The Motorsport Thread

Certainly not Bathurst, no. It's not that long really.

Circuit de la Sarthe doesn't take too long to get around compared to the Nordschleife.
 
Today was 1st test day for Formula E on very wet Donington National Layout. Sebastien Buemi was fastest.

FIA Formula E Championship-
Day 1, Donington Park- Test Results (Combined Times):
1. Sebastien Buemi, e.dams-Renault, 1:35.475
2. Lucas di Grassi, Audi Sport ABT, +0.537
3. Sam Bird, Virgin Racing, +0.895
4. Bruno Senna, Mahindra Racing, +0.910
5. Stephane Sarrazin, Venturi, +1.223
6. Nicolas Prost, e.dams-Renault, +1.232
7. Jarno Trulli, Trulli, +1.494
8. Daniel Abt, Audi Sport ABT, +1.737
9. Jaime Alguersuari, Virgin Racing, +1.970
10. Karun Chandhok, Mahindra Racing, +2.057
11. Franck Montagny, Andretti Autosport, +2.587
12. Antonio Felix da Costa, Amlin Aguri, +2.604
13. Jerome d’Ambrosio, China Racing, +2.611
14. Antonio Garcia, China Racing, +2.729
15. Nick Heidfeld, Venturi, +5.269
16. Mike Conway, Dragon Racing, +5.693
17. Gil de Ferran, Andretti Autosport, +9.497
18. Scott Speed, Andretti Autosport, +10.434
19. Katherine Legge, Amlin Aguri, +12.821
20. Michela Cerruti, Trulli, No time set

http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2014/july/sebastien-buemi-fastest-at-first-formula-e-test.aspx

And here is one onboard lap of Formula E car at Donington
YouTube - Formula E - Onboard lap of Donington Park
 
well, this is their 1st test with all drivers and we just can't know how much anyone was pushing in those wet conditions. I hope that field will be much closer when real racing comes, as it would really be shame if there is no competition at all in spec-car series.
 
DTM is racing in Moscow right now. I didn't pay much attention during last year's race, because of relationship problems back then, only remembered that I didn't like the track. In contrast to last year they are currently using the full and not the sprint layout, yet it still looks too sterile to me (somehow like the Queensland "paperclip"). Except for the long straight it obviously also lacks good overtaking spots.
 
S-NipE said:
DTM is racing in Moscow right now. I didn't pay much attention during last year's race, because of relationship problems back then, only remembered that I didn't like the track. In contrast to last year they are currently using the full and not the sprint layout, yet it still looks too sterile to me (somehow like the Queensland "paperclip"). Except for the long straight it obviously also lacks good overtaking spots.
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Just watched the race on Youtube. I thought it was quite entertaining. Using the GP layout made for a better spectacle. I agree that it's not the best track as it has some of the less desirable architectural traits of Hermann Tilke, but it is what it is.

The Russian market is big business for the German manufacturers so I can't see the DTM leaving this circuit in the foreseeable future. So many better places to race in Europe - Portimao, Zolder, Spa, Brno and plenty of options in the UK - but the DTM has to go where the money is.

Not sure what's happening with the Chinese round. I read that it's not going to take place in Guangzhou and may move to Zhuhai instead.
 
Agree on all four tracks that you mentioned, great tracks and would love to see them there. Guess Spa, Brno and Portimao are a bit too long for the DTM, spectators wouldn't see the cars a lot due to the track lengths.

Guangzhou was officially replaced by Zandvoort today, so happy, absolutely love Zandvoort, another one of the great old tracks.
 
S-NipE said:
Agree on all four tracks that you mentioned, great tracks and would love to see them there. Guess Spa, Brno and Portimao are a bit too long for the DTM, spectators wouldn't see the cars a lot due to the track lengths.

Guangzhou was officially replaced by Zandvoort today, so happy, absolutely love Zandvoort, another one of the great old tracks.
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Just read the news about Zandvoort on Touring Car Times. Very pleased with the return of Zandvoort, even if it's only this year as seems to be the case. Fantastic track.

Yes, maybe Spa is too long for the DTM, although the slower WTCC cars ran a couple of good races there a few weeks back and plan to run the 'ring next year, so I guess track length isn't an issue in that series. Portimao is about the same length as Hockenheim and Brno is a little longer. I don't see a problem with either of those venues on a technical level, but there's little commercial value in them unfortunately.

I'd love to see the DTM back in the UK. We've had a number of drivers involved in the series for many years now, we have some great tracks and very passionate spectators who attend in large numbers. I can understand why the DTM wanted to leave Brands Hatch. It's kind of cramped and the Indy circuit isn't ideally suited to these cars. I know it wasn't popular with a number of drivers. If the circuit organisers were able to allow the DTM to use the Brands Hatch GP layout I feel the venue would have been a universal drivers' favourite, but the full layout can only be used a few times a year due to noise restrictions. Maybe the DTM will visit Silverstone or Donington Park one day?
 
Volkswagen Race Touareg
Was it made only for rally from the beginning?
Isn't it for sale, is it?
There's nothing about it at VW website.
I'd like to buy one if I win a lottery someday.

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It's very, very loosely based on a VW Touareg, but this rally car is a heavily modified vehicle, only has few things in common with the production series' Touareg.
 
Those pictures below seem to say that Race Touareg is being sold to the public now.
But there isn't even a mention of it at VW Website.

I wonder if VW are selling Race Touareg to the public now.
If then, where and how to buy one?

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well, they waved checkered flag in China one lap early...so everything is possible these days in motorsport :LOL:
 
How can you lose a fricken flag? Especially, if it's the only one needed, because all other signals are signals nowadays! :D
 
I like the look of these cars, but they sound like an auto scooter you can find on every fair...

Looks like it was quite tense race, hard crash, glad to see these cars are just as safe as their "bigger brothers". That traffic surroundings look so unsafe safe though Heidfeld's car was rocketed into the air, could have ended very bad.
 
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Well, race was ok-ish, but it would be much better if that track in Beijing wasn't so dull right, left, chicane, left, chicane, chicane, left, chicane, left...and it was so tight it was fantastic to see any overtakes.
 
Formula E will use shorter version on Monaco circuit when they race there in May 2015.
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Instead of going uphill after T1 like F1 they will have tighter T1 which will lead them down towards the tunnel. Than where there is chicane on F1 circuit they will have right hairpin that will connect them to the last half of the F1 circuit including Tabac, Swimming Pool and Rascasse corners.
 
big crash for Mark Webber half an hour before the end of WEC race in Interlagos
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EDIT:
Former Formula One driver Mark Webber has suffered a major crash in the 6 hours race of Sao Paulo, the last event of this year's World Endurance Championship.

Webber ran the final stint of the race in the #20 Porsche 919 Hybrid until he crashed head on into the concrete wall on the outside of the high speed turn 14 at Interlagos - the same circuit that hosts the Brazilian GP. It is unclear at the moment what exactly happened, but the incident also involved the #90 AF Corse Ferrari driven by Cressoni, suggesting they may have touched.

Webber was extracted from his car and driven to the medical centre for chek-ups. He is however fine, as confirmed by the Porsche Racing team, and himself with a thumbs up when lying on the stretcher. Cressoni was also reporting as being fine after the crash.

The race was subsequently neutralized by a safety car, requiring the racecars to queue up for the final 25 minutes. The race finished behind the safety car with Porsche's #14 of Neel Jani taking the team's first WEC victory, fulfilling Porsche's target at the beginning of the year.

Toyota Racing meanwhile were crowned constructors' champions of the 2014 WEC championship after finishing second and fourth at today's race.

The race was also the final one for Tom Kristensen. The 47 year old Dane announced his departure from motorsport earlier but managed to round off his career with a third place finish at Sao Paulo.
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Further testament to the design of the modern race car. That's the sort of impact drivers wouldn't have 'walked away' from a couple of decades ago.

Glad both are ok.
 
today was first outing of new Nissan GT-R LM Nismo LMP1 car with which Nissan will enter in FIA WEC this year.
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It will be 1st front-engined LMP1 car in Le Mans since Panoz cars in early 2000s.

If reports are to be believed car will be powered by Cosworth's V6 turbo hybrid previously being developed for F1, but because there were no customers for it development was stopped and it was never run in F1 car.
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EDIT: And here is new Porsche 919 Hybrid 2015 car for new season
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Nissan GR-R LM Nismo has been officially presented to public
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It is forward engined with gearbox in front of the engine. 3.0L V6 twin turbo engine that produces more than 1200HP and drives front wheels. Just when you thought innovation is long gone from motorsport Nissan comes with something completely different from what everyone else is doing.
 
The question in here though is not just if it is innovative, but successful. I'm neither an engineer nor car fanatic enough to understand what effects this can have? Can you explain it to me?
 
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