There are now reports surfacing out of the Czech Republic that home automaker Skoda will now develop a 1.6T engine and continue development on the Fabia S2000 chassis. While the details are a little thin at the moment, it would appear that the WRC will have at least the four manufacturers it was hoping for. There is currently no news on whether this will be a supply to privateers or a factory effort, but the Czech team has shown itself very well in the IRC at the factory level. From…
Read MoreCategory: Featured
All of the latest stories from your favorite series located here!
F1 – Thoughts on Malaysia GP
It has been told to me a number of times that the third race is usually the first “actual” race of the season. A time where we start to see clearly where the teams stack up against each other. Sepang would be this third race and I was able to pull away some interesting ideas while also gathering a clear understanding of who the real contenders would be. Red Bull Racing used this weekend to put on yet another clinic. This time they were able to get the job done.…
Read MoreRally – Jordan Gets Dirty
The dust was not the only thing that made things rather dirty on day 3 of Rally Jordan. There was tactics a plenty and some rather questionable moves by a few select individuals that would make the result a little sketchy. After the misfortune suffered by Mikko Hirvonen on day 2, Sebastian Loeb merely just needed to finish the event in order to collect a hefty points lead heading into Turkey. The Frenchman did just that by taking his 56th career victory over the factory Ford number 2 of Jari-Matti…
Read MoreRally – Misfortune for Hirvonen and Ogier
Mikko Hirvonen wrecked his Ford Focus this morning in the opening stage of the morning. The Finn who had set himself for a better road position yesterday, ended up playing a version of rally car pinball. The Ford driver who looked invincible in Sweden and Monte is clearly going to have his confidence rattled after this crash. Not only was the Ford way off the pace in Mexico, but now the hopes and dreams of the blue oval racers rests on a surprisingly good Jari-Matti Latvala. The clear number two…
Read MoreEpisode 32 – Open Paddock Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin the crew as we celebrate OP’s 1 year celebration that we almost forgot. We also break down Australia and St. Pete. We also break the hot news of the week and look ahead to Rally Jordan and the Malaysian Grand Prix. Sit back with one of your favorite adult beverages (or coffee if on your way to your job) and enjoy Episode 32.
Read MoreRally – 2010 WRC iPhone App
The WRC has taken a technological leap forward with delivering their product to fans all over the world. The premier rally series has released an iPhone app that is simply BRILLIANT! Unlike a number of racing apps out there for say F1 and ALMS, this WRC app has the ability to dial into the WRC radio station so as individuals on the move can tune into the rally via there mobile. That in itself makes the app worth the price. How much you ask? Oh thats right…its FREE! Along with…
Read MoreF1 – Torque Drive Ended Vettel’s Race
It has now being reported that the left torque drive was the reason for Sebastian Vettel’s retirement down under this weekend. This coming out as Brembo says their brake system was in fact not at fault for what happened to the 22 year old star. Below is a segment of the press release from Brembo: “With regard to the retirement of the Red Bull Racing’s driver Sebastian Vettel during the Grand Prix of Australia, Brembo communicates that the cause of his exit in Turn 13 was not caused by the…
Read MoreRally – Manufacturer Supply and Demand Issues
2011 will see both Ford and Citroen drop their current WRC cars in favor of the new technical regulations that allow for only S2000 chassis and 1.6 litre turbo engines. That has presented an interesting issue. Both Citroen and M-Sport are at capacity building the DS3 and Ford Fiesta WRC respectably. Because of the manufacturers efforts in developing, testing, and building these machines in time for next season, there is currently no way to produce a C4 or Focus in case of emergency this season. This can be a REAL…
Read MoreF1 – Australian Grand Prix Thoughts
Saturday night/Sunday morning brought us the second round of the Formula 1 2010 campaign and WOW! What a difference a wet track makes! Jenson Button would take an impressive victory and would actually get a couple respect points added in my book. The first corner clash of champions would prove too much for Michael Schumacher to overcome, but what about Fernando Alonso? What a dominant performance in the Ferrari after being spun completely around. I for one had wrote him off after that and he then showed me why he…
Read MoreIndyCar – St. Petersburg Practice 3
Despite a rocky start, the Timing and Scoring on IndyCar.com finally came online, although the video was more of a slideshow than smooth video. Here’s hoping that the online coverage improves over the season. The ontrack action, however was pretty dicey. Ryan Hunter-Reay narrowly avoided being hit by Duno, Viso, and apparently just about everyone else on the grid. Once again, Will Power showed that he has the measure of this circuit, although the other drivers have caught up a bit. The surprise performer this session was EJ Viso rising…
Read More