jamygalway: 2012

środa, 28 marca 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 [...]

Francois Cevert Eugene Chaboud Jay Chamberlain Karun Chandhok

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."

Tony Brise Chris Bristow Peter Broeker Tony Brooks Alan Brown

wtorek, 27 marca 2012

Journalists shocked at Korea award

Scarecrows adorn the entrance to a barren Korean International Circuit © Getty Images

Two leading Formula One journalists have expressed their surprise at Korea being named the best grand prix promoter of the season at the FIA’s annual prize gala in Monaco last Friday. The Korean Grand Prix received the Race Promoters' Trophy despite the event taking place at an incomplete facility with few race fans in attendance and team members and media staying at disparagingly dubbed 'love hotels'. "Korea. Korea? KOREA??!! I must have been somewhere else," said Times correspondent Kevin Eason on Twitter. Daily Mirror journalist Byron Young added, "The Korean GP, complete with event and flight chaos, shoddy hotels and things I won't mention, won the race promotors’ trophy. Why?"

Harry Blanchard Michael Bleekemolen Alex Blignaut Trevor Blokdyk Mark Blundell

What went wrong for the back of the grid?

It was another frustrating season at the back of the grid for F1’s relative new boys. Lotus, HRT and Virgin all in their sophomore seasons in Formula One all failed, again, to score points in 2011. So what went wrong last season and what does 2012 have in store. Lotus They’ve arguably been the best [...]

Luciano Burti Roberto Bussinello Jenson Button Tommy Byrne Giulio Cabianca

AUTOS: Corvette Museum Motorsports Park Approved In Kentucky

Huge facility would include a double road course, an autocross pad and a quarter-mile drag strip; projected cost is $35 million.

Alex Blignaut Trevor Blokdyk Mark Blundell Raul Boesel Menato Boffa

poniedziałek, 27 lutego 2012

Ode to DannaCar...

Peter Arundell Alberto Ascari Peter Ashdown Ian Ashley Gerry Ashmore

Infiniti Emerg-E concept photos leaked

Twelve photos of the Infiniti EMERG-E electric sports car concept have unceremoniously leaked to the Internet today, ahead of concept car's official announcement.

Luciano Burti Roberto Bussinello Jenson Button Tommy Byrne Giulio Cabianca

F1 2011 Launch Catch Up – McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, Sauber, Toro Rosso, Renault…

Catching up on the launches in one mega post. Here in you’ll find quick interviews with senior members of the team and photos from the Red Bull, Sauber, Renault Lotus, Toro Rosso, Mercedes and McLaren launches. Apologies for being somewhat late, the whole blog isn’t running at full power until the season starts again. Red [...]

Conny Andersson Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Keith Andrews Elio de Angelis

Red Bull under the spotlight

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel celebrate with Red Bull boss Christian Horner on the podium © Getty Images

Sections of the international media have questioned Red Bull's strategic approach to the world championship. After Sebastian Vettel won the Brazilian Grand Prix from the team's points leader Mark Webber at Interlagos, Der Spiegel noted: "Red Bull gives (Fernando) Alonso wings". Not switching the places means that Spaniard Alonso can take his Ferrari to just second place this weekend in Abu Dhabi and be champion, whereas the alternative strategy would have set up Webber for a straight fight. "It is not easy for Webber to drive in a team that considers him a burden to be up against Vettel," said La Gazzetta dello Sport. Tuttosport noted that it seems "the Austrian team would be happier to lose than to see Webber beat Vettel". "No team orders at Red Bull. Another own goal," headlined La Repubblica. Joan Villadelprat wrote in his El Pais column: "Had Red Bull opted for Webber a few races ago, the Australian would probably now be champion." Red Bull, however, is unrepentant. Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz told Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper that "second under proper conditions can often be more valuable than a first". But there is a feeling that the team is not simply giving up the fight for the drivers' title. One columnist in Brazil's Globo wondered if Vettel's radio message in Abu Dhabi might sound something like 'So ... Mark is faster than you'. "I'm always in favour of leaving the fight on the track with equal chances for both sides," said Rubens Barrichello. "But I wonder if they would do that if the situation was in reverse. “Mark has done a great job this year and he has been told by his team what position he is in," said Lewis Hamilton. "Against adversity he has kept at it. I want to see Mark win." Webber believes that, if a strategy is deployed, it will only be on the "last lap" of the season this weekend. "Sebastian is part of a team," said Niki Lauda, who believes Webber should be backed fully by Red Bull. "If he does anything it should be helping Webber and not just on the last lap." Webber is quoted by Bild newspaper: "It makes sense. Otherwise it would mean that Ferrari's team orders would have paid off for Fernando." Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hints that sense will ultimately prevail. "We have already given too many presents to Fernando this year," he is quoted by Autosprint.

Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd David Brabham Gary Brabham Jack Brabham†

niedziela, 26 lutego 2012

Custom/Show Truck

While things dry on the 33, thought I'd let this one out of my head and into some plastic. Calling it PU3762T

Thanks for looking, J2

Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks Fabrizio Barbazza John Barber

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 features an improved TapShift transmission [video]

Chevrolet has announced the 2012 Camaro ZL1 will offer a six-speed automatic transmission with an upgraded TapShift function. It enables the model to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds

Luciano Burti Roberto Bussinello Jenson Button Tommy Byrne Giulio Cabianca

Karthikeyan Makes Surprise F1 Return With HRT

Narain Karthikeyan has made a surprise return to Formula One after being announced as one of Hispania HRT’s drivers for the 2011 season. The Indian driver was unveiled as the first racer to be working with the Spanish based squad, who look likely to enter into a second season of racing despite on-going financial concerns. [...]

Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta Allen Berg Georges Berger

Williams and Mercedes lead testing mileage as Lotus hit trouble | 2012 F1 testing

This is an original article from F1 Fanatic - The Formula 1 Blog If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic - The Formula 1 Blog it is an infringement of copyright.

Williams have been the busiest team in testing so far, racking up over 3,750km with their FW34.

This is an original article from F1 Fanatic If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Christian Danner Jorge Daponte Anthony Davidson Jimmy Davies Colin Davis

sobota, 25 lutego 2012

60-66 Chevy longbed question...Done!!

Hi Guys,

I'm going to attempt to convert the Revell 64 Chevy fleetside to a longbed 4x4. The best research I have been able to come up with is a parts oder sheet that shows the different quarter panel lengths below.s

I have the extra parts, and scored a set of 8 lug wheels that should finish things off. I didn't realize that the longbeds were longer both front and back of the wheel well, although I suspected as much. I've also got some pretty good reference pics of finished trucks. I'm just wondering if anyone else has been here and what kind of problems/solutions others may have discovered.

Thanks.

Bernard Collomb Alberto Colombo Erik Comas Franco Comotti George Connor

Ferrari 620 GT teaser no. 2 released [video]

It has been only 2 days since the first teaser arrived and now Ferrari has bestowed upon us a second video showing scenes of the 599 successor's manufacturing.

John CampbellJones Adrián Campos John Cannon Eitel Cantoni Bill Cantrell

piątek, 10 lutego 2012

1/16 K & K Dodge

I built this in 1987 out of a General Lee . The nose and wing are balsa wood . Also , no decals used . . . my hands were steady back then ! TooOld

Julian Bailey

Audi TT-RS Plus

Audi is preparing to bring out the new generation TT-RS in 2013, but before that happens, the company is sending the current generation out with a more powerful bang. Called the TT-RS Plus, this new model will be offered in both coupe and roadster versions. In Germany, the TT-RS Coupe equipped with a manual transmission will be priced at €60,650 ($80,500 at the current exchange rates) and €62,800 ($83,500 at the current exchange rates) with the seven-speed S tronic . The TT RS Plus Roadster has a list price of €63,500 ($84,500 at the current exchange rates) with the manual transmission and €65,650 ($86,000 at the current exchange rates) with the seven-speed S tronic.

The Audi TT-RS Plus will be the most powerful TT-RS model launched on the market. It is powered by a 2.5 liter five-cylinder turbo engine that delivers a total of 360 HP - an increase of 20 HP over the standard version. As a result, the model will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds with a top speed that has been increased to 173 mph.

UPDATE 02/10/2012: This review has been updated with the official details and images for the Audi TT-RS Plus.

Hit the jump to read more about the Audi TT-RS Plus.