samekk je napisal/-a:ne, otok ni dost, še "custom" bike mu morjo podarit
mislim da je njegova odpravnina mal vlka :P

Automatically translated text:
Fórmula 1 Red Bull finalmente corre por calle de Santiago

Publicado Oct 28, 2006, 7:05 PM ET por Pedro Gómez
Luego de que suspendiese la exhibición de velocidad que se realizaría en una autopista de la ciudad de Santiago de Chile, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas finalmente autorizó una demostración en una céntrica calle del sector de la ciudad conocido como Parque Forestal. El circuito fue de sólo 850 metros y se le prohibió al vehículo de competición el exceder los 100 km/h (!). A pesar de las restricciones, el Fórmula 1 de la escudería Red Bull Racing hizo un recorrido en el que alcanzó -según confesión del piloto- cerca de 200 km/h y realizó una serie de maniobras que dejaron contentos (casi eufóricos) a los cerca de 20 mil espectadores que se reunieron para el evento. El sobrecalentamiento del motor impidió que la exhibición durara los 10 minutos presupuestados inicialmente. Con esta exhibición, el equipo Red Bull y su piloto Vitantonio Liuzzi pusieron fin a su participación en el 9º Salón Internacional del Automóvil de Santiago. Hay que destacar que la Asociación Nacional Automotriz de Chile (Anac), la producción del evento y la Fundación Make a Wish, junto a la escudería del piloto italiano, cumplieron el deseo de Matías Vargas de ser piloto de F1. Matías es un niño de 10 años quien padece de un Meduloblastoma metastático y compartió con Liuzzi y su equipo de ingenieros en los pits, tuvo la oportunidad de subirse al monoplaza, de acelerar su motor y de ver su última presentación en la zona de eventos de la muestra automotriz.


Formula 1 Network Bull finally runs by street of Santiago

Published Oct 28, 2006, 7:05 p.m. ET by Pedro Go'mez
After which it suspended the speed exhibition that would be made in a freeway of the city of Santiago of Chile, the Public Work Ministry finally authorized a demonstration in a centric street of the sector of the city known like Forest Park. The circuit was of only 850 meters and exceeding was prohibited him to the vehicle of the 100 competition km/h (). In spite of the restrictions, the Formula 1 of escudería Network Bull Racing made a route in which km/h reached - according to confession of the pilot near 200 and made a series of maneuvers that left contentments (almost euphoric) to near 20 thousand spectators who met for the event. The overheat of the motor prevented that the exhibition lasted the 10 minutes budgeted initially. With this exhibition, the equipment Network Bull and its pilot Vitantonio Liuzzi Hall the International the Automobile of Santiago ended their participation in 9º. It is necessary to emphasize that the Automotive National Association of Chile (Anac), the production of the event and the Make Foundation to Wish, next to escudería of the Italian pilot, fulfilled the desire of Matías Vargas of being pilot of F1. Matías is a boy of 10 years who suffers of a metastático Meduloblastoma and shared with Liuzzi and its engineering equipment in pits, had the opportunity to rise the single-seater, to accelerate its motor and to see its last presentation in the zone of events of the automotive sample.

Autoblog je napisal/-a:Lexus F1? Easier than you might think

Posted Nov 6th 2006 10:37AM by Noah Joseph
According to the latest reports, we may see the Lexus emblem on Formula One cars in the near future. Parent company Toyota, of course, is already in F1 with its own team, which won't be re-branding as Lexus. Nor would a Lexus team be established to compete with Toyota's, which, with budgets in the tens of millions of dollars, would be sheer lunacy. The possibility grows out of Toyota's client engine supplier deal with Williams.F1.

When BMW bought the Sauber team, Williams lost its engine partner and switched to Cosworth. But for the next season and beyond, Williams will be using Toyota power. Some of the suits in Tokyo see this as a ripe opportunity to promote Lexus, rather than double Toyota's brand presence on the grid. Considering that Lexus, once focused almost entirely on the American market, has recently been expanding globally, and that their products have been getting sportier (especially with the anticipated arrival of the LFA), such an arrangement could work out perfectly. However, Toyota F1 bosses John Howett and Tsutomu Tomita reportedly aren't sold on the idea, so don't expect to see Sir Frank being driven around in an LS460 just yet.

Whether the Williams-Lexus deal ends up taking shape or not, it lends to speculation over similar arrangements with other teams. Could Nissan's reported entry into F1 be a simple re-branding exercise on Renault's new deal with Red Bull? Could Scuderia Toro Rosso or Spyker be labeled with Fiat, Alfa Romeo or Maserati power? Whether they know it or not, Toyota may be blazing a trail for a new branding trend that would see more marques represented in F1 then ever before anticipated, all with minimal investment.

[Source: F1i]

Autoblog je napisal/-a:Basil Shaaban drives to sheikh things up

Posted Nov 7th 2006 12:31PM by Noah Joseph
Basil Shaaban aims to be the first Arab driver in F1, and with a little support from F1 head-honcho Bernie Ecclestone, he just might make it.

Shaaban was born in Lebanon, raised in the Emirates and studied astrophysics at Berkley in California. Having raced in the A1 GP series for the Lebanese team, he is struggling to find the financial support to continue racing in the British F3 series. From Formula 3, Shaaban hopes to move up to GP2, the second-tier stepping-stone race series run by Renault chief Flavio Briatore, before eventually making it into Formula One.

Ecclestone has expressed his support, and no wonder as he endeavors to increase F1's presence in the oil-rich Arab world. The grands prix in Dubai and in nearby Istanbul bring F1 to the Middle East, and Basil Shaaban could be the first to bring the Middle East to F1. Shabaan says his aim, beyond racing and winning, of course, is to promote something positive from the Arab world. Good luck, Basil.

[Source: F1i]

VIDEO: Renaultsport Clio and R26

Posted Nov 9th 2006 6:59PM by Noah Joseph
Although it still lacks a range-topping sportscar that can capitalize on its racing success, Renault makes the best F1 cars and the best hot hatches, a fact with which it's hard to argue. The latest Renaultsport Clio might very well be the most direct and affordable beneficiary of trickle-down technology from F1 to the street.

This video, released by their performance division Renault Sport (in charge of both programs) makes the correlation, showing its F1 test driver Heikki Kovalainen driving bother cars. Comparing a hatchback to a formula one race car? Only the French....

[Source: RenaultSport]

Autoblog je napisal/-a:racING: Dutch bank invests heavily in F1

Posted Nov 14th 2006 5:31PM by Noah Joseph
Dutch financial giant ING is investing heavily in F1 to promote its banking services with the same fast-paced, cutting-edge, dynamic image sought after by every F1 sponsor. However, unlike other companies that start small, ING aims to make a splash that no spectator could miss. There are a number of ways companies can get their name into grand prix racing, and it seems ING has checked all the boxes.

For starters, ING will be the new title sponsor of the reigning world champs Renault, replacing outgoing tobacco company Mild Seven as the French team's principal patron for the next three seasons (at least). That title sponsorship cost Japan Tobacco $60 million for 2006, a sum which was likely exceeded in ING's deal given Renault's back-to-back world titles.

Not enough? ING will also be the title sponsor at the Australian Grand Prix next season, replacing Foster's beer for the next three years. As with the Renault sponsorship, the Melbourne deal will put the bank's moniker in the name of the race: 2007 Formula 1 ING Australian Grand Prix. ING was also rumored to be assuming title sponsorship of the Belgian Grand Prix – the closest race to its home base – to the same effect as its Australian sponsorship, but ING has dismissed this as pure speculation.

Still not enough? The Dutch bankers have also confirmed that they'll be advertising track-side at no less than twelve grands prix next season, including Australia and Belgium plus Malaysia, Spain, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Italy, China and Japan. That means we'll be seeing the world's top drivers whizzing by the ING lion at more races next year than not.

Now there's corporate presence you can take to the bank.

[Sources: GrandPrix.com and F1i.com]

Could Aston Martin join Prodrive in F1?

Posted Nov 14th 2006 9:34AM by Noah Joseph
Aston Martin in F1? Not likely, but that won't stop some from speculating. And being the diligent reporters we are, we'll search high and low (and in foreign languages) to bring to you the latest in motor news.

The speculation comes out of the arrival of David Richard's Prodrive outfit re-entering the grand prix paddock. Prodrive is essentially a racing consulting firm, offering automotive manufacturers the opportunity to go racing without developing and implementing their own racing program. Prodrive's responsible for Subaru's rally success, took the 550 Maranello endurance racing for Ferrari and implemented Aston Martin's racing program as well, to mention a few. Richards was hired to overhaul Honda's F1 team, and after delivering results sooner than expected, was shown the door.

Richards has claimed Prodrive has no interest in racing under their own banner, so eyebrows were raised when the British outfit secured their own entry into F1. But while Richards has stated they're considering a number of potential partners, he remains understandably tight-lipped about who that might be, leaving the motoring press to speculate. Of Prodrive's major previous clients, Ferrari and Honda have teams of their own and Prodrive's already forged Subaru's racing image in rallying. That leaves Aston Martin, whose involvement could be as simple as buying Cosworth engines and rebadging them as their own (which is hardly unheard of in F1). Ironically, Aston's impending separation from Ford could help their chances of entering F1, after Ford pulled sister-company Jaguar out of racing several years ago and would have little interest in re-entering under the Aston banner. One thing's for sure: if Aston Martin does end up being the client, Prodrive will have one hell of a time trying to make an F1 car look like every other Aston.

Another potential client could be Nissan, tipped to be entering F1 themselves (likely in closer partnership with Renault) or Hyundai, which hopes to be on the grid by the time their home-turf Korean Grand Prix joins the circus in 2010. (Unfortunately, due to budgetary restrictions, AutoblogF1 just isn't in the cards.)

[Sources: Le Blog Auto (French) and Crash.net]

Autoblog je napisal/-a:Turbos coming back to F1 in 2011?

Posted Nov 18th 2006 5:22PM by Damon Lavrinc
Way back in the era known as the '80s, Formula One cars outfitted with turbos were making upwards of 1,500 HP, from engines as small as 1.5-liters. As time wore on and power went up accordingly, turbochargers were banned in the never-ending quest to bring power and development costs out of the stratosphere. Fast-forward over two decades later, and environmental concerns have made FIA president, Max Mosley reconsider the snail-ban.

During a conference in Munich this week, Mosley announced that a reintroduction of forced induction might take place by 2011. The lifting of the ban will not result in another horsepower arms race, but intends to make F1 vehicles more environmentally sound. Bio-fuel would become the prerequisite explosive material and revs would be kept above 15,000 RPM.

The article also hinted at Mosley's retirement, likely to take place in 2010.

[Source: Formula1.com]