Thanks to a last-minute financial deal that came through to secure the $25 million in sanctioning fees needed for the new Circuit of the Americas to part of next year’s F1 circus, the US Grand Prix is back on track for 2012.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, had given the consortium that’s constructing the track in time for next season, until December 7th to come up with the money, otherwise the Circuit of the Americas risked being withdrawn from the 2012 racing schedule.

Ecclestone had said that providing the money upfront, as well as assurances that the required funding would be available for the race over the next 10 years, was necessary for the deal between F1 and the Circuit of the Americas to go ahead, even though previously, the Texas state comptroller said that the $25 million in public funds necessary for sanctioning wouldn’t have been made available until the start of the race next year.

Now that the money has been secured, work on constructing the circuit (which had been on hold since November 15th) could resume. The 2012 US Grand Prix is slated to take place on June 17th, one weekend after the Canadian Race in Montreal.

[Source: KXAN news]

It was back in 1967 when the AMG badge first appeared on a Mercedes-Benz product, and in 2012 it will first appear on a Formula 1 car.

In order to promote its performance division, Mercedes-Benz has decided to change the name of its F1 team for the 2012 season, and it will now be called “Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team.”

On this occasion, the director of motorsport at Mercedes, Norbert Haug said: “Our new team name fuses the proud traditions of AMG and the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows at the pinnacle of motorsport. These three letters (AMG) are synonymous with high technology, sporting performance and excitement and this step is a further strong sign of the strategic commitment Mercedes-Benz has made to Formula 1.”

So if you are a fan of the Aufrecht Melcher Grobaspach (AMG) racing cars, wait until March 18, for the first Formula 1 race of 2012, which will be held in Melbourne, Australia, to see your favorite racing cars in action.

[Source: Autocar]

The 2007 Formula 1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen is making a comeback to the sport after a two-year break.

However, its not like he was sitting at home doing nothing for the last two years. Raikkonen dabbled in WRC rallying, and also tried his luck in the NASCAR Truck Series. But it’s F1 where his star shined the brightest, where he had won 18 races and 62 podiums while racing for McLaren and Ferrari. His only championship win came at the wheel of a Ferrari.

Raikkonen’s return to F1 was in the rumor-mill for several months, but many speculated that he will drive for Williams. But the 32-year old from Finland will return with Lotus GP (known as Lotus-Renault GP for the 2011 season). On this occasion, Raikkonen commented: “My hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming. It was an easy choice to return with Lotus GP.”

Raikkonen who first entered F1 in 2001 with Sauber, raised many eyebrows in the paddock when he scored a point in his debut race. He moved to McLaren a year later.

Will Raikkonen’s return be heroic or will he suffer from the same fate Michael Schumacher has been dealing with during his comeback? Only time will tell.

Robert Kubica, one of Formula One’s most promising young drivers, will sit out the start of the 2012 F1 season as he continues to recover from a crash that partially severed his arm.

While Kubica is making a recovery, the pace is not as rapid as some had hoped for. Kubica can move his arm, but it remains unknown whether he is physically fit enough to drive a Formula One car at this time.

Kubica was driving a Skoda rally car in an Italian race when he crashed into a barrier that penetrated his car and nearly sliced off his arm. Kubica was replaced before the start of the 2011 season by Nick Heidfeld and Bruno Senna. Renault will have to look for a replacement for 2012, but says that Kubica has a test car and a crew of mechanics at his disposal when he is ready to return.

Hit the jump to see the official press release

Continue Reading…

One of the most successful partnerships in the history of Formula 1 has to be the combination of a Honda engine in a McLaren chassis and body, with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost behind the wheel. It was the perfect partnership which saw the team win many races and championships.

Over the last 16-years, McLaren has found much success by giving their driver’s Mercedes-Benz power. However, for the last two-years, Mercedes-Benz has been running its own F1 team and rumors started circulating that this will lead to an end to their relationship with McLaren, especially since Mercedes-Benz sold all its shares in McLaren back to the parent company.

With McLaren’s contract coming to an end in 2015 with Mercedes-Benz, much speculation has been circulating on the web and in the paddock as to who will supply engines to the Woking-based team in the future.

This has lead many to speculate that the McLaren-Honda relationship will once again be born, especially since turbo-charged engines are making their way back in Formula 1, and Honda was dominant in the last turbo-era in this sport.

However, McLaren’s managing director Jonathan Neale denies that there has been any contact with Honda. He stresses that McLaren is very well married to Mercedes-Benz for their engines and he sees this partnership continuing into the future.

As for rumors suggesting that Mercedes-Benz might not be giving McLaren its latest motors to give itself an advantage on the track, Neale says he doesn’t think “that’s a concern. ” He goes on to say, “Of course, Mercedes have their own GP team and it’s right and proper that a degree of focus is going to go in that direction, but I was just talking this morning with Thomas Fuhr at Mercedes-Benz – we speak frequently – and we want the same things. It’s in our interest to have consistent engines together because that’s how we get the highest quality.”

The last race of the 2011 F1 season takes place this weekend in Brazil at the Interlagos circuit.

[Source: ESPN]

Next year’s U.S. Grand Prix could be in jeopardy if organizers of the Austin, Texas race do not agree on a contract and pay fees by the end of next week. Formula One’s head honcho Bernie Ecclestone’s patience is clearly wearing thin with negotiations and does not want to wait beyond the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix race in San Paulo on November 27th for a decision to be made.

The first race to be held in the United States since 2007 has been hyped up and highly anticipated but Ecclestone has no problems calling it off if no deal is done. Some might believe that Ecclestone isn’t so focused on working out a deal for the Austin, Texas race since a deal has been settled for a grand prix in New Jersey for 2013.

As with everything else that makes the world turn, negotiations have come down to money, Ecclestone exclaiming that “they can’t bloody well pay,” and “the teams want paying.”

Ecclestone claims that the deal has been ongoing for 18 months now, and that he doesn’t have any contract with anybody concerning the race in Austin. As of Tuesday, construction at the Austin track was halted but Steve Sexton, Circuit of the Americas president, remains optimistic.

At the end of the day though, Ecclestone is clearly becoming impatient and frustrated with the negotiations. “Since we’ve been talking to the people in Austin we’ve done two or three deals with different countries. I don’t know what the problem is for America really.”

[Source: Reuters UK]

Fans of Formula 1 racing and Lotus must have spent this year feeling a bit confused regarding who they should support, since there were two teams going by the name Lotus.

There was Team Lotus, a private team founded by Tony Fernandes (who also owns Caterham Cars), and then there was Group Lotus which was run by Lotus (the guys who make the cars) and their parent company Proton.

The two teams fought over the naming rights. Group Lotus said that the name Lotus belongs to them, while Team Lotus said that their name has always operated in motorsports as a separate entity to the road car business.

Who gets what naming rights was up to the courts to decide, and the verdict is in. Group Lotus is to keep the rights to the Lotus name in motorsports, which means they now own the rights to the Team Lotus name also.

In what is being described as a amicable settlement between the two parties, the former Team Lotus, which is also owned by 1 Malaysia Racing Team, will rename themselves as the Caterham F1 Team for the 2012 season.

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said at the announcement that, “On behalf of Group Lotus and Proton, I would like to express how pleased we are that this matter is finally closed and we can now focus on looking forward to the future.”

The new deal will also lead to a working relationship between the two parties over future automotive projects.

Caterham, a company that started out life as a Lotus dealer, who got the manufacturing rights to the Lotus 7 and has been producing the car for over 30 years now, will now be its own force in Formula 1. Recognition of the Caterham brand will thus grow on a global scale.

The moment has come. Formula One, the pinnacle of international automotive racing, is coming for Greater New York in 2013!

According to well placed sources involved in the matter, the Formula 1 franchise will make an official announcement of the “Formula One Grand Prix of America” some time next week. Slatted for June 2013, the Weehawken-West New York road course of New Jersey will feature a stunning Manhattan skyline backdrop.

A Tuesday press conference at Port Imperial, Weehawken is expected. This project was first proposed in August, when the mayors of Weehawken and West New York issued a joint statement that revealed discussions with a group of investors led by Leo Hindery by Leo Hindery, Jr., a former chief executive of the YES Network, to bring a race to New Jersey were in motion.

The current Formula One calendar features nineteen incredible destinations including Monaco, Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Yas Marina, Montreal, Melbourne, and Catalunya. The last grand prix held in the United States was at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2007.

By 2010, already a three year hiatus, Formula 1 already announced plans for a return to the United States. As we speak, a state-of-the-art $250 million racetrack in Austin, Texas enters the final phases of construction, readying for its debut at the November 2012 Formula One Grand Prix of America. With the addition of the New Jersey circuit, racing fans in the United States finally gets to experience the excitement they deserve.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]

Back in 1997, Germany’s Michael Schumacher was the man to beat in Formula 1. At the last race of the season, he was in a title battle with Canadian Jacques Villeneuve. The winner of the race would take the driver’s championship.

Villeneuve in his Williams-Renault was on pole, but Schumacher’s Ferrari got the better start and took the lead by the first corner. However, as the race progressed, Villeneuve started clawing back at Schumacher, and then on lap 48, took the inside line at the Dry Sack corner to take the lead. In an attempt to take out his opponent, Schumacher turned in and hit Villeneuve’s car. However, the hit proved more lethal to Schumacher, as he had to retire from suspension damage. Villeneuve’s car was damaged, he nursed the car for the next 22  laps and finished the race in third position, enough to give him the F1 Driver’s Championship.

For his actions, Schumacher was stripped off his second place in the driver’s championship by the FIA. So now while the Ferrari camp mourned, the Williams-Renault F1 team and its sponsors rejoiced and celebrated their victory in the hands of a Canadian hero.

One of their sponsors, cigarette giant Rothman’s wanted to give Villeneuve a very special present, and they did so with the car you see on this page. It is a 1997 Dodge Viper R/T10 Roadster, which has been modified by the American tuning specialists Hennessey. The end result is called a Viper Venom 600, the last digits denoting the horsepower figure it produces.

This car is capable of sprinting from 0-60 mph in a claimed 3.3 seconds, and onto a top speed of 205 mph. Perfect daily commuter for an F1 champ then.

Now this one-off special can be yours, as it has been listed for sale. This car has covered 23,000 miles, and while it did suffer mild damage at one point in its life, it has all been repaired properly since.

This car is located in U.K. at the moment, but the seller does mention that World-wide export is available, and the asking price is only $63,300. That might be a lot for a 1997 Viper, but considering it is a Hennessey and one that has a World Champion as its first owner, it might be the ultimate collector piece for an F1 fan.

[Source: Pistonheads]

If you’re an avid follower of Formula 1, you’d have already known that Sebastien Vettel has won the 2011 Drivers Championship. Even though his F1 car is powered by a Renault engine, it is branded an Infiniti for marketing purposes, as Infiniti only launched in Europe this year.

Starting with the FX Sebastien Vettel edition. First shown as a concept vehicle at the Frankfurt Auto Show, this special vehicle is now rumored to be approved for production. While the looks will pretty much stay intact, it is yet to be seen if the production model will also be limited to a top speed of 186 mph.

While Vettel might be a double world champion, F1 is not big in North America, so this hot FX might not even come to our shores. We hope that it does.

Gallery: Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel

[Source: Autoblog]

Barber Motorsports Park’s Leeds, Alabama test track (about 2 hours from Atlanta, Georgia) has now become certified as an approved site for Formula 1 teams to test their cars, but it’s unlikely that Barber will host an F1 race any time soon.

New tracks are required to post a fee of between $25 and $30 million to get the proper certification needed to host a proper Formula 1 race, and neither Barber’s owners nor the state government are willing to fork over the cash (as Texas did to bring the Grand Prix to Austin).

On the other hand, Barber could charge a track rental fee to any team that wanted to test, and with buzz building for the Austin race, having teams test in North America could become a possibility.

[Source: AL.com]

The Williams Formula 1 team has a long and somewhat checkered history at the pinnacle of motor sports, and like some of its competitors, have delved into the business of sports cars. Williams was full at hand with the development of the Renault Clio Williams from the early to mid ’90s, and had even developed a concept van called the Renault Espace F1, which was a minivan with a Renault engine taken from an F1 race car.

While on the motor sport side, Williams is still doing business with Renault (with whom they have just signed on with again for the 2012 season), however it is also working with Jaguar on a very special road car.

The car in question is the C-X75 supercar that Jaguar has decided to put into production. This hybrid supercar will use kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) similar to the ones used in Formula 1 racers, and Williams is responsible for perfecting this technology for use in this super Jaguar.

Williams chairman Adam Parr wants to take thing even further, saying; “We would like to become the competition and sporting side of Jaguar.” In other words, Williams could become the AMG of Jaguar road cars.

Williams has been on hand with the C-X75 from the very beginning. Parr said; “When the C-X75 was first envisaged it was powered by two turbines manufactured by Bladed Jets, which is part owned by Jaguar owner Tata Motors. But we have concentrated on adopting a path that will make the C-X75 the cleanest and more environmentally friendly supercar of all time. “So at the moment we are concentrating on a downsized internal combustion engine combined with some pretty amazing kinetic energy recovery systems.”

This partnership could lead to this technology trickling down to more Jaguar road cars, and could also spawn the return of Jaguar in competitive racing.

Time will tell what more this partnership will bring. For now, expect to see the production C-X75 to hit the showrooms in about two-years time.

GALLERY: Jaguar C-X75

[Source: Autocar]

Niki Lauda, former F1 champion and a man who knows a thing or two about a comeback, is looking at Michael Schumacher’s own, and suggesting that it’s time for him to embrace retired life.

Lauda mounted a comeback after retirement himself, back in 1982 after spending two years off the track. He didn’t do so well this time around, however: he finished 10th at the end of the season, 59 points behind his teammate Alain Prost. Wisely, he quit while he was behind. Today, he sees Schumacher falling into the same trap as he did.

“I have always been a big supporter of Michael’s comeback, because I did it, and I know what it’s all about,” said Lauda, to Motor Sport magazine. “I think every sportsman—if he wants to perform as well as Schumacher did in the past—has to be honest with himself. He has kept saying that he needs more time, blah, blah, blah, and he presents himself as the relaxed guy who’s really enjoying it—but inside he’s not relaxed at all, because no top racing driver enjoys being beaten. If he really were as relaxed as he claims to be, then Mercedes should tell him to retire!”

An Italian newspaper reported that Schumacher had considered quitting the Mercedes-Benz team, but Schumi’s manager countered by stating that he was as committed as ever. Who knows what it will take to unnerve Schumacher’s typically relaxed demeanor, and whether he’ll heed Lauda’s advice.

[Source: ESPN F1]

Seven time F1 champ Michael Schumacher may re-retire at the end of the 2011 racing season, despite a contract that extends a full year beyond that point.

Schumacher first retired in 2006, only to return to the pinnacle of motorsports in 2009, driving for Mercedes-Benz.

“I arrived at Mercedes with a specific task: not winning at all costs but to grow the team,” he said in an interview with Corriere dello Sport. “If anything, I am the problem: it is a fact that I am a bit more relaxed than before and I do not know if my mindset is right for this team.”

Those words seem to speak volumes about Schumacher’s intentions, but no decision has been made yet he insists. “At some point we will evaluate whether I continue or stop,” he said.

If Schumacher does retire from F1, Mercedes is expected to draft Force India pilot Paul di Resta to race along side Nico Rosberg.

[Source: Speed]

With the construction well underway in Austin, TX for a purpose built F1 track, you could be forgiven for thinking the US-F1 deal is settled for the next few years at least, but you’d be wrong.

According to reports from The Wall Street Journal, New Jersey could come in the picture and host a second race in the United States.

The project, which was previously put on hold due to activists opposed to holding such an event in the Garden State, just across the Hudson from the Manhattan skyline, is building up steam again. A new proposal is in the works to have a race hosted in the townships of Weehawken and West New York. The project’s backer stressed that all expenses for this event will come from private money, and not from taxpayers.

If all goes to plan, US could once again be hosting two Formula 1 races a year. Back in the 1970′s, East and West Grand Prixs were held back to back, one at Watkins Glen, NY and the other at Long Beach, CA.

[Source: Autoblog]

Anyone who built model cars as a kid would appreciate should pay attention to an upcoming auction featuring an installation by artist Jay Burridge. Burridge has created a life-size “Airfix kit” out of a McLaren MP4/6, one of the greatest Formula 1 racing cars of its era.

The sculpture has some serious provenance behind it, as the MP4/6 was formerly raced by Formula 1 great Ayrton Senna.

Now this very piece can be yours if you have the highest bid at the COYS auction at the Nurburgring on August 13th. This sculpture was recently unveiled at Blenheim Palace in Oxforshire, England. Dennis Rushen, who was Senna’s manager was on hand to admire the sculpture.

“I was really impressed with the Senna sculpture. Such a clever idea and it really stands out as something really different. He was really into models and he would have appreciated the concept,” Rushen said.

COYS believes the sculpture will fetch over $50,000.

[Source: Road and Track]

When you’re a die-hard racing fan, you need to own anything and everything that’s related to the sport. Here’s one more thing to add to your wish list – a cool line of tables constructed and detailed using the same materials used in Formula 1 vehicles.

Ava, the line of tables made by Glen D. Fuller and his company Fuller Design Associates, partnered with six different Indianapolis motorsport companies to bring you this unique furniture. Using the same carbon fiber as the Aerodyne motor vehicles do, the tables look as flashy as the racing cars.

Boasting a honeycomb structure core, the tables are lightweight and strong. In fact, the coffee table tips the scales at just 13 pounds, so you can move it anywhere in the room quite easily. Giving it that polished look is a multi-coating procedure that uses six to seven coats.  A sand-blocking procedure is performed after ever coat and is polished off, giving it the same sheen as those on a racing car.

The line offers coffee tables, desks and gathering tables. The prices in the Ava collection vary, but the coffee tables start in price from $9,500 each.

[Source: Born Rich]

Some might know David Coulthard as a DTM-series racing driver, piloting a Mercedes-Benz C-class racer. Some might know him as a commentator for the Formula-One races broadcast by the BBC. However, most know him best as a Formula One driver, who has won 13-races in this elite series, and was once part of the dream team at McLaren-Mercedes with teammate Mika Hakkinen.

Now Coulthard can add another occupation to his resume, brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz’s AMG division.

From now on, the 40 year old Scotland native will be an active member during customer and press days, and his first duties with the brand revolve around the new 557-hp E63 AMG.

At the announcement, Ola Källenius, Chairman of Mercedes-Benz AMG said: “We are very pleased to welcome David Coulthard as a new member of the AMG family. As a fair sportsman and well-liked personality, David is perfectly suited to AMG and its more than 40 years of motorsports history. As an active DTM driver and Formula-One driver of many years standing, David Coulthard has very extensive know-how which makes him a very knowledgeable partner for our engineers when configuring new AMG high-performance models.”

Coulthard, who was also at hand for this announcement said: “I have been a member of the Mercedes-Benz family since 1996, and now I am also joining AMG as an exciting high-performance brand. This is without doubt the perfect complement to my job as a DTM driver, where I already drive an AMG C-Class of course.”

The world of Formula One has been flipped upside down by new regulations approving the switch from current V8 engines to V6 turbos. The rev limiter has also been lowered from 18,000 rpm to 15,000 as a major change. As a result, many companies associated with the commercial side of the sport are very concerned about a decline in popularity. Renault and the FIA want to see F1 become more environmentally active while Ferrari and Bernie Ecclestone feel that abandoning what F1 has become known for will affect ticket sales.

In fact, some companies and race promoters are becoming antsy and are threatening to move to IndyCar racing instead. Promoters feel that the signature engine note produced by the V8, V10 and V12 engines will be lost, and with it, a major part of Formula 1′s branding. Bernie Ecclestone cannot blame the companies and could hardly hold the race promoters at fault. Switching to V6 engines may prove to be trickier than imagined because the F1 is a bigger spectacle these days than it was in the past, when the racing itself mattered more than the commercial aspect.

[Source: Autoblog]

The McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will make its first official public appearance at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed, taking place from June 30th to July 3rd.

The GT3 will differ from the MP4-12C through aerodynamic performance upgrades including a front radiator, which increases the maximum ambient temperature at which the car can run. Other upgrades include a new gearbox cooler mounted on the rear aerodeck. A new front splitter will also be fitted to the GT3 along with a door blade, rear wing, diffuser and louvres in the front fenders. These components will be produced entirely from carbon fibre by McLaren Racing.

Only 20 of these cars will be delivered to private GT3 racing teams in Europe for 2012. The GT3 will also feature Formula 1 derived technologies including the same steering wheel design used by Lewis Hamilton in his MP4-24 Formula 1 car. Respected Formula 1 suppliers such as Akebono, Mobil 1, McLaren Electronic Systems, Ricardo and Michelin are working to create race car specification technology superior to the GT3 competition in 2012.

Andrew Kirkaldy from McLaren GT explained that: “The reaction to the 12C GT3 at the circuits we have visited has been phenomenal. I can’t wait to see how it goes down at Goodwood this weekend.”

“CRS Racing was clearly excited to be confirmed as partner in this project as we were only too aware of McLaren’s short, but unbelievable GT history with the F1. But the anticipation amongst circuit owners and race teams to McLaren’s return to GT racing has still surprised us.  I’m delighted that we have the opportunity to drive the 12C GT3 up the hill at Goodwood and raise the interest even further” said Andrew Kirkaldy.

Drivers accompanying the GT3 at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed include Andrew Kirkaldy, 2010 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test driver Oliver Turvey, and McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver Chris Goodwin.

Gallery: McLaren MP4-12C GT3

Replicating a stunt from back in 2003 when Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Gordon swapped race cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earlier this week F1 pilot Lewis Hamilton and NASCAR racer Tony Stewart made the switch.

Organized by Mobil 1 (which sponsors both racers), the event took place at Watkins Glen, the site of the first Formula 1 race in America. It’s also one of very few tracks to have ever hosted both an F1 and a NASCAR race.

Little more than a marketing stunt, it’s fun to watch and see how the two driver’s compare. Plus, we all know Montoya couldn’t resist the lure of NASCAR. Hamilton… you next?

Watch the videos after the jump:

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Infiniti’s Performance Line (IPL) seems to be a little bit underwhelming right now, but it looks like the luxury car manufacturer is continuing to push forward to prove their IPL G37 Coupe can be a total blast to drive. By teaming up with Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull’s Formula One defending champion, Infiniti is planning to come out with a special edition G37 Coupe that’s inspired by the young driver’s prowess.

Sebastian Vettel is the best driver out there in Formula One right now, and this video shows just how smoothly and effortlessly he commands the IPL G37 Coupe. It’ll be interesting if this partnership really helps influence demand on the IPL line of offerings from Infiniti, but here’s to hoping that it’ll feature some real performance add-ons and not just some special badging and minor accessories.

Check out the video of Sebastian Vettel behind the wheel of an IPL G37 Coupe after the break.

[Source: FastLaneDaily]

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Gymkhana expert, flat-bill cap aficionado and a man who knows the importance of thanking his sponsors, Ken Block, will drive a Formula 1 car.

Wait… what? OK, Block won’t actually race a car, he’s just going to drive one. The car will be the Pirelli F1 test car, and Block will drive it on August 5th at Monza in Italy. The stunt is being arranged through Pirelli, which signed on as one of Block’s sponsors in 2009 and is the current tire supplier for Formula One.

“I’ve been lucky enough to do some pretty spectacular stunts in my career so far,” said the stunt-driver turned WRC pro, “but this is something else! Everybody talks about Formula One being the pinnacle of world motorsport so I can’t wait to discover it for myself. I’m very grateful to Pirelli, which has been one of my partners since 2010, for this amazing opportunity. These cars are so specialised that I need to be realistic about what I can do, but I know that it’s going to be a lot of fun and take hooning to a whole new level…”