 Hour race. The landmark also coincided with the 40th year of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s reign in Oman. “It’s a great honour for me to have my race car incorporated into Oman Air’s display stand at the World Travel Market show in London”, said Ahmad, “It’s a huge event for the travel industry and for that reason an extremely important date on the calendar for Oman Air. I hope the appearance of my Porsche on the stand is helping to attract as many visitors as possible.”

Historics: Lee Dwyer won both the HSCC Open Wheel and the Allcomers Open Wheel Scratch races at the Walter Hayes trophy meeting last Sunday.  Dwyer driving a March 742 lapped the entire field on Saturday in the HSCC race heading John Rand's Lola T460 by two laps. Will Arif was third in a Royale RP30. On Sunday in the Allcomers Scratch race held on Sunday Dwyer again dominated the field taking the lead from the start.On this occasion however he was kept in sight by Kat Impey in a Dallara F302 who finished second , 9.2 seconds behind after the 15 laps. Third in another F3 Dallara, a 301, was Neil Hunt , 20 seconds further down the road. pic R Pascal 11/56 Motorsport

Autosport International 2011 will offer Formula One fans a unique chance to examine the car that secured the 2010 Formula One Constructors’ Championship in Brazil at the weekend: the Red Bull RB6. The Adrian Newey-designed car that is widely regarded as being the fastest on the grid this season will be on display on the F1 Racing Grid. If you’re lucky, the three Red Bull mechanics that have been permanently stationed between the camera and the car’s rear-diffuser won’t be present, giving you the first chance to have a good look at what they’ve been hiding!  See if you agree with Martin Brundle, who will also be at the show, and on the grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix described the Red Bulls as being, “Like Swiss watches, like a work of art: just totally beautiful.” See if you can spot the nuances of design that made the car so fast by comparing it to its 2010 contemporaries from Mercedes, Williams, Virgin, HRT and Lotus, which will be on the same stand.  In the hands of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, the culmination of six years work by the Milton Keynes team has notched up eight wins and 14 pole positions from 17 races. Had it not been for some unfortunate luck for the young team, it is entirely possible that one of those drivers would have already tied up the Drivers’ Championship too. As it stands, they’ll have to wait until next weekend. There’s also the chance to see Adrian Newey’s previous handiwork on the McLaren Racing Display where, amongst many other cars, will be the Mercedes-Benz-powered MP4-13. This is a car that showed similar dominance to 2010’s RB6 back in 1998 when it secured Mika Häkkinen’s first World Championship and the last Constructors’ Championship for McLaren. Fittingly, Murray Walker, the man who talked us through Mika’s first World Championship will also be at Autosport International alongside his old colleague, Martin Brundle and the BBC’s current F1 presenter Jake Humphrey. The commentating legend will make appearances throughout the weekend, including on the Autosport Stage and in the Fifth Gear Live Action Arena. Tickets are now on sale for the public, which is held at the NEC, Birmingham, on 15-16 January. Adults  cost £30 per day, with children 19.50. A reserved seat in the Fifth Gear Live Action Arena, home of thrilling racing and awe-inspiring stunts will provide entertainment for the whole family, is included with every show ticket. For more information or to book, please visit www.autosportinternational.com or call +44 (0)844 581 1420.

09-10-10

Grand-Am: AIM Autosport is searching for qualified drivers for its Daytona Prototype sports car. Driver positions are available for the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and the  balance of the 2011 season. AIM anticipates making a driver announcement by the end of the year.  In the racing community, AIM Autosport is well respected for its ability to compete with, and frequently place ahead of, top teams with far greater budgets. This season, AIM claimed seven top-five finishes from 11 races and two-thirds of the way through the season, its drivers were just seven points shy of the top spot, trailing only the season’s dominant pairing of Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas.  “In the four short years that we have been racing Daytona Prototypes, we have proven ourselves to be among the strongest teams in the field,” said team principal, Ian Willis. “We are very proud of our successes to date and this is a great opportunity for sponsored drivers wishing to join a front-runnning team.”  Motivated drivers interested in joining AIM Autosport’s sports car program may contact team principal, Ian Willis. For more information about AIM Autosport, visit www.aimautosport.com 

The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear has announced the series' 10-weekend, 11-race schedule (with one TBA) for the 2011 season; included are five IndyCar weekends, two with ALMS, one with USAC and one where Star Mazda will race a double-header as the co-feature.  Rising racing stars from around the world will hone their driving skills at three road courses, four street circuits and three ovals. Read more

2010 Star Mazda champion Conor Daly has been selected to receive the 18th annual Gorsline Scholarship, presented by The Gorsline Company. The Gorsline Scholarship recognizes aspiring drivers and presents a program that provides tools that will assist these drivers in developing skills on and off the track to attain their professional goals. As the scholarship winner, Daly will work with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Director of Performance Prime, to create an individually-designed performance-enhancement program, courtesy of The Gorsline Company. "Conor is a perfect candidate for this scholarship," said John Gorsline, principal of The Gorsline Company. "In his short career, he has demonstrated an ability to aim high and reach his goals as he continues to pursue his dream to become a world-class racing champion."  Daly was in the running with two other outstanding young drivers for the Gorsline Scholarship, which included Ashley Freiberg, winner of two skip Barber Series championships in 2010, and Anders Krohn, who finished second in the 2010 Formula Star Mazda championship. "It was a tough decision to make," said Gorsline, "as each of these young drivers has done an outstanding job this year."  The Gorsline Scholarship will be presented on Dec. 5 by Stirling Moss at the Autosport Dinner in London. The Gorsline Company, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., pioneered the business of providing insurance for high-risk professionals. The company specializes in providing racing drivers and owners creative, custom-designed insurance packages and estate planning strategies.

LMS: Phil Quaife’s bid to end his 2010 season with a podium at the Zhuhai 1000kms ended in frustration when, despite a fine performance from the Kent-based driver and his co-pilots Andrew Kirkaldy and Pierre Ehret, a starter motor issue in the final hour cost their CRS Racing Ferrari 430 a top-three finish in the competitive GT2 category. The event in China marked the final round of the inaugural Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) and drew a strong field to the 2.684 mile circuit in the Guangdong Province in the south of the country.  Read report

Karts: Nyck De Vries went to Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt) with the firm intention of maintaining his leadership in the WSK World Series, Super KF category. Six weeks after conquering the crown of World Champion, the young Dutch karter drove a fantastic race, always on the attack but without forgetting fair play. His second place, won after a hard-fought final, should have been sufficient for another world title, but a decision by the sport’s authorities decided otherwise...read report

Formula Renault Winter Cup : Josh Webster didn’t put a foot wrong during the opening rounds of the 2010 Michelin Formula Renault Winter Cup at the weekend by securing both race victories in the BARC Class on his local circuit Snetterton.The 16-year-old Fortec Motorsport driver not only clinched both class wins in the one-make series but also picked up both NGK Spark Plugs Fastest Lap awards together with a new lap record for the 1.952-mile Norfolk track.  Hillspeed’s David Wagner (Glasgow) also impressed during the action-packed weekend by taking two second places to be just six points behind the Stowmarket racer in the BARC Class drivers’ standings. Team-mate Howard Fuller (Kingston upon Thames) enjoyed his share of the honours too with third in round one while Russian Roman Beregech, driving for Fortec Motorsport, picked up the remaining podium spot on the opening weekend.  Race report

08-11-10

Formula Renault : Three Formula Renault UK drivers were on top form for their prize British Formula 3 test on Monday, 8th November despite having to contend with a rain-soaked Rockingham International circuit.   Michelin Formula Renault UK Champion Tom Blomqvist, third-place finisher Tama’s Pa’l Kiss and front-runner Ollie Millroy each took to the cockpit of the F3 machine as a reward for their performance in the 2010 Renault Sport single-seater series. Championship runner-up Lewis Williamson had been scheduled to test but was unable to attend leaving 20-year-old Millroy to take his seat as the next highest placed driver who was available. In the pouring rain and with temperatures dropping as low as 4°C, the three were gifted a clear 1.94-mile track in which to complete their prize test which was a first for the series and had been arranged thanks to negotiations between Renault Sport Technologies and British F3 promoter SRO.Blomqvist, who made history earlier this year by becoming the youngest ever winner of the championship at just 16, tested an International Class car running with Litespeed F3 posting a 1min 35.630s (73.03mph average) in the third and final of his allotted sessions.  Joining Blomqvist in the morning stint was Millroy, who finished sixth in the series with Manor Competition, testing a National Class car with Motul Team West-tec and securing a best of 1 min 35.862s,  just 0.232s off Tom’s pace. Meanwhile in the afternoon session, with the rain still beating down, Pa’l Kiss took to the track also running with Motul Team West-tec in the National Class car. The 19-year-old completed his three sessions with a best time of 1min 35.749s to finish just a fraction off Blomqvist’s pace. Blomqvist commented: “The day went well despite the atrocious weather conditions which at times felt like you were driving on ice. It was also my first time in the wet in an F3 car but overall it went well and I came away feeling confident.” Commenting afterwardsr Pa’l Kiss said: “The conditions were really tricky out there and as such I had to adapt my driving style. Being the only car out on track too meant the water wasn’t being lifted off the racing line leaving the car to aquaplane at times. Towards the end of the final session though I managed to improve my lap times and to finish in the 1min 35s was a good result.” Millroy added: “The test went really well considering the conditions and I really enjoyed it. To come within two tenths of Tom’s pace despite him being in an International Class car is really ncouraging for me and it was great to have the opportunity to test the F3 car.”  pic Jakob Ebrey Photography

Two fantastic podiums at Snetterton on Saturday, 6th November, put Manor Competition’s Ollie Millroy within just a single point of the 2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Championship lead – but a highly unfortunate, and controversial, post-race penalty in round two means he heads to Pembrey for the series finale next weekend with a 14 point deficit. Overcoming a tricky qualifying session littered with traffic, which took place on a progressively drying track, the Surrey 20-year-old made a pair of exceptional starts in each encounter to convert lower than expected grid slots into two richly deserved and hard earned runner-up placings. read report

Formula Ford: Peter Dempsey won the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone yesterday(Sunday) just over a second from Ivor McCulloch. Third went to Wayne Boyd who spent most of the race starring at McCullough's gearbox. Dempsey had won the second semi-final earlier in the day from McCullough by 0.083secs while Wayne Boyd had dominated the first winning y5 seconds from Spence Pigot. report to follow  - pic R Pascal 11.56 Motorsport   read report

Formula 3: Dan Cammish, third-place finisher in the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain, has scooped an unexpected bonus for his hard work at the wheel - a Formula 3 test.Cammish will join championship runner-up Scott Malvern at Rockingham next week (18 Nov) for the F3 prize tests, which will take place during Formula Ford’s annual Sampler Day at the Northants circuit. Dan will take the place of champion Scott Pye, who has other commitments in his native Australia. Malvern and Cammish will drive F3 cars prepared by Motul Team West-Tec, and Dan is delighted with his good fortune: “It’s a bit of a shame for Scott that he can’t do it. I was really surprised - but really happy - to get the call, and now I can’t wait. My Formula Ford season was up and down and to miss out on being in the top two left me gutted, so this is great for me.” F3 is very much where Cammish wants to be in 2011. “I am talking to a lot of people,” he added, “and getting the right people around me. I don’t think I’ll be racing in Britain, but possibly in the F3 Open or German F3, that sort of area.” The Rockingham Sampler Day provides, in addition to the F3 tests, the opportunity for prospective Formula Ford competitors from across Europe to try the different chassis and teams on offer for the coming season. The sampler day is open to all drivers aged 16 and holding an ARDS or a kart licence. Prospective participants must register in advance with the championship co-ordinator, Penny Mattocks [p.mattocks@racingline.com]

Reigning Cooper Tires British Formula 3 National Class Champion Menasheh Idafar will graduate to the main International Class in 2011 after confirming a deal with Russell Eacott’s T-Sport team. Remaining with the Brackley-based squad for his second season in the UK’s premier single-seater championship, the 19-year-old will campaign a Volkswagen-powered Dallara F310 in the headline class next year. Having already experienced his 2011 challenger with a handful of test outings over the course of the past few weeks, Menasheh has made good initial progress and continued his learning curve this past Thursday,( 4 Nov), at Donington Park. Developing a great relationship with T-Sport throughout the course of his first season in Formula 3, the British-born Bahraini is delighted to be able to continue with the team thanks to the renewal of a commercial agreement with backer Gulf Computer Services W.L.L.  “I’m so happy to be staying with T-Sport for my step-up to the International Class, everyone at the team worked really hard this year and we built a great relationship”, he said, “The tests we’ve done in the A Class car so far have been good, we’re definitely on the right track. It’s going to be a very big challenge but I’m ready and really looking forward to it.” One of the most important aspects of Menasheh’s  deal will be the continuity of remaining with T-Sport and team principal Russell Eacott is relishing the prospect of carrying their partnership through into the premier class. He said: “We’re very happy that Menasheh is continuing with us. It’s good to be able to take a driver from the National to the International Class. So far the winter testing has gone very well so we are looking forward to another strong season.”  pic Jakob Ebrey Photography

Keith Whalley has missed the end of the European Late Model Series after an industrial accident left the RCD-UK driver with a broken Achilles tendon. The Birmingham racer hasn't raced since winning the feature in the #88 RCD-UK Pontiac Grand Prix, at Foxhall when the Late Models raced there back in the summer. Whalley is well on the road to recovery and is hoping to test the #88 Pontiac in November. RCD-UK have two Late Models available for the 2011 season with the possibility of another one on the way! Interested parties should check out their website at www.rcd-uk.co.uk

Formula Renault: Reigning Graduate Cup Champion Alex Lynn made the best possible start to his 2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Cup campaign by taking a double win during the opening rounds at Norfolk’s Snetterton circuit on Saturday, 6th November. The 17-year-old Fortec Motorsport racer converted his front-row start in round one to claim his maiden victory and indeed his fist ever car racing win. The teenager then claimed the honours in the day’s second race, albeit in different circumstances after capitalising on a time penalty handed to the two drivers who finished ahead of him. Those racers were Russian teenager Daniil Kvyat, running with Eurocup team Koiranen Bros Motorsport, and Manor Competition’s Ollie Millroy. After securing second in round one, Millroy had repeated the feat in race two with Kvyat taking the chequered flag but following a post race investigation, both drivers had overtaken during a Safety Car period handing them each a five second penalty – dropping them to third and fourth respectively. With Lynn taking his second win, that left Luke Wright, run by Mark Godwin’s new outfit MGR Motorsport, to be promoted into second for round two with the day’s remaining podium spot (third) in round one going to New Zealander Richie Stanaway in his Atech GP run car. Local racer Josh Webster (Suffolk) meanwhile secured both the BARC class wins in his Fortec Motorsport machine, along with a new BARC lap record, ending a thrilling opening weekend for the series which saw an impressive 25 cars take to the grid.pic Jakob Ebrey Photography  Read report

Josh Webster utterly dominated the BARC Class on the opening weekend of the Michelin Formula Renault Winter Championship at his home track, Snetterton, on Saturday, 6th November, with a pair of faultless race victories, two fastest laps and a new lap record. pic Jakob Ebrey Photography      Read report

Formula Renault newcomers David Wagner and Howard Fuller both achieved podium finishes on their category debuts at Snetterton, during the opening weekend of the 2010 Winter Championship. Running in the BARC Class of the six-race series, the Hillspeed pairing progressed strongly over the course of the event at the 1.95-mile track. Glasgow karting graduate Wagner finished second in rounds one and two while Worcester Park-based Fuller was third in the opening encounter.   Read report

New Zealander Richie Stanaway took a podium finish in his first race with Atech GP at the weekend, finishing third in the opening round of the 2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Cup at Snetterton. The Silverstone-based team was also joined by another new face into Formula Renault, former FPA racer Matt Bell. Stanaway set an impressive pace in testing at the Norfolk track, ahead of the first of two race weekends in the Winter Cup, consistently at the top of the time sheets. In qualifying on Saturday, the ADAC Formula Masters Champion was on pole for much of the session, but was held up on his final two laps, dropping him down to eighth.In the race Stanaway made a great start to pass Carlos Sainz Jnr. off the line and was quickly battling for a podium spot with Ollie Millroy. On lap nine a mistake by the second placed driver allowed Richie up to third, which he held to the flag for a superb debut podium. For race two the 18 year-old lined up sixth and another great getaway put him third on lap one and second a lap later. However on the damp track, Richie made a small error when he hit a patch of water on one of the fastest parts of the circuit, pitching him off into the barrier and retirement.“I had a great start to race two and was running second after starting sixth,” said Stanaway. “I then touched a wet patch in a fast corner, slid off the track and didn't finish. It was a very disappointing mistake, but I will learn from it. Atech GP did a great job all week, and I’m looking forward to testing with them this week, and racing at Pembrey this weekend.” Former Kart and T-Car racer Bell also started well with a strong performance in pre-event testing at Snetterton netting him the seventh and ninth fastest times in two of the three sessions. Come qualifying on Saturday therefore the Briton was slightly disappointed to be only 14th fastest but happy with the set-up for the two 20-lap races later in the day.The opening race however proved frustrating after a fuel loom failure on lap six caused his early retirement. In the second race a stirring drive allowed him to make up places steadily throughout the race, moving into eighth on lap 15 and holding the position to the finish.

LMS: OAK Racing finished the 2010 season on a high by winning the LMP2 class in the third and final round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, the Zhuhai 1000kms in China. The French team therefore clinched the 2010 ILMC LMP2 class title and also won the Green X Challenge of the new international championship launched this year by the ACO. The result for Jacques Nicolet’s squad brought a perfect end to the year with a win and two titles. Sébastien Philippe, OAK Racing Team Manager:  “I am delighted with this result and especially to win the Green X Challenge. We finished fifth overall in the race, behind the works LMP1 class Peugeots and Audis and realistically we couldn’t have hoped for a better result. All went well today, the Pescarolo-Judd was reliable throughout the 1000 kilometres, barring a small issue with a brake pipe with eight laps to go. Two of our drivers didn’t know the team at all just six weeks ago, but they have integrated well with the squad and have continued to make progress. Frédéric and Patrice both have real ability which bodes well for next year. I’d also like to say a big thank you to every member of the team for their hard work in 2010.” Jacques Nicolet, driver and owner, OAK Racing: “I was pleasantly surprised by the circuit even though it isn’t ideal for endurance racing due to the numerous amount of slow corners. The result here on this great day in China is a reward for everyone in the team, including those who aren’t here with us this weekend but who deserve this victory as much as anyone. Unfortunately, Patrice, Frédéric and I cannot be present at the prize-giving ceremony, but we will be represented by Sébastien (Philippe) and also the President of Mazda France, Thierry Guillemot, who was kind enough to come and support us in Zhuhai.” Frédéric Da Rocha, driver, OAK Racing: “I really enjoyed this second race with OAK Racing. With eight laps to go I had a small issue with the brakes and it cost us a couple of laps, but the team did a superb job in the pits which allowed us to rejoin the track and finish behind the works Audis and Peugeots. The car was perfect during my stints and was also very fast and easy to drive. My first two races with OAK Racing have been simply superb.” Patrice Lafargue, driver, OAK Racing: “Another race with OAK Racing has ended with a lot of happiness! Our objective was to be at the finish and not make any mistakes and we have achieved that. The car was perfect and the race was easier to manage than Petit Le Mans. There was less traffic and the works LMP1 cars weren’t as aggressive as they overtook us. A big thank you to the entire team, 2011 cannot come soon enough!”

SEAT Supacopa: As the final round of the 2010 Spanish SEAT Supercopa series rolled into action in Barcelona, Freddy Nordström battled his way to the Circuit de Catalunya last weekend (30th-31st October), for a Halloween weekend full of surprises.  Read report

05-11-10

BRDC: Andy Priaulx has won the prestigious British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) Gold Star in 2010. The three-time World Touring Car Champion finished the BRDC points-scoring season a mere two points ahead of Red Bull Racing Formula 1 driver, Mark Webber. Coincidentally, Gordon Shedden beat Jason Plato to the BRDC Silver Star by the same points margin, highlighting how close the battle has been for two of the BRDC’s most distinguished awards in 2010.  The Gold and Silver Star (the National equivalent of the Gold Star) points run from 01 November to 31 October.  This has been the traditional cut-off date for decades, to ensure that the Gold Star winner could be determined in time for the BRDC’s Annual Awards in November / December.  In the 1960s, in particular, there were Formula 1 races in South Africa in December, as well as races in the Tasman Series, which would miss the cut-off date and therefore count towards the following year.  Priaulx scored Gold Star points in 18 races, which included rounds of the WTCC, a class 3rd in the ALMS at Sebring 12 hours, and a second place in V8 Supercars at Surfers Paradise.  Mark Webber scored Gold Star points in 15 races, including last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 01 November 2009. Had Mark finished in the top eight at the recent Korean Grand Prix – his final opportunity to score Gold Star points – he would have secured the BRDC Gold Star for 2010. This is the first time that a touring car driver has won the points-based BRDC Gold Star. However, it is possible that when F1 drivers also drove touring cars in the same season, particularly in the 1960s, that some of their points would have been scored in the touring car category. The BRDC Gold Star dates back to 1929.  It is a unique award that is presented annually to the winner of the Gold Star Points Table, made up from results in international races.  The Gold Star points scoring system pits the very best drivers from around the world against each other, regardless of what they are driving, or where they are racing.  The BRDC Gold Star roll of honour is a ‘Who’s Who’ of the BRDC and international motor sport.   

Karts: Strawberry Racing dominated the Zuera podium after its drivers occupied four of the six steps available in the Junior and Senior categories at last weekend’s (30/31 October) Rotax International Open.  Read report

On the fast Laval circuit, were several World and European karting champions raced in the 1980s-90s, Andrick Zeen showed his best performance in the KF2 international category. After a brilliant 4th place finish in Saturday's race, the Californian from Sodi Racing Team further improved his score on Sunday and climbed on the third step of the podium during the last round of the GPO series.   read report

Formula Ford: Aspiring racer Adam Butler has set the clock running on his hopes to contest the 2011 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain by attending one of the country’s biggest car shows to help promote the series and his sponsor. Twenty-year-old Adam has borrowed Ford Motorsport’s display Van Diemen chassis to exhibit at the MPH Show, which opened yesterday (Thursday) at London’s Earls Court. Butler and the Formula Ford will take pride of place on the show stand of Italian watchmaker Alessandro Baldieri until Sunday. “We are working with Adam to further his career and hope very much to see him in Formula Ford next season in our colours,” said ABwatches.net operations director John Carmichael. “Hopefully the exposure he gains at the MPH Show will help him gather some additional backing.” Essex-based Butler has single-seater experience from Formula BMW and other series, and says his aim is a full Formula Ford season in 2011: “I haven’t raced since October last year and I am 100 per cent committed to getting back on track. Formula Ford is definitely where I want to be - I have been watching it religiously for a couple of years now. “I am seeking additional sponsorship to complete my budget and plan to be at the Formula Ford Sampler Day at Rockingham on 18 November to meet the teams.” Super-fit Adam, a personal trainer, is also hoping to enter the Grand Prix Shootout contest, top prize in which is a season’s racing in Formula Ford with the JTR team. Butler will be in good company at the Formula Ford Sampler Day, enquiries for which are running at a high level. Championship promoter RacingLine reports strong interest: “We are hopeful that, as last year, around 50 potential competitors will be at Rockingham to meet the teams and to drive the cars,” says RacingLine director Sam Roach.  The 18 November Rockingham sampler day is open to all drivers aged 16 and holding an ARDS or a kart licence. Prospective participants must register in advance with the championship co-ordinator, Penny Mattocks [p.mattocks@racingline.com]

The sixth round of the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship was recently held at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit in Queensland. Catch all the action as Australia’s future stars take to the track over three races in the Sunshine State this Saturday on 7mate. Plenty of thrills and spills resulted in some of the best racing all season as one driver puts his stamp on the championship. 6 November, 2010, TIME: 12:30pm AEDST (check your local guides), WHERE: 7mate - The Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship hits the track again on November 11-14, for Round 67 of the series in Tasmania.

WTCC: The 2011 FIA World Touring Car Championship calendar has had a second change to the draft that was approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on September 8th.The Belgian racetrack of Zolder has been included again to replace the Argentine event that was due to take place at Buenos Aires on April 3rd. "Our plan to race in Argentina reached a deadlock because the event promoter and the local government were not in a position to grant the work that needed to be done to re-homologate the Buenos Aires circuit in time for the event. Therefore we have jointly decided to put off the championship's first visit to Argentina until all the issues are solved and we will work  together to make this happen in the near future. Looking for a replacement, the logical choice was Zolder which hosted the WTCC this year in a very successful event," explained championship promoter Marcello Lotti.  The WTCC Race of Belgium will be held on April 24th. The final draft of the 2011 calendar was approved in Paris on Wednesday by the FIA World Motor Sports Council. 

In Paris on Wednesday the FIA World Motor Sport Council approved the new system for the WTCC reverse grid that will be adopted from next year. In order to avoid drivers deliberately losing positions during Race 1 with the aim of securing pole position for Race 2, from 2011 the reverse grid for the second race will be based on the final results of the Q1 qualifying session.Furthermore, the number of drivers whose positions will be reversed will be increased from the current eight, to ten inline with the top ten drivers scoring points.The reverse grid for Race 2 is currently based of the provisional results of the first race.

Gabriele Tarquini will not retain his World Touring Car Championship crown. The reigning champion was knocked out the title fight when he crashed from the lead during the second race at Okayama last Sunday. "It was my mistake. In those conditions the SEAT cars did not have the pace to compete with BMW and Chevrolet and I had to take some risks to try and stay in contention until Macau. Honestly I still don't know what happened, because the turn where I went off is uphill and relatively slow," Tarquini commented.How do you split the odds to clinch the title between Yvan Muller and Andy Priaulx? "Yvan has 90% of the odds, as even in the case he doesn't score, Priaulx has to collect 37 points, which is not easy. However, in Macau anything can happen. Should the finale be on another track I would have given Yvan 99% of the odds, but Macau is unpredictable." Tarquini is now heading to Argentina - like his fellow WTCC drivers Yvan Muller and Alain Menu - to take part Sunday in the 200 km of Buenos Aires.

At Okayama Robert Dahlgren's Volvo C30 finished both races in 10th and 6th position, the best results ever for the Swedish Manufacturer in WTCC."The car performed really well on this track and this was a perfect kick off for next year," said Dahlgren. After staying consistently among the top drivers in the practice sessions, the Swede qualified 14th and then was dropped ten positions on the grid because of an engine change. Without that penalty he could have possibly achieved even better results."These results made a great end to the season. We were disappointed by our previous WTCC apperances, but this weekend gave us the boost we need for 2011," said Dahlgren.Team manager Christian Dahl commented: "We are more than pleased. We have worked hard on this project and we had a confirmation of the fact that we can be competitive in WTCC.""It was great to see the team working forward to these results. They are more than ready for their development season in WTCC and we are looking forward to follow their progress next year," said Magnus Jonsson, Chairman of the Motorsport Board at Volvo Car Corporation.

At the Speciality Equipment Manufacturers Association Show in Las Vegas, Ford revealed plans to leverage the all-new Focus for motorsport by supporting the development of a next-generation touring car for global competition.The move extends Ford's reputation for offering race-capable, affordable platforms that can be converted into a race car. The new Focus will become Ford's global touring car to be developed with private race teams in cooperation with the company's global motorsport group.  "There has been tremendous interest from the racing world about the new Focus, and it's the perfect fit for a global touring car," said Jost Capito, director of Global Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Business Development.Race teams are helping Ford to develop a common technical specification for the race car, which will conform to FIA Super 2000 regulations, with potential to adapt to wider specifications. Ford will also support the race teams by providing data and production parts, resulting in teams racing more competitive cars that are developed with greater efficiency. "We are delighted that another important manufacturer such as Ford chose to develop a new racing car according to the S2000 regulations. We are confident that this will result in the Ford brand being represented in WTCC in the near future. We have already been approached by a team that are working on a plan to join from 2012," WTCC promoter Marcello Lotti commented.

BTCC: Mike Jordan ‘isn’t impressed easily’, concedes his son Andy, so for Tom Ingram to be described as ‘outstanding’ by the Eurotech boss and likely to ‘go a very long way’ in motorsport after a day spent driving a Pirtek Racing Vauxhall Vectra at Silverstone must be praise indeed. The Pirtek test was the prize for Tom after winning the 2010 Ginetta Junior Championship crown at Brands Hatch last month.  “I was absolutely buzzing beforehand,” he confessed, at 17, one of the youngest people ever to drive a BTCC machine. “I couldn’t get to sleep the night before because I was so excited about it all, and when I got to Silverstone I just couldn’t wait to get out in the car! The first lap felt really, really strange. In a rear wheel-drive car like I’m used to with the Ginetta, it doesn’t really pull forwards because it’s driving from the back – whereas the Vectra kept pulling forwards, and when you think it’s going to run out-of-steam it just keeps going. It’s the first front wheel-drive racing car I’ve ever driven, and I went through Copse Corner sideways on one of my first laps – it was just mental! I also had to adjust to the size of the car, the speed, the gearbox, the weight, the brakes and the braking distances. It wasn’t any one thing but rather a combination of everything, really – it’s just so massively different to the Ginetta in every respect.”  From being 6.5 seconds adrift of Jordan’s benchmark in the car the Conway House, Teng Tools, NP Aerospace and Mr. Signs-backed driver worked his way down to a half-a-second shy come the end of the day . Andrew Jordan said,  “Tom did a sterling job, much better than I’d thought he would get on,” he enthused. “He’s a really nice lad, really enthusiastic and he seems very intelligent with a very switched-on approach – and he was quick, as well! I don’t really want him to get too much quicker, or he will be after my drive! My dad was very, very impressed by Tom, and he isn’t impressed easily! “Most of the time he was losing was in high-speed places like Copse, which is natural and what you would expect as the last thing you find in a touring car is corner entry speed in the quick stuff – but he chipped away at that throughout the day and just got better and better and better. It’s all a confidence thing. “ Jordan Snr added, “It was a very good day all-round,” he confirmed. “The Vectra was obviously a big change from anything Tom had ever driven before, and a modern-day BTCC car is a tricky car to get decent pace out of, but he approached it all incredibly sensibly. I told him at the start that it was not by going fast that he was going to impress us, and the worst thing that he could have done would have been to go and stick it in the gravel on his first run when the circuit was all horrible and slippery still – but he didn’t put a single foot wrong all day and drove perfectly.We ended up giving him a lot more track time than we had planned, purely because we were so hugely impressed with his whole attitude and we wanted to give him the best opportunity possible – and he really grabbed that opportunity and just did an outstanding job. He learned a lot, and at the end of the day he was bloody fast – faster than we’d thought he would be. If he had a few more test days, it wouldn’t take long before he is absolutely right-on-the-money in terms of pace.I’m unfortunately not in a position to be running a second touring car next year, but if all-of-a-sudden I had a ‘phone call from a sponsor wanting to come on-board that did allow me to do that, Tom would be very, very high up my list to put into it. He absolutely has a bright future in the sport. His family are in a similar situation to what I’ve been in with Andrew – unless we get the sponsorship, we don’t go racing – but all Tom needs is the finance behind him, and he’ll go a very long way.”   Pic: Jakob Ebrey Photography

04-11-10

The Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship may only be six rounds old, but as the series heads to Symmons Plains in Tasmania, some of the front-runners are already starting to think about next year.    Championship leader Chaz Mostert and fellow Spectrum driver and round winner this season Ash Walsh are close to locking in their respective plans next year, which could see them line up against each other in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.  Mostert has tested successfully with Queensland based squad Miles Racing throughout this year and enjoyed an impressive debut with the team at Bathurst, finishing fourth. “We’re 100 percent focused on finishing off this season and taking home the Formula Ford Championship, but at this stage it looks like I’ll be racing with Milo (Wayne Miles) in the Fujitsu Series next year,” Mostert said.  “I got the chance to run at Bathurst this year and we exceeded our expectations by coming home in fourth position for the round. It wasn’t about being the quickest out there; it was just a chance to give me some time in the car in a race environment. “So far the Formula Ford Championship has gone really well for me, so I’m hoping we can finish on a high note, before I move onto the next step. The Fujitsu Series is the perfect place to be if you want to race V8 Supercars and for me that’s definitely the aim.” While Mostert is close to a deal with Miles Racing, it looks like he could have a familiar face as a teammate, with Walsh also close to joining the growing outfit.   “I’ve tested with Wayne a couple of times this season and I’ve been really happy with how the team is run and the direction they’re heading in,” Walsh said.  “They’re focused on nurturing young talent, so I think it would be a great environment to be involved in. We’re close to making it happen, it’s just a matter of getting all of the ducks in a row before we make a final decision.”   The Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship resumes next weekend for Round 7 of the at Symmons Plains in Tasmania. Synergy Motorsport driver Mostert currently leads the championship by 85 points over Nick Foster following his fourth round win of the season on the Gold Coast, while Geoff Uhrhane has moved up to third after a solid weekend.  Next weekend  is Round 7 of the championship with young ACT driver Mathew Hart making his National Series debut for Evans Motorsport.   

Karts: Samuel Oram-Jones received an extra birthday present this week with confirmation that he will join championship winning team, RL Racing Department Ltd, for 2011. Sammy who raced in  MiniMax this year, turned 13 on November 2, will again compete in Formula Kart Stars (FKS) and Super One next season, plus the Rotax Euro Challenge, aka Euro Max.  The youngster, who claimed his debut FKS MiniMax class victory at Wigan is looking forward to mounting a championship challenge next year.  “We are going to be aiming to win the British championships – and to do very, very well in Europe,” said the teenager. “It was great to get that win at Three Sisters and having got a taste of that I want to be up there regularly now. I know this year RL Racing Department Ltd were very competitive in MiniMax and came second in the championship, only just missing out on the title. It is going to be great to be with them. They have done very well over the years and hopefully I can now do very well with them too.”  Sammy will make his debut for his new team this coming weekend at the PFi circuit in Lincolnshire. Team owner Steven Armstrong is convinced he can do very well in 2011. “I have got one of my best engineers scheduled to work with Sammy this week and the main thing will be for him to get acclimatised to the team,” Steven added. “It is clear Sammy has got a lot of talent and potential. It just needs to be pushed to the limit. I have seen him race and he is very fast. But now he needs to make the next step and I think we can help him take it up a notch. He is a great addition to our team and he should be challenging for the top-three in every race in 2011. That is the minimum we will be aiming for. “  Meanwhile Sammy should benefit from a link-up with Pro Performance - a sports science consultancy based in the UK that specialises in preparing elite racing drivers for competition.    

With 4 podiums, 2 victories and 2 titles, CRG Racing Team's overall results were pretty  positive at the last round of the WSK World Series in Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt). The chassis of the Italian brand together with Maxter engines proved to be in top form at the end of 2010 season in the 4 international categories. The heroes of the meeting were Jonathan Thonon and Max Verstappenm, who won in KZ2 in KF3, while Arnaud Kozlinski concluded with a victory in Super KF followed by Davide Forè who stood on the second step of the podium. Michelle Gatting had started along the same path in KF2, but then lost her winning chance at the start of the final. read report

British racer  Jordan King in one of his very last karting outings prior to graduation to cars, ended the inaugural WSK World Series campaign sixth in the championship standings following the final round in Egypt. Pic: Gregory Heirman/FotoFormulaK,         Read report  

GP3: Atech CRS Grand Prix have signed Nick Yelloly as the first of its three drivers to contest the 2011 GP3 series. Nick competed in British Formula Renault last season, winning at the season finale at Brands Hatch.  Since the end of the GP3 inaugural season, Nick has carried out a comprehensive test schedule with the Silverstone-based team, at all the official end-of-season tests and setting some fast lap times. The 19 year-old from Solihull is currently in Spa, for more testing in a Formula Master car ahead of next year’s GP3 campaign which kicks off at Barcelona in May. Speaking from Belgium, Nick said: “I am really excited to be moving up from the British Formula Renault championship to GP3 which has to be regarded now as the best championship out there for the aspiring young professional. To be able to make this step with Atech CRS, with whom I’ve achieved rapidly improving success in a relatively short career, is a real added bonus. The prospect of being joined by two other talented young drivers in 2011 will enable me and the team to make a serious attempt at achieving many successes through the year.  No one should underestimate how serious we are about mounting a very serious campaign as a team in 2011. “ Atech CRS Team Principal David Hayle was also delighted to continue his relationship with Nick and commented: “I'm over the moon that Nick is moving up to GP3 with Atech CRS. He's been with Atech for the last two seasons in Formula Renault during which time his rate of improvement as a driver has been massive. He's just got stronger and stronger with time, ending the season with a victory in the last round at Brands, which was thoroughly deserved. I'm really looking forward to working with Nick again he certainly puts the effort in.” Today’s announcement is the first signing for a British team in the 2011 GP3 series and Atech CRS hopes to announce its second driver by the weekend. The team is also currently in negotiations with two other drivers for the third seat. 

Charity: 2010 Le Mans class-winner Nick Leventis has just returned from Nepal having completed a 30,000 foot leap into the record books. His skydive over Mount Everest with jump partner Tom Noonan is the highest altitude tandem skydive ever completed at the world's tallest peak. The Himalayan location is one of the most treacherous in the world and the record attempt was preceded by an arduous four-day trek to the drop zone. The ascent by Pilatus PC-6 aircraft to the jump altitude itself was also particularly demanding, as Nick had to cope with finite oxygen supplies and a very limited period for the plane to operate at such a height. Hazardous weather conditions forced the team to abandon the first two attempts, but the third flight met with success. Considered to be one of the most challenging places to skydive, the death-defying leap began 1,000 ft above nearby Mount Everest, establishing a new Himalayan altitude record for a tandem skydive. The jump was in support of the Global Angels Foundation, an international charity that works with some of Asia’s most disadvantaged children. Nick, who shared the LMP2 class win in the Le Mans 24 Hours this June with Strakka Racing's Danny Watts and Jonny Kane, completed his skydive on 19th October. Nick and his wife Sophie have been ambassadors for Global Angels since 2009 and have already raised over £85,000 for the charity. This latest skydive forms part of Global Angels' four-year mission to raise $1 million in aid for the street children and orphans of Asia. In Nick's case, the money raised will go towards helping the Burmese child refugees of Mae Sot, a town in northern Thailand on the border with Burma, which he and Sophie visited in July. The record-breaking skydive is one way Nick feels he can raise the funds to help feed, clothe and educate these resilient but desperately needy children. Please, step up to the mark and be an Angel. It is not too late to support Nick in his skydive and help the children of Mae Sot. Please visit the Global Angels website, where you can pledge your support and make a donation. The full 100% of all money donated to Global Angels goes to the cause – there are no administrative fees or overheads.  

Race of Champions: The biggest champions of world motorsport gather on 27-28 November in Düsseldorf – Live on Motors TV!  Created in 1988 by former WRC driver Michèle Mouton and Fredrik Johnsson, the Race of Champions has become an eagerly-anticipated end-of-season event on the international motorsport calendar. This year, the Race of Champions returns to Europe and will take place in Germany on a specially-designed two-lane track at Düsseldorf’s Esprit Arena. The very best drivers and riders, many of them world champions in their chosen disciplines, will fight for the title of ‘Champion of Champions’ as well as the Nations Cup. The roster of talent on show is impressive and includes Alain Prost (4-time F1 World Champion), Sébastien Loeb (7-time World Rally Champion), Michael Schumacher (7-time F1 World Champion), Tom Kristensen (8-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours), Mick Doohan (5-time World 500cc Motorbike Champion), Andy Priaulx (3-time World Touring Car Champion), Sebastien Vettel (F1 Vice-Champion) and the incredible Travis Pastrana, famous for his exploits on two and four wheels and a winner of 11 gold medals at the X-Games. Schumacher and Vettel are the defending champions in the Nations Cup and will be hoping to retain their title in front of an adoring home crowd. The on-track action promises to be epic and the Germans will face tough competition from the French, for whom Prost and Loeb boast a combined honours list which is the envy of the entire event!  The must-see Race of Champions takes place on 27 and 28 November on Motors TV.
Nations Cup: Saturday 27 November – Live from 6pm.
Race of Champions: Sunday 28 November – Live from 12 noon. Pic  IMP-International Media Production

03-11-10

Cadwell Park will be exchanging horsepower for pedal power at the Gravity Racing Festival, the circuit’s final 2010 event, on Saturday 13 November.  This is the fourth year that Cadwell Park has hosted this unique celebration, which brings together local, national and international teams to compete against the clock in a variety of gravity-powered machinery.The 2010 Gravity Racing Festival will feature a competition for go-kart style soapbox racers, and among the teams to have signed up for this category are two local schools: Oasis Academy in Immingham and Lincoln ’s Yarborough School , both of whom have built a machine as part of their engineering studies. Lining up alongside the two school teams will be a leading car manufacturer, as a team of staff from Bentley has also created a hi-spec soapbox racer for the 2010 showdown.  In addition to the soapbox racers, the Gravity Racing Festival will feature a new competition for Gravity Sidecars. Plus, Cadwell Park will be hosting two skateboarding contests – a Street Luge, where riders steer skateboards down the track feet first, an a Downhill Street Luge, in which competitors stand or kneel in aerodynamic positions to gather as much speed as possible. There will also be a Gravity Bike competition for BMW bicycles with no pedals or chains.The events will take place at the Coppice and Mansfield sections of Cadwell Park circuit, with Coppice being used in reverse, and the fastest entrant in each discipline will advance to a head-to-head grand finale between each discipline, where the overall winner will be crowned 2010 King of Gravity!  Tickets for the Gravity Racing Festival at Cadwell Park on Sunday 14 November cost £10 per car on the gate. For more information call 0870 950 9000 or visit www.cadwellpark.co.uk. 

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB is already a sell-out for the 2011 season after all the available cars were sold in record time. A total of 32 of the latest model 911 GT3 Cup cars are being built in Stuttgart for the coming season and all the cars have been sold, with over five months still to go until the opening races of the new season.  To cope with unprecedented demand, the Carrera Cup grid is being extended to 32 cars from the 28 of 2010, with 32 being the highest number that can be accommodated at all the tracks on the BTCC schedule. This ensures that every registered driver will be able to race at every event, without running into issues of not qualifying.  Two of the 2011 model cars will be allocated to the Carrera Cup Scholarship winners, Benji Hetherington and Kieran Vernon, while teams and drivers immediately snapped up the other cars. Many existing drivers and teams are continuing in the championship, while four new teams will join the grid in 2011. The new squads are Team Dynamics, Triple Eight Race Engineering, 2XP Racing and Trackspeed.  "We knew that interest in the Carrera Cup was running very high for 2011," said championship manager Marion Barnaby. "But this response has broken records and exceeded even our most ambitious targets for the new season. The response to the new model 911 GT3 Cup car has been overwhelming. The 2011 season is going to be an incredible one for the Carrera Cup GB."

Lotus Cup UK: Lotus on Track Racing Drivers Club (LoTRDC), along with Motorsport Vision Racing (MSVR), have announce a new championship for the 2011 season: Lotus Cup UK.  The new championship, which has been granted outline approval by the MSA will run alongside LoTRDC's hugely successful Lotus on Track Elise Trophy, which will be heading into its fifth season and the Lotus Cup Europe, which has been run on the manufacturer's behalf by LoTRDC for the past two seasons.  Lotus Cup UK will consist of 8 rounds over 6 events. Four of these will feature 60 minute races which will include a mandatory pit stop, whilst the remaining two will run with a 20 minute sprint, followed by either a 30 or 40 minute race. Regulations will be the same as those for Lotus Cup Europe, which will enable drivers to switch between the UK and European series. The Championship will feature 5 Classes:

2-Eleven - Specifically aimed at the Toyota supercharged Lotus 2-Eleven circuit car.

Exige Cup - Aimed at all Exige S2 variants including the 2009 Lotus Exige Cup 260, Exige Cup 255, Exige Cup 240, Exige Cup 190 and Exige S.

Lotus Open - For Lotus cars that do not fall into the above categories including Elise S2 supercharged Toyota, Modified K series Elise S1, S2, 340R and Europa. Other Lotus cars may be accepted by invitation only.

Production - With factory specification engines and limited modifications permitted.

Evora -  For standard specification Evora race cars.

The Elise Trophy, which will race at some of the meetings, will remain a club series for those who are new to racing or prefer a more relaxed environment. A Yokohama AO48 will be used as a control tyre, this is the same spec as the Elise Trophy and Lotus Cup Europe. This will help drivers who wish to swap between Europe's major Lotus race series. calendar

FBMW: Asia Racing Team’s Yuichi Nakayama finished 3rd in the Race 2 of the Formula BMW Pacific in Okayama, after taking pole andloosing his  win in race 1 for a Technical infringement. His  teammate Ryo Hirakawa, making his debut in the series, claimed  an impressive 4th position in Race 2. Asia Racing Team's was far from satisfaied with the the exclusion from Race due to an unintentional differential assembly mistake, but  their cars' pace gave everyone an optimistic outlook ahead of the home race at Macau.  Read report

Formula Renault : An impressive 25 cars will line-up on the start grid at Snetterton circuit this weekend for the opening rounds of the 2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Cup. The first two rounds of the six-race mini-series get underway at the 1.952-mile Norfolk track on Saturday with the remaining four rounds taking place at Pembrey the following weekend (13th/14th November).  The full entry list (below) boasts a host of up and coming young drivers, including nine international drivers from eight different countries, all hoping to make their mark in the one-make single-seater series. Of the 25 drivers, six will be competing in Protyre BARC Series cars with the others taking to the wheel of the UK spec machine.  Recent editions to the line-up include two entries from Formula Renault UK front-runners Atech GP with Matt Bell, aged 20, and 18-year-old New Zealander Richie Stanaway. Two newcomers also come from Mark Burdett Motorsport with Protyre BARC Runner-up Mitchell Hale and Jack Hawksworth, while Finnish driver Joni Wiman completes a four-car UK class line-up for Fortec Motorsport.  Richard Dutton’s team also add their name to the BARC category with Josh Webster and Russian Roman Beregech while Hillspeed’s second signing has been named as Howard Fuller. The final of six BARC entries comes from CRS Racing with 17-year-old Croatian Evelin Frank who makes her Formula Renault debut this weekend.   Commenting on the news Championship Promoter Simon North said: “We’ve had a fantastic response to the series and as such this year’s grid is one of the largest on record, with even more drivers expected to join the series at Pembrey. The quality of drivers is also very high and we’re looking forward to some very close racing at Snetterton this weekend.”  Entry List pic Jakaob Ebrey photography

CRS Racing have revealed the drivers who will contest the 2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Series in the red, white and blue-liveried CRS cars. Robert Foster-Jones will be joined by Oliver Rowland and Evelin Frank for the six-race Winter Cup. Rob Foster-Jones began his single-seater career with CRS this year in the main Formula Renault UK Championship. He has already proved himself as a winner and will be focused on winning again and taking the winter title. "I'm really looking forward to the Winter Series and hopefully getting back to the top step of the podium," said Rob. "The team and myself have worked hard in our preparation for this so I hope we can claim our rewards."  Multiple kart champion Oliver Rowland, holder of the 2010 CIK-FIA Super KF and KF1 World Cup, recently won the backing of the Racing Steps Foundation for the end-of-year campaign. The Winter Series will see the 18 year-old from Sheffield make his car racing debut. Evelin Frank started racing karts in Italy in 2007. The multi-lingual 17 year-old from Zagreb in Croatia took part in Adrian Sutil's charity karting gala in Munich in 2009 and beat Sutil at his own game. She is joining CRS for the Formula Renault UK Winter Series to make the step up into racing cars.

Karts: Weather remained dry in Laval throughout the final round of the French Championships/GPO, though the Sodi Racing Team found itself under a rain of titles, victories and podiums during All Saints' weekend. This "one-man show" by Sodi chassis reached its peak with the Constructors' "Champion of Champions" title, the French Constructors' title in KF3 and KZ2 and the triumphs by Anthony Abbasse in KZ2 and Pierre Gasly in KF3, who were crowned French champions in two of the three major categories of international karting. Five of the seven titles at stake: really an exceptional final result!   Read report

02-11-10

Formula Renault: 19-year-old racing driver Josh Hill – grandson of Graham and son of Damon – continues his climb up the motorsport ladder this weekend, making his debut in Formula Renault after two successful seasons in Formula Ford. His ambition is to be the first 3rd generation British F1 Champion.  See Josh in action from Formula Ford at Donnington, back in September: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoYzBs8qILk. Damon’s gone on record as saying he thinks Josh has more driving talent at 19 than he had at the same age. Josh will make his debut at Norfolk’s Snetterton circuit this Saturday, 6 November.

The F2000 Championship Series has relased it’s 2011, 14-race, seven-weekend tentative calendar. The largest open wheel series in North America, featuring multiple chassis manufacturers and the best road courses in North America will open its sixth season of competition at VIRginia International Raceway in early April. Following VIR, the F2000 Series visits Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen International, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Mosport, Lime Rock Park and concludes the season with a second date at Watkins Glen in mid-October. Joining F2000 at VIR, both Watkins Glen weekends, Mid-Ohio and Lime Rock will be the inaugural season of the 10-round F1600 Formula F Championship Series(see story below), recently launched to run alongside the highly successful F2000 Series.   The 14-race F2000 schedule features double race weekends at each track with over three hours of track time [not including test sessions. VIR will kick off the season, pairing both Series with the Vintage Drivers Club of America. After that, F2000 hooks up with the Formula Drift tour at Road Atlanta, May 6-7, as it has done a handful of times. Watkins Glen is next with the Grand-Am Series, June 3-5. The Series opens the month of July at Mid-Ohio, June 30-July 2, before a big event with ALMS at Mosport, July 22-24. In September, it’s Lime Rock with the NASCAR Modifieds, September 16-17, and the season concludes at Watkins Glen, October 14-16. “The end of season survey of our customers showed conclusively that one track is at or near the top of everyone’s list, and that is Watkins Glen International. With the Grand Am six-hour spectator weekend in June and the October date with Vintage Racers Group in the Finger Lakes spectacular fall season, we have it covered,” commented Series Managing Director Michael Rand. pic Janice Eakin

The F1600 Formula F Championship Series has announced its inaugural season schedule, consisting of five weekends and 10 events, alongside the F2000 Championship Series.  The new Formula F Series opens the year at VIRginia International Raceway in early April. Following VIR, the tour visits Watkins Glen International, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lime Rock Park and concludes the season with a second date at Watkins Glen in mid-October. “The inaugural season, featuring four great tracks and five weekends of double-headers, will give us a chance to judge interest and grid sizes,” said Michael Rand, F1600 managing director.  “If the current exceptional level of interest results in good fields, the new series will be a great addition to the F2000 schedule.”  With the goal of over two hours of track time [not including testing sessions where available] and single class racing the F1600 Formula F Championship Series looks to be on solid ground. VIR will kick off the season, April 8-10, pairing both Series with the Vintage Drivers Club of America. Watkins Glen is next with the Grand-Am Series, June 3-5. The Series opens the month of July at Mid-Ohio, June 30-July2.  In September, it’s Lime Rock with the NASCAR Modifieds, September 16-17, and the season concludes at the highly popular Watkins Glen, October 14-16. “The end of season survey of our F2000 customers showed conclusively that one track is at or near the top of everyone’s list, and that is Watkins Glen International. With the Grand Am six-hour spectator weekend in June and the October date with Vintage Racers Group in the Finger Lakes spectacular fall season, we have it covered,” commented Rand.

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Formula Renault: Reigning Formula Renault BARC Championship winning team Hillspeed  will run a two car entry in the 2010 winter series which gets underway at Snetterton this Saturday, 6th November, and concludes at Pembrey in South Wales just a week later.Glasgow-based karting graduate David Wagner will be joined by Formula Palmer Audi front-runner Howard Fuller (pictured left)for the six-race series.  Fuller graduated from karting to car racing in 2007 in the now defunct T-Car Championship before moving into single-seaters a year later in the FPA Autumn Trophy where he was eighth overall.   Contesting the main FPA season in 2009, the Surrey racer returned to the category this year where he concluded the championship in seventh t. The 18-year-old also contested four races in the 2010 VW Racing Cup where he took a superb maiden race win in only his second outing. For 17-year-old Wagner, the Formula Renault BARC Winter Championship will be his maiden car racing experience. In 2005 the Scottish youngster became the British NKRA Karting Champion in Honda Cadet before winning the Junior TKM West of Scotland Championship and Scottish Open Championship the following year.  More success came in 2007 with the Junior Blue Scottish Open title and victory in the NKRA finals, while a move into the Stars of Tomorrow KF3 Championship in 2008 brought with it numerous race wins. Graduating to KF2 the following year, Wagner was a genuine front-runner although his racing programme was reduced this year due to school exams. “We’re very much looking forward to working with David and Howard during the winter series”, said Hillspeed team principal Richard Ollerenshaw, “It’s undoubtedly going to be a big learning curve for David as it’s his first experience in cars, and it will be a step-up for Howard too, but we’re confident we’ll have a strong campaign.”

Ginetta Juniors: Alongside its Formula Renault BARC bid, Hillspeed will field a single-car entry in the Ginetta Junior Winter Series at Pembrey on 13th/14th November for 14-year-old Seb Morris. Having won the main 2010 title with Tom Ingram last month, the Hathersage squad will now mount an assault on the Winter Championship with Morris.In his first weekend of car racing at Thruxton at the beginning of April, Morris took a 12th place finish on his debut before taking a top eight result at Rockingham just three weeks later. Kicking off the second half of the championship superbly with a then career best of sixth position at Snetterton, the Kings School student eclipsed the result with fourth at Knockhill and then third at Donington Park. Ollerenshaw added: “Seb delivered some tremendous performances in Ginetta Junior this year and we’re delighted he’s staying on board with us for the winter series. He has a huge amount of talent and speed and he stands a very good chance of doing well at Pembrey – we’re looking forward to it.”

LMS: OAK Racing will step be Dunlop’s official LMP1 tyre development partner in 2011 following the team’s first two-day test as an LMP1 manufacturer at Portimao last week. The decision comes after two successful seasons of collaboration in LMP2 where a strong partnership has been forged between the organisations. Now, OAK/Pescarolo’s prototype and Dunlop tyres will together take on the world’s leading endurance teams and manufacturers.  Jacques Nicolet, OAK Racing Team Owner: “OAK Racing and Dunlop have been working together with success since 2009. The commitment to enter an exclusive partnership for the development work in LMP1 is the result of these two years of intense collaboration. It is born from a solid base of reciprocal knowledge, working methods and a shared racing philosophy. The further strengthening of these links with a tyre manufacturer guarantees the team’s stability, and so enhances the efficiency of the car’s technical evolution over the coming month. This will undoubtedly be aided by the quality of Dunlop’s tyres and staff.”  For both parties, the structures for the partnership’s implementation are already in place. A test team dedicated only to the development programme has been created within OAK Racing, while the race team has been assigned a specialist Dunlop development engineer who will work alongside the company’s support crew which normally attends each race. The integrated collaboration began at Portimao earlier this week under the supervision of Emmanuel Robinet, Dunlop’s European Motorsport Technology Director. The Algarve circuit saw Dunlop and OAK Racing, along with regular driver Guillaume Moreau, complete a series of thorough and specific tests which will bear fruit as development continues into the future. As for the end of 2010, OAK Racing remains committed to concluding their season on a high note by confirming the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup LMP2 title in China, following podium finishes at Silverstone and Petit Le Mans. The third and final round of the ILMC, the 1000kms of Zhuhai, takes place on November 7 when Jacques Nicolet, Frédéric Da Rocha and Patrice Lafargue will be reunited once again at the wheel of the #35 Pescarolo-Judd fitted, of course, with Dunlop tyres.

DTM:  Audi’s Timo Scheider won the tenth round of the 2010 DTM season at the Adria International Raceway on Sunday . Having started from 15th on the grid, the German had a perfect strategy to score his first win of the season. Behind Scheider, the two title contenders Gary Paffett and Bruno Spengler (both Mercedes-Benz) occupied second and third place respectively. Markus Winkelhock (Audi) scored his first points of the season by finishing fourth. Oliver Jarvis, Martin Tomczyk (both Audi), Maro Engel (Mercedes-Benz) and Mattias Ekström (Audi) completed the point-scoring positions in fifth to eighth place. Paul Di Resta (Mercedes-Benz) just failed to score points, he ended up ninth. Read report

Karts: James Singleton went to his latest race meeting around the demanding Northants circuit of Whilton Mill merely to get some winter testing in, but he came away with the winner’s trophy following a dominant performance. Pic Les McLuckie      Read report

Jay Goodwin  had a season where  he came of age in the sport with three podium finishes at national level as he overcame more than his fair share of ill-fortune to finish an excellent sixth in the final standings in FKS. Pic  Chris Walker/www.kartpix.net  read review

FPA: Britain's Nigel Moore has secured the 2010 Formula Palmer Audi(FPA) title, and in doing so a £100,000 scholarship prize towards a seat in Formula Two in 2011. The championship caps a remarkable career so far for Moore who is one of six drivers in the shortlist for this year's McLaren Autosport BRDC Award. Nigel, 18, is now set to embark on a FIA Formula Two Championship campaign in 2011. "To win the championship at the end just feels absolutely great!," Moore said. "I've kept my head down all season and the best part has definitely been the end! It's my first ever year of single seaters and it's been excellent, I just can't thank everybody enough - Mark and everyone who helped me, the entire FPA team and of course a big thank you to Jonathan Palmer, Lawrence Tomlinson and everyone at Ginetta. I can't wait for next year to be honest. F2 is definitely where I'm aiming - it's a big step up, but I've proved myself in single seaters and this is now my fourth title in four years so I can't really ask for more. Hopefully I can translate that form next year as well!" Moore went into the Silverstone weekend in second place in the standings, which had been headed for the majority of the season by Frenchman Maxime Jousse. Moore though had one of his best weekends of the year, claiming second place in both races on Saturday, before winning Sunday's opening encounter to establish a clear lead at the top of the standings. Jousse meanwhile could only manage fifth in race one, fourth in the second event, and another fifth in Sunday's first race - dropping him seven points behind his rival.  The final race saw both drivers fighting through the pack in the final race, going wheel to wheel at Becketts on the opening lap. Jousse was sixth by the end of lap 3, then fifth on the next.  Moore meanwhile was ninth, meaning Jousse needed 3 more points, or third, to take the title. The deciding moment however came in an incident between Jousse and debutant Jordan King which saw the pair make contact, Jousse suffering damage to his front wing and more crucially dropping behind Moore. The Frenchman’s challenge ended for good when he had a coming together with Howard Fuller resulting in a spin followed by retirement. Moore went on to finish fourth, winning the championship by nine points.

Next TV dates for Porsche Carrera Cup GB -  The 15th programme in the TV coverage of the 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup GB will be broadcast in the Motorsport UK  programme on ITV4 at 5pm on Tuesday 2 November, on ITV1 on the night of Sunday 7 November and will also be repeated on ITV4 on Saturday 6 November. Round 18 of the season at Donington Park will feature in this programme. 
Motorsport UK will be broadcast as follows:
Tuesday 2 November at 5pm on ITV4
Saturday 6 November at 10.10am on ITV4
Monday 8 November at 2.30am on ITV1

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