Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/an-interesting-development-at-renault-sport-f1/
Friday, 6 April 2012
An interesting development at Renault Sport F1
The news that Lotus F1 Team’s deputy technical director Naoki Tokunaga will leave the team to become Renault Sport F1’s Technical Director – New Generation Power Unit, is an interesting development. Tokunaga was a Nissan engineer who joined the Renault F1 team in 2000 on secondment from the Nismo team in Japan. He became the [...]
How McLaren got back to the top
Amid the widespread astonishment at how Fernando Alonso has found himself leading the world championship after two races despite driving the worst car Ferrari have produced for nearly 20 years, it has been somewhat overlooked that McLaren are topping the constructors' championship.
Victory for Jenson Button in Australia, two third places for Lewis Hamilton and two front row lock-outs have demonstrated that the MP4-27 is not only the best-looking car on the grid, it is also the fastest.
This is quite a turnaround from the last three years, when McLaren have been off the pace at the start of the season, putting their title challenge on the back foot before it had started.
The man responsible for this turnaround is McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe, who is in charge of the team's design and engineering.
A likeable, down-to-earth character, Lowe says "relief" is the first emotion he feels as a result of this impressive achievement after three years of struggling in vain to keep up with Red Bull.
He says: "There is a lot of pressure - people going around saying what you need to do is deliver a car that is quickest at the first race, as though we hadn't thought of that, you know?
"You go and estimate what you think that involves with no certain knowledge and then you go and try to deliver it. It's tough."
McLaren driver Jenson Button tackles a rain-swept Malaysian Grand Prix. Photo: Getty
Ask Lowe how McLaren have ended up with the fastest car at the start of a season for the first time in four years, and he'll tell you there is no "magic".
In reality, there are several factors behind McLaren's ability to leapfrog Red Bull this year and stay ahead of everyone else.
McLaren had a successful winter that was not affected by reliability problems with the car, as had been the case in 2011. That meant they could spend pre-season perfecting what they had rather than, as Lowe puts it, "fighting fires".
Equally, Red Bull appear to have been more badly affected than most other teams by the banning of exhaust-blown diffusers, last year's must-have technology, which the world champions are widely believed to have exploited more effectively than any other team.
For McLaren, starting 2012 with the fastest car is the culmination of a three-year battle to return to the top that began with the disaster of 2009, when they started the season more than two seconds off the pace.
That was the result of Hamilton's intense title battle with Ferrari's Felipe Massa in 2008 - which deflected resource away from both team's new cars - as well as the introduction of the biggest regulation change for 25 years.
McLaren recovered well in 2009 to win a couple of races later in the season, once they had adopted the 'double diffuser' that caused controversy at the start of the year and led to Brawn's championship win.
In 2010 they moved forward, but were still only third fastest behind Red Bull and Ferrari; and in 2011 they leapfrogged Ferrari but were still behind Red Bull.
At the same time, there was a re-organisation of the technical department undertaken in 2010-11, which has taken time to settle down.
"We came out (in 2011) pretty much in the same place we had been at the end of 2010," Lowe says. "So Red Bull had made decent progress over the winter and so had we.
"You have got to do not only what your competitors have done over the winter but then a bit more and then some to generate a lead over them.
"But that is difficult when there aren't fundamental changes in the rules for the car.
"You'd need Red Bull to go on holiday for a month, and then if you were working to the same general output you'd catch them up, but obviously they don't do that so you've just got to push it."
The same thoughts were going through the minds of the bosses at Ferrari. But whereas Maranello responded by undertaking a major change in design philosophy - which has backfired, notwithstanding Alonso's win on Sunday - McLaren realised this would be a mistake.
"In general you are going to be reluctant to say: 'I need to tear this up'," Lowe says.
"Here and there we were quicker than a Red Bull and we were certainly close to them when we weren't.
"The car performance at that point, given also there is not a big regulation change, is a consequence of a great deal of hard work. So it's quite rash to throw that away in too many areas rather than just build on it and iterate further and further.
"That doesn't mean you're not constantly looking for new ideas and trying to make them work. (But) you have to make very sure that whatever change you make is going to be better."
Lowe's contention that there has been no miracle at McLaren, just good, solid development work, is backed up by the fact that other teams have clearly made even more progress compared to Red Bull than they have - such as Lotus and Williams.
In pointing this out, Lowe betrays the natural caution of the F1 engineer - an approach that is understandable when, as Malaysia proved, even having the outright fastest car is no guarantee you will win the race.
Hamilton stepped down from the bottom step of the podium on Sunday to tell the waiting media he needed to find more race pace to capitalise on his strong qualifying form.
Lowe's "new challenge", it seems, has already arrived.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/03/lowe_confident_of_mclaren_succ.html
Barrichello open to Ferrari return | F1 Fanatic round-up
Barrichello open to Ferrari return is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
In the round-up: Rubens Barrichello says he would be happy to return to Ferrari if he was asked, despite some "spicy episodes" in the past.
Barrichello open to Ferrari return is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/FqZ5mMAR7GA/
Thursday, 5 April 2012
Formula One Goes High Definition
This week FOM, the Formula One Management company run by Bernie Ecclestone, has announced it will be providing native High Definition Formula One coverage for the very first time. This heralds the entrance of the sport into the super clear broadcast territory. High Definition television has been available for some time now in the United [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/formula-one-goes-high-definition/
AUTOS: Blinded-Veterans Charity Psyches Up The Auction Crowd At Barrett-Jackson
Marine who lost his sight in Iraq helps rouse bidders in chrome-Mercedes-roadster sale for a cause that provides guide dogs to veterans.
Scale rulers
Hello all.OK who can explain the use of a scale ruler,I know that in scale 1" is equal to 1ft. So I got myself a ruler,top part is 1/24th scale,bottom is in inches,the 1/24th part starts with the round number 10 and goes to 190,so does that mean these numbers are scale inches.The real 1 inch on the bottom lines up to 24 whatever on the top........Im so confused!!!!
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1010604.aspx
Team orders in spotlight again
 Will Christian Horner regret not utilising team orders in Brazil? |
“The extra seven points Alonso collected when Ferrari ordered Felipe Massa to move over for him in Germany earlier in the season are now looking even more crucial. “And the £65,000 fine they picked up for ruthlessly breaking the rules will seem loose change if Alonso clinches the title in his first year with the Maranello team. “Red Bull could have switched the result yesterday given their crushing dominance and still celebrated their first constructors' championship just five years after coming into the sport. “That would also have given Webber an extra seven points, leaving him just one behind Alonso.”The Guardian’s Paul Weaver says that if Fernando Alonso does take the drivers’ title in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari owes a debt of gratitude to Red Bull for their decision not to employ team orders in Brazil.
“If Alonso does take the title next week it would not be inappropriate were he and Ferrari to send a few gallons of champagne to Red Bull's headquarters in Milton Keynes. “While Red Bull should be heartily applauded for the championship they did win today their apparent acceptance that Ferrari might carry off the more glamorous prize continues to baffle Formula One and its globetrotting supporters. “Their refusal to make life easy for Webber, who has led for much of the season and is still seven points ahead of Vettel, means that whatever happens in the desert next week Alonso, the only driver who was capable of taking the championship in the race today, only has to secure second place to guarantee his third world title.”The Independent’s David Tremayne is also of the opinion that Red Bull may regret not using team orders in Brazil.
“Had Red Bull elected to adopt team orders and let Webber win – something that the governing body allows when championships are at stake – Webber would have left Brazil with 245 points – just one point off the lead. For some that was confirmation of his suggestion that Vettel is the team's favoured driver – which generated an angry call from team owner Dietrich Mateschitz in Austria and was much denied by team principal, Christian Horner. “And it sets up a situation where, if the result is repeated next weekend, as is likely, Vettel and Webber will tie on 256, five behind Alonso.”The Mirror’s Byron Young has put Lewis Hamilton’s fading title chances down to an inferior McLaren machine and he admits the 2008 World Champion now needs a miracle.
“Sebastian Vettel's victory sends the world title fight to a four-way showdown for the first time in the sport's history. “Hamilton goes there as part of that story with a 24-point deficit to Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, but with just 25 on offer in the final round in six days' time it would take more than a miracle. “Driving an outclassed McLaren he slugged it out against superior machinery and stiff odds to finish fourth.”
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/team_orders_in_spotlight_again_1.php
Who remembers the 1988 Australian Grand Prix?
We are not too far away from the 2012 Australian Grand Prix and everyone is rightly excited. You can check out the drivers that need to deliver in 2012 right here. However, we are going to be building up to Melbourne with a series of videos from races gone by. To begin with, do you [...]
Pirelli announce tyre options for Bahrain, Spain and Monaco | 2012 F1 season
Pirelli announce tyre options for Bahrain, Spain and Monaco is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Pirelli have chosen their tyre compounds for the next three races on the F1 calendar.
Pirelli announce tyre options for Bahrain, Spain and Monaco is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/y704Z8asEPI/
Doctors use Formula One pit crews as safety model
American Medical News reports hospitals in at least a dozen countries are learning how to translate the split-second timing and near-perfect synchronisation of Formula One pit crews to the high-risk handoffs of patients from surgery to recovery and intensive care.
"In Formula One, they have checklists, databases, and they have well-defined processes for doing things, and we don't really have any of those things in health care."
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/doctors_use_formula_one_pit_cr.php
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Vettel set for titles aplenty
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“Here, after all, is a young man, already dubbed ‘Baby Schumi’ by Germany’s tabloid press, winning the first of what will presumably be multiple world championships, and all at the tender age of 23. Plenty of time yet to match Schumacher's incredible haul of seven world titles. And yet, their phenomenal ability to drive racing cars apart, there is little similarity between the two men. “There are still lingering doubts over his racing ability but with such blistering qualifying pace he is nearly always leading from the front anyway. Vettel is set for multiple world championships. Just don’t call him Baby Schumi.”The Guardian’s Paul Weaver says it was difficult to begrudge Vettel his moment of glory after he won the first of what will be many world titles. He also looks back at some of the season’s highlights.
“An amazing Formula One season produced its final twist here on Sunday when Sebastian Vettel, who had never led the title race, won his first world championship. It is difficult to begrudge him his glory, for he had more poles (10) than any other driver and shared the most wins (five) with Fernando Alonso. There will be red faces as well as red cars and overalls at Ferrari, though, for deciding to bring their man in when they did, only to see him re-emerge into heavy traffic. “Among the highlights, and every race felt like a highlight after the bore-start in Bahrain, there was that wonderful beginning to his McLaren career by Jenson Button, who won two of his first four races, even though he couldn't keep up the pace, especially in qualifying. “Hamilton once again drove his heart out, and outperformed a car that looked a little too ordinary at times. He was superb in Montreal. Then there was Webber, the Anglophile Aussie who was the favourite among most neutrals to win the title. There was that spectacular crash when he ran into the back of Heikki Kovalainen and the most famous of his four wins, at Silverstone, when he said to his team at the end of the race: 'Not bad for a No2 driver.' “But in the end there was only one German who mattered. It was the remarkable Vettel. This will be the first of a clutch of championships for him.”The Independent’s David Tremayne focuses on the plight of the other title contenders, writing it is easier to feel more sorry for one than the other.
“It was impossible not to feel for both Webber and Alonso. Yet while a frustrated Alonso gestured at Petrov after the race, the Australian, predictably, refused to complain about his pitstop timing. “A world championship seemed an inevitable part of Sebastian Vettel's future, but it came a little sooner than most expected, after his recent tribulations. You wouldn't bet against several more, and if that record-breaking streak continues, perhaps even Schumacher's achievements will be overshadowed.”And the Mirror’s Byron Young elaborates further on the petulant behaviour of Fernando Alonso on his slowing down lap after his title dreams ended behind the Renault of Vitaly Petrov.
“Fernando Alonso was hurled into more controversy last night for a wild gesture at the former Lada racer who cost him the title. But the Spaniard brushed off accusations he gave Russian Vitaly Petrov the finger for ruining his title hopes by blocking him for 40 laps as they duelled over sixth place. "The Ferrari ace was caught on television cruising alongside the Renault driver on the slowing down lap and gesticulating from the cockpit. Petrov was unrepentant: "What was I supposed to do? Just get out of his way, pull to the side? I don't think that is how we race. It was important for the team for me to get points."
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/vettel_set_for_titles_aplenty_1.php
A nice day on Paris
It is a beautiful day in Paris and, as I walked up the Champs Élysées this morning, there was not much wrong with the world. It is times like this that make life as an F1 journalist a very special thing. All the world is locked up in offices and we scribes can stroll down [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/a-nice-day-on-paris/
Bruno Senna: “In the wet we were very strong”
A brilliant performance from Bruno Senna inevitably went largely unheralded in Malaysia, given the attention focussed on Sergio Perez. However the Brazilian’s drive to sixth – after a first lap crash led to a nose change and fortuitous early switch … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/03/26/bruno-senna-in-the-wet-we-were-very-strong/
Williams begin “beginning of a rebuilding process”
If Ferrari fans thought that their team had perhaps not lived up its name last season then they should talk to fans of Williams. The team that dominated in the early 90’s winning multiple World Championships managed to score only five points last season. Five. It’s a sad fall from grace and one, that at [...]
Red Bull under the spotlight
| Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel celebrate with Red Bull boss Christian Horner on the podium |
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/red_bull_under_the_spotlight.php
First Official Image of the 2013 Sante Fe
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Hyundai was not shy about releasing a number of teaser images ahead of the Sante Fe’s official debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show. They’ve spent the whole month of March bringing out these images and we’re just about fed up with the wait. Thankfully, we came across a little banner that helped us out on the journey. Say hello to the first official image of the 2013 Hyundai Sante Fe.
It may only be a few hours until the New York Auto Show officially opens it doors, but that was still too long to wait. After twelve years on the market, the SUV was well in need of a new generation. This new Sante Fe takes its design inspiration from the Veloster and the new generation i30. The car features Hyundai’s new Fluidic Sculpture design language, a set of new headlamps and taillamps, and a new set of 19-inch aluminum wheels.
The current model is offered with engines like a 2.4-liter gasoline engine with an output of 174 hp and 197 HP diesel engine capacity of 2.2 liter. For the new model, Hyundai will offer more power in out of a couple of four cylinder engines.
We’ll find out more about the 2013 Sante Fe as soon as New York opens its doors, so stay tuned!
First Official Image of the 2013 Sante Fe originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 3 April 2012 18:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/first-official-image-of-the-2013-sante-fe-ar127432.html
Keeping the sport healthy
Formula 1 is not a cheap sport with the top teams spending huge sums of money in an effort to beat the opposition. They have all invested large amounts of money in the facilities are all the big teams have impressive CFD capacity, one or more wind tunnels and wildly expensive simulators. However, in recent [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/keeping-the-sport-healthy/
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
'The point of no confidence is quite near'
 The wreckage of Jochen Rindt's car at Barcelona |
“Colin. I have been racing F1 for 5 years and I have made one mistake (I rammed Chris Amon in Clermont Ferrand) and I had one accident in Zandvoort due to gear selection failure otherwise I managed to stay out of trouble. This situation changed rapidly since I joined your team. “Honestly your cars are so quick that we would still be competitive with a few extra pounds used to make the weakest parts stronger, on top of that I think you ought to spend some time checking what your different employes are doing, I sure the wishbones on the F2 car would have looked different. Please give my suggestions some thought, I can only drive a car in which I have some confidence, and I feel the point of no confidence is quite near.”A little more than a year later Rindt's Lotus suffered mechanical breakdown just before braking into one of the corners. He swerved violently to the left and crashed into a poorly-installed barrier, killing him instantly.
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/the_point_of_no_confidence_is.php
Live: IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama | F1 Fanatic Live
Live: IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Join us on F1 Fanatic Live to follow the second race of the 2012 IndyCar season.
Live: IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/kxh3-3Nfv64/
The Mole discusses CVC and scones
The Mole and The Colonel have been discussing the latest financial machinations going on in the background in Formula 1. They have come up with some interesting conclusions.To read more, simply click on this link.
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/the-mole-discusses-cvc-and-scones/
' 40 Ford Custom Pickup
My next project 40 Ford pickup have started on the cab by doing the doors to open rearwards and filling in where orignal hinges where, also removing filled areas on chassis, havn't got many ideas where this is going to go yet been looking at picture to get some ideas, I will be using the after market whitewalls with the box wheels. I think i will lower it down.
Here's some shots so far any ideas welcome.
[View:http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/themes/sca/utility/
[View:http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/themes/sca/utility/
[View:http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/themes/sca/utility/
Thanks for looking
Graham
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1009475.aspx
The Mole discusses CVC and scones
The Mole and The Colonel have been discussing the latest financial machinations going on in the background in Formula 1. They have come up with some interesting conclusions.To read more, simply click on this link.
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/the-mole-discusses-cvc-and-scones/
Which teams made the best leaps forward in a season? | Your Questions Answered
Which teams made the best leaps forward in a season? is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Your questions answered on which teams made great leaps of progress and forthcoming improvements at F1 Fanatic.
Which teams made the best leaps forward in a season? is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/eH8__6qMhvk/
Monday, 2 April 2012
Display cases
why are model display boxes so expensive? they cost as much as a model kit, and they're only two pieces. i can understand the big wall display cases being pricey, but i can't justify these jewel boxes.[/rant]
your thoughts?
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1009573.aspx
F1: Series Visit Protested In Bahrain
Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday April 22nd..
Source: http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-series-visit-protested-in-bahrain/
Webber ‘will threaten’ Vettel in 2012
Bernie Ecclestone has stated his belief that Mark Webber could be Sebastian Vettel’s biggest rival for the title this year. Check out our review of Red Bull in 2011! Webber failed to win a race last year of course, but Ecclestone is convinced that the Australian will improve, threatening his Red Bull team-mate along the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/WvCtgq-iUMQ/webber-will-threaten-vettel-in-2012
Massa threatened with jail over team orders
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“A public raised on a diet of Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna were simply appalled and saddened in equal measure by Massa’s apparent lack of ambition.”
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/massa_threatened_with_jail_ove.php
Team orders in spotlight again
| Will Christian Horner regret not utilising team orders in Brazil? |
“The extra seven points Alonso collected when Ferrari ordered Felipe Massa to move over for him in Germany earlier in the season are now looking even more crucial. “And the £65,000 fine they picked up for ruthlessly breaking the rules will seem loose change if Alonso clinches the title in his first year with the Maranello team. “Red Bull could have switched the result yesterday given their crushing dominance and still celebrated their first constructors' championship just five years after coming into the sport. “That would also have given Webber an extra seven points, leaving him just one behind Alonso.”The Guardian’s Paul Weaver says that if Fernando Alonso does take the drivers’ title in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari owes a debt of gratitude to Red Bull for their decision not to employ team orders in Brazil.
“If Alonso does take the title next week it would not be inappropriate were he and Ferrari to send a few gallons of champagne to Red Bull's headquarters in Milton Keynes. “While Red Bull should be heartily applauded for the championship they did win today their apparent acceptance that Ferrari might carry off the more glamorous prize continues to baffle Formula One and its globetrotting supporters. “Their refusal to make life easy for Webber, who has led for much of the season and is still seven points ahead of Vettel, means that whatever happens in the desert next week Alonso, the only driver who was capable of taking the championship in the race today, only has to secure second place to guarantee his third world title.”The Independent’s David Tremayne is also of the opinion that Red Bull may regret not using team orders in Brazil.
“Had Red Bull elected to adopt team orders and let Webber win – something that the governing body allows when championships are at stake – Webber would have left Brazil with 245 points – just one point off the lead. For some that was confirmation of his suggestion that Vettel is the team's favoured driver – which generated an angry call from team owner Dietrich Mateschitz in Austria and was much denied by team principal, Christian Horner. “And it sets up a situation where, if the result is repeated next weekend, as is likely, Vettel and Webber will tie on 256, five behind Alonso.”The Mirror’s Byron Young has put Lewis Hamilton’s fading title chances down to an inferior McLaren machine and he admits the 2008 World Champion now needs a miracle.
“Sebastian Vettel's victory sends the world title fight to a four-way showdown for the first time in the sport's history. “Hamilton goes there as part of that story with a 24-point deficit to Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, but with just 25 on offer in the final round in six days' time it would take more than a miracle. “Driving an outclassed McLaren he slugged it out against superior machinery and stiff odds to finish fourth.”
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/team_orders_in_spotlight_again_1.php
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Alguersuari joins Di Grassi for Pirelli tests
Pirelli has confirmed that Jaime Alguersuari and Lucas di Grassi have both been signed up as test drivers for the tyre maker’s 2010 Renault R30. The company says that there will be four development tests at Jerez, Spa, Monza and … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/03/30/alguersuari-joins-di-grassi-for-pirelli-tests/
Jeep Wrangler Mopar Accessorized
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Chrysler’s in-house aftermarket specialist, Mopar, specializes in developing accessories for a lot of the vehicles under the Chrysler umbrella. At the 2012 Easter Safari in Moab, Utah, Mopar is showcasing what they can do to a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with their fancy accessories.
The Wrangler, which has been unoriginally tagged as the "Wrangler Mopar Accessorized," is exactly what its name suggests. Based on the Wrangler Rubicon, Mopar added a slew of their aftermarket enhancements to turn this off-road raider into one that comes chalk-full of new goodies.
Among the modifications done include a Mopar rock rails, front and rear off-road bumpers, new windshield-mounted LED lamps, a new hard-top headliner, a Warn 9.5ti XP winch, a two-inch performance lift kit, and a new set of massive 35" Goodyear Wrangler tires wrapped in Classic five-hole wheels. Inside, Mopar added Kicker dash 6.5-inch two-way speakers, all-weather mats, a locking center console box, a rear cargo cubby cover, and an “Add-A-Trunk” partition in the cargo area.
There’s not much to go around for this vehicle other than Mopar showing off what it can do to a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon if you let them get their hands on one. Nevertheless, it’s still an interesting look at "what-could-be," especially if you’re in the market for a Wrangler Rubicon.
Jeep Wrangler Mopar Accessorized originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 31 March 2012 02:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/jeep/2012-jeep-wrangler-mopar-accessorized-ar127111.html
Life in the pit lane
 The Mercedes pit crew prepare for Michael Schumacher in Singapore |
These are not select millionaires but up to 16 ordinary, yet gifted, guys; team mechanics who have worked their way up the system and often migrate from team to team, are paid real-world wages of between £30,000 and £50,000 a year, are drilled to perfection – and whose split-second synchronisation brings their teams huge rewards.
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/life_in_the_pit_lane.php
Who remembers the 1988 Australian Grand Prix?
We are not too far away from the 2012 Australian Grand Prix and everyone is rightly excited. You can check out the drivers that need to deliver in 2012 right here. However, we are going to be building up to Melbourne with a series of videos from races gone by. To begin with, do you [...]
Ferrari Launch Their 2011 Car The F150
Ferrari have become the first team to launch their 2011 Formula One car – named the F150. Thw F150 name comes from the fact it is 150 years since Italian unification, the flag bearer for the nation decided it was important to increase exposure of the major event in the country’s long history. The cars [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/ferrari-launch-their-2011-car-the-f150/
McLaren unveil new car for 2012
At McLaren Technology Centre, Woking
Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button sat on the stage in front of the car they both hope will take them to the world title this year looking relaxed and happy.
Yet in their responses to apparently innocuous questions, both men revealed much about the different ways in which they approach the 2012 Formula 1 season.
They were asked how they had spent the winter. Button, fresh from arguably his best season yet in the sport, had spent some time in Hawaii. "Somewhere warm to chill out and train," he said, "but it's always the same - you spend a couple of weeks away and you are missing racing, so I was back on 5 January".
Hamilton's 2011, meanwhile, was self-admittedly his worst season yet in F1, with three superb wins interspersed with errors and controversy.
McLaren are set to compete for the title with their new car which was unveiled ahead of the beginning of the Formula One season due to start in March. Photo: Getty
His response to the same question was enlightening."The opposite of Jenson," he said. "I was over in the cold in the mountains in Colorado. I wasn't missing the car too much - it was nice to be away from it awhile, to refresh, start anew, and just getting back to training was great.
"I altered it a little bit this year, I think last year I was training too much. I had a good break and I was grateful to Martin (Whitmarsh, the McLaren team principal) for giving me such a good break."
Later, Hamilton revealed a little more about his desire to make amends for 2011 with a sparkling 2012.
Which race are you most looking forward to, he was asked. "Monaco is the one for me - I want to get back there and have a better race [in which he collided with two drivers and caused a storm with his post-race comments] than last year."
It was a stark illustration of just how much is at stake in 2012 for the man who many still regard as the most naturally talented and out-and-out fastest racing driver in the world.
Whether Hamilton has found the mental equilibrium he desires to enable him to perform consistently at his brilliant best remains to be seen, starting with the first race in Melbourne, Australia, on 18 March.
But much of it may depend on the reason he and Button were up on that stage - the McLaren MP4-27.
His team's failure - for the third year running - to produce a car with which he could consistently challenge at the front was one of the main causes for Hamilton's frustrations last year.
He knows exactly how good he is, so it was galling for him to see yet again that he was not realistically going to challenge for the championship.
As is the way of things, the launch of the new McLaren shed no light whatsoever on whether that will change in 2012.
The car looks nice enough - and it mercifully lacks the "platypus" front seen on the Caterham, the only other new car to break cover so far this year, as a response to new rules lowering the height of the nose.
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There was a lot of talk about McLaren's focus on the aerodynamics at the rear of the car, which featured noticeably tighter packaging than last year, and particularly of the need to make the most of pre-season testing and start the season strongly.
That was where McLaren's campaign began to unravel last season - an over-complex exhaust system led to a terrible pre-season with a car Whitmarsh has described as "neither reliable nor quick".
This year's car contains no obvious stand-out innovations but the team were quick to deny suggestions that McLaren had reined themselves in an attempt to make sure the car runs in testing, which Whitmarsh described as "data-gathering".
Engineering director Tim Goss described the MP4-27 as "a complete re-work from nose to tail".
Technical director Paddy Lowe added: "The regulations are trimming us into narrower and narrower boxes so we don't see the big radical changes from one year to the next, so the car looks quite similar.
But there is a great deal of change underneath.
"There still are obvious innovations. We have done a lot of work around the back end, a lot more tidy packaging there. We have had to respond to the change in the exhaust regulations (banning the blowing of exhausts along the rear floor to boost downforce).
That's given the aerodynamicists a big challenge to come up with the (lost) downforce and the balance."
Lowe and Goss are old hands and they did a great job of straight-batting the questions on the stand-out features of the car and it was left to Whitmarsh to utter F1's dreaded c-word.
"I don't believe we've been inherently conservative," he said. "We've set ourselves some tough targets, targets that we think if we achieve them we will win the world championship. I think we will meet those targets, and if they are the right targets, we will win the championships."
To achieve that obvious aim, though, there is the small matter of having to beat the twin formidable forces of Ferrari and Fernando Alonso and, the combination expected to remain the one to beat, Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel.
Just as the car's tight rear takes more than a small bow towards the all-conquering Red Bulls of the last two seasons, it is clear that McLaren have had their eyes on other aspects of their rivals' dominance as well.
"It didn't go unnoticed that Sebastian Vettel put the car on pole a lot and then pulled the gap (from which he controlled the race)," said Goss. "We're aware of it; we've attempted to find ways to deal with it."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/02/at_mclaren_technology_centre_w.html
Lurker finally making a move
How is everyone? I am a long time lurker around the forums and think I am ready to start building again. It has been about 16 years when i was 9 since I have built a model of any kind. I used to build models with my father until he passed away when I was 10. I had a rough time being so young and being a foolish child I had missed conceptions of the whole incident and destroyed all the models my father and I had spent time building. I finally cam to my senses in the past few years worked somethings out in my life and decided building models would be good for me again especially since I have a son of my own and remember how much fun I had building with my dad. I have a wide range of styles when it comes to cars. I like everything from rat rods, diesels pick ups and imports. I have a few ideas brewing on builds I am wanting to build such as a 49 Merc hot rod, 32 ford rat rod and maybe a diesel pick up if I can find a model kit of a diesel I have searched many sites but have yet to find one. If anyone has a site or company that makes a chevy, ford or dodge diesel model kit please share because this is honestly the one I am wanting to build the most being a country boy from KY and all (Go Big Blue lol sorry had to throw that in as I am watching the final four UK vs UofL game). I cant wait to start building and sharing my creations with any one. 
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1009877.aspx
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