A £25m redevelopment of Silverstone, which could help secure the British Grand Prix's future, has been approved.
Members of the British Racing Drivers' Club, who own the Northamptonshire circuit, backed the ambitious scheme at an extraordinary general meeting.
It includes new grandstands, pit and paddock facilities, a science park, manufacturers' test centre, hotel and conference centre, plus new homes.
BRDC chief Damon Hill said: "It's a great result for British motorsport."
Silverstone's contract to stage the British GP expires in 2009, and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has insisted on major improvements at the track.
Former F1 champion Hill said: "The BRDC's masterplan is not only important to Silverstone and its continued hosting of the British GP, but also the development of the sport in this country.
"We can only continue to develop exciting young stars like Lewis Hamilton if we have the best facilities at which to nurture such talent.
"Having won the British Grand Prix myself I know how special it is for a driver to win their home race.
"So we would very much like for that opportunity to be there for future generations."
BRDC chairman Robert Brooks added: "This is a clear demonstration of the club's absolute commitment to deliver a world-class venue of which British motor sport enthusiasts can be truly proud."
(Source: BBC.co.uk)
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Silverstone plan gets green light
FIA President gives fresh hope for Ferrari in spy row
Five days after the FIA's world motor sport council unanimously concluded that the McLaren formula one team should not be penalised for alleged industrial espionage against their world championship rivals Ferrari, the case was dramatically reopened last night by the personal intervention of Max Mosley, the FIA president.
Mosley, who is also president of the world motor sport council, has used his personal powers to permit Ferrari the opportunity to offer their interpretation of events in front of the governing body's court of appeal.
Ferrari were not technically a party to last week's proceedings when the FIA summoned McLaren to explain why more than 700 confidential design documents were found at the home of their chief designer, Mike Coughlan.
Ferrari have confirmed they are launching legal proceedings in Italy against their former mechanic Nigel Stepney for the alleged "theft of technical information". The proceedings come on top of those opened against Stepney for the alleged sabotage of fuel used in Ferrari cars during trials before the Monaco grand prix, which are being considered by a Modena magistrate. Stepney denies any wrongdoing.
Ferrari are also set to pursue their civil case against Coughlan and his wife in the London high court over the alleged receipt of the Ferrari technical information.
(Source: Guardian.co.uk)
Vision X and Durka Durka Join Forces
Durka Durka would like to thank Vision X Off Road Lighting for sponsoring the SCORE Las Vegas Terrible's Cup III race photos.
To view the gallery go to DurkaDurkaPhoto.com
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
A CALL TO ALL MOTOR RACING FANS
Total Racing Network
If you want racing other than NASCAR: We are getting closer to launch and need your help.
If a 24/7 racing network were created devoted exclusively to motor racing other than NASCAR with thousands of hours of live, historical and first run racing as well as many weekly race magazine-style shows including weekly coverage of major domestic and international series, behind the scenes access including the following classifications - some of which will be available in HD:
|
|
|
Would you be willing to:
Switch from your current cable or satellite provider to the cable or satellite provider that carries The Racing Network, OR add the additional cable or satellite provider in order to watch The Racing Network?
(One response per household, please)
Ferrari weigh up spy-case options
Ferrari appear to have accepted that they cannot appeal to the FIA against the governing body's decision last week not to punish McLaren after the British team were found guilty of having improperly acquired almost 800 technical drawings of this year's Ferrari F2007 contender.
A Ferrari spokesman was quoted as saying the formula one rules did not allow an appeal against a decision by the World Motor Sport Council. However, it was made clear to the bbc.sport website that the Italian team were "valuating all possible options" when it came to pursuing the case. This hints at a court challenge, although in the past most civil courts have simply referred such disputes back to the governing body.
The spokesman said the team's legal cases were continuing in Italy and England against the former Ferrari employee Nigel Stepney and the man to whom he is believed to have leaked the paperwork, McLaren's chief designer Mike Coughlan. The FIA ruled on Thursday that the championship was materially unaffected by McLaren's possession of the documents but they still face a ban if they are shown to have benefited from the information.
The high court said on Monday that no more proceedings were planned in Ferrari's case against Coughlan, who has been suspended by the McLaren team pending the outcome of these hearings. Ferrari said they were pressing on with their claim against the Englishman.
(Source: Guardian.co.uk)
Renault F1 team announces $50 million boost
Formula One champions Renault announced a $50 million programme of long-term technology investment on Monday after slipping behind their main rivals on the racetrack this season.
The team said in a statement that the programme, including a new computational fluid dynamics (CFD) facility to be built at their Enstone factory, had the full support of the French carmaker.
"This programme of technology investment in the team sends a strong signal about our commitment to a competitive future in Formula One," team boss Flavio Briatore said.
Technical director Bob Bell added that the new CFD centre would allow the team to develop new techniques and skills with applications far beyond Formula One.
"While other teams have invested in costly second wind tunnels, we believe that CFD is a technology of the future that will be integral to the design and development of more efficient vehicles," he said.
The team said the new CFD facility would provide them with 10 times their current capacity in that field.
It added that the construction work would meet stringent environmental targets, with the CFD centre built below ground level and powered by renewable energy.
Renault, winner of both Formula One titles for the past two seasons with now-departed Spaniard Fernando Alonso, have struggled this year and are currently fourth overall with seven races remaining.
Neither Italian Giancarlo Fisichella nor Finland's Heikki Kovalainen have finished on the podium this year and between them they have scored just 32 points from 10 races to McLaren's 138 and Ferrari's 111.
(Source: Reuters)
Monday, July 30, 2007
Ferrari fury over McLaren verdict
The Ferrari Formula One team reacted with fury after rivals McLaren were let off without any immediate punishment in the F1 spying row.
Despite McLaren being in possession of confidential Ferrari data it was deemed there was "insufficient evidence" it had affected this year's title race.
"This decision legitimises dishonest behaviour in F1 and sets a very serious precedent," said a Ferrari statement.
"We feel this is highly prejudicial to the credibility of the sport."
McLaren described the verdict as "very balanced and fair" as they had committed a "purely technical breach" of the regulations.
The row erupted after the chance discovery that McLaren's chief designer Mike Coughlan - who has since been suspended by the team - was in possession of a confidential 780-page Ferrari technical dossier.
But the World Motorsport Council's disciplinary panel declined to impose any penalty because it said it could not find any evidence that "this information was used in such a way as to interfere improperly with the FIA F1 world championship."
Ferrari, who sacked former head of performance development Nigel Stepney over his alleged role in the affair, said they could not see any logic in this decision, and would continue with legal action in the Italian criminal courts and English civil courts.
"Ferrari... finds it incomprehensible that violating the fundamental principle of sporting honesty does not have, as a logical and inevitable consequence, the application of a sanction," the team statement said.
"In fact, the decision of the World Council signifies that possession, knowledge at the very highest level and use of highly confidential information acquired in an illicit manner and the acquiring of confidential information over the course of several months, represent violations that do not carry any punishment.
"This is all the more serious as it has occurred in a sport like F1 in which small details make all the difference."
However, in a statement from McLaren, team boss Ron Dennis said: "There is no doubt that the past 24 days have been challenging and the tremendous support we have received from our sponsor partners and the public has been much appreciated.
"Moving forward McLaren wants to re-affirm our long-standing commitment to honesty and integrity and re-state that we believe we have acted correctly throughout.
"Now, we have Formula One World Championships to win. As a result we intend to move on, so as to maintain the focus and commitment required to do exactly that."
McLaren's British driver Lewis Hamilton, who leads the drivers' standings, said: "Whilst it's only my first season in Formula One with the team, I already know and appreciate the commitment and dedication of the people there.
"As a result I am pleased with today's decision and can't wait for the rest of the season."
(Source: BBC.co.uk)
Posts
