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News Archive  January 2011

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08/05/2011

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31-01-11

LMS: Four and a half months before the Le Mans 24 Hours, preparations for the endurance classic are in full swing at Audi. Two new Audi R18 cars and one Audi R15 TDI were used in tests at Sebring (U.S. state of Florida).The programme planned for the tradition-steeped American circuit specified endurance runs for one of the completely re-developed LMP1 sports cars while the second Audi R18 was primarily used for development work. The Audi R15 “plus plus” that will be fielded at the 12-hour race at Sebring – the season opener of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) – completed a long run as well. In addition, the basic setup for the race in March was worked out on the vehicle.During the tests, which ended on Saturday, the nine Audi “factory” drivers took turns at the wheel so that all of them had the opportunity to drive each of the three sports cars.“We’re very pleased with the performance of the Audi R18 at our first outing at Sebring,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “We opted for this race track because it makes high demands on the mechanical systems of our vehicles. The temperatures are better than in Europe right now, plus the dry weather provides us with assurance that we’re able to conduct the endurance runs as planned. On a wet track the loads would be lower and the test results therefore less conclusive.”

Grand-Am: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates completed the "Chip Slam," winning the 49th Rolex 24 At Daytona to give the team consecutive victories in the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and America's premier endurance race, cheered by the biggest GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 crowd at Daytona International Speedway. Aided by a lightning-fast final pit stop, Scott Pruett went from third to first in the final round of pit stops with just 48 minutes remaining in the race, giving the team its fourth Rolex 24 victory. Pruett and fellow Daytona Prototype champion Memo Rojas joined team newcomers Joey Hand and Graham Rahal in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target BMW/Riley. Pruett beat Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon to the chequered flag by 2.46 seconds to score his fourth overall and record-extending ninth class victory in the Rolex 24. "It is truly awesome," Pruett said. "To have a 1-2 finish is just incredible. Our No. 01 car has finished every lap here the last five years and won it three times. That in itself is a true testament to what the Ganassi organization does and the preparation on getting this car on the track. They've been busting their butts getting our cars ready for this race since October." Pruett's pit stop atoned for a miscue when Hand bumped a tyre exiting the pits and was given a 20-second penalty with two hours, 45 minutes remaining. Pruett took over with one hour, 45 minutes remaining, running in fourth position. "I don't drive the cars, I don't change the tyres and I don't work on the engines," Ganassi said. "There are lots of people, lots of great competitors, who make up this team. I just get to stand up here and talk about it." Dixon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti and Jamie McMurray finished second in the No. 02 Target/TELMEX BMW/Riley. Defending Rolex 24 champion team Action Express Racing finished third with Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, Max Papis and JC France in the No. 9 Porsche/Riley, followed by Formula One veterans Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell, who were joined by Zak Brown and Mark Patterson in the No. 23 Johnny Walker/FXI/UBS Ford Riley. The top four cars were separated by 3.752 seconds after 2,566.76 miles of racing, completing 721 laps. Andy Lally, Spencer Pumpelly, Wolf Henzler, Brendan Gaughan and Steven Bertheau came from last to first in the No. 67 Sergent & Lundy/South Point Hotel & Casino Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, giving TRG car owner Kevin Buckler his fourth Rolex 24 class victory. It was the third Daytona class triumph for Lally, and second for Pumpelly and Henzler. Bryce Miller, Tim Sugden, Bryan Sellers and Rob Bell took third in the Marquis Jet/Total/IPC Porsche, followed by Patrick Dempsey, Joe Foster, Charles Espenlaub and Tom Long, who gave the Dempsey Racing's No. 40 Visit Florida/ModSpace/Charles Espenlaub Mazda RX-8 its first Rolex Series podium with a third-place finish. The team led 197 laps with Dempsey out front for 28 of them.

The Australian Formula Ford Championship has announced a partnership with Speed TV that will see Formula Ford broadcast on Australia’s only dedicated motorsport channel. The first episode will go to air on February 1 with six episodes in total covering all the action from the 2010 Australian Formula Ford Championship.  The announcement extends Formula Ford’s television coverage in Australia, which also includes Channel 7 and TV3 in New Zealand. “Having a television package is an important part of making the category attractive to potential sponsors for the competitors,” Margaret Hardy Category Manager said. “Having the opportunity to work with SpeedTV is a huge boost for Formula Ford in Australia and hopefully it can be a long term relationship that will benefit both parties. 2010 was another great year of Formula Ford Racing and now fans have the ability to relive all the action on SpeedTV before the 2011 season gets underway at the Clipsal 500 in March.” 

SpeedTV Formula Ford 2010 Guide:

Feb 1 - 6:00pm Tuesday Rd 2 & Rd 3

Feb 2 - 1:30am Wednesday Rd 2 & Rd 3

Feb 2 - 11:00am Wednesday Rd 2 & Rd3

Feb 8 - 6:30pm Tuesday Rd 4

Feb 9 - 2:30am Wednesday Rd4

Feb 9 - 10:30am Wednesday Rd4

Feb 15 - 6:30pm Tuesday Rd 5

Feb 16 - 2:30am Wednesday Rd 5

Feb 16 - 10:30am Wednesday Rd 5

Feb 22 - 6:30pm Tuesday Rd 6

Feb 23 - 2:30am Wednesday Rd 6

Feb 23 - 10:30am Wednesday Rd 6

Mar 1 - 6:30pm Tuesday Rd 7

Mar 2 - 2:30am Wednesday Rd7

Mar 2 - 10:30am Wednesday Rd 7

Mar 8 - 6:30pm Tuesday Rd 8

Mar 9 - 10:30am Wednesday Rd 8

Other News: Brands Hatch is a familiar location for wheel-based activity, but on Saturday (January 29) it played host to a rather more unusual set of wheels, as charity fundraiser Teddy Keen visited the famous Kent venue on rollerblades to warm up for the 200km Kuopio Ice skating marathon in Finland. Teddy will be taking part in the gruelling race on 20 February to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and Headlines, both of whom have helped his younger brother, Angus, who suffers from Apert Syndrome. Teddy spent half an hour on the challenging Indy circuit and in doing so became the third member of the Keen family to lap the track, although his experience wasn’t without incident. Teddy Keen said: "Both my dad and step-dad have raced at Brands Hatch and it was great to finally follow in their footsteps, albeit, at 1/10th of the pace. At one point coming round Paddock Hill Bend I soon realised the gradient was way beyond my skating skills, and I tried slowing but it was too late. Down I went in true biker style, but instead of leathers all I had was lycra. Ouch!" "Training on the circuit was great practice for my 200km ice race challenge in Finland . I only hope their track is a bit flatter! "It was a great day; many thanks to Brands Hatch for making it possible for me take over the track. The children at Great Ormond Street will really appreciate Brands Hatch giving me the chance to practice before my big day." Teddy will take on the ice marathon on 20 February. To visit Teddy's website or make a donation visit www.teddyonice.com.

After much anticipation and due to considerable demand, Fiskens have been forced to reveal the identity of the special pre-war car they will unveil at this year’s Retromobile. Fiskens  confirm that it is an extremely rare barn-find 1935 supercharged Squire which will be seen for the first time in over 30 years. The Squire is a mythical pre-war car, with only ten having been built by the Squire Car Company. Powered by an Anzani-designed, 1500cc supercharged twin-cam engine capable of producing over 100bhp, the Squire’s roots lay in marque founder Adrian Squire’s dream to build ‘a Grand Prix car for the road’.  The result, offered in two and four-seat variants, went a considerable way to achieving that aim. With a superbly engineered and remarkably rigid chassis, the Squire soon gained an enviable reputation for offering speed and agility in equal measure. It’s worth noting that the great Phil Hill put a Squire through its paces in an article for Road and Track, testing its merits against two other pre-war giants – an Alfa Romeo 8C and Bugatti Type 55. He was amazed by the chassis, concluding that although both the Bugatti and Alfa Romeo were ‘excellent’, the Squire by comparison ‘was a car of the future’. This particular example, a Ranalagh-bodied four-seater, was built at the company’s premises in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, and bought by Val Zethrin, who would later buy the entire business. 1501 then spent many pre and post-war years touring Europe in the hands of its second owner, Doreen Gibson, before being acquired by its current owner with whom it has remained ever since. The full line-up scheduled to appear on Fiskens’ stand – no.J58 – will be revealed this Wednesday. Retromobile runs from 2-6 February.  

Retromobile Opening times:
Wednesday 2 February: 11h - 22h
Thursday 3 February: 10h - 19h
Friday 4 February: 10h - 22h
Saturday 5 February: 10h - 19h
Sunday 6 February: 10h - 19h

For information regarding Retromobile, please visit www.retromobile.fr. pic: Tim Scott/Fluid Images

29-01-11

Karts: Formula Kart Stars are pleased to offer three drivers a free place on the Official Testing Course of the Formula BMW Talent Cup, one of the leading young driver programmes in Europe. Continuing the established trend of young driver coaching and education set up by Formula BMW, the 2011 Formula BMW Talent Cup will combine theoretical approach to intensive testing during six race weekends. The newcomers to single-seater racing, aged 14 and above, will be taught everything they need to transform them into competitive racing drivers one step earlier than the previous Formula BMW concept. The two-day test at Valencia, which takes place on the weekend of February 5-6, will allow the three FKS drivers an opportunity to test the FB02 chassis used in Formula BMW all over the world since the categories’ debut in 2002. The lucky trio will also be able to sample the seminars that form part of the Formula BMW Talent Cup, not only the basics of single-seater racing, but a holistic driver development programme with topics such as fitness, nutrition, video-based data analysis and media and sponsorship relations.  “Formula Kart Stars has enjoyed a lengthy relationship with Formula BMW since it first came to the UK in 2004,” says FKS Series Director Carolynn Hoy. “We even had one of our old boys demonstrate the car at Llandow in 2004 and there have been plenty of Stars drivers who have gone on to race in Formula BMW all over the world since then.” Former FKS Champion Jack Harvey has been one of the latest to enjoy success in Formula BMW, finishing second in the 2010 Formula BMW Europe Championship while fellow ex karter Richard Bradley was crowned Formula BMW Pacific Champion last year For any driver whose appetite is sufficiently whetted during the Test Course, the inaugural 18-race Talent Cup starts in Germany in May and will also visit Sweden, Magny Cours, Jerez, Portimao and finally Oschersleben as a support race to the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) with the eventual Champion getting a funded Formula Kart Stars drive in the ATS Formula 3 Cup in 2012. Visit www.formula-bmw.com for more information.  pic BMW Motorsport

One of Britain’s leading race teams and importers has announced a 90% price reduction of its spares list for 2011.  “We’ve done this to help our customers beat the VAT increase,” says Strawberry Racing’s Warwick Ringham. “Karting was hardly a cheap hobby before but with the increase in VAT and the cost of living going up we decided to do something that would reduce the impact on our customers’ budgets.”  Consequently, almost the entire OTK range of products has been reduced in price for the whole year. “Even when you add 20% VAT on, the prices of the vast majority of items are significantly less than they were before Christmas” Warwick adds. As the main UK importers for the entire OTK range – including replacement parts and Tony Kart, Kosmic, Alonso and Exprit chassis – Strawberry is also passing on the price reductions through its extensive dealer network. Warwick advises “Customers need to check that they are being charged the correct, reduced price when purchasing OTK spares and clothing. If they are in any doubt then they should call us on 0114 288 9933 and we’ll advise them.” Strawberry Racing can also supply Mojo tyres, chains, sprockets and many other parts from stock and to further help you save money before the season starts in earnest, is offering free delivery on orders placed in February and March to retail customers only on UK mainland. For more information about the offer and OTK products, visit www.strawberryracing.co.uk

28-01-11  

LMS: Duarte Felix da Costa, Lourenço Beirão da Veiga and Ricardo Bravo , the Portuguese drivers who have been racing successfully in the past years in touring cars and GT´s, tested this week in America a prototype LMP2 with the possibility of participating in the prestigious Le Mans Series (LMS) in 2011. The three seek to unite efforts and make history as the first team totally formed by Portuguese drivers to participate in the Le Mans Series, taking the wheel of the Radical SR9 (version 2011) at NC CAR circuit - North Carolina last Wednesday and Thursday, a test which they considered very important to get more familiar with this new world of prototypes. Duarte Felix da Costa: "To get all sorted as soon as possible is our goal at the moment because we will not only represent our sponsors but also Portugal and this test was good to realize that we are ready for this new challenge. The car is very efficient on aerodynamics and breaking, more than any other car that I ever drove before." Lourenço Beirão da Veiga: "We had two very positive days of testing as I was improving every lap and getting more confidence of a car unknown to me until now and I must say I was even positively surprised with our quick adaptation." Ricardo Bravo: "In my case it's a totally new experience because I never had even driven a singleseater before. This car is amazing, besides the enjoyment I took these two days, I believe Duarte , Lourenço and I will form a very strong and consistent team to contest in the Le Mans Series." The three drivers are now waiting to finalize some issues with the team that uses a Radical SR9 chassis, specification 2011, equipped with a V8 Nissan engine with 450 bhp.

Bathurst 12 Hours: The 2011 motorsport season for Audi starts earlier than it has for many years: on February 6, Audi race experience Team Joest competes with two Audi R8 LMS in the 12-hour race at Bathurst (Australia). For Audi it is the first race "down under" since the start of the new millennium.Reinhold Joest’s team also supported the last race in Australia on December 31, 2000. At that time Dindo Capello and Allan McNish won the "Race of a Thousand Years" in Adelaide at the wheel of an Audi R8 in crocodile look. The spectacular prototype still holds cult status among fans today and brought Dindo Capello the nickname "Crocodile Dindo."Audi race experience Team Joest now aims to conquer Australia with the Audi R8 LMS - with the GT3 sports car specifically developed by Audi for customer sport use and which bears the sporting genes of the victorious Le Mans Prototypes. 

Masters Top Hat has confirmed its registration and entry fees for the 2011 season. Registration fees have been pegged at £150 inclusive of VAT, a reduction of £45, with entry fees ranging from £350 for a 30-minute race and £425 for a 45-minute event. This is a reduction of up to £75 depending on the race length and doesn’t take into account the recent VAT increases. Top Hat Event Manager James Beckett has welcomed the cost-saving move. “We are aware that money is tight and we need to acknowledge that in what we are charging competitors. We want to give them value for money and we are doing that by offering longer races than other clubs, racing at leading UK circuits plus the opportunity to race at Spa and Porto, paddock hospitality for all competitors and a friendly atmosphere. Top Hat recognises that drivers are customers and not just competitors.” The opening Top Hat meeting of 2011 is a first for the historic organiser as it travels to Oulton Park for the first time and will kick off the historic motor racing season in style with a busy six-race programme boasting a 40-minute race for World Sportscar Masters, a 75-minute race for Gentlemen Drivers Pre-1966 GT cars, Pre-66 Touring Cars (45 minutes), a 30-minute race for Oldies but Goldies and XK Challenge cars plus the 1970s Celebration Race for GT and touring cars, plus a 15-minute race for FF1600 single-seaters. Entry forms are available from James Beckett at james@themastersseries.com or on the Event Information section on the Masters website.

F1600 Formula F Championship:  American Colin Thompson is set to run the inaugural edition of the F1600 Formula F Championship Series in a Swift DB6 with Honda Fit power. He competed in the VW TDI Cup last year, becoming the youngest driver to race in that series. “My racing obsession began at a local asphalt oval track, where I drove Quarter Midgets of America on a weekly basis,” said Thompson. “I drove a 270 Micro Sprint on dirt at a few tracks in the area such as Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. At this point in my career I was 15 and my passion for road racing overcame that for oval racing.” Thompson also went to the Skip Barber Racing School, running a few regional races along with the Skip Barber Scholarship Shootout in 2009 and 2010. “At the same time I also invested into a 125cc Rotax CRG Kart. I ran the VW TDI Cup last year and that went as expected. Even though my finishes never qualified for a podium, I walked away experienced at seven new premier race tracks. It gave me a chance to compare myself against the top of the competition of this generation,” he continued. Thompson has several Quarter Midgets of America track records, the 2008 National Championship and over 100 wins. “I have chosen to run the F1600 Series this year because it is a professional level playing field which runs a basic formula car. This will allow me to continue my racing career at the speed necessary, while learning the basics of racing such as race craft and building relationships for the future,” Thompson explained. “My goal for 2011 is to finish in the top ten in points; I would like to run at the front of the field of course. However, all drivers in this series are very talented and know their cars very well. Like any driver I would love to win the championship, although for the opening year of the series a top ten points finish would still be fantastic!” The 2011 inaugural F1600 Formula F Championship Series opens at VIR, April 8-10, with a double-header weekend, like all the events. The Series next heads to Watkins Glen, June 3-5, with Grand-Am. June 30-July 2 sees the Series visit Mid-Ohio before pairing up with the NASCAR Modifieds at Lime Rock Park, September 16-17 and finishes at Watkins Glen, October 14-16., with what is appearing to be a 2011 full of massive car counts.

Star Mazda: Two dozen alumni of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear – including seven past champions and two defending Rolex 24 winners – will be competing in this weekend's 49th annual endurance classic at Daytona …read more

Formula Kart Stars : Four Formula Kart Stars drivers will earn themselves a ride on the high seas they will never forget thanks to a new partnership between Powerboat P1 and the Formula One Management backed series. The four young hopefuls will compete in an end of season powerboat race training shootout at the powerboat training academy with seven-times World Champion and multiple world record holder Neil Holmes. All four will receive basic training in one of Holmes’ 250 hp powered Evolution RIB boats capable of 80mph in open water with Holmes selecting the top candidate to go forward to have full RYA Level II training and base race training. The prize will culminate in the winner driving P1’s brand new purpose built 28-foot long P1-28SS SuperStock boat capable of speeds over the waves equivalent to driving at 180mph on the road. The winner will get to time trial the boat around a course at one of the P1 SuperStock race weekends this summer “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Formula Kart Stars as we look to build the sport of power boating by making it more accessible and more affordable”, said Asif Rangoonwala, Powerboat P1 Chairman. “Carolynn Hoy joined us for a powerboat experience last April and couldn’t believe how affordable we were and saw a link between the two race series. Formula Kart Stars is the breeding ground for future Formula One Champions like Lewis Hamilton, so perhaps our partnership might produce future powerboat world champions.” P1 SuperStock is based on identical production boats and engines which means the racing is down to the skill of the two-person team (driver and navigator). This makes for close, exciting racing with up to 24 teams competing on an ever-changing race course where the track is literally moving beneath you. “Having driven one of these boats I cannot begin to describe the sh eer adrenalin rush you get in them,” says Formula Kart Stars series director Carolynn Hoy. “We always  try to offer our drivers ‘once in a lifetime’ type prizes as a reward for their support but this truly will be something for them to remember forever.”

Renault 3.5 : Nelson Panciatici has joined the Franco-Russian KMP Racing team for the World Series by Renault Formula 3.5 championship. Having spent a year  with Lotus Junior Racing, the French driver is ready to fight for the title. “I improved all through last year and I learnt a lot. I feel pretty confident now that I can go for the title this year,” says Nelson. “To start with, I’m going to have to win some races. To be a KMP Racing driver gives me that opportunity and I’m going to work hard to maximise my chance of success. I got to appreciate the quality of the team’s work during the winter trials and I’ve already picked up a few “tricks” with regards to the car’s performance.  Even though you never know how a new season is going to pan out, I feel quietly confident.Not only do I have technical staff who know the discipline, I also have Bruno to give me sound advice. It is a real bonus to have an ex-pilot at the head of a team because they know what we need to go fast. I’m going to make the most of this opportunity and I want to thank the team for putting their trust in me.”  Bruno Besson, Team Manager of the KMP Racing team, says : “I followed Nelson’s progress closely all of last year and he fits our ethos perfectly. We got to know each other better during the winter trials, he’s a “winner” and I like that quality. Nelson has the skill to finish in the top three of the Drivers’ Championship. However, it is a very competitive championship and one can lose ten places for a small one or two tenths of a second in the qualifiers. Hard work and success will be key to take the title.”

Ginetta: Mike Robinson will stay with Total Control Racing for a fourth year in 2011 but the ELF Renault Clio Cup front-runner will be trying his hand at something different, the Ginetta Challenge. Following three successful seasons with TCR in the Clio Cup, with top six and top five championship finishes over the past couple of years, the 28-year-old has now elected to race a Ginetta G40 in the British Formula 3 International Series and British GT Championship support category. Robinson is relishing the prospect. “I’m really looking forward to racing in the Ginetta Challenge”, he commented, “I had the chance to test the car at Silverstone briefly last year and it felt great, I could tell Ginetta wanted to produce a really top class car. The eventual champion is also being offered the chance to race in the Ginetta GT Supercup in 2012 so that will attract a number of really good drivers I’m sure. As soon as I made the choice to compete in the Ginetta Challenge I knew I wanted to continue to be part of TCR. They are one of the most successful and experienced teams in the Clio Cup and after seeing how quickly they hit the front of the Ginetta G50 Cup over the past two years, I know they will give me a car capable of winning in the Ginetta Challenge.”  Team principal Lee Brookes said: “We’re delighted Mike is staying with us for his move into the Ginetta Challenge, it’s an exciting time as it marks a new venture for us and also a new chapter in Mike’s career. He’s been a very strong, consistent front-runner in Clios over the last couple of years and we’re sure he’ll be a real threat for the championship this year in the Ginetta. Since we sampled the Britcar GT race at the end of last year, we’ve been looking at a range of opportunities to expand the team’s operations. To be able to go into a different championship with a very talented and quick driver like Mike is a huge bonus, I’m confident we’ll be very competitive.” The Ginetta Challenge will get underway at Oulton Park in Cheshire on Easter Weekend, 23rd April, and will visit Snetterton, Brands Hatch (twice), Rockingham and Donington Park before reaching a conclusion at Silverstone in early October.pic Jakob Ebrey Photography

Touring Cars: Motorsport Asia has unveiled the Asian Touring Car Series 2011 Season Calendar today. The Series is set to visit five nations competing in a total of 10 championship rounds before finishing the season with an invitational race at the Macau GP. The season is set to be the best in years, with very strong interest from new teams and drivers and a close cooperation with HKAA in three of the six events. Motorsport Asia has received applications from Teams running Chevrolet’s and BMW’s as well as varied entries from the usually popular Honda’s. The Series’ will get underway on 20th March with its first ever visit to the Guangdong International Circuit, located in the Guangzhou province. It will then continue with four races in May at two Asian Festival Of Speed events. Rounds 3 & 4 will be held at the Korean International Circuit for the AFOS season opener before heading to Malaysia at the end of May for the next two rounds.  ATCS will take a one-month break before meeting up again in Sepang for Rounds 7 & 8. The 2011 ATCS Season will end in Indonesia where the drivers are excited to make a return to the very challenging and resurfaced Sentul International Circuit. 

27-01-11

Rally legend Erik Carlsson is to support the centenary celebrations of the Monte Carlo Rally by backing a team who will compete in this week’s XIVth Monte Carlo Historique rally in an exact replica of the car that took him to victory back in 1963.The classic Saab 96 has been created by German vintage car magazine Oldtimer Markt and will be driven by chief editor Peter Steinfurth and navigator Thorsten Loeber .They will take the start at Reims this Friday (28 January) in a car that recreates the original in every detail, right down to the 283 entry number Erik used that year. He will be on hand to wave them off. The exploits of Erik, aka ‘On the Roof’, Carlsson helped put Saab on the automotive map in the 1960s. He is a double winner of the Monte Carlo Rally in 1962 and 1963 and also took a hat-trick of RAC Rally victories in 1960-62. Now 82 years old, Erik was born in Trollhättan, Sweden, the home town of Saab, and was a works driver for the company throughout his career. Today, he is still employed as a roving ambassador for Saab.Erik Carlsson was married to Pat Moss (1934-2008), who was also a successful rally driver with several wins in the Monte Carlo Rally ladies class, She was the younger sister of racing driver Sir Stirling Moss. Erik’s ‘David and Goliath’ battles against larger, more powerful cars are now legendary in the annals of international rallying. With small two-stroke engines, 748 or 841 cc, the first Saabs lacked power for competition use and to overcome this disadvantage Erik developed a special driving technique. It was necessary to keep the engine revving at all times, so he used left foot braking while keeping his right food hard on the accelerator pedal. This allowed him to make the most of his car’s light weight and manoeuvrability while cornering.

Masters Top Hat has announced its first FF1600 race for Oulton Park on Saturday March 12th. The race will be open to all FF1600 cars with a special class for pre-1990 cars. The race will be the first FF1600 event of the season and will run on the International circuit for the Old Hall Trophy. The race was last run in 1986 at the first Oulton Park Racing Club event and was won by Jason Elliott’s Duckhams Van Diemen RF86. In an echo of that race meeting, the Top Hat Raceday on Saturday March 12th will be run by MotorSport Vision Racing. Top Hat Event Manager James Beckett said, “To have a Formula Ford race at a Top Hat event is another first for us at our Oulton Park debut. We are looking forward to a good grid and a competitive race given the number of Formula Ford 1600s that are in the North West . Although this will be a non-championship race, it gives competitors a chance to race on the full circuit and without it being part of a championship, we are hoping to attract some visitors as well for some good old Northern hospitality! We are running the event for the Old Hall Trophy and want to beat the 24 cars for the last running of it in 1986. We are also keen to assess the response from competitors to racing a Top Hat meeting and perhaps run another race at another of our meetings later in the season.”  The FF1600 event will run for 15 minutes and be joined on the programme by a 40-minute race for World Sportscar Masters, a 75-minute race for Gentlemen Drivers Pre-1966 GT cars, Pre-66 Touring Cars (45 minutes), a 30-minute race for Oldies but Goldies and XK Challenge cars plus the 1970s Celebration Race for GT and touring cars.

The 2011 GIRO D’ITALIA AUTOMOBILISTICO will take place on 25-31 October 2011, under the aegis of Comitato Italia 150. The Route, selected to ensure the right mix between speed and endurance, will begin at Torino and follows the following stages, all on tarmac: Stage 1: Torino – Autodromo di Monza, Stage 2: Autodromo di Monza – Autodromo di Franciacorta, Stage 3: Autodromo di Franciacorta – Modena, Stage 4: Modena – Arezzo and finally  Stage 5: Arezzo – Autodromo di Vallelunga

ELF Renault Clio Cup race winner James Dixon is to remain with Total Control Racing for the 2011 season after confirming a deal to spearhead the squad’s attack on the BTCC feeder category. The 20-year-old was a revelation during his maiden season of ‘tin-top’ action last year and produced a superb series of performances to finish his debut campaign sixth in the driver standings with two wins to his credit. Dixon’s efforts during the championship finale at his home track, Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, were of particular note – two outstanding drives from pole position, under immense pressure from multiple Clio Cup Champion Paul Rivett, sealed his maiden race victories in tremendous style.  Heading into the 2011 season, which will begin at Brands Hatch on 2nd/3rd April, as one of the front-running favourites for title success, Dixon has high hopes for his second year in the category. In addition, he was recently named by Motorsport News as one of the ‘50 drivers to watch in 2011’.“We had an incredibly strong first season in Clios, mainly down to being with such a professional and successful team as TCR”, commented the Weidmuller and ABP Heating backed racer, “The desire to win within the team is so strong, settling for second is non-existent and that’s why TCR has won so many races and championships over the years.  “Lee Brookes – TCR team principal and 1995 Clio Cup Champion) is a huge inspiration and has really developed me into an all-round driver, hence the two wins last year. He runs a fantastic team and I’m absolutely delighted to continue our relationship. The aim is to take the title this year and I am feeling confident. Now we need to work hard to try and secure additional funding. We’re very happy he’s remaining with us for 2011 in Clios as we’re sure he has what it takes to win the championship. James is a very talented young driver and reminds me very much of Jonny Adam and Tom Onslow-Cole in his approach. We’re sure his two wins from last season are just the start.”

Karts: Kart driver Max Defourny, aged 12, already has an impressive list of achievements after just three years, Champion of Benelux, Belgian Championship runner-up and Asaf Champion. In 2011 he will race in KF3 with the Intrepid Team from which he expects a lot in terms of experience and results . "During the year, I have been able to use a kart very similar to the one I am going to use in 2011. It has been an excellent training", Max said. "I would like to thank Mirko Sguerzoni for his confidence: I will be the only French-speaking driver within Intrepid official structure to enter the different KF3 championships".

26-01-11

LMS: REBELLION Racing has appointed Ian Smith as the team’s Engineering & Operations Manager and James Robinson as the Race Engineer for the #12 Lola-Toyota. Steve Wills remains as REBELLION Racing’s Technical Manager and Race Engineer for car #13. Smith, 42, has enjoyed success as an engineer in endurance racing since the early 2000s. Ian was Race Engineer for Nissan-Sumo Racing in the FIA World GT1 championship in 2010, winning the Tourist Trophy. In 2009 he was the Race Engineer for the Speedy Racing Team Sebah LMP2 car, winning the 1000 km of Silverstone, and finishing second at Le Mans 24 Hours and second in the Le Mans Series championship. Ian was also Creation Autosportif's Chief Engineer and car designer from 2004 to 2009. Previous to this he engineered and developed the Lister Storm GT1 that won the FIA World Championship in 2000. James Robinson, 50, boasts an impressive motor racing career and has been a Race Engineer, Senior Operations and Chief Engineer in Formula 1 over two decades, winning World Championships in senior engineering rolls with Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve. He has worked for Williams, McLaren, Jordan, B.A.R. and Arrow. He also has experience in endurance racing and the Le Mans 24 Hours,overseeing engineering on three occasions with McLaren and Bentley, claiming outright victories in 1995 and 2003. More recently James has worked in British F3,  GP2 and A1GP.  

Formula Renault BARC:  Less than a week since Team Zest confirmed it is joining the Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship, yet another new team is to enter the paddock with the welcome arrival of Daytona Motorsport. Headed by Team Manager Richard Brunning, an experienced driver in his own right, Daytona Motorsport – www.daytona.co.uk – is the second new team to register for the 2011 season.  Daytona Motorsport has already confirmed their one and only seat in Russian karter Ivan Taranov – adding to the international entry list. Taranov from Togliatti in Russia has several years’ karting experience behind him and finished eighth in last year’s Daytona Max Sprint Lightweight series. Commenting on the decision to join the championship Brunning said: “We see the Formula Renault BARC series as very good value and the natural step for karters such as Ivan to move into single-seater racing. Having the final rounds running alongside the British Touring Car Championship is an added incentive as it allows upcoming drivers to impress in front of the Formula Renault UK teams.”  pic Jakob Ebrey Photography

Interest in the series continued further this week with Antel Motorsport confirming two of its drivers for their 2011 campaign in Archie Hamilton and Callum Bowyer. Twenty-year-old Hamilton from Hampshire returns to the series after finishing ninth in 2009 while newcomer Bowyer from Peterborough makes his Formula Renault BARC debut after a successful KF2 season last year in which he finished third. Meanwhile Simon Baldry’s SWB Motorsport team has announced two of their possible four drivers with 18-year-old Jack Dex from Silverstone and 16-year-old British/South African Raoul Owens. Both drivers make the step-up from British Super One karting. With interest continuing to mount, organisers of the series are now confident that their original prediction of 20 cars is likely to be surpassed before the season gets underway at Donington Park on 23rd/24th April. 

2011 Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship confirmed signings so far: 

Archie Hamilton          Antel Motorsport

Callum Bowyer           Antel Motorsport

Ivan Taranov               Daytona Motorsport

Zaamin Jaffer             Hillspeed

Sean Walkinshaw       Hillspeed

John Thorp                  MTech

Max Robinson Privateer

Steven Durrant           RPD Motorsport

Jack Dex                    SWB Motorsport

Raoul Owens              SWB Motorsport 

Formula Renault UK: Atech Reid has confirmed that 18 year-old Formula Ford race-winner Tio Ellinas will contest the 2011 Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship. The Cypriot finished fourth in the Formula Ford UK Championship last season, winning three races. The former multiple kart champion tested for the Atech Reid team in Spain last December in a field of 30 drivers finishing third fastest overall. Team Principal David Hayle was delighted to have signed Ellinas  "Tio was very impressive when we tested him last year on his first time in the car," said David. "And so we have been keen to sign him ever since. Following the test he was obviously very popular and very much in demand by several other teams too so we're delighted that he has put his confidence in us and committed to the season ahead. " Atech Reid, which recently relocated to a 12,000 sq ft state of the art facility in Cardiff, South Wales hopes to announce the signing of Oscar King alongside Ellinas in the three-car line-up with the team still in negotiations with a number of drivers for the third seat. The Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship will kick off with the opening rounds at Brands Hatch over the weekend of April 2nd/3rd. The full 2011 calendar is: 2/3 April Brands Hatch Indy, 16/17 April Donington Park National, 30 April/1 May Thruxton, 4/5 June Oulton Park Island, 18/19 June Croft, 6/7 August Snetterton, 20/21 August Silverstone GP (with World Series by Renault), 17/18 September Rockingham ISSC, 1/2 October Brands Hatch GP, 15/16 October Silverstone National.

Rallying : Clubmen competitors in the 2011 Dunlop/WONAGO MSA British Historic Rally Championship will be competing for the Holton Homes 'Spirit of Clubmen' Awards, which will give three crews a free entry into a 2012 championship round. Three crews, one from each category, will be selected by an expert panel, which will be looking for crews that typify the ethos of clubmen, competing in a self-prepared car and running on limited funds. The panel will also consider crews that have endured more than their share of misfortune across the season. Supported by Holton Homes, the company of BHRC contender Peter Egerton, the 'Spirit of Clubmen' award will present three fully paid entry fees for 2012; one to the category 1 cars, one to the category 2 cars and one to the category 3 cars. Each award is worth around £500. Crews will need to start at least three events in 2011 to qualify for the awards. "We wanted to make a difference to crews running on limited finances," said Egerton. "I'm pleased to be able to put something back into the sport and I hope that these awards could make the difference between a crew entering a rally and being forced to miss it." "This is a fantastic scheme to recognise and reward the effort of the lower-budget clubmen competing in the BHRC – the continued presence of such competitors adding hugely to the interest and atmosphere of the series," said series co-ordinator Simon Marks. "We are very grateful to Holton Homes for continuing its support of these awards."

National Motorsport : This summer sees the launch of a new and improved National Motorsport Week that will culminate in the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Thanks to an exciting new partnership between the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), the Motor Sports Association (MSA) and Goodwood Motorsport, the annual National Motorsport Week has been switched to a date in high summer (June 25-03 July). There’s a tremendous amount to celebrate, as the UK remains the world leader of motor sport on all fronts. As well as producing World Champions such as Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, this country is one of just two hosting rounds of every major FIA World Championship, providing fans with an unrivalled opportunity to experience the excitement of live top class action. Indeed there are more than 5000 motor sport fixtures sanctioned by the MSA governing body every year in the UK. The UK is also in pole position when it comes to the cutting edge motor sport industry and it’s no surprise that eight out of the 12 current F1 teams are based in this country. The MIA figures indicate that around 4,500 companies are involved in our motor sport and performance engineering Industry, boasting an annual turnover of £6 billion of which £3.6 billion is exported.“From all angles motor sport is a great UK success story and one we will be highlighting in National Motorsport Week,” said Colin Hilton, Chief Executive of the MSA. “The MSA has supported the MIA in this project since its inception. However, now National Motorsport Week will be part of our on-going Go Motorsport initiative, the primary purpose of which is to encourage more people into the sport. The objectives of the year-round Go Motorsport campaign are very similar – let’s get more people involved in motor sport.  National Motorsport Week has run each year since 2006, with the valued backing of the MSA’s affiliated motor clubs. Its aim is to attract wider media coverage, which in turn introduces new fans, competitors, spectators, organisers, engineers, journalists, photographers and much needed marshals to the planet’s most thrilling sport. 

F2000: 2010 American rookie Chris Livengood will compete in the 2011 F2000 Championship Series. Livengood, who won at Mid-Ohio, will run under the Work Racing banner in the same #37 1999 Van Diemen. John Walko will oversee trackside support and engineering for the potential championship effort.  Livengood said: “Given the environment under the tent and the energy that surrounds the racing program, I am incredibly enthusiastic to have the opportunity to return. I’m excited to field my trusty Van Diemen. The car was fantastic last season and having spoken with Bruce [Work] and John [Walko] extensively over the winter we see no reason why the car won’t continue to see a logical evolution of improvement over this off-season and into the new season.” Livengood plans to continue what he called his “march towards the front. My motto for 2010 was to improve every weekend,” Livengood continued. “This goal will never change. However, for 2011, I feel I’m closer to where I need to be and have a better understanding of the competition in the paddock. As a result, I hope to challenge for podiums and wins immediately.” The 2011 F2000 Championship Series opens with a double-header weekend, like all the events, at VIR, April 8-10. pic Janice Eakin

GP2: The DAMS team will enter Romain Grosjean and Pal Varhaug in the GP2 Asia and Main Series.  The Le Mans-based team has recruited a mix of experience and talent for the coming season. 25-year-old Frenchman Romain Grosjean, a member of the Gravity Sport Management program, who raced in seven F1 grand prix for Renault in 2009, and already has considerable experience in GP2, will team up with young Norwegian, Pal Varhaug. The 19 year old was one of the revelations of the 2010 GP3 Series scoring his maiden win in the Series in the inaugural event on the Catalonian circuit near Barcelona.

2010 FIA Formula Two Championship runner-up Jolyon Palmer will graduate to GP2 for the forthcoming season after signing a deal to contest both the Asia and Main Series championships with Arden International. Palmer's progression into GP2 follows a campaign in F2 in which he claimed five race wins and ten podiums, and remained in contention for the title until the final round of the year. Jolyon, who only recently turned 20, has previous experience of GP2 having joined the series' official winter tests at Abu Dhabi in November last year. Arden meanwhile have a proud history in GP2, having won races in every year of the F1-feeder series' history. "I'm really excited to be joining the Arden GP2 Team for 2011, and I can't wait for the season to start," Jolyon enthused. "It's obviously going to be very tough, as indeed it should be, but Arden are a very good team who have won races in every year of GP2 and I'm confident I can do a good job.

Bathurst 12 Hour : Leading Teams in both the GT and Production Car classes have been busy strengthening their ranks ahead of the rapidly approaching Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour Event on February 4-6. Whilst leading GT teams complete their final preparations, the Production Car ranks have been further boosted today by the addition of a Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) GT Falcon to be driven by Queensland businessman Nathan Tinkler, well-known Production racer Jeremy Gray and V8 Supercar ace Steven Johnson. Good friends Johnson and Tinkler teamed together in the 2009 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour, qualifying 33rd in a similar FPV GT-P and finishing the race 30th after completing 187 laps. The addition of some Ford heavy metal to the Production Car ranks further boosts the intensity of the class battle, having already gained the Peter Conroy Motorsport Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X last week. In the GT Ranks, two-time defending Australian GT Champion David Wall confirmed the final piece of their race puzzle at the weekend by confirming former Porsche Carrera Cup and Formula 3 ace Barton Mawer as their third driver.

25-01-11

4Two Cup: After a very busy and successful Autosport International Show, where the UK's first smart car race series was unveiled, the 4two cup organisers headed up North so that a team could get to grips with the pint sized car. Co-founder, Paul Bates said: 'We were approached by Simon Moore, owner of Tockwith Motor Sport at the show to test the smart.  We went up to Tockwith, which is Simon's private track, so that the family could try out the 4two BRABUS race car.' The Moore family has a rich racing pedigree and two champions took to the track to put the smart through it's paces.  Nigel, the current Formula Palmer Audi Champion and younger sibling Sarah, 2009 Ginetta Junior Champion felt at home in it. Sarah commented: 'It's a small car and the wheelbase is so short, it's like ragging a kart around, but a big one!  It's a fun car to drive and I didn't expect it to be as good as it was.' The race car is also road legal, so has many uses away from the track, which is what has appealed to the business side of Simon's company. Head of the family, Simon said: 'It's not a raw racing machine, but the handling is fantastic, the car is good and it has three uses: driver training, motor sport and general car, which can work well for us.' With the series aimed not just at youngsters, looking at the next affordable level of racing, but drivers that have wanted to race and couldn't afford to, the founders of the 4two cup hope to have a cross spectrum of drivers on the grid. Simon added: 'Youngsters will love it to bits, as I could tell from my lot.  Nigel, being that bit older will look upon it like it didn't do what he wanted to do, gear change wise.  But like the rest of us as hardened racers, if you put ten of them on a grid the racing would be very close, like karting and he'd come back with a big beaming smile!'  With news on Sarah's racing plans for 2011 still to be announced, she admitted that the series was one she is considering. 'Being on the Britcar package, which is something I'd like to do in the future would be ideal for me.  Racing around in smart cars might make some people laugh, but some will find it really entertaining!'  The endurance element is a side to the car that Simon would be keen to go down.  'I'd like to do something on the endurance side as I think it would be unique and  completely different and one that would excite us as a team.' The test ended well into the late afternoon, as it proved to be popular amongst the entire family, with them all taking turns driving the car around. Paul Bates concluded: 'The test went really well and in my opinion their overall impressions were that they thought the car was great; the handling, brakes and that it was a fun car to drive.  Hopefully we can get them onboard this year.' 

Star Mazda: Looking to expand its championship-winning ways from the Expert and Master Series to compete for the overall 2011 championship in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, Dallas-based Team GDT has announced the addition of top engineer Eric Purcell to the team.  Purcell, who engineered John Edward's Star Mazda Championship-winning car for AIM Autosport in 2008, is an MIT-trained engineer with more than thirty years of experience in Europe and the U.S. as a driver, engineer and team manager.  His experience includes road courses, street circuits and ovals, as well as such series as Formula BMW, Formula Atlantic and Indy Lights.  He also had a major role in the early development of the Formula Mazda series. "Team GDT has really stepped up their game for 2011 and I'm excited to be a part of it," says Purcell.  "J.W. Roberts, who is both the owner of the team and one of the drivers, has provided the resources for us to really put forward a significant effort for the coming season, and that's just what this team needed to take them to the next level.  They won both the Expert and Master championships in 2010, as well as the overall victory at Trois-Rivieres with Alex Ardoin in the car, so they're extremely competitive at every event, and I think the caliber of young drivers we're talking to about expanding the team is indicative of that. Team GDT  aims to be competitive for both the Expert Series and the overall championship in 2011, and I think they have most of the pieces in place to achieve that goal." Team owner/driver J.W. Roberts won the 2010 Expert title, driving his #65 Team GDT / General Data Tech Mazda to a total of nine class victories. Carlos Conde, a former semi-pro polo player and investment banker who splits his time between New York and his home country of Puerto Rico, won theMaster Series with six class wins racing the #31 Team GDT / Pronto-GMT / Olympus Securities Mazda. will return to compete in the new Expert Series for all drivers over 30. Adding to the championship mix at Team GDT for 2011 will be experienced team manager Paul Mata and driver coach and nutrition/lifestyle consultant Chuck West, a championship-winning open-wheel driver including the 1992 Star Mazda Championship. In addition to Mata and West, racer and driver coach Alex Ardoin will continue to work with the team as liaison with the new young drivers in 2011. As a part of the 2011 Mazda Road to Indy, drivers in the Star Mazda Championship presented by The 2011 Star Mazda season-opener takes places at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg IndyCar weekend, March 25-27.

New Zealand Porsche GT3 Cup : It was a case of 'all change' at the latest round of the 2010/11 New Zealand Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge championship at the Timaru International Raceway on Sunday, series rookie Scott Harrison from Whangarei claiming the overall win from defending series champion Craig Baird and 996 Cup category fast man Simon McLennan.  The result had little effect on the overall series points standings - which Harrison and Baird's Triple X Motorsport teammate Daniel Gaunt continues to lead with 734 points from International Motorsport's Jonny Reid with 639 and Baird with 616 - but it added a welcome new twist to a series traditionally the preserve of established motorsport stars like Baird, former series sparring partner Matthew Halliday and Jonny Reid. Heading into the reverse top six grid 16 lap final Baird - who had qualified quickest and won the first two races of the weekend from Gaunt - looked the likely round winner. But the six-time series title-holder only made it as far as the first corner before ending the race in the tyre wall with Triple X Motorsport team boss Shane McKillen. Fellow team member, Gaunt was initially called into the pits to serve a drive through penalty, then disqualified from the race, for what officials considered his part in the incident, though the 25-year was adamant afterwards that he was not at fault. Having already banked two race wins Baird was able to salvage second overall place for the round with the final podium position going to 996 Cup category pace-setter Simon McLennan. The Timaru round of the annual Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge championship has traditionally been good to rookie drivers but Harrison was still pinching himself as he waited for the podium ceremony. "It was definitelty a surprise when they told me I had won the round, " 24-year-old said after putting the position beyond doubt with runner-up spot to International Motorsport's Jonny Reid in the final. "I was happy enough to finish second to Jonny after leading him for so long. But to get the round win as well? It's awesome, absolutely awesome."

Ginetta has revealed an incentive for GT contenders, by announcing that it will provide 6 free European GT4 entries. Boss Lawrence Tomlinson, has confirmed that Ginetta will pay for the first six G50 entries into this season's championship, by reimbursing any team that has entered or wishes to enter the SRO-based series. The Ginetta G50 was quick to stamp its mark on the European GT4 Cup -- winning the title outright in 2009 at the hands of driver Joe Osbourne; the marque also came an impressive third overall in 2010, with Matt Nicoll-Jones at the helm of his IMS-run Ginetta G50. Tomlinson said: "Since its launch in 2008, the Ginetta G50 has dominated the global GT4 scene. The European GT4 Cup is the pinnacle of worldwide GT4 racing and we are keen to support teams in 2011, having only narrowly missed out on the 2010 championship. We will reimburse the first six teams or drivers who enters the Cup, ideally by stores credit." Claude Surmont for SRO added: "With more and more manufacturers involved in GT4 racing SRO welcomes this new approach by Ginetta Cars. We are confident that this will motivate more Ginetta teams to enter the 2011 GT4 Cup which will again be a very great championship."

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) crowned the 2010 British motor sport champions at its prestigious Night of Champions ceremony at the Royal Automobile Club in London on Friday evening. Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team Principal Ross Brawn and BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Principal Malcolm Wilson were on hand to present awards, while TV broadcaster Steve Rider acted as Master of Ceremonies for the event. The Champions honoured on the night were:   click here

FIA GT1: HEXIS AMR, the runner-up in the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship, has announced the two driver line-ups for the team’s Aston Martin DB9s. Clivio Piccione, already a member of the French squad in 2010, will team up with Dutch F3 driver, Stef Dusseldorp, while the reigning European FIA GT3 Champion, Christian Hohenadel, will share the other car with Italian Andrea Piccini. Team manager, Philippe Dumas, is particularly happy to have achieved his first objective: “We’re proud to announce two complete driver line-ups so early in the season. It confirms our sense of team spirit, and shows that we firmly believe in the future of this world championship. Stéphane Ratel and the whole SRO team have worked very hard to make the second year of the championship a big success. In the wake of our encouraging results in 2010, it’s clear that we’re tackling this new challenge with greater ambitions. Clivio did the first shakedown yesterday at Lédenon,” said Dumas. “Stef will be with him this Tuesday, and we’ll put Christian and Andrea in the car at the end of the week.” The following Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, all four drivers will continue testing at Nogaro. The French team is not doing things by halves, and hopes to have racked up 4000-kms testing in the eight days to come. The winter break has been pretty short as the cars only returned from Argentina on 11th January, and they will be sent to the Middle East on 21st February for the first round of the 2011 championship in Abu Dhabi on 25-26 March. The ten rounds of the FIA GT World Championship will be held in Asia, Europe and South America between March and December 2011. Watch this space!

Historic automobile specialists, Fiskens, will begin the year at Retromobile next week (2-6 February) with the world exclusive unveiling of a forgotten pre-war car. They will have no less than ten historic automobiles, including significant 1950s sport racers and 1960s GTs alongside the great pre-war example.  While the pre-war car’s exact details remain confidential, Fiskens have confirmed it will be the first time in over 30 years that this rare, mythical supercharged car will be seen in public. Sporting a unique body, it is a genuine barn find and the last un-restored example. With only four owners from new, most recently forming part of a significant American collection, it promises to be one of the stars of the show when revealed on Wednesday’s media day.  With ten cars, Fiskens will require its largest ever stand at the revamped five-day exhibition which, now in its 36th year, has become one of the largest and most eagerly anticipated of its kind in the world. Fiskens’ full list of automobiles set to appear at Retromobile will be announced the morning the show opens. Alternatively, view the exhibition for yourself by visiting Fiskens on stand J58. Retromobile Opening times
Wednesday 2 February: 11h - 22h
Thursday 3 February: 10h - 19h
Friday 4 February: 10h - 22h
Saturday 5 February: 10h - 19h
Sunday 6 February: 10h - 19h

24-01-11

Nürburgring 24 Hours:  Long time participant in the Nürburgring 24 Hour race, FALKEN Motorsport Team will run a GT3 R specification Porsche 911 at  this year’s event  on June 25th-26th. The high performance tyre manufacturer’s decision to switch to the Porsche follows a successful history of campaigning Japanese sports cars in the ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race. “With FALKEN High Performance Tyres and Porsche, two premium motorsport brands are coming together. This comes at a time when we are increasing our commitment in Europe, with an intention to expand further,” says FALKEN’s Marketing Director, Satoru Ushida. Drivers for the 2011 race are still to be announced but in line with the team’s preparations, the selection is likely to focus on those with Nürburgring experience. “It is our aim to improve our race results from the past. Last year we achieved 12th place overall and 3rd place in the SP7 class and put our performance to the test at the highest level,” adds Ushida.  The ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race at the Nürburgring has been held on the 25km long combination of the Nordschleife and Grand-Prix track since 1970. The long lap length makes a field of more than two hundred vehicles  possible.

Historics: This year’s Silverstone Classic (22-24 July) will be the world’s premier venue for the Jaguar E-Type’s 50th birthday celebrations. Launched in 1961, the legendary E-Type remains one of the most iconic, elegant and revered sports cars of all time and its golden anniversary will be honoured with a host of special races and displays.Adding to the festivities, the weekend’s busy on-track schedule includes two races dedicated solely to competition versions of the Jaguar E-Type. With nearly 90 cars already registered with the Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC) organisers, a record grid of more than 50 race-prepared E-Types is predicted. “The response has been remarkable with huge interest from the UK as well as abroad,” reports Grahame White, Chief Executive of the HSCC. “As the Silverstone Classic is held on the full Grand Prix circuit we will be able to start what’s almost certain to be the biggest grid of E-Types of all time – it promises to be a magnificent site and a fabulous celebration.” In total, more than a thousand racing and road-going E-Types are expected to join the golden anniversary celebrations at Silverstone. Highlighting the legendary Jaguar’s central role at this year’s Silverstone Classic, one of the very first Jaguar E-Types produced was featured on the event’s award winning exhibition stand earlier this month at the Autosport Show International. The  car on display was the 11th Jaguar E-Type car made, chassis number 850011 and will be one of the many contesting the two HSCC Jaguar E-Type Challenge races at the Silverstone in July. These early pre-production cars were sold to selected customers who would race them, gaining valuable promotion. This car went to George Wicken, a successful Formula 2 driver who raced it throughout 1961 against the likes of Graham Hill, Roy Salvadori and Bruce McLaren and was one of only two E-Types entered for the 1961 TT at Goodwood. It now competes successfully in historic racing driven by owner Gary Pearson.

Karts: Ed Brand got his 2011 season off to a superb start with a double-podium in the Japanese Winter Cup yesterday (23 January).The 16-year old had travelled all the way to the New Tokyo circuit at Ichihara at the invitation of one of Japan’s leading kart importers, EIKO Motorsport. This was the second time that Ed – who races for Strawberry Racing in Britain and Europe with Tony Kart chassis - had competed in the Far East, having competed in the inaugural event last year. Pic http://newtokyo.exblog.jp       

ILMC: Allan McNish aims to put Audi on top when the Scottish racer contests the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup this year. Audi driver McNish will contest all seven rounds of the new series which visits North America, Asia as well as Europe. McNish’s busy race programme gets underway  in the Sebring 12 Hours on March 19. The 41-year-old from Dumfries will team-up with regular co-drivers Tom Kristensen and Dindo Capello with Audi’s 2010 Le Mans 24 Hour race winning line-up of Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas /Mike Rockenfeller .  “2011 is going to be a busy season, starting off in mid-March with the 12 hours of Sebring and finally concluding at the end of November in China,” confirmed McNish.  The Sebring race sees Audi using a brace of R15 TDI sports-prototypes modified to comply with new regulations but from the second round in Belgium and the rest of the year, Audi Sport Team Joest will race the new Audi R18 which has been accumulating test mileage in the USA. The car is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 TDI engine with a new six-speed transmission in the R18 which has been specifically modified for use with the smaller engine necessitated by rule changes. Allan added: “I am very much looking forward to racing the R18 having tested it before Christmas and again this month.  It is a ‘closed’ car, as opposed to the ‘open top’ R8, R10 TDI and R15 TDI sportscars that I’ve raced for Audi since 2000. It’s also right-hand-drive which is another departure as all previous Audi sports-prototypes  have been left-hand-drive. The R18 features a much smaller engine which is regulation driven, a 3.7 litre V6 turbo diesel, so from that side it is quite different from the 5.5 litre V10 we had before but still using the same pioneering Audi TDI technology. For the Spa and Le Mans races, Audi enters three R18s for McNish/Kristensen/Capello, Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller and Marcel Fässler/André Lotterer /Benoît Treluyer  For the remaining ILMC races, McNish and Kristensen partner each other with a third driver a possibility for Petit Le Mans.

Thor-Christian Ebbesvik will be third man at Greaves Motorsports. Greaves Motorsport (formerly Team Bruichladdich) continues to prepare their 2011 programme, with the announcement of its third driver Thor-Christian Ebbesvik and the arrival of a new partner, Motul. Already team-mates with Karim Ojjeh and Tim Greaves in Le Mans Series in 2010, the Norwegian was impressively fast, particularly at Spa, Silverstone and Portimao. Injured during the 1000 km of Spa and suffering a fractured vertebra, he could not race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was replaced by Gary Chalandon, who now becomes his partner along with Karim Ojjeh. They will compete in the 2011 Le Mans Series season with a Nissan powered Zytek, but only Karim Ojjeh and Gary Chalandon are currently confirmed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. There will therefore be a place to fill within Greaves Motorsports for the great event of the La Sarthe.

GA Chevrolet Supercars ME : Bahraini racing driver Ezra Idafar continued his impressive form in the 2010/2011 WGA Chevrolet Supercars ME Championship during the latest round at Reem International Circuit in Riyadh on Thursday, 20th January, with his third victory of the season in the SC06 Class. Ezra increased his winning run to three in race one with a fantastic performance – including the fastest lap before engine failure  forced him out of race 2 .Pic Chris Odukwe / www.chrisodukwe.zenfolio.com  

MRF Formula : Jordan King has signed up to compete in the nascent MRF Formula Championship in India, a series spread over six rounds and eight races and pitting more than 20 young drivers against one another in identical Van Diemen-designed single-seaters powered by Ford Duratec engines. The championship has the backing of India’s leading tyre manufacturer MRF, carries the endorsement of both Hispania Racing F1’s Narain Karthikeyan and Vicky Chandhok – President of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) and father of 2010 grand prix rookie Karun Chandhok – and will run in accordance with regulations laid down by motor racing’s world governing body, the FIA. Organised by the Madras Motor Sports Racing Club, the initial six races will take place at the Madras Motor Race Track in Chennai over the first two weekends in February, followed by the final two outings around the Jaypee Sports International Circuit in Greater Noida close to Delhi in October, as one of the official support series’ to the inaugural Indian Grand Prix.  Jordan was headhunted to participate by Anthony ‘Boyo’ Hieatt, owner of British F3 outfit Double R Racing. “Anthony has been watching me for the last few months, and seems to have been impressed by what I’ve been doing,” revealed the 16-year-old who has been testing in preparation for the 2011 Formula Renault UK Championship. “I’ll be racing a single-seater that I think is broadly similar to the Formula Renault; I don’t know how it will compare aero-wise or power-wise, but it’s the same principle so it shouldn’t be too difficult to adjust to. “I’m excited about going out there. It will be good to get some racing under my belt – it’s been a little while – and it will be good for me to learn some new tracks and to see more of the world. It will be a completely different culture, and all of that widens your perspective of things so that when you get to higher levels you can look back on all your previous experiences and draw upon them to improve.” One other key incentive is the generous $100,000 prize fund, with the 2011 MRF Formula Champion taking away a cheque for $50,000, and the runner-up $30,000. pic Chris Walker/www.kartpix.net

Formula Kart Stars will become the first UK based Championship to use Alfano’s Alspy clutch monitoring system in 2011, bringing the Formula One Management backed series in line with the CIK-FIA, who use the same technology. The Alfano developed system will monitor clutch slip against engine revs on all karts in the Formula Kart Stars Mini Max, Junior Rotax and KF3 classes throughout the 2011 season with the data being instantly downloaded via Wi-Fi to the computers in the scrutineering bay. “This is a major coup for Formula Kart Stars,” says series director Carolynn Hoy. “The Alspy system is the most advanced anywhere and I’m delighted to be using it. It’s vital that we offer our competitors the most level playing field possible and I believe that this system will do that.” Using the same system employed by the CIK-FIA for their international events, Alspy logs the performance of the clutch in relation to the engine revs on every corner of every lap of every race with the complete race data automatically being transferred via Wi-Fi to the scrutineering computer system as soon as each kart enters parc-ferme. “The fact that the CIK-FIA has chosen Alspy for their events tells you everything you need to know about the quality and effectiveness of the system,” continued Hoy. “We had a lot of calls from our competitors in 2010 to start using data loggers for clutches and I hope that this deal shows them that we are committed to providing them with the best and most professional events we can.

Formula Renault BARC: Team Zest is the collaboration between Malcolm Cleland and Ian Goff with the pair planning to run two cars in the manufacturer-supported series. The new team is already close to finalising a deal for their first signing leaving just one seat to be filled. A three-day testing schedule in Spain has also been booked for mid February to aid driver development before the team plans to return to the UK to continue testing. Goff is no stranger to the Formula Renault BARC paddock having worked in 2010 under the Triple 888 banner while newcomer Cleland is keen to prove himself in the single-seater arena after more than 10 years’ experience in saloon-car racing. The arrival of Zest now means around 12 different teams and privateers are expected to compete in the championship when the season gets underway at Donington Park on 23rd/24th April with more than 20 cars anticipated to line the start grid.  Speaking on their decision to join Formula Renault BARC Cleland said: “Although to some extent 2011 will be a learning year, we’ve certainly not joined the championship to make up the numbers. We’re looking to be amongst the top three by the end of the season together with some race wins under our belt.” Championship Promoter Simon North added: “Interest is really mounting for the series which this year features a 12-round calendar including a one-off appearance alongside the British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone.  It’s also very encouraging to see a new team joining our paddock, along with new privateers such as Max Robinson, as the spirit of Formula Renault has always been a strong blend of different types of entrant.” pic Jakob Ebrey Photography

21-01-11

Rallying: On the second day of the event, the Monte Carlo Rally ends in bitter disappointment for the Daily Mirror ProSpeed team. After nearly 200 kilometres over six stages and two days, the Ford Fiesta driven by Tony Jardine with journalist Byron Young as co-driver has spun and crashed out of the rally on a road section between stages seven and eight.  After the seventh stage, Jardine and Young were lying in 71st place overall. Having started as car 116 out of 120 competitors, the team progressed well throughout the first and second leg of the event only to be caught out by the legendary and unforgiving Monte Carlo conditions. When the weather worsened, demanding snow tyres, the Ford Fiesta of the Daily Mirror team was still on wets and Jardine was powerless to stop their car sliding off the road on sheet ice before reaching the closing stage of the second leg. Co-driver Young said, “We are gutted, absolutely gutted. Our ice crew that go out and recce the stages for us before we compete on them, completed their recce of stages seven and eight before the sudden snow blizzard arrived, which meant we were all unprepared for what was to come.  Tony actually had to put the car into a wall to stop us from sliding any further down the hill. We had cars going off the road behind us and 100 yards in front of us, an unbelievable sight and they were all hitting the same patch of ice as us. The most frustrating thing is we could see the time control for the start of the eighth stage in the valley way below, but we just couldn’t reach it! We spun 360 degrees into the wall as we were on wet tyres and not Kumho’s studded snow tyres that could have saved us. We have been well and truly caught out by the famous and treacherous Monte Carlo conditions.”  Jardine commented, “It took us seven hours before we managed to get our car back to service, and we had to wait on the stage, in minus seven temperatures, for our team to come and rescue us. It’s a huge let down to exit the rally, especially as Byron was doing so well on his first ever international event – to have the experience cut short is a disappointment for the whole team. However, it was always an ambition of mine to even get as far as the first stage – so we have achieved that.“ Only 69 cars have made it to the third leg of the rally (Friday 21 January), with many other competitors also having fallen victim to the snow and ice that covered Thursday’s afternoon stages.  During the second leg of the event, the leader Juho Hanninen, also made the wrong tyre choice and dropped back dramatically from first to sixth overall, ending the day a substantial 2 minutes and 35.7 seconds behind the new frontrunner Bryan Bouffier. Petter Solberg was also among the big names caught out by the sudden change in the stage conditions.

Formula Ford: Kart-racing champion Matthew Parry has been signed to spearhead the Fluid Motorsport Developments and Van Diemen attack on the 2011 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain and the new Formula Ford EuroCup. The 16-year-old from Suffolk is hoping to continue into car-racing the success which has netted him two national karting titles in consecutive seasons. “I enjoyed the last four years in karting immensely,” said Matthew, “but felt it was time to move on, and I could not have asked for a better team with which to make the switch to single-seaters than Fluid. I am looking forward to playing a part in turning their fortunes around and repaying their faith in me as the year goes on.” Fluid has signed Parry for a full season, with an option for a second year: “Formula Ford is often a two-year programme, especially for drivers stepping up from karting, who have to learn the circuits as well as the cars,” said Fluid owner Lindsay Allen. “However, we recognise that someone of Matt’s talents could do well enough in their first year to be able to move on. Parry, who was accepted on to the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence at Loughborough in recognition of his achievements and ability, will make his car racing debut in the opening rounds of the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain at Silverstone over the weekend of 9/10 April. Pic: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East: Saudi Arabia's Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal cruised to a comfortable victory in Round 6 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East yesterday while Bahrain's Sheikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa retained his championship lead in dramatic style at Reem International Circuit outside Riyadh.  After claiming pole position for the second day in succession, Prince Abdulaziz led from start to finish and eventually won by 18 seconds to atone for his setback 24 hours earlier when the defending champion could only manage fourth place. But the real drama unfolded behind him as Sheikh Salman survived a spin on the first corner which dropped him to fifth position and eventually snatched second place from Abu Dhabi's Khaled Al Qubaisi in spectacular fashion on the final lap. That was the climax of a breathtaking race-long battle for the podium places which changed hands several times as Salman, Al Qubaisi, teenager Fahad Algosaibi and Saudi's Bandar Alesayi fought for every inch on the twisting Reem circuit. After climbing from third to second place with a brilliant start, Al Qubaisi held on to that position until half way through the 18th and final lap when first Alesayi threatened to move past him before Sheikh Salman squeezed ahead of them both. He now takes home a six-point lead over Prince Abdulaziz to carry into Rounds 7 and 8 at Bahrain International Circuit on February 18-19.

GP3: Alexander Sims has been confirmed at Status Grand Prix GP3 team for the 2011 season. Alexander joins the Silverstone-based team on the back of a season in F3 Euroseries where he finished in fourth place. In October, Alexander underwent a successful test with the Status Grand Prix in Jerez where he posted the third fastest time of the test. He will now spend the next six weeks working with the team in preparation for the first GP3 test at Paul Ricard on the 3-4 March. After a further 3 tests in March and April, the team will get their challenge for the GP3 Championship underway in Istanbul on the 7 May.  Teddy Yip, Status Grand Prix Team Principal commented; "We are delighted that Status Grand Prix has the opportunity to work with people of the calibre of Alexander and Gravity Sport Management. Following on from finishing second in last year's GP3 Championship, every effort is being made to again battle for the title, and having top drivers such as Alexander in the team is a crucial part of that. He will fit into the team very well." Sims said "I am thrilled to be racing in GP3 with Status Grand Prix. Although I only spent one day testing with them, it was immediately clear that they are an extremely professional and ambitious team, and I am really looking forward to working with them. They had a fantastic first season in GP3 and I will be working hard to give them reason to celebrate again in 2011."

Autosport Int. A BMW M5 belonging to 2009 Formula One World Champion, Jenson Button, was amongst a collection of high-profile and extremely rare cars that were sold by specialist automotive auctioneers Coys on Saturday 15 January during Autosport International 2011, held at Birmingham’s NEC. The white supersaloon went under the hammer with the private plate JB05 BAR, referring to Jenson Button’s 2005 season at British American Racing, the team that became Honda, then BrawnGP and, most-recently, Mercedes GP Petronas. The car has found a good home in Aberystwyth with self-confessed BMW fanatic, David Frith. It joins his already-impressive collection of cars from the Bavarian marque, which includes an M3, an X6 and a 6-Series. Incredibly, David had no plans to buy the car and had simply come to motorsport show Autosport International for a day out, but having spotted the V10-powered 500bhp monster on the Coys stand, he knew he had to have it! Speaking this week, David said: “The reaction to the car has been incredible: everyone is interested in seeing a car that was owned by a Formula One World Champion! When I went to get it taxed, they let me keep the original V5 as a souvenir, and my local BMW dealer even wants to use it for a sales promotion. It’s safe to say that I got a bit more than I bargained for with this car!“  Also for sale at the auction was an ex-Colin McRae Ford Focus WRC, an ex-Surtees Lotus 18 as well as several other road cars, including a low-mileage XJ220, a Gemballa GTR600 and one of the most controversial cars ever to grace Britain’s road network, the Lotus Carlton.

20-01-11

Autosport Int: Judging by the numbers of visitors to the BRSCC stand, and the show as a whole, the Autosport Show remains as popular as ever with motorsport fans, competitors and businesses. The doors of the NEC shut at 6pm last Sunday evening after four very busy days on the BRSCC's stand, which attracted good numbers of show visitors. All eight cars on display generated a lot of attention with the respective championship co-ordinators reporting a promising amount of genuine interest. The revised edition of the 'How to go Racing' DVD also proved to be popular and was distributed in record numbers. The BRSCC would like to thank all the championships that provided a car for display, not only on the Club stand but throughout the exhibition and special mention should also go to the volunteers who helped build and staff the stand. A note for your diaries, the 2012 Autosport Show will take place between Thursday 12th and Sunday 15th January. 

More than 450 marshals, doctors and paramedics attended the annual Motorsport Safety Fund ‘Watkins Lecture’ last Friday at the NEC, an attendance only bettered when Bernie Ecclestone was the guest in 2006. Red Bull's Christian Horner and Adrian Newey were quizzed by Martin Brundle and gave a fascinating insight into how events unfolded from their point of view during what was a very successful season for the team. The duo also gave their views on how they see the new season shaping up and on various issues relating to the future of Formula 1. A double page report on the Lecture can be found in this week’s edition of Motorsport News.

BRSCC: After the success of the 'How to go racing' DVD which was launched at last year's Autosport Show, the BRSCC has issued an updated version of the DVD, which is aimed at encouraging more people to take up circuit racing in the UK. The DVD, which now includes Caterham Academy & Fun Cup, takes the viewers through the steps of how to get started in club motorsport, which championships are particularly suited to novice competitors, what equipment they will need and all the relevant contacts.  The DVD, which was produced with the support of GRAND PRIX RACEWEAR and GAZ SHOCKS  is presented in a smart A4 folder, which includes further information on selected championships and the approximate costs a newcomer should budget for in their first year. The DVD is available free of charge by contacting the BRSCC Club HQ via enquiries@brscc.co.uk 

Ford Racing UK announced last Thursday at the Autosport Show that a new partner sponsor, Galfer, will join the ever expanding Competition Car Insurance/ Dunlop Ford Fiesta Championship. Galfer is a prominent supplier of brake pads to many European race series and has chosen the Fiesta Championship to extend their brand awareness in the UK . Already a well known name in Europe, Galfer has now decided to look to the UK market to expand its sales portfolio and will be the preferred supplier of brake pads to the four class Fiesta championship. The Competition Car Insurance - Dunlop Ford Fiesta Championship has been a runaway success in recent seasons with record numbers on the grid and an average in 2010 of 40 cars per race. For more information visit www.fordracing.eu

Mighty Minis champion Louise Inch lost out to Cat Lund, who is a rally co-driver, when the British Women Racing Drivers’ Club (BWRDC) announced the winner of for their GoldStar Club award on their stand at the Autosport Show last Saturday. Cat, who works closely with the BRSCC in her day-job as Head of Operations at Rockingham, was presented with the award by BBC TV F1 presenter Jake Humphrey. Louise was nominated for the award in recognition of her achievement of becoming the first female driver to win the Mighty Minis title. For more information about the British Women Racing Drivers’ Club visit BWRDC

Grand-Am: The 2011 racing season is getting underway and Toronto's Mark Wilkins is all set to head to Florida for the 49th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the leadoff race in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. This is Wilkins eighth straight appearance at the Rolex 24 where he recorded podium finishes in 2004 (3rd - SGS) and 2005 (3rd - GT). He switched to Daytona Prototypes in 2007 and is on the hunt for his first podium in that class. Wilkins will be driving the Level 5 Motorsports No. 55 BMW Riley in this year's race. Wilkins will share driving duties with Christophe Bouchut, Luis Diaz and Scott Tucker.  "I am happy to be here with Level 5 Motorsports for The 24 this year" commented Wilkins. "I learned a lot driving with Christope and Scott in an LMP car last year, understanding their driving styles and how they like to set up a car. That experience will be invaluable for us going into Daytona and in achieving a podium result. We had a great test session a couple of weeks ago at Daytona and everyone on the team is extremely confident."  The Microsoft, E Data Solutions, Selling Source, US Bank No. 55 BMW Riley recorded the third-fastest time at the recent Roar Before the 24 test days just two weeks ago posting a lap of 1:40.491 at 127.533 miles per hour. "I really enjoy racing here on the Daytona road course", Wilkins stated. "I have two third-place finishes in The 24 and Daytona is also where I recorded my first GRAND-AM series pole back in 2008 in the AIM Autosport Ford Riley Daytona Prototype. But I've also had some disappointment here and really hope that this year we can turn that around and go for a win."Before racing gets underway, Wilkins will be joining a number of other GRAND-AM drivers for the annual Boggy Creek Gold Tournament. Boggy Creek is part of the Hole In The Wall Camps founded by Paul Newman and the golf tournament, designed to foster awareness of the camp's work and to raise funds to support its efforts has become an annual tradition for GRAND-AM events at Daytona.  The 49th Annual Rolex 24 at Daytona takes the green flag at 3:30 p.m. (ET)  on Saturday, January 29th and will be broadcast live on Speed TV from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (ET) , resuming coverage at 9:00 a.m. Sunday until 4:00 p.m. (ET)

Formula 3: The Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship has confirmed five Events that will form part of the 2011 race for the Gold Star award. In addition to the recently announced Darwin Formula 3 SuperPrix, to be held alongside the SKYCITY Triple Crown V8 Supercar Event on June 17-19, the series has today announced four rounds to be held in conjunction with long-time partners the Shannons Nationals. The series will return to three high-speed, challenging circuits ideal for ‘wings and slicks’ racing, namely Eastern Creek Raceway in Sydney (July 15-17), Morgan Park Raceway in Warwick, QLD (August 12 – 14), Sandown (September 9-11) and the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria (November 4-6). The series will confirm two to three additional rounds following final negotiations with several Event promoters. The confirmed rounds notably bring the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship in line with at least two Events – Eastern Creek and Sandown – that will feature the Australian Formula Ford Championship. Formula 3 officials feel it important to expose the championship to the young drivers in Formula Ford whilst offering fans of open-wheel racing two Events at the same time. Plans are also currently underway to forge further links between Formula Ford and Formula 3, to be announced in due course. Formula 3’s return to Morgan Park comes after a successful debut by the category at the recently extended circuit in 2010, the new layout producing three exciting races and a new challenge for drivers – not to mention a large and enthusiastic local crowd, many witnessing the cars for the first time. With more than six cars based locally, Morgan Park offers a stronghold for Formula 3 and the series is committed to continuing to support its large Queensland contingent. Eastern Creek and Phillip Island are both key circuits for Formula 3, showing Australia’s fastest racing cars at their best, whilst Sandown offered one of the most dramatic finale’s in all of Australian Motorsport with the showdown for the 2010 title last November.

Formula Kart Stars started 2011 with a bang at the Autosport International Show last weekend (Jan 13-16) as the Formula One Management backed series hosted its 2010 Championship Awards on the karting stage.  2010 Champions Nathan Aston (MSA Cadet), George Russell (Mini Max), Ash Hand (Junior Max) and Ben Barnicoat (KF3) received their championship trophies and TAG Heuer watches as well as the other prizes they earned last year on Saturday afternoon.  But the prize giving was just the tip of the iceberg as a vast array of famous names and karts appeared on the FKS stand during the four days with the championship also announcing some of the new developments for 2011. A deal to run the CIK approved Alfano Alspy data logger in the Mini Max, Junior Rotax and KF3 classes was confirmed on Thursday with Izone Driver Performance and Powerboat P1 announcing new prizes for 2011 on Friday.On Saturday, in addition to awarding eleven TAG Heuer watches to competitors, the company that is celebrating its 150th Birthday in 2011 confirmed that it would be continuing its relationship with the series, as did official fuel supplier One Fuel by Shell Racing, who also announced the introduction of the Shell Trophy this year. Class sponsors Martin Plowman (MSA Cadet), Lewis Hamilton (Mini Max), Bradley Ellis (Junior Rotax) and Luke Hines (KF3) will continue to provide awards at all 12 of this years rounds while additional prizes are set to be announced before the 2011 FKS Championship starts at Rowrah on April 23-24. Formula Kart Stars are also offering a tyre draw in 2011 where one driver in each class at every round will be selected at random to receive a free set of slick tyres. Motorsport greats John Surtees and Barrie ‘Whizzo’ Williams both took to the stage during the Show, as did Allan McNish, David Brabham, Anthony Davidson and BBC TV’s Jake Humphrey. Among the karts on display on the FKS stand were examples driven by Lewis Hamilton, the late Ayrton Senna and fellow ex-Grand Prix drivers David Coulthard, Johnny Herbert and Sir Stirling Moss. A small number of grid places are still available in Cadet and Junior Rotax with places also remaining in KF3. Reserve entries are also still being taken in Mini Max in case there is room for a second grid. Entry forms are available on the Formula Kart Stars website www.formulakartstars.com

Porsche Carrera Cup GB : Juta Racing will return to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB in 2011 to field a two-car team as lead driver Jonas Gelzinis targets the pro-am1 title for the Lithuanian squad.  Juta Racing joined the Carrera Cup GB for 2010 with cars for Gelzinis and Tautvydas Barstys and immediately made a great impression despite being new to the British racing scene. Now, the team is planning a second season with two of the latest model 911 GT3 Cup cars.  
Jonas (22), the elder son of team boss Audrius Gelzinis, quickly showed plenty of natural pace and won the pro-am1 category five times last season to finish category runner-up to Ollie Jackson. His success came despite the fact that every track on the schedule was new to him until pre-race testing on Fridays. "It will be much easier now that I know all of the circuits," said Jonas of his aim to go one better in 2011. Barstys, meanwhile, had a solid learning year and will aim to build on his experience this season. If the Lithuanian businessman has to miss any races, the younger of the Gelzinis brothers, 19-year old Ignis, is waiting in the wings, keen to get a chance to show his pace. As in 2010, the team will base its truck and cars in the UK and then commute from Lithuania for each of the 10 race weekends. 

Sam Tordoff will step up to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB for the 2011 season. Sam, 21, will join Leicestershire based Team Parker Racing for the upcoming season, the team are well versed in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and have multiple wins in to their credit.  “It's obviously a huge step up from the Renault Clio Cup I've driven for the last two years; the driving style is completely different and the 'heel & toe' takes a bit of getting used to” says Sam of the series. “But, by the end of a day’s testing at Donington Park I was lapping consistently quick and my best time was only 0.3s off Euan Hankey's qualifying time from 2010 which I was very happy with. To compete in the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB with a race-winning team such as Team Parker Racing is fantastic”. Stuart Parker, Team Principal at Team Parker Racing is equally looking forward to working with the Yorkshire youngster saying “We are very much looking forward to working with Sam in the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB. It is always fantastic when you get young and motivated drivers in the team as their enthusiasm helps to push the Team on. We will be looking to establish a good footing starting next month [February] so we can be ready, ahead of what is going to be a very hard fought series”.

Porsche GT3 Cup : Bahrain's Sheikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa scored a dramatic victory in Round 5 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East at Reem International Circuit outside Riyadh today to extend his lead in the series. He came out on top in a spectacular battle with Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal after Saudi Arabia's defending champion started in pole position and held his lead for 14 of 18 laps in what was at times a bumper to bumper battle with the Bahraini. The decisive moment came when Abdulaziz, under severe pressure from Salman, spun off the track at the end of the back straight, presenting the series leader with a clear path to his third race win of the 2010-11 championship. After starting in fifth place, Abu Dhabi's Khaled Al Qubaisi again underlined his great progress this season by grabbing second place after shrugging off a determined challenge from Saudi teenager Fahad Algosaibi who finished third. With Prince Abdulaziz dropping to fourth, fellow Saudis Bandar Alesayi and Bandar Alireza completed the top six. The result gives Sheikh Salman an eight point series lead from Prince Abdulaziz, with Al Qubaisi just two points further adrift in third.

Heading into the fourth round of the 2010/11 New Zealand Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge championship in Timaru this weekend the pressure is now well and truly on early season points leader Daniel Gaunt. Gaunt had a dream start to this season's GT3 Cup Challenge championship, winning the first two rounds very much unchallenged as his Triple X Motorsport teammate, defending series champion, Craig Baird faltered. However a fired-up Baird came storming back into contention at the third round at Invercargill's Teretonga Park last weekend, shading Gaunt in qualifying and Saturday's 38 lap/100km mini-enduro race before beating him off the line to run away with the second race then muscling his way to the front and pulling away to win the reverse top six grid final as well. In doing so the six-time consecutive New Zealand Porsche GT3 Cup champion catapulted himself up the points series rankings from sixth to third and now is 131 points behind Gaunt and just 29 behind second placed Jonny Reid. Despite pipping Baird for pole position in qualifying and going on to win the first race, Gaunt didn't do himself any favours at Teretonga by being penalised for contact with Mitch Cunningham as the pair battled for second place in the second race. Gaunt managed to wrestle the position off Cunningham on the final lap but was docked 50 seconds for contact by the stewards, dropping him to ninth place. The 25-year-old took the penalty on the chin and admits that he would have been better off accepting third place and the points that went with it. "It was a mistake, I realise that and my job now is not to make any more like it," he said. Gaunt rates the Timaru International Motor Raceway as one of his favourite tracks, and he is looking forward to returning there. Fourth overall in the points standings after the Teretonga is Mitch Cunningham, the young Auckland driver regularly taking the battle to Baird, Gaunt and International Motorsport teammate Jonny Reid in his second season in the category. Cunningham drew appreciative ohhs and ahhs from the large crowd at Teretonga with a forceful round-the-outside pass on Gaunt early in the second race and says he is definitely feeling more comfortable behind the wheel of his GT3 this season. "I understand the car more this year, " he says. "Plus I think I now know more about what I need from myself in order to get the car to do what I want it to do." In the 996 Cup category, it is hard to look past Wellingtonian Simon McLennan who did so well at Teretonga last weekend that he started the final reverse top six grid race from pole! McLennan led the 996 Cup category points standings until the final series round last season and goes into this weekend's round at Timaru with a buffer of over 100 points over Simon Evans and series newcomer Mark Whyman. The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge cars will be on the track at Timaru from today with qualifying and the first race of the weekend on Saturday and a further two races on Sunday.

Fan funded British Touring Car outfit YourRacingCar.com are bringing fans a new opportunity this season, offering another chance for race goers to get involved with the team and help fund the small independent VW Golf entry, engineered by AmDMilltek Racing. The YRC Hospitality Dome has been a dominant fixture trackside at the British Touring Cars and this year it’ll take on a new role – to offering affordable qualifying and race day hospitality. The menus have been chosen by a selection of YRC Members to ensure that the food available is exactly what the BTCC fans want and will vary from circuit to circuit taking advantage of seasonal nosh and regional treats. Prices start at just £35 for YRC members and £45 for non-members per day and includes food and drinks as well as somewhere to shelter whilst at the circuit.  The impressive but very friendly Dome will be a place for people to come to eat; drink; chat with other race fans and watch the action on the big screens. Breakfast will be available from the crack of dawn so those who like to set up early will have plenty of opportunity to fuel up before hitting their favourite viewing spot. Lunch will roll out straight after breakfast and offer great options to suit all tastes – from locally sourced pies to chunky pasta pots and salads. There will also be soup and hot drinks available all day. The whole idea has been driven by the fans as YRC founder Hannah James explains “We’re really lucky in that racing fans tell us exactly what they want - all we have to do is find a way of making it work. Offering race goers a bit more comfort than they can usual get and really good food isn’t as easy as it seems but we’ve worked really hard to get the price affordable, now we just need customers to look after!” For more information on the YRC Membership scheme and the fans hospitality visit www.YourRacingCar.com .

19-01-11

LMS: Pegasus Racing, the Alsace-based team, has more surprises up its sleeve for 201. It will  double its involvement in the Le Mans Series by entering a Formula Le Mans prototype, in addition to its usual LMP2. The latter will be powered by the new Honda Performance Development (HPD) engine, and the technological innovations are not only connected with the cars.  Last year Pegasus Racing scored a podium finish in LM P2 in the Algarve 1000 Kms as well as a victory in the Michelin Green X Challenge, which highlights thermal efficiency. The team has stepped up its ambitions and is going to install a new generation engine in its Courage–Oreca LC75, the Honda Performance Development 2.8-litre twin turbo V6 power unit complying with the 2011 technical regulations drawn up by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. The team’s engineers are currently working on fitting the engine into the chassis. Julien Schell. Founder of Pegasus Racing with his father Claude. “I’m happy and proud to tackle our third season in the Le Mans Series with our own team, all the more so as today we’re backed by innovative companies in our region that have international reach”. The five 6-hour events that make up the Le Mans Series are part of the team’s programme, as well as the Le Mans 24 Hours assuming they are accepted by  the ACO. Formula Le Mans is the feeder formula for top-level endurance racing. All the teams have the same Courage-Oreca chassis with a 430 bhp V8 of American origin. The teams compete in a race within the race in the LMS events. Pegasus will be present in two categorie with two German drivers Patrick Simon (35 and Mirco Schultis (45). Finally,  the team made people sit up and take notice by its efforts to reduce the environmental impact in 2010 with IC Engineering.  This eco-responsible partnership will be extended in 2011 with the installation of a solar panel system on the roofs on the transporters, which will give the team complete autonomy!  This provides the link to an even-more ambitious project to which Pegasus Racing is putting the finishing touches to,  the construction of a 100% electric prototype with cutting-edge technology. The aim is to achieve a performance as close as possible to that of the equivalent thermal-engined car. More details of this Pegasus Revolution will be given in another press release next week.

Grand-Am: Daniel Erickson’s drive in this month’s Daytona 24-hour sports car race is off – but the cancellation won’t affect his prime 2011 ambition. The young Aussie driver was slated to co-drive a Crawford-Chevrolet prototype for Beyer Racing in the January 29-30 classic until the entry was withdrawn due to some of the team’s car sponsorship failing to materialise. “Obviously I’m disappointed not to be going to Daytona, but no drive is certain until all the pieces are in place, which unfortunately didn’t happen this time,” Erickson said. “Daytona was always an addition to my main aim for this year, which still is to compete in an internationally recognised ‘development’ openwheeler series.” Erickson has just returned from a flying visit to the USA to discuss his future options with Primus Racing boss Jon Baytos. Baytos ran Erickson’s successful 2010 USA racing campaign, in which he won Rookie of the Year and finished third overall in the F2000 Championship Series.“Jon told me that he regretted having to pull the pin on Daytona, but he didn’t want to go there with an underfunded team,” Erickson said. “He has some exciting projects lined up for 2011, and I hope to be involved in some way because he’s one of America’s leading team owners and we got on really well last year. But nothing can be confirmed until all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed.” Meanwhile Team Erickson’s fundraising efforts are ongoing, including a $A29,000 Mega Prize Draw and a three-night holiday for two on Daydream Island.

Autosport Int: Liz Halliday will continue her tradition of mentoring up-and-coming female racing drivers in 2011 after joining the BBC’s Formula One anchor, Jake Humphrey, in presenting Cat Lund with the British Women Racing Drivers’ Club (BWRDC) GoldStar "Club" Award at the AUTOSPORT International show in Birmingham last Saturday.  It is the third year in succession that the she has been asked to mentor the GoldStars "Club" winner after advising previous incumbents Rachel Green and Ilsa Cox in 2009 and ‘10.Lund, who was recognised for her co-driving roles in winning both the BWRDC Rally and Flanders International Rally Challenge (FIRC) championships last season, will benefit from Halliday’s considerable experience in top-level motorsport. Liz Halliday: “While I might not be able to help when it comes to reading pace notes, I still feel that there’s plenty I can offer Cat in other areas of the sport which will help her make the jump into professional motorsport. Often it is just as important how you mentally and physically prepare yourself, as well as what you do outside the car, that helps achieve results. That self belief and preparation will be crucial if Cat is to climb through the ranks, especially in such a male dominated arena, and I will of course do my best to help her along the way.”  BWRDC’s Georgie Shaw: “We are immensely proud and delighted that Liz is the BWRDC GoldStars ‘Club’ category mentor. She has many skills and qualities that we can all aspire to achieve, not least her reputation as a highly-respected and successful international racing driver. 2011 promises to be a busy year for Liz who intends to return to some regular racing alongside her equestrian commitments. They begin in earnest on February 19 at the British Dressage Regional Championships ahead of a first British Eventing outing of the season at Tweseldown on March 10-13.  

18-01-11

Historic motor racing organiser Masters Historic Racing has confirmed details of its series of races for Group C/GTP/IMSA sports cars. To be known as Masters Sports-Prototypes, the name echoes the World Sports-Prototype Championship tag for which these cars ran in during the 1980s and early 1990s. Group C was a key period in the evolution of international sports car racing, technology from which has become commonplace in road cars. Masters Sports-Prototypes will have a calendar of races at key venues and will run with a 20-30 minute sprint race and a 40–60 minute pit stop race at each circuit. Races will be designed to allow competitors to run without the need and costs of refuelling.  In addition, Masters has appointed experienced Group C authority Sean Roberts as the Series Co-ordinator. Sean brings a wealth of knowledge on the cars and teams having created the Rothmans Porsche team in the 1980s in addition to a 13-year association with sports car teams and the Le Mans 24 Hours. Races will be run for the Masters Sports-Prototypes within Masters Events at the Barcelona GP Circuit (April 8-10), Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit (May 29-30), GP Historico do Porto (June 17-19), Donington Park (September 2-4) and one further mainland Europe date which will be announced soon.  Sean Roberts said: “I very pleased with the positive response that we have had so far from competitors with appropriate sports-prototypes such as Group C, IMSA and GTP cars and others and also from existing historic racers who are sourcing and preparing such cars to race in Masters Sports-Prototypes. We can offer Masters Sports-Prototype drivers a great racing calendar at historic events for 2011 within the camaraderie of the established Masters paddock, as well as the added bonus of the Masters hospitality at each event.  Two of our races will be at current Grand Prix circuits, two more have hosted Grands Prix and the Boavista circuit in Porto will certainly give these cars a chance to show themselves to the 100,000 crowd that the event attracts!  We look forward to a successful season and a successful launch at the Catalan Classic in Barcelona in April.”  Details of cars and drivers registering for Masters Sports-Prototypes will be announced shortly.

Dubai 24 Hours : Phil Quaife’s impressive pre-season form continued at last weekend’s Dubai 24 Hours where the Englishman claimed third in the A3T class and 19th overall at the wheel of his MSW Racing Seat Leon Super Copa. The 24-year-old, making his fifth consecutive appearance at the twice-round-the-clock enduro after a season spent competing in the Le Mans Series, enjoyed an almost trouble-free race alongside co-drivers Jon Simmonds, Andre Ramdhanny and Raed Hassan despite this being one of the most congested 24 hour races on the international calendar. A minor knock involving one of his team-mates at around 10pm on Saturday night would necessitate the car’s only delay of the entire race when six laps were lost in the pits for repairs to the Seat’s right-rear.   That aside, the team and car performed faultlessly throughout the 24 hours in what was Phil’s first appearance behind the wheel of a front wheel-drive machine for over three years. Even so, he would still claim the race’s fastest lap for a Seat Leon Super Copa. Phil Quaife: “It’s always a great achievement to finish on the podium of a 24 hour race so I’m really happy with the result. The Seat’s a bit different to what I’ve been racing recently but I was soon back in the groove. It was great fun to drive, especially in the corners where the entry speed is tremendous thanks to its aero. “By the end of qualifying we’d found a really good set-up which made a big difference in the race. But of course, pace is only one part of the equation in endurance racing. You need the car to be reliable and to that end MSW Racing deserve a lot of credit. The Seat was so well prepared and ran faultlessly, so a big thank you to the team. I can’t wait to do it all over again next season.” The result was just the latest in a string of fine performances for the Kent-based driver who currently leads the UAE GT Championship following a victory and second place in rounds three and four. Quaife will resume his quest for the UAE GT title alongside Simmonds in Abu Dhabi on February 11/12.

Touring Cars: Volvo Cars and its official motorsport partner Polestar Racing have signed two-time British and European driver champion James Thompson from 2011. James Thompson will drive for the Volvo Polestar Green Racing team in the 2011 edition of the STCC which has now fully transformed from Swedish to its new status of Scandinavian Touring Car Championship."We are very happy to welcome James Thompson to Volvo and Polestar. With his track record he should feel right at home with us. Volvo is the market leader in Sweden and our team Polestar has claimed four out of five possible titles here in the past two seasons" says Thomas Andersson, Managing Director for Volvo Cars Sweden"   James Thompson's duties will extend beyond STCC. Derek Crabb, Executive Director for Motorsport at Volvo Car Corporation, explains:"First and foremost, James job will be to fight for both STCC-titles for Volvo and Polestar. In addition, James will also be vital in Polestar's job of evaluating World Touring Car Championship for us in 2011. Finally, James will also be a part of Volvo's road car chassis dynamics development team together with Polestar WTCC-driver Robert Dahlgren"  With both the STCC and WTCC season closing in rapidly, the pace is high within Volvo Cars Motorsport and Polestar Racing. And in the middle of all, a very happy James Thompson is getting settled: "I am absolutely delighted. Volvo and Polestar has presented a very clear step-by step plan with a long term potential. Above all, there is a fantastic confidence and a lot of energy here. Last week during my first official visit to Polestar and Volvo, I had a road car prototype test on the agenda the same day. Now it's off to Spain for race car testing. I am really happy to be a part of this with Volvo and Polestar"  James Thompson's first race as a Volvo driver will be on April 24 at Jyllandsringen in Denmark as Volvo embarks on its 16th consecutive STCC-season. He will drive Volvo's most winning touring car to date, the ethanol powered Volvo C30 DRIVe racer, developed with Polestar. 

Porsche: The 2010-11 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East reaches the half way stage in Saudi Arabia this week, with five drivers locked in an intriguing tussle for honours which could go all the way to a dramatic climax in the UAE in April. Bahrain's Sheikh Salman Bin Rashid Al Khalifa goes into Rounds 5 & 6 of the 12-round series at Reem International Circuit outside Riyadh on Wednesday and Thursday (19-20 January) holding a slender two-point lead from Saudi's defending champion, Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal. While the top two continue their fight for supremacy, Abu Dhabi's Khaled Al Qubaisi, record-breaking teenager Fahad Algosabi, and another Saudi driver, Bandar Alesayi, are determined not to let the championship develop into a two car-race. Holding third place, Al Qubaisi wants to build on his three podium places from the opening four rounds in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain and prove that he can take his title challenge all the way to the finish on home territory at Yas Marina Circuit on April 8-9. Currently lying fourth, Algosabi will be looking to reproduce the form which saw him become the youngest ever race winner in Porsche one-make series history at Reem last season. Meanwhile Alesayi, who took third place overall in the inaugural Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, has the opportunity to make full use of local knowledge at Reem as he tries to climb from his current fifth place in the championship. It all adds up to a thrilling two days of Porsche GT3 Cup racing during a busy programme of events at the Reem circuit where Sheikh Salman is aiming to add to his two race wins so far this season and extend his lead. While he took pole position for seven of last season's 12 rounds, the Bahraini driver could manage only one victory, although his performances so far this season suggest he believes that he can snatch the title from Prince Abdulaziz. Saudi's defending champion, who scored nine race victories in the 2009-10 series, will have tremendous home support at Reem and will try to grab whatever advantage he can from his liking for, and familiarity with, the circuit. "Reem is definitely a lot more technical than the other circuits," he said. "The track is tighter, with more turns, and how you handle these is very important. You have to go easy on the breaks going into the turns and come out strongly. You need to rely more on the gears. "The track is also a bit bumpier than normal. Whoever has the lead there has a big advantage as it's very difficult to overtake on the circuit, so qualifying times are very important and getting pole position is the key." Added Abdulaziz: "Salman, Khaled, Fahad, and Bandar have all had plenty of experience on each of the circuits now so home advantage is less of a factor as opposed to last year. The spectators just want to see high quality racing and that is what we are all collectively looking to provide." While the top five fight out the podium places, Al Qubaisi's Abu Dhabi team-mate, Musaed Al Murar, attempts to extend his 100 per cent winning sequence in the rookie category.

Defending champion Craig Baird's 2010/11 New Zealand Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge championship campaign is back on track, the 40-year-old Queensland-based Kiwi claiming the overall win at the third round at Invercargill's Teretonga Park Raceway over the weekend. After finding himself playing second fiddle to teammate Daniel Gaunt at the first two rounds, and again in qualifying and the first race at Invercargill on Saturday, Baird beat fellow front row starter Gaunt fair and square in the weekend's second GT3 Cup race on Sunday morning before running away with the 16 lap reverse top six grid final, making light of the streaming track conditions to lead home current series runner-up Jonny Reid, Gaunt and Christchurch driver Paul Kelly. Having only just been pipped for pole position in qualifying and set the fastest race lap on the way to second place behind Gaunt in the first - 38 lap/100km - race of the weekend on Saturday afternoon Baird was in the perfect position to capitalise on a less than perfect start from Gaunt in the 12 lap sprint race on Sunday morning but it was in the wet 16-lap final in the afternoon that he was able to really drive home the advantage. Though the reverse top six grid format meant he had to start the race from P6 on the grid Baird was in front as the field streamed out of the first corner and had built up a five second buffer on fellow fast starter Gaunt (the latter having started

MIA Awards: The 2011 racing season got off to a sterling start for CMA at Birmingham’s Autosport International Show last week as the agency was awarded the prestigious Service to the Industry Award during the Motorsport Industry Association’s (MIA) annual awards dinner.  An audience of 500 senior executives from the international motorsport community witnessed CMA Silverstone director Geoff Cook(pictured) accept the award. “We were already delighted to be nominated, as it shows that our motorsport clients like and appreciate the work we do, so to actually win the award is fantastic,” said Geoff.“We take a lot of pride in the work we deliver and to be recognised by the motorsport industry like this is tremendous and we’re absolutely over the moon. With our new office at Silverstone we are looking to further build on the work that we are already doing in motorsport, and we’re very excited about the future.” The MIA awards evening also brought success to one of CMA’s clients with world-leading transmission technology specialists Xtrac winning the ‘Business of the Year’ gong. Also renowned as the marketing force behind additional motorsport industry heavyweights such as AP Racing and Lifeline Fire and Safety, CMA further assisted the British Racing & Sports Car Club (BRSCC) in promoting its various championships at Europe’s biggest motorsport show. of the second lap. From that point on the interest in the race lay in the battle for second place.  Initially Gaunt held the advantage over Jonny Reid and Mitch Cunningham but first Cunningham found a way past Reid before closing on Gaunt, then Reid returned the favour on Cunningham - in a gutsy move around the outside at The Loop - and had his own go at Gaunt round the back of the circuit. Once he was in front of Gaunt Reid then closed the gap on Baird, setting the fastest race lap and crossing the finish line just four-and-a-half seconds behind. Gaunt was a further 11 seconds back with Paul Kelly taking over fourth place after Cunningham slipped off the track at the final corner with just a lap to go.

17-01-11

LMS: At the end of 2010, Pegasus Racing, the endurance squad from Alsace, hinted that it had a few big surprises in store for us for the start of the New Year. We are now in 2011 and it’s time to lift the veil on what’s brewing in Strasbourg!   The team’s involvement in the five rounds of the Le Mans Series be two-car entry with the arrival of a Formula Le Mans prototype. In parallel, Pegasus Racing will continue to run its Courage in LM P2. This year it will be aiming for more podium finishes thanks to the arrival of a new engine, an HPD (Honda Performance Development) that complies with the new 2011 regulations. The team has also sent in an entry to the ACO for an invitation to take part in the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours. Partnerships have been signed with companies specializing in the engineering and the production of electronics and electric engines in order to develop a zero emission prototype! This programme will be accompanied by a raft of initiatives respecting the environment, which will help Pegasus Racing to be among the pioneers in 21st century motor sport!  After its 2010 season marked by its first participation in the Le Mans 24 Hours, its maiden podium in LM P2 and a victory in the Michelin Green X Challenge (thermal efficiency), 2011 is going to be a very exciting year for Pegasus Racing.

DTM: Hankook is the exclusive tyre supplier to the international touring-car series DTM. The contract recently signed between the tyre manufacturer and DTM umbrella organisation ITR is initially slated to run for three years. It takes account of both the current set of rules and regulations, valid until the end of 2011, and the future version, which is to apply starting in 2012, and covers the supply of equipment not only to the current teams, Audi and Mercedes-Benz, but also to other vehicle manufacturers as well (BMW from 2012 onward).This exclusive partnership heralds a new era in the motor sport activities of Hankook Tire, currently the seventh largest tyre manufacturer worldwide. In recent years, the company had focused its track racing motor sport activities on long-distance events, to resounding success in spectacular races including the 24-hours classics in Le Mans and on the Nürburgring. From now on the DTM will form the core of the international Hankook motor sport activities in the years to come. 

Formula Renault BARC : Organisers are confident that registrations for the 2011 Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship will be among their highest for several years following extensive interest at the  Autosport International Show. As many as 20 cars could take to the start grid for the opening rounds when the season gets underway at Donington Park on 23rd/24th April. The Autosport Show saw substantial interest from both new and established teams as well as privateer entries.  Championship winning outfit Hillspeed have already confirmed two of its signings as it hopes to retain the drivers’ title after running Alice Powell to victory in 2010.  Seventeen-year-old Sean Walkinshaw, son of the late Tom Walkinshaw, and Indian racer Zaamin Jaffer have already been confirmed with the Derbyshire-based squad with at least one further registration in the coming weeks.Richard Dutton’s Fortec Motorsport team are also expected to run between three and four cars with SWB Motorsport confirming two signings with Andrew Jarman also likely to add his name to Simon Baldry’s outfit.  Antel Motorsport and MTech Lite have also indicated their interest with each team anticipated to run two cars with James Thorp already signed for MTech. New interest has also been received from Scorpio Motorsport, who ran Ollie Hancock and Kieren Clark to victory in 2008 and 2009 respectively, as well as Mark Godwin’s MGR Motorsport. RPD Motorsport’s Steven Durrant is also expected to return for his fourth consecutive season while privateer interest comes from car-racing newcomer 18-year-old Max Robinson and possibly James Birch. Decisions are still being made by many other teams keen to enter the 2011 season which this year will make a one-off appearance with the British Touring Car Championship. Commenting on the interest Championship Promoter Simon North said: “Following the Autosport Show we’ve had a fantastic response from teams and competitors and interest is really building ahead of the season. Registrations have just opened and we’ve already received the first entries and are confident we will have around 20 cars on the start line for the opening rounds.”pic Jakob Ebrey Photography

Volkswagen Racing Cup : FUCHS Lubricants is to continue as title sponsor of the Volkswagen Racing Cup for a further year after a successful first season with the saloon-car race series.  FUCHS Lubricants, the world’s largest independent lubricant manufacturer, has enjoyed a superb partnership with the championship, says FUCHS Lubricants UK marketing manager Richard Barrett: “We enjoyed a great first season with the Volkswagen Racing Cup and continue to be thrilled to be title sponsor of such a competitive high calibre series. Our premium Titan Race range has been developed significantly through our links with top level motorsport. This ongoing development process ensures FUCHS customers continue to enjoy maximum performance and protection on the road and on the track.” The Volkswagen Racing Cup with FUCHS Lubricants is set this season to build on its success with a regular slot alongside the British GT Championship. The Volkswagen championship will support British GT at six of its UK-circuit dates in 2011, and will also return to Zandvoort in the Netherlands for an early-summer meeting. pic Jakob Ebrey Photography

The new SPEED EuroSeries will showcase the economic CN sportscars at every one of the super-popular Le Mans Series events in 2011. A mix of 90 minute and 1-hour two-driver races will feature on all Le Mans Series programmes starting with the Paul Ricard Circuit in April. A sixth additional enduro is scheduled for June. The SPEED EuroSeries, which is recognised by Honda Motor Europe, will feature the Honda powered CN chassis from the likes of Ligier, Norma, WFR, Wolf, Juno, Jade, Gloria, Promec, Lucchini, Osella and Radical. Control tyres and fuel will limit costs and a mandatory sealed ECU ensures a level playing field. Global TV coverage is booked. “The SPEED EuroSeries is the only growth formula in motorsport,” says Oliver McCrudden of SPEED. “Our EuroSeries formula provides a proving ground for gentlemen drivers and the best opportunity for young hotshoes to get status drives in sports car racing. SPEED is a real business development possibility for teams capable of running cars and provides lots of tracktime at realistic budget. The Le Mans Series is the biggest popular show in Europe. Look at the OEMs who participate: Audi, Peugeot, BMW, Aston Martin and some 30 plus quality teams. Our Honda powered cars are sensibly priced, totally reliable and are real racing chassis. Some Le Mans Series teams are looking to use the SPEED series for their young driver training programmes. We offer driver, team and manufacturer points awards. We aim to fast-track the SPEED EuroSeries to European championship status for 2012.” Following the Paul Ricard event, the SPEED EuroSeries races at Spa in May, Imola in July, Silverstone in September and Estoril later the same month. A further event is proposed for June following the Le Mans 24-hour spectacle. With just 30 grid slots to be filled entry registrations have already been received, at least two new cars have been delivered and further orders placed.

Porsche Carrera Cup GB : Jess Gwynne will compete in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this season and is currently in advanced discussions with championship newcomers 2XP Racing. The Brackley-based 18-year old racer is making the step up after she contested the 2010 UK National Legends Championship, finishing fourth in the rookie section. Having been behind the wheel since the age of four, Jess has progressed through various forms of motor sport and has driven World Rally Cars, competed in Junior Rallycross, RX racing buggies and latterly, Legends. In her first season on asphalt last year, she won both the 'driver of the Day' and 'best rookie driver' awards at various races.Now, Jess is delighted to announce her 2011 plans to join the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. "I'm very proud of the opportunity to race the Porsche this season," said Gwynne. "I don’t plan to make up the numbers, so will work hard, learn and not just be the token female! My aim is to be mid-pack by mid-season and then be challenging for points where I can."As the only female driver expected to take part in the 2011 Carrera Cup GB, Jess has already attracted the attention of some major financial backers. Currently her management team is in advanced discussions with sponsors and Jess hopes to announce more about this prior to the start of the 2011 season.

Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai : BMW ended Porsche’s stranglehold on the Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai when the Need for Speed Team Schubert BMW Z4 GT3 crossed the finish line this afternoon to claim victory for multinational line-up of Augusto Farfus from Brazil, Edward Sandtsrom from Sweden, Tommy Milner from USA and German lady racer Claudia Hurtgen. Second behind the BMW throughout the 24 hours was the AF Corse Ferrari F430 team with Italian trio Eppe Perrazini, Lorenzo Case, Marco Cioci and Michel Broniszewski from Switzerland at the wheel. Third place went to the Black Falcon Mercedes SLS AMG with German quartet Thomas Jager, Kenneth Heyer, Jan Seyffarth and Sean Paul Breslin doing cockpit duty. Narrowly missing out on the podium was Emirati driver Khalid Al Qubaisi who was part of the Tolimit Arabia Porsche 911 GT3 line-up including British driver Sean Edwards, Germany's Sascha Maassen and Dutchman Jeroen Bleekemolen. The team was plagued with technical problems which cost them valuable time, however they did well to recover and finish fourth overall and best of the Porsche brigade.

Aston Martin Racing Factory Driver Sam Hancock opened his 2011 season with a class podium in the Dubai 24 Hours after finishing second in the SP3 GT4A category and 15th overall in HMR’s Aston Martin GT4. Hancock, co-founder of specialist high-performance driver coaching service The Drivers Club, was invited to take part in the race by club member and HMR team owner Humaid Al Masaood and shared the car with the UAE-based driver and businessman as well as BTCC star Steven Kane and Radical racer Alex Kapadia.   HMR led the early and middle stages of the race, heading a three-way battle with the NFS Racing Lotus 2-Eleven and Valspar Donkervoort D8 GT, but the latter’s more efficient fuel economy soon saw it pull into a commanding lead.   While Hancock, Kane, Kapadia and Al Masaood all drove faultless stints, a couple of unscheduled stops for a soft brake pedal and a small suspension issue, meant that the team couldn’t close the gap and ultimately settled for a strong second place.  Sam Hancock: “We looked strong early on, but the Donkervoort made around seven stops fewer than us, which represents a huge amount of time. HMR might be a young team but they still held their own against strong competition, were very passionate and desperately disappointed to miss out on the win. I’d like to thank them and Humaid for inviting me, as well as for all their hard work throughout what is an extremely tough event. We can be very proud of what we’ve achieved this weekend. On a personal note, it was a good warm up for the new season. It never hurts to do another endurance race and the Dubai 24 Hours is always a huge challenge.” Hancock will now look forward to racing in the Le Mans Series in Jota Sport AMR’s GT2-spec Aston Martin.

Autosport International :The gates of the world’s greatest motorsport show, Autosport International, closed at Birmingham’s NEC after four hugely successful days.  High-profile companies exhibited at the 21st Autosport International to bring the latest in motorsport to an eager audience. Visitors enjoyed everything from karting to rally, historics to the latest Formula One cars.  Motorsport celebrities, such as BBC Sport’s Martin Brundle and his BBC F1 colleague Jake Humphrey, ex-grand prix driver Anthony Davidson and DTM pilot Gary Paffett, all entertained the crowds on the Autosport Stage. Show visitors witnessed the unveiling of the 2011 Lotus Renault GP car livery this weekend. British sports car company Ginetta attracted great interest at its stand with the launch of the G55, generating many strong leads throughout the four days. High-end manufacturer Porsche showed its GT3-R Hybrid and Škoda UK Motorsport revealed its incredible 2011 Fabia S2000 for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.  Meanwhile, Chevron Racing Cars launched its Chevron GR8 GT, which attracted new and existing customers to the stand from as far afield as Japan and Brazil. Hosted by Fifth Gear TV stars Jason Plato and Tiff Needell, fans had the chance to enjoy adrenaline-pumping action and stunts at the Fifth Gear Live Action Arena during the weekend. The show featured cars from the European Drift Championship, autograss racers, rally cars, BriSCA F1 Stock Cars and fan-favourite Terry Grant, who thrilled show goers with amazing stunts.   Autosport International Show Director Ian France said: “The four days of the show have been extremely successful. With high-class exhibitors and fantastic displays we have received some very positive feedback and it’s always great to see the smiles on racing fans’ faces. Plans for 2012 are already underway, and much more of the same can be expected.”  Autosport International 2012 will take place on 12-15 January 2012 at the NEC in Birmingham. For more information visit www.autosportinternational.com.   pic Dennis Goodwin

Silverstone freezes prices - As the country feels the pinch following the recent rise in VAT, Silverstone has announced that is has ‘frozen’ all of its 2011 Event ticket prices at the VAT rate of 17.5%. The prices of Driving and Riding Experiences at the Home of British Motor Racing have also been held at the pre-rise rate until at least the end of January. Tickets to the 2011 FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX are still available from as little as £55, while tickets for the AirAsia British Grand Prix (MotoGP) start at just £16. Silverstone’s Experiences and Thrills, providing members of the public with the opportunity to drive and ride on sections of the famous Grand Prix Circuit, can be purchased from £85, but these prices won’t stay this low for long*. In addition to the freeze on VAT, an added bonus for this month is the Silverstone ‘January Sale’, offering a 20% saving on four of the circuit’s leading Driving Experiences. With Silverstone’s Ferrari, Nissan GT-R and Audi R8 Experiences available for just £199 (reduced from £255) and the Lotus Exige Experience priced at £140 (reduced from £175)**, there has never been a better time for anyone with a passion for driving to get behind the wheel of a supercar at Silverstone. To purchase Event tickets, book your place on a Silverstone Experience, or for further information visit www.silverstone.co.uk.

15-01-11

Autosport International : Friday  was another exciting day at the world’s greatest motorsport show, Autosport International, with celebrities and remarkable car displays scheduled for the whole weekend. Highlights included Autosport Stage interviews with McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh, Red Bull’s Christian Horner and former Formula One driver and BBC F1 commentator Martin Brundle. Eight-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, former F1 driver Allan McNish and three-time FIA World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx will be amongst the stars taking to the stage this weekend. “It’s great to be back at Autosport International,” said Brundle. “There was a big crowd today already and the weekend will be very busy. I am looking forward to meeting the fans and telling them about both my BBC and racing plans for the new season!” Among the spectacles is the 2011 Lotus Renault GP livery, the new Caterham-Lola sports car SP/300.R and Radical’s breathtaking 300bhp street legal SR3SL.  The McLaren Racing Display is yet another must-visit. It presents a collection from throughout McLaren’s motorsport history, with legendary cars such as the MP4/4 used by Ayrton Senna to win 15 out of 16 races to secure the 1988 Drivers’ Championship, and Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 Drivers’ Championship winning car, the MP4-23. Also on display is McLaren’s new road car, the MP4-12C, which goes on sale in 2011. Formula Kart Stars is sharing a collection of racing karts from the 1960s to the modern day, which impressively illustrates how karts have changed over the last 50 years. A replica DAP works chassis used by Ayrton Senna in the 1979 Karting World Championship is on display as well as David Coulthard’s kart from 1986.  Autosport International Show Director Ian France said: “Today was another crowded day that provided a great insight into what’s hot in motorsport. The Lotus Renault GP livery will be on display all weekend, and Martin Brundle along with more celebrities will be at the show until Sunday, presenting some great opportunities for fans to meet their idols.”  pics Dennis Goodwin

LMS: Just a week after collecting the Team and Driver LMP2 trophies for the 2010 Le Mans Series, RML AD Group is pleased to confirm the team’s intention to defend these titles in 2011 with an HPD ARX-01d chassis, powered by the new HPD 2.8 litre twin turbo V6. In addition, the team is delighted to confirm that the driver-line up for the new season remains unchanged, with Mike Newton and Thomas Erdos joined for the full season by Ben Collins. The team will be contesting this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours with the same car and driver package, and believes this combination offers RML AD Group the best possible platform for retaining the Le Mans Series titles and regaining LMP2 honours at Le Mans.

Dubai 24 Hours: Although Porsche have dominated previous editions of the Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai, this year Lamborghini caused a major upset in qualifying to take pole position, and second place on the grid, for the race which gets underway at 2pm on Friday. Peter Kox, Marc Hayek, Nico Pronk and Bernhard Muller in the Blancpain Reiter Lamborghini Gallardo LP560 GT3 set the Dubai Autodrome alight on their way to claiming pole position for Friday's Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai. They will start at the front of an 87 car grid after they overcame a strong Porsche and Mercedes challenge for the all important pole position slot. Best UAE based team was the Fabien Giroix led Gulf Team First Lamborghini LP560 who he will share with Frederic Fatien, Roald Goethe and Mike Wainwright. Starting behind the two Lamborghini's, third in qualifying, was the Tomas Enge led Mosler MT900 GT3. Fastest of the Porsche Brigade was MRS Team PZ Aschaffenburg who will start their Porsche GTR 997R from fourth on the grid. Heading up the third row, in fifth, will be the Tolimit Arabia Porsche 911 GT3R driven by Team Abu Dhabi ace Khaled Al Qubaisi and his highly rated team mates Sascha Maasen, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Sean Edwards. Al Qubaisi will start the race as the highest placed Emirati driver on the grid. Sixth fastest was the Need for Speed BMW spearheaded by August Farfus, ahead of the Heico Motorsport Mercedes with Bernd Schneider heading the line-up of drivers.

Autosport International: Crowds gathered on the first day of the world’s greatest motorsport show, Autosport International, to see the unveiling of Lotus Renault GP’s black and gold Formula One livery. The team’s driver Vitaly Petrov and ex-F1 driver Jean Alesi took the covers off at the show to reveal the 2011 Lotus Renault GP colours.  “I didn’t know much about F1 and Lotus when I was young,” said Russian driver Vitaly Petrov. “But when I came to Europe I felt a sense of the Lotus history and this left a big impression on me. Being part of this squad makes me very happy and also proud. My ambitions for 2011 are clear: I will do my best and fight for poles and podium finishes.” Eric Bouiller, Team Principal at Lotus Renault GP added: “Our line up with Lotus gives us a sense of stability. This commitment is a great achievement for us and through this we have a long-term vision. This is obviously very exciting for us and we are all thrilled at the opportunities ahead. I strongly believe that with Vitaly and Robert Kubica we have the best drivers for our F1 team.”

Also revealed was the first ever sports prototype racing car from British sportscar manufacturer Caterham Cars, the Caterham-Lola SP/300.R. Designed for the trackday market, both in the UK and overseas, only 25 models will be manufactured each year.  “The motorsport market is growing rapidly domestically and abroad. This provided the opportunity for us to look at a race and trackday product particularly for our customers abroad,” said Ansar Ali, Managing Director at Caterham Cars. “However, we felt that it was important that the car is true to the DNA of Caterham: it has to be thrilling and engaging, and it has to be value for money.” James Drake, Marketing Manager at Caterham Cars added. “We are very successful with the Seven, but the market is at a stage where the customers are demanding something more. With the SP/300.R we are hoping to sell a product that they are looking for: a demanding and fast racing car with bigger downforce.”  Autosport International Show Director Ian France said: “The 2011 Lotus Renault GP livery and the brand new Caterham are just two of the exciting new cars fans can discover at the show. We’ve also seen the launch of the Ginetta G55, the Ariel Atom 500 V8 and three new models from Radical Sportscars. All will be on show until Sunday, providing some great sights for weekend show visitors.” pic Dennis Goodwin

Abarth presented its activities for the 2011 season at Autosport International in Birmingham this week (13-16 January). The coming season will be marked by the continued involvement of the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse in the Abarth 500 GB Trophy.Racing with the 190 bhp Abarth 500 Assetto Corse,the series is in its second year and will take place over six events, one of which is Spa-Francorchamps − which also counts towards the Abarth 500 European Trophy. The formula for the UK Trophy includes two races at each event. Abarth is pleased to announce that the championship is set to start at Oulton Park (23 and 25 April), moving on to the new Snetterton 300 Circuit (25-26 June), Brands Hatch GP (22-24 July), Spa (7 August), Brands Hatch Indy (3-5 September) and finishing at Donington on 29 October. The promotion of the Abarth 500 GB Trophy will again be managed by Paolo Callea.

The Abarth 500 European Trophy is also continuing this year, featuring six events held at Valencia, Misano, Hockenheim, Mugello, Monza and Spa-Francorchamps, the latter also counting towards the GB Trophy – an opportunity for British drivers to grab the limelight in an international series.  Abarth activities outside the UK concentrate on the championships reserved for the Abarth 500 and Formula Abarth, a single-seater car powered by a 1400 cc turbocharged Abarth engine which was extremely successful during its first season, in 2010, tempting young foreign drivers to the Italian Championship. This year, the Formula Abarth Championships and the Abarth 500 Trophies will be organised in Italy and across Europe, with the same calendar for both series.

GP2: Norfolk based GP2 team iSport international announced their driver line up for the 2011 Asia and European series in front of a packed house at the Autosport show in Brimingham on Thursday. The line up, which principal Paul Jackson hopes "will push us to the front of the grid once again", is completed by Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson, 20 years old, and 23 year old Brit Sam Bird. The two drivers join the most successful British team in the GP2 series, which has an enviable record of consistency. Indeed iSport have never finished outside of the top 5 since the series was launched in 2005, picking up both drivers and constructers championships in 2007, and enjoying victory in the Asia series last year.   A promising first year in GP2 saw Bird, finish a very creditable fifth in the driver's championship, which might have been even higher but for some unfortunate technical issues. The highlight of the season was undoubtedly the Monza weekend when Bird dominated the field, winning the feature race and finishing on the podium in the sprint. Young Marcus Ericsson has shown extraordinary pace in his career to date, winning Formula BMW UK aged just seventeen. In 2009 Japanese Formula 3 series win paved the way for an early switch in to GP2 for 2010, with Marcus becoming one of the youngest ever drivers in the series. In his debut season, Ericsson impressed many with a race win in Valencia.

Porsche Carrera Cup Scholarship winner Benji Hetherington has signed to race for Red Line Racing in this season's Carrera Cup GB.  The Cheshire-based racer, who will celebrate his 19th birthday shortly before the start of the season, has joined the team that has won the overall drivers' title for three of the last four seasons with James Sutton and Tim Harvey. "I felt that Red Line Racing was a good environment for me," said Hetherington as the news was announced from the Porsche stand at Autosport International. "It's a great team of guys with very good engineers and they are the reigning champions, so they clearly know what they are doing."   Hetherington and the team will start testing as soon as the new 911 GT3 Cup cars are delivered. "I just can't wait to get out in the car. We've got a testing programme booked ahead of the opening race weekend at Brands Hatch. I want to be on the podium as soon as possible." Team boss Simon Leonard is delighted to have signed Hetherington. "We ran Benji in a test late last year and I was very impressed with him. He'll be an asset to the team and he's going to be quick. I think he'll be right up there."

NZ Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge: Triple X Motorsport's Daniel Gaunt is the man of the moment as this season's New Zealand Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge championship heads to Invercargill's Teretonga Park Raceway this weekend. For the past six seasons Gaunt's teammate Craig Baird has dominated the country's fastest and most prestigious one-make motor racing series. But after a blown tyre and a drive-through penalty at the opening round at Pukekohe, then a puncture and a holed radiator at the second round in Christchurch, the Queensland-based Kiwi champion currently languishes sixth in the series points standings. It hasn't exactly been a bed of roses for Gaunt either - he was lucky to be offered sponsor and mentor Mike Morton's car after a high impact crash in his own 997 at Pukekohe - but since then the 25-year-old Aucklander has not put a foot wrong. Of the six races contested so far this season Gaunt has won five on them, two at the opening round and all three - after also qualifying on pole for all - at the second. Heading into the third round at Teretonga Park this weekend Gaunt has 429 points, 52 more than last season's series runner-up Jonny Reid and 128 more than third placed Mitch Cunningham. Cunningham, in turn, has a 34 point advantage over series rookie Scott Harrison who is fourth, with Triple X team boss Shane McKillen fifth and Triple X Motorsport team leader Baird sixth, 180 points behind Gaunt. Meanwhile young Whangarei driver Scott Harrison is driving with a pace and maturity that belie his 24 years. Harrison, Shane McKillen, high profile Christchurch car dealer Paul Kelly, and series stalwart Andrew Bagnall have rarely more than a few car lengths apart at the first and second rounds. There's also an interesting three-way battle unfolding for the 996 Cup series-within-a-series honours as last season's category young guns Simon McLennan and Simon Evans mix it up with Hong Kong-based expat Mark Whyman  There will be three races for the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge cars at Teretonga, the 100km mini-enduro (complete with compulsory pit stop to change a minimum of two wheels) on Saturday afternoon then a 12 lap race on Sunday morning and a reverse top six grid final over 16 laps on Sunday afternoon.  

13-01-2011

Formula Renault BARC: Sean Walkinshaw, son of the late Tom Walkinshaw, confirms he will graduate to car racing in 2011 after signing a deal to compete in the Formula Renault BARC Championship with title-winning team Hillspeed. Prior to his tragic passing, Walkinshaw Snr had worked closely with his son to determine the correct path for his motor racing career. Both agreed Formula Renault BARC would be the most suitable option, as would a partnership with Hillspeed.  The 17-year-old car racing rookie is an impressive addition to the Derbyshire squad’s line-up and he will be looking to make a big impact during his maiden season with the team which guided Alice Powell to championship glory last year. With limited karting experience, Walkinshaw made his single-seater test debut in November as part of the Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain ‘Sampler Day’ at Rockingham. But after meeting with Hillspeed team principal Richard Ollerenshaw prior to Christmas, the decision has been taken to begin his car racing career in the realms of ‘slicks and wings’ competition.  “We’re confident Formula Renault BARC is the best place for me to begin my single-seater career and where better to learn than with the reigning champions?”, said Walkinshaw, “Hopefully it’ll be a strong year and we’ll enjoy some good success together.” Coinciding with the opening day of the 2011 Autosport International Show at Birmingham’s NEC, the announcement of Walkinshaw’s deal with Hillspeed doubles the team’s Formula Renault BARC line up with the squad having already signed Formula Ford graduate Zaamin Jaffer. The champion team is also in discussion with several other drivers regarding the coming season. pic Jakob Ebrey Photograpy

UK Motor Sport: The Motor Sports Association (MSA), governing body for UK motor sport, has announced the young drivers that have been selected to form this year's Team UK squad. To be officially unveiled at this week's Autosport International show in Birmingham, the seven racing drivers selected to join the MSA's driver development scheme under the guidance of National Race Coach David Brabham, are: Tom Blomqvist, aged 17 from Saffron Walden - Championship tba Will Buller, aged 18 from Craigavon, Co. Down - Cooper Tires British F3 International Series Jack Harvey, aged 17 from Bassingham - Cooper Tires British F3 International Series Alex Lynn, aged 17 from Dunmow, - Formula Renault UK Harry Tincknell, aged 19 from Sidmouth - Cooper Tires British F3 International Series Oli Webb, aged 19 from Knutsford -  Formula 3 Euro Series Lewis Williamson, aged 21 from Golspie, - Championship tba.  Three racing drivers have been offered a second Team UK campaign - Will Buller, Harry Tincknell and Oli Webb - as the coaches felt they would continue to benefit from the programme's intensive development work at this stage of their careers. The remaining seven drivers that were on the scheme in 2010 will continue to enjoy the support and guidance of the Team UK coaches and other related support staff. They will be designated as Team UK 'graduates' and will carry the Team UK logo on their clothing and vehicles.

The MSA have named Formula Ford competitor Jake Cook as  the winner of the first ever RSF MSA Young Driver of the Year award. The accolade - sponsored by the Racing Steps Foundation (RSF) - will be awarded annually to a student enrolled on the MSA's Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) in Motor Sport programme, which forms part of the MSA Academy structure. MSA Academy Coaches Greg Symes and James Wozencroft selected a shortlist of five finalists from the current AASE students - Cook, 17 from South Yorkshire; Jack Dex, 18 from Norhamptonshire; Dan O'Brien, 18 from Hertfordshire; Louise Richardson, 17 from Lincolnshire; and Dilip Singh, 17 from Cardiff - to attend a shootout for the 2010 award at Pure Tech Racing in Surrey last December. The finalists spent time in a race simulator before delivering a short presentation about the key lessons they have learned from the Apprenticeship course. All were praised for their performances by the judging panel, which comprised MSA Performance Director Robert Reid, MSA National Race Coach David Brabham, GP3 driver James Calado, RSF's Simon Pearson, Autosport magazine's Ben Anderson and MSA Communications Director Ben Taylor.

Porsche officially launches the 2011 Carrera Cup GB Championship at the Autosport International show at the Birmingham NEC (January 13-16) and will announce that a race at the Nürburgring will be on the calendar for the first time. The 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship also marks the debut of the all-new 911 GT3 Cup race car, which has led to a record entry this year to the UK’s fastest single-marque GT racing Championship. The Porsche Carrera Cup GB goes into the new season in the best possible shape, with a capacity entry of 32 cars. This has increased from the 28 of 2010, with 32 being the highest number that can be accommodated at all the circuits visited, as part of the support to the British Touring Car Championship. Porsche will also showcase its ground-breaking 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car and demonstrate the breadth of its Human Performance sports science consultancy with body hydration tests on Stand 2540 in Hall 20. 

Ginettas: Carl Breeze will continue his successful partnership with Total Control Racing in 2011 after confirming a deal with the Wednesbury team to contest the inaugural Ginetta GT Supercup in a brand new Ginetta G55. Heading into the first season with the 370bhp Ford-powered car as one of the favourites to claim the title, the 2010 Ginetta G50 Cup runner-up will team-up once again with Joachim Ritter to provide TCR with an enviable level of continuity. Delighted to secure Breeze’s services once again, team principal Lee Brookes said: “It’s obviously fantastic news we’ve agreed a deal with Carl and his chief sponsor Blue Chip to remain part of TCR for the inaugural Ginetta GT Supercup. It promises to be a really exciting year with the new G55 and with Carl rejoining Joachim, it gives us perfect continuity. He’s almost certain to start the season as the championship favourite and having come really close to winning a title with us over the last two years, he’ll be hungrier than ever.”

Ginetta Junior Championship team Hillspeed have announced they will have  a two-car assault in the 2011 season at today’s (Thursday, 13th January) opening of the Autosport International Show – current Winter Champion Seb Morris returns and he will be joined by rookie Struan Moore. Enjoying a sensational debut season in Ginetta Junior last year, the Hathersage team guided Tom Ingram to the 2010 title and then took Morris to the winter crown. This was in addition to also winning the Formula Renault BARC Championship with former Ginetta Junior racer Alice Powell. Marford based Morris, 15,  will go into the new season as a genuine title contender . Developing into a consistent front-runner over the course of the year, the Liberty Properties Plc supported racer secured his maiden podium finish at Donington Park. He then went on to take two wins on his way to securing the Winter Championship title at Pembrey in Wales. Moore – no relation to former champions Nigel and Sarah Moore – will make his car racing debut after graduating from the ranks of British Championship KF3 Karting. The Jersey based 15-year-old will be backed through his debut season in Ginetta Junior by primary sponsors Moore Group Ltd.   pic Jakob Ebrey Photograpy

ITC: Officials of the Intercontinental Trophy Cup (ITC) Series have announced Isringhausen Imports as the primary supplier for series teams and competitors. The Springfield, Illinois Porsche dealer will also be a source for the Cayman and Cayman S cars around which the series is centered. Isringhausen is also helping with development of the ITC specs and recently tested a Porsche Cayman S at Road Atlanta to help ITC officials run a shakedown on the car. “The Intercontinental Trophy Cup Series has been a perfect fit for Isringhausen Imports”, commented Geoff Isringhausen. “We are Porsche enthusiasts; and the track is where we belong. The Cayman is a remarkable Porsche track car and the ITC provides the opportunity to fully experience its capabilities.”  He continued, “Our entire ITC involvement has been very rewarding. We’ve enjoyed meeting fellow Porsche enthusiasts and exposing new people to our dealership. We look forward to a continued relationship with ITC.”  ITC principal Doug Livingston stated, “We are very pleased to have a company with Isringhausen’s knowledge and experience work so closely with us at ITC.  From the first time I met Geoff Isringhausen it was quite obvious that he was a true enthusiast of motorsport.” The Intercontinental Trophy Cup Series is slated to get underway in March at Virginia Intercontinental Speedway. Isringhausen Imports were started in 1984 based on a passion for quality, performance vehicles, German car marques (BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche) form the foundation of the company since they were all consolidated to the current location in downtown Springfiied, Illinois.

Renault 3.5: Now entering its seventh season, the Formula Renault 3.5 Series is to welcome two new teams into the fold in 2011. With the support of the Italian federation (CSAI), BVM Target is entering the series with the aim of help Italian drivers to make their way into F1. The team has already taken part in initial tests at the end of last season placing its cars in the hands of Daniel Zampieri (9th in 2010) and Mirko Bortolotti. Gravity - Charouz Racing is the second team to join the World Series by Renault paddock. Created in 1985, the Czech team has a proven track record both in rallying and on the track. After making a remarkable return to international single-seater racing last season. Twenty-six drivers are expected to attempt to emulate Mikhail Aleshin, the 2010 champion with all eleven teams which took part in 2010 re-submitting entries. Winner of last year's team's title, Tech 1 Racing is putting its faith in two promising rookies: Kevin Korjus and Arthur Pic. The Estonian, winner of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 last season, is putting his 500,000 euro prize money to good use to aid him in his progress to the upper echelons of the sport. As for Arthur Pic, he follows in the footsteps of his elder brother Charles who drove for Tech 1 Racing in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series for two seasons taking four wins and finishing third in the overall standings in 2009. Invited to take part in the F1 Young Drivers Tests at the end of the last season with the Red Bull Junior Team, Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne are now back in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. The Australian, the third Toro Rosso driver and runner-up in 2010, joins the Czech outfit ISR. He will team up with British driver Dean Stoneman, the reigning F2 champion. The British F3 champion Jean-Eric Vergne contested the last three meetings of the 2010 Formula Renault 3.5 Series. In 2011, he will be joining the discipline on a full-time basis with Carlin Motorsport, the team that took Mikhail Aleshin to the title last year. Another driver confirmed to take part is Anton Nebylitskiy, who will be looking to continue to make progress in the category in the colours of the KMP Racing team. In terms of regulations, the Formula Renault 3.5 Series is sticking with the same format used in 2010 with one qualifying session and one race on each day of competition. The meeting in Monaco remains the only exception to the rule with a single race scheduled. The points scale has been changed to an FIA-type breakdown spread over the first 10 drivers as follows: 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1.

Star Mazda: Entrepreneur and racing enthusiast Dale Pelfrey has announced that Pelfrey Indy Racing, a competitive IZOD IndyCar team from 1998 – 2000 then run under the banner of Team Pelfrey, will return to competition with a multi-car effort in the 2011 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear.  Nick Andries, who competed in both the 2010 Skip Barber National series and the Star Mazda Championship with sponsorship from Dale Pelfrey, has been signed as the new team's first driver. "I want to thank Dale for his support throughout my racing career and for what I feel is my most important opportunity so far," says Andries.  "The opportunity to start a new team is very exciting because P.I.R. has put together the right personnel for success.  It's a new team, however all the guys know each other and have worked together before.  As a result, I strongly believe the team and I will be ready to contend for race wins -- and ultimately the 2011 championship -- starting at St. Pete."  Headed by veteran open-wheel team manager Geoff Fickling and headquartered at a new 6300 sq. ft. facility in the St Petersburg, Florida area, Pelfrey Indy Racing, P.I.R. for short, will make its official Star Mazda series debut at the St Petersburg Grand Prix, March 25-27.   “I ventured back into race team ownership after a ten year hiatus because I was seeing so many talented young racers like Nick fail to get the opportunity to move up and race in the Star Mazda series,” says Pelfrey, former owner of Dayton, Ohio's Enginetics Aerospace, a company specializing in the design and manufacturer of jet engine components for the international market.  "The Star Mazda series is only one step below Indy Lights and a valuable stepping-stone in the professional career ladder to Indy.  I have hired an experienced, professional crew for P.I.R. which will be led by Geoff Fickling, who won the 2010 Team Championship with Andersen. I have also re-signed a fine young driver, Nick Andries who I have supported throughout his racing career. My plan is to add two more drivers making P.I.R. a solid three car team."  Dale Pelfrey has a track record of building successful open-wheel teams; the 1998-2000 version of Team Pelfrey signed Sarah Fisher, then an 18 year-old rookie, to compete in the Indy Racing League.  She ran her first IRL race in Team Pelfrey's Dallara at Texas Motor Speedway in 1999.  Team Pelfrey has also provided racing opportunities to other drivers including Lynn St. James, Danny Ongais, Memo Gidley, Bryan Tyler, Billy Boat, Robby Unser and John Paul Jr.   Pelfrey himself has raced motorcycles, karts, Skip Barber and a P2 car in Grand-Am Rolex Series. The team has an ambitious test schedule, with multiple tracks, before the Star Mazda Season Opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg.  Work is already underway as the team moved into their new shop in Clearwater on December 15th.  Equipment has been purchased and an experienced full-time crew, drawn primarily from the now-disbanded Andersen Racing Star Mazda team, has already begun preparations for next season.  

Formula 3:  Brazilian Pipo Derani will contest the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series this season with Double R Racing, it was confirmed on Wednesday. The 17-year-old from Sao Paulo impressed the team, which has a long and impressive reputation for nurturing South American racing talent, in testing at the end of last year. "From his first run at Pembrey with us in October he demonstrated exactly the correct work ethic and we have high expectations for the coming season," says team owner Anthony Hieatt.  "Pipo has undertaken more than 2000km of testing with us over the winter and has shown strong pace everywhere. We were so impressed with him we had no hesitation in entering him for the Korean F3 race due to be held last November. Sadly the event was cancelled but he continued his test programme at Jerez and Valencia in December and was pretty convincing at both tests - especially Valencia, where we could measure him against established British Formula 3 drivers who also attended the test." Pipo - full name Luis Felipe Derani - moved to Europe in 2009 after four seasons of success in Brazilian karting. He was a podium finisher in the North European Formula Renault series in '09 and gained Formula 3 experience last year in the German domestic championship.

WRC: Ford's all-new Fiesta RS World Rally Car was revealed in its 2011-specification today when the company unveiled the colour scheme that will adorn the car in the FIA World Rally Championship.Team driver Mikko Hirvonen and Ford of Europe motorsport chief Gerard Quinn unveiled the livery for the eye-catching Fiesta RS WRC at the Autosport International Racing Car Show in Birmingham, motorsport's traditional start-of-season showcase event. Ford's official WRC squad for 2011 also confirmed its new name and logo - it will compete as the Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team. Title partner Abu Dhabi will continue its support throughout 2011 and its distinctive branding will also feature strongly in the new-look livery.  Abu Dhabi has been a team partner since 2007 and Emirati driver Khalid Al Qassimi will drive a third Fiesta RS WRC in support of team-mates Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala.The team will also be sponsored by Castrol, the world's leading lubricants producer and a partner since 2005.  Branding for Castrol EDGE, its global range of best-in-class motor oils, will feature prominently in the Fiesta RS WRC's livery. 

The Racing Steps Foundation is to provide sponsorship for InterSteps, the newly-created single-seater championship for junior racers. The RSF's investment will be used to fund track test and educational days.The one-make national championship - aimed at 15 to 19 years-old drivers - has been conceived to provide an affordable route from karts to cars. It will use the BMW-powered Mygale FB02 wings-and-slicks single seater designed and built for the former Formula BMW Championships. The series - part of the 2011 British Automobile Racing Club's 'Dunlop package' - will comprise six test days, 20 rounds and test and race weekend classes. The educational sessions will cover topics such as safety, technical and sporting regulations, fitness, nutrition and race craft. Drivers will also receive mentoring from motorsports specialists and senior RSF-backed drivers. The educational package will be provided as part and parcel of the RSF-funded Motor Sports Association (MSA) young driver support programme.RSF-backed Jake Dennis (15), the reigning CIK-FIA U18 World Karting Champion, is one of the first drivers to sign up for the series which is to be launched today (Thursday) at the Autosport International show at the NEC. 

12-01-2011

Porsche GT3 Cup : 2010 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Driver of the Year Peter Smallwood has completed the purchase of a 997 GT3 Cup car in readiness for the defence of his title in 2011. The ex-John Quartermaine Carrera Cup cup car is now going through a thorough refresh before hitting the track for the first time in early February and will contest Class One of the series. The car will run under the newly formed Rennsport Racing banner, for a full season in GT3 Cup Challenge including the Porsche World Cup at the Nurburgring in June.  "We are bang on schedule with the new car,” said Towcester-based Smallwood, “it will be at the Autosport International show on the Porsche Club Great Britain stand then back to the workshop for the final pre season base-lining and we should be then good to go. It’s going to be a big change from the 996 but I have some great guys in my corner helping out including Mike Wilds, Racedata Systems and Fearnsport - we should be fine. "  The 2011 Porsche GT3 Cup seasons starts at Brands Hatch on April 9th, with subsequent race at Croft, Donington Park , Rockingham, Oulton Park and Silverstone.  Competitors from the early-season races have the opportunity to contest an international Porsche event at the Nurburgring in June, and the winner of the Driver of the Year title wins the use or a road-going Porsche for a year courtesy of Porsche Cars GB. “It will be great to have Peter back with us this season, “says series coordinator Steve Kevlin. “To take the Driver of the Year title on his first full season of racing was a fine achievement, and in stepping up to Class One after his success in Class Two he should continue to progress. We are looking forward to a good season with the GT3s”

LMS: REBELLION Racing has announced its “around the globe” racing programme for 2011. The Swiss team will be lodging entries for the Le Mans Series, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in 2011.  The core of REBELLION Racing’s 2011 programme will centre around running two Lola-Toyota LMP1 cars in the 2011 Le Mans Series.  Neel Jani and Nicolas Prost will share the driving of car #12 while Andrea Belicchi and Jean-Christophe Boullion will be in the #13 car. In addition to the Le Mans Series, REBELLION Racing will enter one of its cars in the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, meaning that they will have one car at Sebring, Petit le Mans and the ILMC finale in China. The Swiss team also hope to have their second Lola-Toyota LMP1 selected to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team’s full driver line-up for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the “overseas” ILMC races will be unveiled at a later date. 

4Two Cup: A new race series will be at the annual Autosport International Show, taking place at the NEC Birmingham this week (13 - 16 January). 2011 sees smart cars take to the track in the UK's first and only 4two cup.  Organisers will be showcasing the racecar - the smart fortwo, hoping to attract potential racers and sponsors. The 4two cup is the brainchild of former Britcar winners James Palmer and Paul Bates. Palmer said: 'Basically it's a one make series and all cars and the idea behind it is for cost-effective motorsport; people that can't usually afford to race to have a go.'  The 2010 smart fortwo BRABUS has been converted into a road legal race car, so after spending the weekend racing drivers can then take the car home.  The 3 cylinder inline 998cc engined car will cost £17,995 + vat, with race entry for the season priced at £3,750.  Tyres and extras for a season are estimated at  £2,500.   Palmer continued: 'When you look at this compared to some other one make series which cost over £50,000 and some running to nearly £100,000, this is budget motorsport and cars will be the same, so it'll all be about the driver.' Running as a support series to the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship, each weekend will consist of a 35 minute practice/qualifying session and then two x 20 minute races.  The series is structured so that two people can buy the car between them and split the racing over the rounds. Racing is due to take place at all of the UK's top circuits and there will be the chance to participate  in the marque's very own, smartball, which will see the cars head to Riccione in Italy.   With less than four months until it takes to the track, the cup has already generated interest across the board. Paul Bates said: 'We've got a few complete novices signed up already, never been in a car before and never thought they could do it.  We've got some professional drivers interested too and also some youngsters coming from the world of karting, quite a cross spectrum.' The racecar will be on the Britcar stand (2620) and should any drivers wish to sign up to the series during the course of the Autosport International Show, there is a £1,000 fully refundable deposit.  To find out more about the 4Two Cup head to: www.the4twocup.com

Karts:  Formula Kart Stars will once again be hosting the main karting stage at this year’s Autosport International Show at the NEC in Birmingham this weekend (Jan 13-16) and there will be plenty to see over the four days.  Situated in Hall 6 at Stand 6000 next to the F1 Racing grid, highlights will include the Formula One Management backed series’ official 2010 presentation at 2pm on Saturday and the announcement of Bernie Ecclestone’s ‘Drive of the Day’ award. Visitors will also be able to see some of the most famous karts in existence on the stand with machinery driven by Sir Stirling Moss, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, David Coulthard, Johnny Herbert and the late Ayrton Senna on display coupled with the championship winning machines of 2010. “Autosport International is one of the highlights of the British motorsport calendar and the traditional kick off to the New Year,” said series director Carolynn Hoy. “It’s an honour and a privilege to host the karting stage as it’s a fantastic opportunity to promote FKS and karting in general to a massive audience. We’ve got some stunning karts on display this year and the team would love to see as many FKS drivers past and present come along to say Hi. As well as plenty to see and listen to, we’ll also be announcing some very exciting  new partnerships and prizes for 2011,” continued Hoy. “I feel the championship made significant progress in 2010 and we fully intend to build on that work and get even better this year.” Formula Kart Stars championship co-ordinator Debbie Sellers will also be taking entries for the MSA British Cadet and FKS Super Cadet, Mini Max, Junior Rotax and KF3 classes during the show.  Pic: Chris Walker/kartpix.net

2010 was quite a year for Ash Hand, with the highly-rated young Nuneaton kart racer achieving British title success. As a reward for lifting the laurels in the Junior Max class of the Formula Kart Stars (FKS) Championship, Ash was invited to attend the prestigious Autosport Awards ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London to claim his trophy. During the course of the event, the 16-year-old had the opportunity to meet and chat to the F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel as well as Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello. “It was a really good evening,” Ash reflected. “It was exciting to see so many big names and just to be there amongst so many people who have achieved such great things in motorsport. Sebastian and Rubens are both really nice guys; Sebastian spoke to us for a couple of minutes, and Rubens was really upbeat and asked me all about my racing and my career. It felt quite surreal, to be honest, being asked to go up onto the same stage as them to receive my award. It was a bit nerve-wracking when they called our names out – it was the first time I had been to an awards night like that, in front of so many important people in the sport and with all the bright lights and music and glitz and glamour. It felt so good to be there and to experience it all – it was a brilliant way to finish 2010, and really made me feel like I achieved something during the year. I’d never won a major championship before, and I led it all the way – I think that was quite a big achievement,” Ash mused of his superb FKS triumph. “I think the year went really well overall. I’m happy with the way I drove, and when it came down to a head-to-head situation I almost always came out on top.  pic Autosport

11-01-2011

V8 Supercars : Australia’s premier racing series, the V8 Supercar Championship, has been screened by Motors TV for almost ten years. The partnership is strengthened even further in 2011 as the channel brings its viewers LIVE  coverage of the opening round of the season at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The series’ 650bhp Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons have had the privilege of starting their seasons in Abu Dhabi  since 2010 and the two V8 Supercars races will start late in the day and end after darkness has fallen. After receiving special authorisation, the V8s will utilise the smaller 4.7km circuit which includes the challenging ‘corkscrew’ corner...A pair of 200km races is scheduled and both will be screened completely LIVE on Motors TV, the first on Friday 11 and the second on Saturday 12 February. The ‘High Speed Television’ channel will bring two-hour highlights of all the other rounds, screened on the weekend after each event, except for the legendary Bathurst 1000 which, as usual, will be fully live in October. Round 1, Abu Dhabi – Friday 11 and Saturday 12 February, LIVE at 2pm. Pic  IKMedia

LMS: Representatives from RML AD Group attended the official 2010 Le Mans Series awards ceremony staged in the imposing library of the Automobile Club de France, Place de la Concorde, Paris on Friday 7th January 2011. RML Race Operations Director Phil Barker, who manages the team’s Sports Prototype Programme, accepted the Le Mans Series LMP2 Team Trophy on behalf of RML. At the close of a very competitive season, the RML Lola HPD secured the title with a total of 75 points, having led the challenge from the second round onwards.  Ray Mallock, CEO of RML, has witnessed an exceptional year for the Wellingborough–based company he founded. “This has been the final award presentation from our 2010 campaign, and it comes just a few weeks after we accepted the World Touring Car trophy in Monaco in December and the British Touring Car awards in November. Regaining the Le Mans Series title after a gap of three years is a great achievement by Phil and the team, especially during such a highly competitive season. We faced some very tough opponents, and winning an award of this type can only be achieved by a concerted group effort. In 2010 all the elements worked together perfectly; drivers, engineers, mechanics, chassis, engine, and that teamwork enabled us to win.”  CEO of AD Group, Mike Newton, and Brazilian Thomas Erdos stepped onto the stage to accept the individual Le Mans Series LMP2 driver’s trophies. The two have raced together for eight consecutive years, and have been front-runners in the Le Mans Series since its inception. They share the 2010 title by a margin of six points.  RML AD Group will be returning to the Le Mans Series in 2011 to defend the titles.Pic: Jean-Michel Le Meur/DPPI

F2000: SMR will race in F2000 this year, teaming with F2000 Championship Series veterans GTP Motorsports for a two car effort with American Tim Paul in the #06 Van Diemen/Zetec. Paul drove his rookie season for SMR in 2010 alongside fellow rookie Stevan McAleer, who may return to the second Van Diemen entry pending sponsorship.  Paul was one of the big storylines coming into the 2010 season as an American rookie along with SMR which left the sprint car and midget circle-track ranks to come to open-wheel road racing and the F2000 Championship Series.  “For 2011, the goals are simple, I want a top-five finish in the standings and a couple of top-five qualifying efforts,” stated Paul, who is attending Franklin Pierce University, majoring in English.  “I’m looking to make a huge improvement from last season. With GTP, I will be able to really concentrate on my job in the car, and I think everyone will see a big jump in finishing positions and overall competitiveness.”  Paul said that teaming up with GTP was an easy decision. “They are experienced, professional and dedicated,” he explained “They know the cars inside out, and Glenn (Phillips – GTP team owner) has a long history in F2000. I need to thank Tad Uzzle and Michael Witson of the Race House team for their support in 2010, as they will continue to be part of our 2011 program.” The SMR squad battled a tough rookie season that saw some strong runs with McAleer, from Scotland, taking multiple podiums highlighted by a near-win at Lime Rock Park in July. Paul battled through ups and downs, including a high-speed suspension failure while running in the top 10 at Road Atlanta.  Coming back for another year in F2000 was an easy decision for SMR. CellMark Paper will return for 2011 to sponsor Paul, and the team will continue to support SOS Children’s Villages.  CellMark will also sponsor a Series Hard Charger award for F2000 and the new F1600 Formula F Championship Series, along with an end-of-year “Flying Monkey” award.“Why wouldn’t we continue running in F2000?” Paul said. “We haven’t talked about doing anything else. It’s the best Series out there, with the greatest tracks and a great group of people. We’ve got some things to prove this year. I can’t even put into words how excited I am for 2011.”   Over the next months, both Van Diemen SMR chassis will be rebuilt from the ground up at the GTP Motorsports shop in New Hampshire.

Indy Lights: Victor Carbone dominated the 2010 F2000 Championship Series en route to six wins and the overall title and will make the leap to the Firestone Indy Lights for 2011 with Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Following his title-winning season, Carbone tested both Indy Lights and Star Mazda cars, and the Brazilian wasted no time in inking a deal with last year’s championship winning team for a 2011 campaign. “I am really excited for 2011, as I will have a great opportunity driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports,” Carbone commented. “They have just won the championship so I will be working with the best people. I am aware this is a big step and things are different from the F2000 world.“Even though there are many differences I feel the two years I spent in F2000 gave me the necessary foundation to make this move. I am making the leap to Indy Lights, because I tested both the Lights car and the Star Mazda car, and I feel I am ready to take this challenge and succeed.”Carbone will join 2008 F2000 Champion Anders Krohn, from Norway, in the Indy Lights field, underscoring the feeder ability of F2000 Championship Series. Between Krohn and Carbone is 2009 champion Chris Miller, an American, who tested an ALMS Challenge car in November following his rookie Star Mazda season.“The F2000 Championship Series family is proud that our 2010 champion, Victor Carbone, is making the step to Indy Lights for 2011,” said Series Managing Director Michael Rand. “Victor’s calm demeanor, intelligence and obvious skill behind the wheel, as well as his technical understanding certainty will prove him a worthy addition to the field.“Sam Schmidt Motorsports has a proven record, and Victor can take advantage of their many years of successful history in the Indy Lights series. The F2000 staff, and his fellow participants, wish him the very best and will follow his season with great interest."

Grand-Am: Some 12 Brits will be flying the Union Flag in Florida, USA in the Rolex 24 at Daytona (January 29/30). Daytona International Speedway hosted the ‘Roar Before The 24’ this weekend – the teams’ last chance for testing before the endurance epic, and British hopes are high after very promising performances from our boys. The host of British stars competing includes: former F1 teammates Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell, 2010 Sunoco Daytona Challenge winner Ross Kaiser (taking his prize drive), while another Brit – Andy Green, the World’s fastest man – will be waving the start flag. Other homegrown talent on parade across the Atlantic this month includes: Dario Franchitti, Justin Wilson, Robin Liddell, Tim Sugden, Rob Bell, Ryan Dalziel, Richard Westbrook, Oliver Gavin and young Scottish sensation Glynn Geddie.  Another Scotsman, Ryan Dalziel, hit the headlines during the ‘Roar’, by setting the fastest time of the test and unofficially breaking the Daytona International Speedway track record, with a lap of 128.194 mph. Between three and five British drivers made the Top 10 in all eight sessions, with Sunoco Daytona Challenge winner Ross Kaiser’s (car #77) achieving the feat on two occasions. Ryan Dalziel, Driver car #8 -”We are contenders, and we've proved that this weekend," said Dalziel. "We do the best we can with what we've got. I think we could have gone faster. I didn't put together a perfect lap, and we didn't have a qualifying setup on the car. We know we've got more."  Martin Brundle, Driver car #23 - “Pulling on my race suit, putting on my helmet, and jumping in a race car again, I did feel a little anxious. It’s 10 years since I raced professionally and so it’s natural to have self doubts initially. But once out on to the track, everything comes back to you, it’s natural – just like swimming or riding a bike, you never forget how to do it. I quickly shook off the rust and dropped back into the groove. We progressively improved the car between us each day and my times came down. It was the first time I’d driven a DP. They don’t have much downforce and are much heavier than a Formula One car, for example, but I was pleasantly surprised. The last time I was here was in 1990 and the track is now in great condition in terms of the quality of the surface, kerbs and run-off areas – the entire venue looks a million dollars.” Former Daytona winner and F1 driver turned TV pundit Martin Brundle, Mark Blundell, Ross Kaiser and Richard Dean will all be on the Sunoco stand 6565, Hall 6 NEC between 2.30 and 3.30pm on Friday, January 14, to answer questions and have their for photographs taken with a Daytona Prototype similar to the ones being raced.

Karts: The Racing Steps Foundation has finalised its driver line-up for 2011 with the recruitment of multiple kart champions Oliver Rowland and Jake Dennis to its single-seater squad. Rowland (18), winner of the 2010 CIK-FIA Super KF World Cup, will graduate to Formula Renault UK with long-term RSF partner Fortec Motorsport. Dennis (15), the 2010 CIK-FIA U18 Karting World Champion, moves up to the new InterSteps Championship. He also will race with Fortec. The pair join fellow RSF-backed Brits James Calado and Jack Harvey.  Calado (21), the 2010 British F3 International runner-up is stepping up to GP3 with the championship-winning Lotus ART Grand Prix squad. Harvey (17), runner-up in the 2010 Formula BMW Europe Championship, is switching to the British F3 International series with the Carlin team. New signing Rowland and Dennis - who has been funded by the RSF in karting over the last three years - will be mentored throughout their respective transition years by their RSF elders. The old RSF hands have considerable experience of both Formula Renault and the Formula BMW Mygale FB02 car which will be used in the soon to be launched one-make InterSteps series. Rowland won the RSF-backed Formula Renault seat after an extensive evaluation and test process that included a four-driver shootout at Rockingham and the six-race winter series in which he finished a creditable seventh. The promotion of Dennis from karts to cars has been made possible by the imminent start-up of the RSF-supported InterSteps Championship. InterSteps has authorisation from the Motor Sports Association, the governing body of UK motorsport, to run 15 years-old drivers in the national championship provided they turn 16 during the course of the season in which they race. The dispensation allows Dennis to make the transition from karts to cars a year earlier than would have been possible previously.

10-1-2011

Masters Historic Racing will make its Oulton Park debut this year with the opening historic race meeting in the UK for 2011 taking place at the fabulous Cheshire circuit on March 12th. The event, which will form the opening Top Hat event of 2011, will run races for Masters Pre-66 Saloons, 1950s Oldies but Goldies including Jaguar XKs, a 1970s Celebration race for touring cars and GT cars plus grids for World Sportscar Masters and Gentlemen Drivers (including Cloth Cap sports cars). Top Hat Event Manager James Beckett said: “We are delighted that we can start our season with a Masters first – our debut at Oulton Park . Many Masters competitors never get the chance to race here so we are really pleased that we can add something extra to their season, plus this will be the first historic race meeting of 2011 and is sure to be popular. By including WSM and Gentlemen Drivers grids we are giving owners a rare chance to race at Oulton Park and giving Oulton’s loyal fans a welcome opportunity to see these cars in action. It should be a great day.”Beckett is working on other initiatives to kick off the season in style and more announcements will be made shortly.

Karts: Tom Harvey will make his debut on the European stage in 2011 in KF3 in the WSK Euro Series and CIK-FIA European Championship, which he will dovetail with his National Super 1 bid.Tom has already proven himself by storming to the British crown in the Comer Cadet class of the Super 1 Series in 2010 – as well as securing third in the Formula Kart Stars (FKS) .  With more than half as much power again at his disposal  the 13-year-old is enjoying his new TonyKart mount, whose speed he describes as ‘just amazing’. Although his testing schedule hit a bit of a setback before Christmas due to illness, he has rapidly been playing catch-up, and at PF International he lapped 0.15 secs shy of the benchmark. That kind of form is tremendously encouraging as Tom looks to build upon his early progress and really come out-of-the-blocks fighting at the start of the season  with Williams Motorsport. “It’s a team that is well-known for bringing drivers on and has an excellent record of success,” Tom enthused. “We’ve been working together for a couple of months now preparing for the season ahead, and we get on really well. “There’s another KF3 driver in the team with a year’s experience in the class already, so I need to work hard to catch up and get onto his pace and then beat him. I want to be the number one inside the team, like every driver does. I want to be pushing absolutely to the limit, doing some spectacular things and really getting my name out there.” pic Chris Walker/www.kartpix.net

WTCC: Italy-based ROAL Motorsport will come back to the FIA WTCC, fielding one BMW 320 TC car powered by the new 1.6-litre turbo engine for Dutch driver Tom Coronel. The team directed by Roberto Ravaglia took part in the world championship between 2005 and 2009, claiming seven race wins for BMW, while Coronel achieved one victory and five other podium results, always at the wheel of SEAT cars. In 2010 he obtained his best result ever in the Drivers' Championship, finishing in eighth position. "The technical package developed by BMW Motorsport has certainly a potential and I believe it will allow customer teams to aim for high level results. Furthermore, a fast and well experienced driver such as Tom Coronel will contribute to enhance the team's performance," team principal Roberto Ravaglia commented. Tom Coronel - 41 years old who had raced BMW cars in the European and Dutch Touring Car championships between 2001 and 2004 - echoed: "I have the feeling that I won the Italian lottery and hit the jackpot! It is so great to work with the ROAL Motorsport team and especially with Roberto Ravaglia. I even raced with him in the early nineties. This is a race winning team!" 

FIA GT4  : Generation AMR took delivery of their new race car from Aston Martin Racing at the Prodrive Heritage Centre, Banbury, on 7th January 2011. Chassis No. GT4-068, the very first of the new 2011 specification Aston Martin GT4 race cars, was formally handed over by Greg Harris of Aston Martin Racing to Team Principal, David Appleby. Also present at the occasion were 2011 drivers Anthony Scragg and James Appleby, along with members of the Aston Martin Racing development team and Generation AMR Team Manager, Jeremy Doncaster. The new V8 engined racing 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. Generation AMR will be campaigning their new car in the 2011 FIA GT4 European Cup as the team begins its development programme for young GT drivers. As part of the formal handover, drivers Anthony and James were given a detailed guide through the construction process in the Aston Martin Racing workshops. The new car will be on show next week as part of the Generation AMR stand at the Autosport International Motorsport Show, 13th - 16th January, being held at the NEC, Birmingham. Interested parties will be able to chat to team members on Stand No. 19355 about the Generation AMR programme, view the car and learn the many ways they can follow the team's progress in 2011 or get involved in the programme. David Appleby, Team Principal of Generation AMR, “David Appleby Engineering has been working with the Aston Martin brand for several years now. Having recently launched Generation AMR as an official partner team, we are truly excited about the potential of this latest specification GT4 race car. With two talented young drivers, we are confident that we can continue the great record the V8Vantage has in GT4 racing both in the UK and Europe.”  Anthony Scragg, Generation AMR driver, “It’s an exciting time for Generation AMR, myself and James. We have quite a lot of experience in the current GT4 car and have bonded with it well. Knowing Aston Martin, I am sure the 2011 car will be a great step forward. I’m now itching to get behind the wheel to find out how the changes have improved the car that we are hoping will help us win the 2011 title.”  James Appleby, Generation AMR driver, “The new car looks great and I can’t wait to start testing over in Europe. Hardinge CNC Machine Tools have been very kind with their continued support and I cannot thank them more, as well all our other partners. Both Ant and I know the car very well from last year, so it will be exciting to see how the new aero upgrades, more power and Bosch TCS/ABS system increase the overall performance of the car!”

Aston Martin Racing Factory Driver Sam Hancock will contest this weekend’s Dubai 24 Hours in an Aston Martin GT4 after being invited to race with Humaid Al Masaood’s HMR team at the Middle East’s biggest endurance racing event. Successful businessman, team owner and racer Al Masaood is a member of The Drivers Club, the Jota Sport-run specialist high-performance driver coaching service co-founded by Hancock in 2009, and has enjoyed recent success at the Dubai 24 Hours having won the competitive SP3 class last year.Hancock, who drove a similar GT4-spec Aston Martin to class victory at the Spa 24 Hours last year and also contested the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours and Le Mans Series at the wheel of the iconic British manufacturer’s LMP1 prototype, will team up with Al Masaood, BTCC star Steven Kane and 2009 Radical European Masters champion Alex Kapadia at the wheel of HMR’s car for the race which takes place on 14/15 January at the 5.39km Dubai Autodrome. Sam Hancock: “A big thank you to Humaid and the guys at HMR for inviting me to join them at the Dubai 24 Hours. I’ve done the race once before in 2005 and I can’t wait to go back there. The team has winning experience in this event and I’d love to help them achieve a second successive class win.” Tom Maplethorpe, HMR Team Manager: “Last year we won our class and we’re aiming to do it again. The event is much bigger this time around, with a full grid of almost 90 cars, but I think we’ve got one of the strongest driver line-ups in the race and our car is much improved from last year too.”

Grand-Am: AIM Autosport is launching a multi-season plan to see its Daytona Prototype squad return to the race-winning form it formerly enjoyed in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. However, before it can begin to act on its plan, AIM must take a step back by missing this month’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. It is with a great deal of disappointment that AIM must announce that it will not compete in the 2011 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Truly a monumental event, “The Rolex 24” is Grand-Am’s most prestigious race and every member of the team aches to be part of it. However, the season-opening event requires substantial resources and the team simply isn’t in the financial position to include it. Following the same pattern as 2010, AIM is planning to jump in at the second race of the year at Homestead-Miami and contest the remainder of the twelve-race series that runs through to mid September. The team plans to make a series of announcements over the coming weeks as partnership deals are finalized. AIM was competitively quick at every track in 2010, consistently one of the top four cars each race and scoring two podium finishes. While the team recognizes the fierce competition it faces, diligent work during the off-season has given cause for optimism. The focus of the 2011 program will be a return to the race-winning form achieved in 2008 and, in 2012, a full-season program targeting the championship title. “Once again we had to make a very tough decision,” commented team Principal, Ian Willis. “With the series switch to Continental Tires, we stand to loose lots of experience with the tire by missing the Rolex 24. We have been very hard at work acquiring sponsorship support so that we can be back on the top step of the podium regularly in the future. The past two years have been difficult competing with a limited budget, but we have shown that, regardless of budget constraints, we are capable of running at the front and winning.”  AIM’s first race of the season will be the Grand Prix of Miami, March 4–5 at Homestead Miami Speedway in Florida. SPEED (television) and MRN (radio) will continue providing live coverage of all events while live timing/scoring will be available via GRAND-AM’s website, www.grand-am.com

07-01-11

Star Mazda: In response to the announcement of the new Mazda Road to Indy program that will provide scholarship funding for the champions of each series (USF2000, Star Mazda and Indy Lights) to move up and compete at the next level, Gary Rodrigues, founder and President of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, will travel next week to Indianapolis and England to meet with top young drivers from around the world.   "There has been huge interest from drivers around the world, and they all have questions they'd like answered about the Star Mazda Championship and the Mazda Road to Indy," says Rodrigues, who founded the Star Mazda Championship in 1990.  "Mazda and INDYCAR have been advertising the program in Autosport, and we have a lot of information up on the StarMazda.com web site, but we're asking these young drivers and their sponsors to make a major decision about the direction of their future.  We want to do everything we can to help them make the right decision, and give them the information they need to put a good program together, whether it's for Star Mazda or another Mazda Road to Indy series.  So I'll be scheduling meetings with drivers next week in Indianapolis at the 'State of INDYCAR' meeting and in England at the AUTOSPORT International show; any young driver or sponsor interested in meeting should call my cell phone at (818) 620-2283.  If you can't get through that way, send me an e-mail at Gary@StarMazda.com and I'll get back to you."Rodrigues will be in Indianapolis on Tuesday, January 11 at the Westin Hotel.  The State of Indycar meeting takes place from 4 - 5:30 pm ET and will feature presentations by  Indycar CEO Randy Bernard, top Indycar marketing and competition officials, IZOD representatives.  The AUTOSPORT International Racing Car Show takes place January 13-16 at the NEC in Birmingham, England.  Rodrigues will be available all day Thursday, Jan. 14 and Saturday, Jan. 16.  Drivers interested in familiarizing themselves with the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear should visit www.StarMazda.com.  A bullet-point overview of the series with links to many other resources, including team contact information, videos, etc., can be found here.  The 2011 Star Mazda marketing kit is located here.  Information about the Mazda Road to Indy can be found here and here.

Formula Renault BARC : Archie Hamilton is set to race in Formula Renault BARC this year. Having spent 2010 in Porsche Carrera Cup, British GT and Britcar, Archie is keen to get maximum track time and race experience with his available budget. He has secured the continued support of his 2010 sponsors Delaney and Duncan Hamilton Ltd. Archie will be testing over the next two months following which he will confirm which team he will drive with. If funds permit Archie also hopes to contest some rounds of the Le Mans Series. Having raced in Formula Renault BARC in 2009 Archie knows that it is an ideal place to continue his learning and experience and his goal is to win the title. The slicks and wings car also prepares him for prototype racing which is important given his quest to ultimately win Le Mans. Archie Hamilton: “While I had a great time last season I have to face reality and make the most of the funding I have. I recognise that I’m in a very fortunate position as there are so many drivers out there looking for sponsorship in a very difficult financial climate. I know that Formula Renault is something that I’m comfortable with but still provides the challenge and this year I’m looking to learn and win and spend as much time out on track as possible. Formula Renault is my main focus to improve my race craft and if we can put together a Le Mans Series race deal later on in the season it will be a bonus.”

IRC: A total of 10 Fabia Super 2000 will appear in the Monte Carlo Rally(19th-22^nd Jan), the opening round of the 2011 Intercontinental Rally Challenge Series (IRC), in which Škoda will defend its 2010 Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles. Škoda Motorsport  will appear with both of its successful crews , Juho Hänninen & Mikko Markkula – last year's IRC winners, and runners-up, Jan Kopecký and Petr Starý. Škoda Motorsport's Fabia Super 2000 project has received positive feedback from Škoda importers in many markets. As a result, the Monte Carlo Rally will see some big names driving a Fabia Super 2000, including Andreas Mikkelsen, the 2008 IRC Drivers’ Champion Nicolas Vouilloz, Freddy Loix (winner of three IRC races in 2010) and Mark Wallenwein of Škoda Auto Germany. A number of other Fabia Super 2000 will also appear in the colours of private teams, all of whom are planning to fight for the best possible result in Monte Carlo.  Škoda Motorsport will introduce an updated livery for the rally, the new green-and-white combination has been reversed while the front doors will bear a logo commemorating 110 years of Škoda’s participation in motorsport. The Monte Carlo Rally starts on 19 January in the area around Valence, France, and ends with night-time special stages in the mountains near Monte Carlo in the early hours of the morning on 22 January. Drivers can look forward to a total of 13 special stages (337 competition kilometres) and over a thousand kilometres of road sections plus unpredictable weather, as is usual this time of the year.

06-01-2011

Formula Ford: The Australian Formula Ford Championship has finalised its eight round calendar for the 2011 season, which will see the category return to New South Wales for the first time since 2008. The championship will compete at two Shannons Nationals rounds throughout the year alongside six V8 Supercar events. The finalised calendar will see the season start at the Clipsal 500 in March and end at Symmons Plains in November, while the Shannons National rounds at Eastern Creek and Sandown fit into the middle of the year as rounds three and five respectively. Its a big boost for Formula Ford to have the opportunity to return to NSW for the first time since the final round of 2008 and I know all of our NSW drivers are looking forward to having a home event again, Margaret Hardy, Category Manager said. The Sandown event fits nicely into our calendar as a popular venue, but its also a boost for interstate competitors who will only have to make one trip to Victoria for Sandown and Phillip Island, which are just one week apart. Weve got a great range of circuits this season and were looking forward to working with the Shannons Nationals and also V8 Supercars in 2011 to make this season one of the best yet. 

Ginetta: Total Control Racing have announced Joachim Ritter as its first driver signing for the revamped Ginetta GT Supercup – formerly the Ginetta G50 Cup – in which the team plans to field a pair of brand new Ginetta G55 cars in  2011. Remaining with the Wednesbury-based squad for a third year in the category, the 39-year-old will go into the new season with genuine podium prospects having finished the 2010 championship seventh overall.   “I’m really happy to have completed a deal to remain with TCR this year, I’m looking forward to racing one of the new G55s and I know the team will do a great job as always”, said the Switzerland domiciled racer, “We made great progress in 2010 and had podium pace. I want to win for the team and they want to win for me, it’s time to capitalise on our partnership!”  For 2011, the Dunlop MSA BTCC support category has been rebranded the Ginetta GT Supercup to coincide with the introduction of the new Ginetta G55. In addition the previous generation G50 cars will be permitted to run in their own class in the series, however, only G55 competitors will be eligible to challenge for the champion’s prize of a fully-funded drive in the BTCC in 2012. Commenting on Ritter’s deal, TCR team principal Lee Brookes said: “We’re all delighted Joachim is remaining with us for the new season with the brand new G55. He’s improved massively over the last couple of years to a point where we now believe he can be a consistent podium threat. It’s great for us to have the continuity of working with him again. Our aim is to run a couple of the G55s this year but we’re also welcoming enquiries from drivers interested in running in the G50 class. Alongside the Ginetta programme, we’ll be running in the Renault Clio Cup as well and we’re continuing to evaluate opportunities in GTs and Britcar.”

ITC: Bodymotion Racing will enter the 2011 Intercontinental Trophy Cup Series (ITC) hosted by NASA. Located in Central New Jersey, Bodymotion has been building and fielding championship-winning Porsches for three decades and they look forward to continuing that tradition in ITC. The team is set to field two P-1 Cayman S cars and one P2 Cayman S, under the scrutiny of Bodymotion owner and Team Principal Mike Bavaro. “Intercontinental Trophy Cup is just the kind of semi-pro series needed for those drivers seeking more than club racing without the huge expense of going to professional racing. It will also provide a great launching pad for young drivers seeking to advance their career in sports car racing”, commented Bavaro, a thirty-year race veteran. He continued, “The Bodymotion team looks forward to a competitive season in ITC and our goal is to earn enough podium finishes to score the inaugural ITC Championship for 2011”. Bodymotion will announce its driver line-up over the coming weeks.

Grand-Am: Team Seattle driver Dane Cameron is determined to have more hearts than drivers on track in this year's Daytona 24.  The team's 'Buy a Heart.  Save a Life!' program offers fans – and anyone with a heart – the opportunity to really put their heart into the race by donating $50 or more to the program… with 100% of all donations going to Seattle Children's Hospital.  For a minimum donation of $50, a heart will be printed in your honour and placed on the Team Seattle, Dempsey Racing Mazda RX8 at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January 2011.   The team has already sold more than 100 hearts and, collectively, your donation will make a big difference in the Hospital’s ability to save a child’s life. The program is straight forward.  Log on to the team's web site here and complete the form (which will take you to PayPal).  Complete the PayPal transaction and a heart will be printed for you and placed on the No. 41 Team Seattle/Global Diving & Salvage/Dempsey Racing Mazda RX-8 GT Team for the 24 hours at Daytona.  As an additional bonus to you and recognition for your contribution, Team Seattle will run a ticker of all participant ames on the Charitable Tote Board during the race.Californian  Cameron will partner with returning driver James Gué in the No. 41 Team Seattle/Global Diving & Salvage/Dempsey Racing Mazda RX-8 GT in an all-out bid for the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series GT Championship in 2011.   “I am happy to be driving a car covered with hearts for in the 24 Hours of Daytona,” Cameron said.  “I think this is a strong team with a good chance of winning and to be able to help kids at the Seattle Children's Hospital at the same time makes our effort all the more important.  I want to thank all our supporters and promise that we'll be doing our very best to take your hearts to victory circle." The 49th running of the 24-hour endurance classic is set to take the green flag at 3:30 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Jan. 29.

WRC: Spanish driver Daniel “Dani” Sordo will strengthen the new MINI WRC Team in the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship. He will team up with Kris Meeke (GB) when MINI makes its return to rallying with the MINI WRC this season. “There has been a great deal of excitement surrounding MINI’s return to the WRC, so to be part of this new team is a fantastic opportunity for me," says the 27-year-old Sordo. “I’m sure MINI has a big future in the sport. I’m looking forward to working with Kris Meeke, having completed a very successful test with him in Sardinia last November.” David Richards, Chairman of Prodrive said . “Dani may only be 27, but he is already one of the most experienced drivers in the WRC and has been competing at the very highest level for the last five years,“I believe with the new MINI WRC and in the right environment, he can now take the next step and add to his 29 podiums with victories on WRC events and become a challenger for a WRC title.”

05-01-2011

Formula3: More blistering pace summed up young Irish racer Gary Thompson’s final outing of 2010 during a four-day test at Valencia on December 13-17 where the 18-year-old unofficially smashed the Spanish venue’s lap record. The promise of warmer conditions had brought together teams and drivers from many of Europe’s leading domestic Formula 3 series, each of which use different specification Dallara chassis.Thompson, who spent 2010 racing in Japan but switched to crack German outfit Performance Racing for the test, was behind the wheel of an older VW-powered  F307 machine throughout the four days. Even so, that wasn’t enough to prevent the Cebu Pacific Air-backed youngster from producing an excellent performance. Following an impressive first two days, during which he went faster than many of the newer F309 cars whilst acclimatising to his unfamiliar surroundings, Thompson turned up the wick to record Circuit Ricardo Tormo’s fastest ever lap for a German-spec Formula 3 car thanks to his 1m28.4sec effort. Equally impressive were his exploits on day four when the Aviation Display-supported Dubliner finished second overall and again outclassed the majority of those in newer machinery. Gary Thompson: “Needless to say it was a really good test for us. We spent the whole week working to a programme, the results of which were clear to see on the timesheets. I’ll certainly be applying a lot of the data to next season’s campaign when it will prove invaluable. Our pace was strong every day and we were the quickest of the German F3 runners for much of the week despite not placing too much emphasis on setting fast times. All in all it was a very positive test. We couldn’t have hoped for much more.” Should that form continue, 2011 promises to be a special year for Thompson who is close to finalising a deal to remain in Formula 3.  “Nothing’s yet been signed but negotiations are at an advanced stage and I hope to be able to announce something in January,” he added. 

Autosport International: Imagine seeing the McLaren Formula One cars that brought championship glory to Lewis Hamilton, Mika Häkkinen, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and Emerson Fittipaldi in one thrilling display. This will become reality at the NEC, Birmingham, on 13-16 January 2010, when six F1 World Championship-winning cars will be part of the McLaren Racing Display at the world’s greatest motorsport show, Autosport International.

Bradley Ellis will join a host of top celebrity drivers taking to the kart track to raise money for charity in David Brabham’s Celebrity Karting Challenge, staged within Autosport International at the NEC Birmingham on Thursday, January 13. An avid supporter of the annual charity kart race held in the Live Action Arena of Europe’s biggest motorsport show whenever his racing schedule will allow, Ellis will join a grid of celebrity drivers representing a veritable who’s who across the global motorsport echelons. Nearly 100 motorsport stars will join David Brabham’s fundraising efforts including Ellis’ 2007 British GT Champion teammate Alex Mortimer, Allan McNish, Darren Turner, Matt Neal, Sam Bird, Luke Hines and Duncan Tappy.  Organised by Racing4Charity, the annual charity kart battle has raised an impressive £151,000 to help various worthy causes in the last three years alone. The 2011 Celebrity Karting Challenge will raise awareness and funds for the Starlight Children’s Foundation (www.starlight.org.uk), which grants wishes to seriously and terminally ill children and also entertains sick children in hospitals and hospices across the UK. Members of the public can join the fundraising effort and race alongside their motorsport heroes for just £300, which includes two tickets to Autosport International, by contacting Bill Williams at bill@racing4charity.com or call 0044 (0)7712 578263.   Ellis has a busy few days planned at Autosport International 2011, which takes place across January 13-16. In addition to taking time out to support the Celebrity Karting Challenge, the 23 year-old will be busy thrilling visitors on the Caterham Drive Experience, next to the Live Action Arena in Hall 4, on the remaining show days.Although a regular competitor across international sportscar events, Ellis still invests time in the grassroots of racing from which he graduated over 10 years ago. A special sponsor of the Formula One Management-backed Formula Kart Stars national karting championship, Ellis will also be appearing on the Formula Kart Stars stage to help encourage more young drivers to progress through the racing ranks.

Karts: Year after year, season after season, race after race, CRG and Maxter have made winning a habit, a religion. Thanks to its long experience, the Italian brand has learnt that success is not something that can be improvised, but it is the result of huge efforts to constantly supply winning karts. 2010 remained faithful to the tradition and the list of CRG achievements became even longer, after a series of victories conquered in all the categories of international karting. 

Porsche: Launching the Porsche Human Performance 2011 calendar on 29 January is the ‘Get Race Fit’  programme, a half-day coaching session, which takes the principles of motorsport fitness and combines them with expert advice, this year from professionals including F1 star Mark Webber and MotoGP rider Bradley Smith.  Limited to just 40 places and costing £195 per person, the session aims to create a programme preparing motorsport participants at every level, for the forthcoming season.  Each ‘Get Race Fit’ session teaches techniques for motorsport specific strength and conditioning training, tests vision and reaction abilities using Batak, Saccadic fixator and Wave scan technology and also includes a full body composition analysis.  There will be a competitive element to some of the activities and the top performers will win a hot lap with Mark Webber on the Porsche Experience Centre tracks.  Andy Blow, Director of the Porsche Human Performance Centre said, “The physical preparation required for competitive motorsport can provide a great foundation for general fitness. From the activities carried out at the centre we can demonstrate the physical division between motorsports stars and the average person. For example, ex-Porsche Carrera Cup GB winner Barry Horne holds the joint world record on the Batak machine of 122 hits in one minute, doubling that of an average person; whilst Formula One star Mark Webber holds the highest grip strength of  67kgf, compared to just 45-50kgf for an average man. Using the principles that underpin this level of fitness we create wellness assessments and bespoke goal orientated programmes for athletes of every discipline wishing to beat their ‘Personal Best’.” Participants at the one-day session in January can take their programme further by joining the “Fit to Race" training weekend in March. Again, taking the principles of motorsport training, participants are tested to their limits in a ‘boot camp’ environment by the Porsche Human Performance Team. Although popular with motorsport participants, the course is open to anyone looking to keep fit, or seeking inspiration for a training routine.

03-01-2011

Karts: It is perhaps entirely appropriate that at the close of a karting career that has brought him tremendous success on both national and international shores, Jack Hawksworth should sign off with a brace of front-running performances at home and abroad – and as he reflects on an impressive swansong, he concedes that it is in many respects the end of an era.Jack has been karting competitively for almost seven years, but is now revving his career up through the gears by graduating to car racing in the Formula Renault UK Championship with Mark Burdett Motorsport in 2011, off the back of his debut in the category’s 2010 Winter Series. As he took his first tentative steps in cars, the young Bradford racer  was also closing a chapter, with two final karting appearances in the Monaco Kart Cup and on more familiar turf at PF International in Lincolnshire. Chris Walker/www.kartpix.net  

For any motor racing fan, an opportunity to meet Lewis Hamilton is manna from heaven – but for Matty Graham,  bidding to one day follow in his hero’s wheeltracks, it was far more than just that. It was, he confessed, ‘inspirational’. In recognition of his magnificent achievement in finishing inside the top three in the KF3 class of the Formula Kart Stars (FKS) Championship in 2010, Matty was invited to join some of his friends and rivals on a VIP visit of McLaren’s state-of-the-art F1 factory in Woking, Surrey.  “I was really excited when I found out about it,” enthused 14-year-old Matty. “To have the chance to meet Lewis Hamilton for the first time and go round the McLaren factory – which isn’t open to members of the public – was something pretty special. The tour was really good. The factory is really high-tech and spotlessly clean, with not so much as a drop of oil even in the garage areas.  We were shown the early stages of the 2011 car – it was amazing how precise everything has to be – and we saw all the little aerodynamic parts being made, too. The dedication is just phenomenal – something like 33,000 parts go into the wind tunnel to be tested, and only ten per cent of them are good enough to use. We saw the wind tunnel, as well, with a miniature car inside it that was an exact scale replica of the real life-size one – that was pretty cool.”  With team members explaining all of the processes to the avid FKS crew, Matty was left to take away with him a memento of a gift bag packed full of McLaren goodies – and he made a point of thanking all those who had made such a wonderful opportunity possible.  “Lewis is a really nice guy. He’s definitely one of my favourite drivers, and we chatted to him about his career in motorsport. He told us all about his lifestyle and his journey from karting to F1, gave us some driving tips and told us we shouldn’t have any superstitions because they only get in the way! We were shown a video of when he was in karting like we all are now, and even back then he looked a really smooth driver. He’s exceptionally talented and has gone all the way from karting to F1 World Champion – you have to be completely serious and focussed in order to do that, but it’s encouraging to see that it can be done – and being inside the McLaren factory shows you the rewards that are there when you reach the very highest level of motorsport. It was really inspirational.”  pic FKS

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