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News 14 Aug, 2013

New MINI Cooper 2014: latest news on the Mk3 MINI, due on sale next year

News 8 Jul, 2013

New MINI Cooper 2014: latest news on the Mk3 MINI, due on sale next year

Pictures See all 48 pictures 18 Nov, 2013

The precipitous decline to the car market in Western Europe could be easing, according to the April sales figures compiled by LMC Automotive.

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: I've always liked Subaru vehicles. Had a yellow GL wagon in college and loved that car. I put a couple hundred thousand mostly trouble-free miles on it.

Subaru, gunning for a fifth year of record sales in the United States, said it will invest $400 million to expand capacity at its Indiana assembly plant by a third and add output of its Impreza compact.

News 8 May, 2013

Former Nissan designer Alfonso Albaisa has been appointed Executive Design Director for Infiniti in Japan

Pirelli has unveiled first quarter 2013 consolidated net profit of EUR72.1m (US$94.6m), down 41.7% compared to EUR123.6m for the same period last year

News 8 May, 2013

350 Lamborghini supercars will take part in the 50th anniversary Grand Tour event

Audi has started the second quarter with further sales growth, up 6.6% year on year to 133,500 cars. The automaker said there was particular demand for the new A3 family and the Q3, Q5 and Q7 SUVs.

Toyota more than doubled its fourth-quarter net profit as the yen's depreciation helped the automaker export more profitably and U.S. sales of the Avalon sedan and Tacoma pickup were strong. The company posted net profit of 313.9 billion yen ($3.

Toyota more than doubled its fourth-quarter net profit as the yen's depreciation helped the automaker export more profitably and U.S. sales of the Avalon sedan and Tacoma pickup were strong. The company posted net profit of 313.9 billion yen ($3.

When the topic is luxury brands, Jaguar Land Rover North America CEO Andy Goss wants Jaguar to be mentioned in the same sentence as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Lexus.

The top speed of vans in the EU should be electronically limited to 120kph (75 mph), according to a proposal backed by the European Parliament's environment committee.

The top speed of vans in the European Union should be electronically limited to 120 km (75 miles) per hour, according to a proposal backed by the European Parliament's environment committee.

Peugeot and Citroen have suffered for years because car buyers have trouble distinguishing one brand from the other. Citroen CEO Frederic Banzet is determined to change that.

Canadian, Gilles Villeneuve has undoubtedly been one of the most popular Formula 1 drivers of all time, despite a short career that saw him win just six of the 67 Grands Prix he contested between 1977 and 1982.

More than for his victories, Villeneuve's acclaim around the globe was for his great human qualities, his honesty and his stunning determination. His driving style and passing manoeuvres were incredibly spectacular, and he never, ever gave up despite the mechanical gremlins or the bad luck. He always gave his very best, whatever his starting position on the grid happened to be.

Here is a collection of the features, photos and videos we posted during the 2012 season to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his tragic death that took place Saturday May 8, 1982, during the second qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder.


The early days
At a young age, Gilles Villeneuve fulfilled his need for speed in a very unusual manner, competing in drag racing and in snowmobile racing on icy ovals.

He then followed his first road-racing course before he went on to win the Quebec Formula Ford 1600 championship and the North American Formula Atlantic series.

Breaking the ice (+photos and video)

His first driving course

His stunning Formula Ford 1600 debuts (+photos)

Making his mark in Formula Atlantic (+photos)


His maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix
Beaten by Villeneuve in the Formula Atlantic race held in the streets of Trois-Rivieres in 1976, British F1 driver, James Hunt, was so impressed that he spoke very highly of the young Villeneuve to his McLaren boss, Teddy Mayer.

His first Grand Prix with McLaren in 1977. (Photo: WRI2)

Villeneuve contested his first F1 race at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in July 1977.

His first Formula 1 contract with McLaren!

His first Grand Prix with McLaren at Silverstone (+video)

His first Grand Prix with McLaren in 1977


The Ferrari years
Against all odds, Enzo Ferrari himself chose Villeneuve at the end of 1977 to drive the prestigious Scuderia Ferrari. A teammate of Carlos Reutemann in 1978, Villeneuve captured his first F1 victory in front of his home crowd in Montreal in October 1978.

Video of his lap of Zandvoort circuit on three wheels!

A few stories from his business manager, Gaston Parent

Video of his first Formula 1 victory in Montreal

Ferrari F1 car driven by Gilles Villeneuve vs Italian jet fighter (+video)

1978 Long Beach Grand Prix (+videos)

Gilles Villeneuve behind the wheel of the 312T3 at Fiorano. (Photo: Ferrari)

Memories from his arch rivals
Gilles Villeneuve's rivals talk about the racecar driver, but also the great human being that Villeneuve was.

When Patrick Tambay took over the No. 27 Ferrari

Memories from Alan Jones

Memories from Jean-Pierre Jarier

Testimony from his friend René Arnoux (+video)

John Watson's words about the tragedy

Mario Andretti's testimony


May 8 commemoration

The 30th anniversary of Gilles Villeneuve's tragic death

Remembering Gilles Villeneuve's tragic death

The tragic loss of Gilles Villeneuve

Video of Jacques Villeneuve driving the Ferrari 312 T4 of his father Gilles (+video)

Jacques Villeneuve drives his father Gilles' Ferrari 312 T4 at Fiorano

Details of the Ferrari 312 T4 Jacques Villeneuve will drive at Fiorano (+photos, video)


Rare and never published photos

Rare photos of the career of the late Gilles Villeneuve (Part 1)

Rare photos of the career of Gilles Villeneuve (Part 2)

Gilles Villeneuve ready to fly Walter Wolf's helicopter. (Photo: Lucie St-Jacques)

Since it is quite difficult to overtake at Circuit de Catalunya, the FIA has decided to use two DRS (Drag Reduction System) zones for this weekend's Grand Prix of Spain.

The first detection point has been located before the entry to Campsa (Turn 9), with the activation area following along the back straight until the braking zone for Turn 10.

Drivers will get a second opportunity to use the DRS on the start-finish straight, with the detection sensor being positioned alongside the entry to the pit lane.

Hopefully, this will generate more passing opportunities. Nine out of the last 10 races at the track have been won from pole position, and last year was no exception.

Image: FIA

From GMM

Niki Lauda has played down reports Mercedes is making a serious bid to secure the services of world champion Sebastian Vettel.

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko revealed on Sunday that Lauda, Mercedes shareholder and chairman, "should absolutely be trying to get Vettel".

Lauda replied to Bild am Sonntag newspaper: "I continued what (former motor sport director Norbert) Haug began."

But speaking to Austria's Osterreich newspaper, 64-year-old Lauda played down suggestions his bid for Vettel is serious.

"Forget it," the outspoken triple world champion insisted. "We're not trying to get him, as he has signed a contract with Red Bull until forever."

Sebastian Vettel in Texas. (Photo: WRi2)

Niki Lauda said Mercedes is very happy with its current driver lineup, comprising Nico Rosberg alongside new signing Lewis Hamilton.

"With Hamilton and Rosberg we have the best pairing (in F1)," he insisted. "The two push each other forward positively, and the driver change has motivated the whole team."

Lauda also confirmed reports that Mercedes has engaged former BMW and Renault racer Robert Kubica as a driver for the team's sophisticated simulator at Brackley.

"He brings a lot of experience. Due to the limited testing, the simulators are becoming very important," said Lauda, referring to the Pole, who is bidding to return to F1 in the future following his near-fatal rally crash in 2011.

While Penske Racing didn't get a reversal of some of the severest penalties ever imposed by NASCAR it could claim a partial victory as Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook reduced seven team members' suspensions from six to two (points) races.

In his official ruling, Middlebrook said “After looking at all the facts and data and interpretations from the rule book, I have decided to uphold the original fines and points penalties,” said John Middlebrook, Chief Appellate Officer.

Photo: NASCAR

“However, I have decided to reduce the suspensions of the seven team members involved from six points races and the all-star race to two points races and the all-star race.”

Thus the remaining points penalties (25) against drivers, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, and $100,000 fines against their crew chiefs remain in force. Still replacing key crew members (crew chiefs, car chiefs and the competition director) is a serious penalty and they will miss this week's race at Darlington and the May 26th 600 miler at the team's home track the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Suspension in NASCAR means not being able to be at the race track.

All-in-all Roger Penske was pleased with the decision. According to the 76-year old “the key thing” was getting his crewmen back to work.

"I think it was fair and equitable," Penske said. "After consideration by John Middlebrook, he felt the fines and penalties were overreaching and made the decision to reduce it.

"It was a good outcome for everyone. We're going to move on."

The penalties were issued after both Keselowski's and Logano's failed pre-race inspection in Texas for the mounting of the rear end suspension. During the appeal Penske said it was clear that his teams were working in "undefined" areas of the rulebook, and not necessarily "breaking" rules.”

The NASCAR appellate process, where suspensions were held in abeyance, also has allowed Penske Racing to start to put a strategy in place to provide interim crewman. Penske said the replacements would be named shortly.

Middlebrook, a retired General Motors Executive, has heard six appeals in his three-year tenure and has reduced penalties in five of those instances.