British supercar maker may build a limited edition series of just 20 units of a road-going version of the MP4-12C GT3.
niedziela, 8 maja 2011
McLaren may build street-legal variant of GT3 Racecar
British supercar maker may build a limited edition series of just 20 units of a road-going version of the MP4-12C GT3.
piątek, 6 maja 2011
McLaren lead the First Practice Session in Spanish Formula One Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button gave a strong start to McLaren in the Spanish Formula1 (F1) Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. Both the drivers topped the charts in the first practice session here in Spain. Lewis Hamilton topped the first practice session followed by team mate Jenson Button.
Mercedes, who have come up [...]
Mercedes, who have come up [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/formula-f1/~3/ZnrxkxHJshc/
Campaign launched to save Team Lotus
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Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/campaign_launched_to_save_team_1.php
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
Buick may get Opel Astra GTC based variant - and a convertible too
Buick may get more Opel-based models to its revived North American lineup after the success of the Insignia-based Regal. 
New season providing memories to savour
I'm sitting on the plane that is bringing me home from the opening trio of races, and I'm reminiscing.
I'm not daydreaming about the first time we heard the engines roar for 2011 in Albert Park, Sebastian Vettel's dominant start to the season, Vitaly Petrov flying or Lewis Hamilton's slow, steady reeling-in of Vettel this weekend.
Nope, I've gone a little further back: I'm re-living 1995. Trawling through the plane's CD library I've stumbled upon the breakthrough album Different Class by Pulp. It reminds me of my mum's pistachio green VW Polo, studying for my A-levels, David Coulthard's first Formula 1 win and me, at 17, thinking the world started and stopped at the Norfolk county border!
However, one thing slightly tainting the fun of air-drumming to Common People is that I've just realised Vettel would have been seven years old at that time. Ouch!
OK, I'm going to park memories of my oversized The Sweater Shop jumper - which was a must-have item for a lanky lad in Norwich in the mid-90s - and cast my mind back to the more recent memory of two races that have set the benchmark for the 2011 season.
Lewis Hamilton celebrates victory at the Chinese Grand Prix. Photo: Getty Images
To be totally honest, I think that, while we all enjoyed the opening round in Australia, it disguised just how frenetic this year is likely to be. I was chatting to some guys in the paddock on Sunday who were speculating that if that race was run again tomorrow, Pirelli would bring the even more marginal Supersoft tyre to Australia.
I think that is an indication of the success of having these new tyres. As DC said at the end of the commentary on Sunday: "Thank you Pirelli".
While I agree with that sentiment, I think we should be thanking F1. I've been sharing this flight with the likes of Ross Brawn of Mercedes, Williams designer Sam Michael and Paul Di Resta, who has been mightily impressive for Force India. Those three guys, and the rest of the designers, technicians, drivers and team principles up and down the pit lane, want cars that are fast in every circumstance.
The drivers ask for consistency and reliability, while the manufacturers want something that is so quick it helps shift their road cars. However, they have agreed to totally compromise their work for the sake of you guys sitting at home.
To improve the show. Vettel didn't want a car that simply "dropped off a cliff" as its tyres were worn at the end of Sunday's race. The strategists aren't keen on the pit wall resembling Air Traffic Control as they desperately try to outwit their opponents and make themselves look clever, and team bosses don't want to have to defend strategic mistakes after every race.
Look back to 12 months ago in Bahrain. Hardly an overtake, and most cars stopping once. This year the sport is totally unrecognisable, and it makes for compelling TV.
I don't envy the boys having to call such frenetic racing in the commentary box but I think they're doing well. Particularly DC, whose experience, knowledge, eagle-eyes and quick wit have surprised even me.
As for Martin Brundle, he's welcome to have his grid walk back! Logistically, it was impossible for him to do it in China so I bravely took on the challenge. But I have enough to think about doing 60 minutes of live TV pre-race, with stories developing around me, and I really didn't like having to doorstep the drivers. It felt a bit like walking into your office and shoving a microphone under your nose as you sit at your desk.
Martin has done more than 200 of them whereas Sunday was, believe it or not, the first time I've been on the grid pre-race. I'm just happy to have survived interviewing a seven-time world champion despite DC totally abandoning me!
After I'd finished that, it was time for the racing. Almost 60 stops in Malaysia, a further 55 in China. And amongst it all a chance to look like a real hero. McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh told me on the pit wall after the race that his team had actually got their strategy wrong and wanted to do only two stops.
Yet, while Vettel demonstrated that, even with his skills it was impossible to make such a tactic work, Hamilton and Mark Webber made a stop more and it paid dividends. In fact, the success of the tyres has totally overshadowed the introduction of DRS (Drag Reduction System) and re-introduction of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System).
It is clear the FIA is still fiddling with the DRS rear wing to encourage overtaking. I don't find it artificial as it still takes skill to make a move stick. What I think we need to avoid is drivers overtaking in only one place, following their rival and not making a move until they can use their DRS advantage. We may also see two zones in Turkey.
You couldn't accuse Lewis of lacking ambition when overtaking though, could you? I was watching the race unfold in the McLaren hospitality area and while everyone was leaping around, hands on heads, almost unable to believe what was happening, the messages coming in thick and fast on Twitter were almost identical.
A good example of the power of Twitter was someone tweeting me a photo of Fernando Alonso's DRS operating outside the prescribed zone. I told the producer what I'd seen and the guys in VT called up the same clip and played it to the nation while Martin and David commented on it.
Anyway, the Pulp album has now rolled around to Monday Morning so I'm going to return to the 90s and leave you guys to a lovely shortened working week. We've stacks of stuff planned for a few weeks' time when we get to Turkey.
Thanks for setting your alarms in your droves the past month - it's good to know that plenty of you were watching as we marched around the pit lane and paddock. Below are my five favourite moments of the season so far - here's hoping for plenty more until 27 November!
1. Lewis's interview in the garage after his first win of the season. He was as open, honest and relaxed as I've ever seen him. I was blown away by the clarity of thought that he described as he closed in on Sebastian.
2. Petrov''s podium. What a car Renault have produced this year, and how cool was Vitaly in Australia? The first ever Russian podium in F1 and a great reward for the team's faith in him.
3. Eddie Jordan totally forgetting his question to Jenson Button on the F1 Forum in Malaysia. Thankfully DC stepped in as JB and I were both corpsing at that moment. Classic EJ and I missed him in China.
4. The RB7. Adrian Newey is an enigmatic individual who seems to have a God-given ability to design the most incredible racing cars - Williams, McLaren, Red Bull. They must all be so grateful they could afford him.
5. The racing. Paul Di Resta beating his classy team-mate Adrian Sutil, Felipe Massa beating Fernando Alonso, Vettel's dominance, Webber's doggedness, Team Lotus mixing it with the midfield and Kamui Kobayashi's racing instinct. Bodes well for the next seven months, eh?
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumphrey/2011/04/new_season_providing_memories.html
czwartek, 5 maja 2011
Looking for tips on weathering tires
I have a few kits that I want to make into junkers and want to know how to weather the tires. Some kits have the rubber tires like tamiya and others ther vinyl as amt kits. I want to make some flats or just old looking tires. Some are 2 piece like with white walls on classic cars. Any help would be great.
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/956103.aspx
Nissan NV200 selected as exclusive NYC taxi vehicle [video]
Nissan NV200 minivan will become exclusive taxi vehicle for NYC in 2013. The model will be built at a Nissan plant in Mexico. 
środa, 4 maja 2011
1/16 parts, tires, seats, street, nascar etc
Hi Guys, I'm new here, really getting back into models seeing we just had a baby, and its cheaper than real cars....well some times..
Anyway, if any of you have any 1/16 parts you can sell that might help me with my projects, it would be greatly apreciated. I have a bit of a list here so...
I'm after a pair of skinny font tires for a street machine I'm making out of a dukes charger, I have some tires off an old 55 chev I think but they look too old for the era of the charger.
Also does anyone have the front tires of the 80's reissue of the street charger? They had a speedway special tire that looked older than the stockcar specials the Petty, Dukes car had. I'd like a pair of them for a stock car build. If you got any nascar parts, like axle cooler, cage bits, nascar seats too.
A pair of racing seats, I think the ones in the old shaker Vette kits or similar would be good.
Also if you have any wheels, big n littles, slots, centerlines, nascar, anything, I'd be interested, Most every thing else I can scratch build, I'm trying to avoid resin but sometimes thats the only option.
Im down in New Zealand South Pacific, hard to find this stuff locally, same goes for parts for my Dodge. I prefer to pay by paypal, but can probably arange something else, have a friend in CA too if you'd rather not post overseas.
Hope too hear back,
Cheers
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/955734.aspx
Bahrain F1: Live Race Results and Positions after 1st Lap
Sebastian Vettel has started from the Pole Position at the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix but its the Ferrari of Filepe Massa which has taken the lead.
Here are the standings after the 1st lap at Bahrain F1 Grand Prix:
1 VETTEL ? Red Bull
2 ALONSO ? Ferrari
3 MASSA ? Ferrari
4 ROSBERG ? Mercedes
5 HAMILTON ? McLaren
6 [...]
Here are the standings after the 1st lap at Bahrain F1 Grand Prix:
1 VETTEL ? Red Bull
2 ALONSO ? Ferrari
3 MASSA ? Ferrari
4 ROSBERG ? Mercedes
5 HAMILTON ? McLaren
6 [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/formula-f1/~3/RBJWIX-d9BU/
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