BLOG: Happy Christmas Roadies!

Well, we're taking our lead from the Government, and packing in for Christmas and New Year today! So we just wanted to say a quick thank you to all the Road Magazine readers and blog followers – we really appreciate your support for our humble daily auto blog and magazine, and we hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
We'll be back in early 2014 with more ace blogging, our fabulous glossy magazine and the usual Facebook and Twitter nonsense. Have a good one! Oh, and if you get bored over the festive season… here's a link to all the back issues of Road :-)
Finally, a massive thanks to my wife, Bonnie of Royle Media (who does all of Road's gorgeous design work) and all who help contribute to Road… including Travis drummer and Road racer, Neil Primrose,  Stuart Staples, Andy Robinson, Ashley Van Dyke etc. I couldn't do it without you! Season's greetings one and all! Road Magazine Editor, Phil Royle

OFFER: "Racing & Waiting" Ice Driving Courses 2014

Our pal Tim Hutton over at Racing & Waiting is offering another dose of Winter driving magic in Norway in early 2014. And if you don't know how much fun ice driving courses are, have a look here.

Racing & Waiting founder, Tim says: "Following on from the success of this collaboration with Classic Grand Touring this year I am very pleased to be able to offer Ice Driving to you all again. This is possibly the most fun you can have on four wheels... Thomas has been visiting the same lake for the last five winters and knows all the elements required to make the trip a very memorable one. 

"CGT will arrange the flights and hire cars to transport you up to the lake. We will have accommodation organised for three nights allowing us two full days driving on the lake. We will also get initial instruction in each of the FWD, RWD and 4WD cars to get the most out of them, then you will be free to enjoy the different cars all day long. At the end of the weekend there will be a timed stage to assess how far you have mastered the art of driving quickly on ice.
"I have been grinning all year after attending this in March, it really is great fun. There is no need to spend thousands on driving 911's or Lamborghini's on ice, this gives the same thrill at a fraction of the cost and the moose burgers aren't half bad either! Below is the full itinerary, if you are interested get in touch with Classic Grand Touring and tell Thomas I sent you!"

The dates & details are:
Thursday 30th January
Fly from Gatwick on the 0910 flight arriving at Oslo Gardemoen airport at 1220. We collect our hire cars here and drive in convoy up to the lake; expect a three hour drive. We will go straight to the lake for our briefing on the weekend’s activities, and there might even be time for a few laps before the sun goes down.

Friday 31st January
After breakfast we head to the lake to get started in the cars. We will share the time between the cars available whilst taking instruction through the day. Lunch is included here.

Saturday 1st February
Again we have a full day on the Lake with lunch included. We aim to round the day off with a timed stage. We will have a finalé evening at one of the ski resorts.

Sunday 2nd February
This morning we will use all the skills we have learned and apply them to ice karting! We then return back to Oslo airport for the 1820 flight arriving into Gatwick at 1930.

The price
£795 per person based on two persons sharing a room (single supplement £150).

What’s included:
• Return flights to Oslo International airport
from London Gatwick
• Three nights hotel accommodation on bed
and breakfast basis
• Use of Ice driving cars on lake
• Tuition
• Lunch on two of the days
• Services of an experienced tour manager

What’s not included:
• Road car hire

VIDEO: One For Our Norwegian Rally Readers!

As a treat for all our lovely, new-found readers in Norway – to which we say Hei! Hvordan går det? – here's a cool video with the Norwegian Royal family of rallying, the Solberg brothers (Petter & Henning) and the army. Sounds quite random, but it's a really well proceed video by Petter Foshaug. Check it out!

BLOG: Just How Ace Will WRC 2014 Be?

This year's WRC has been totally splendid – with VW making history dominating the drivers' and manufacturers' championships with their new Polo R, and the season ending on such a high with a VW 1-2 at a revitalised Wales Rally GB, as you can read in our latest issue here.

And with Hyundai stepping up to the plate with the fresh-faced i20 WRC for 2014 – with the youthful talent of the new Mr consistency, Thierry Neuville, the multi-surface skills of testing ace Juho Hänninen, the tarmac-terrorist, Dani Sordo and gravel giant, Chris Atkinson driving – the sport is looking in finer and finer shape. 

It's so great to have two new teams and their cool new cars to battle alongside the more establish Citroën Racing DS3 WRC and M-Sport's Ford Fiesta RS WRC. 

And the best news – for us British rally fans, who still miss the days of Burns & McRae doing battle with the best – is that we now have not one, but two British drivers in top teams and ace, established cars in the 2014 WRC.

Kris Meeke gets a WRC seat with co-driver Paul Nagle (racing alongside Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson) in an all-new Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team line up, which you can read about here. 

And now, after a storming season in WRC2 – including his win at Wales Rally GB by a country mile – Malcolm Wilson has gifted Welshman, Elfyn Evans an M-Sport drive in the Fiesta RS WRC in 2014. Yay!

Both announcements are massive boosts for UK rallying – coming following what was without doubt the best Wales Rally GB for years – and they make for a thrilling prospect for 2014 WRC, for all rally fans, but especially us Brits.  

Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of Wales Rally GB organiser International Motor Sports is understandably ecstatic at the prospect of having two British drivers back at the sport’s highest level, saying: "This is just fantastic news for the sport in the UK and, in particular Wales. We were thrilled when Citroen signed Kris and now we are further excited that M-Sport has given Elfyn this equally fabulous opportunity. To have a Welsh driver competing at the forefront of the World Championship is a great reward for the Welsh Government, which has been a great supporter of our sport for more than a decade.

"The timing couldn’t be much better either, coming so soon after the huge success of last month’s revitalised Wales Rally GB. The move to a new base in north Wales saw the reintroduction of some classic forest stages and a huge leap in spectator numbers – the only ingredient missing was a British driver in contention for victory. Now, with Kris and Elfyn both in major teams, we have two potential British winners."
Evans is widely hailed as one of the sport’s brightest up-and-coming talents. The baby-faced 24-year-old – son of 1996 British Rally Champion and rally stalwart, Gwyndaf Evans – won the WRC Academy in 2012 and last year impressed in the WRC2 category, notably when taking top class honours on Wales Rally GB on his home soil.
Now the youngster and his co-driver Daniel Barritt graduate to one of two officially entered M-Sport Fiesta RS WRCs as team-mates to multiple WRC winner Mikko Hirvonen, who is due a better year and is sure to come out fighting, especially after his muddy, unceremonious roll in Wales!
"It is an absolutely fantastic feeling to know that I will be driving a world rally car for a full season next year!" admitted a delighted Evans. "For Dan and I it is great to be able to take the next step in our careers. The whole team is behind us and we have a long-term plan to get to where we all, ultimately, want to be. This is just the first step and I am extremely grateful to M-Sport for this opportunity and their belief in my future."

Roll on 2014! It's going to be so good to see two such talented, different British rally drivers at the top of the sport again, winning stages, rallies, even WRC titles… just like the good old Burns-McRae era, only different, as it's now Irishman Vs Welshman, not Scot Vs Englishman. I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere… 

We wish (the experienced, yet untested properly in WRC) Kris and (the WRC2 master and young gun) Elfyn all the best and you can follow their news here, on Facebook and Twitter with Road Magazine… British rally fans to the core! 

Read our latest Rally GB special FREE here.

NEWS: Falken Tyres U17s Motorsport Boost

Falken Tyre Europe are providing support for the U17's Motor Club Autosolo at Autosport International 2014 – helping get youngsters into motorsport.
Building upon the success of its inaugural support of the Under 17 Motor Club in 2013, Falken Tyre Europe will be helping more young drivers to get involved in motorsport – by providing tyres for their Autosolo event at Autosport International (Jan 9th-14th 2014).
Autosolos are a series of timed, ‘all-forward’ (i.e. no reversing) courses on hard surfaces such as car parks or airfields. Unlike traditional autotests, there is no requirement for special techniques such as spin turns. Cars must be taxed, insured, have an MOT certificate if applicable and be driven to the event. Road tyres are also specified with Falken’s ZE914 ECORUN and Sincera tyres popular, both providing a blend of grip and affordability.
Twenty competitors a day including Under 17 Motor Club members will provide visitors to the Autosport Show with a taste of the sport through passenger rides on a course inside one of the halls. This year, for the first year, rides will be available on all four days of the event. Cars set to appear include Mazda MX-5s, Nissan Micras, Citroen Saxo, and a Peugeot 205.
“Falken is delighted to expand its support to enable young drivers to learn about car control in a secure environment and to make the first steps into competitive motorsport, with the opportunity to actually take part,” says Stefanie Olbertz, Falken Tyre Europe’s motorsport marketing manager. “The demonstrations will provide a great opportunity to show the motorsport enthusiasts this growing branch of motorsport that is breeding ground for competitors that don’t have the budgets for karting.”
Falken’s backing for the Under 17 Motor Club follows its support for other youngsters in UK motorsport in 2013. This includes 11 year old Catherine Harris in BriSCA Ministox, Hazel Johnson in North West rallying as well as enabling 19 year old race driver Christie Doran to experience its drift cars.
Further information can be found at: www.falken-europe.de

And join Falken on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/falken.motorsports

NEWS: Subaru BRZ Buyers Get FREE Winter Wheel & Toyo Tyres Package

We're re-testing the compact, RWD, flat four, big fun Subaru BRZ this week, after our Road Magazine racer and Travis drummer, Neil Primrose tested it earlier this year here. And, we've got to say, we LOVE it… especially for its ability to set you on an impromptu sideways session on the way to the shops. What could be more fun?
The choice to fit skinny, relatively low grip Michelin rubber, rather than fatter, stickier tyres was a masterstroke – letting the car be sliding fun, rather than top of the traction pops (which its chassis is certainly capable of). 

But, much as we love going sideways, with Winter setting in, we did get to thinking… what's the BRZ going to be like in the ice and snow?  Conclusion… a handful! 

But Subaru has the answer – offering a FREE set of Toyo winter tyres AND wheels for new Winter 2013 BRZ buyers, supplied by the dealers (who will also store customers’ standard tyre over the winter). As big supporters of the Winter tyre 'movement' here in the UK (see our Outback Alpine tyre test here), we think it's a great idea and a fabulous buying incentive… worth £1,095!
Toyo's brand new Snoprox cold weather tyres have been designed with special tread patterns to improve braking and provide more stable and predictable handling throughout the colder and wetter winter months. To accompany the 215/45 winter tyres, BRZ buyers can choose between bright Silver or Anthracite Grey 17-inch alloy wheels, which should maintain the BRZ's ace looks.
Customers qualify for the offer by purchasing a new BRZ up until the end of February 2014 and can at the same time have their standard tyre/wheel combination stored free of charge at the local dealer, ready to be re-fitted when the weather warms up.
Darren James, Subaru UK Director for Aftersales explained: “The BRZ has won plaudits from across the industry as a great driver’s car. The offer of a free set of winter tyres will mean new owners can fully appreciate the BRZ’s blend of light weight, usable power and rear-wheel drive handling, even when the weather takes a turn for the worse.”
Further information on the Subaru BRZ can be found at www.subaru.co.uk.
Great idea for a great car Subaru. Bravo! 

PRODUCT: Shell V-Power Nitro+ Test

Our (unscientific, but none-the-less user-based, and hopefully useful) consumer tests of the new Shell V-power Nitro+ unleaded continue, with surprising results on two of the oh-so-thirsty V6 and V8 Road Magazine Project Cars.

Our twin-turbo V6 Audi S4 is loving its new fuel – seemingly more so, the more it sups. It's definitely running more turbo boost with the higher octane fuel – giving it a noticeable surge in torque on turbo spool-up. And, when I've eco-tested it on a recent run, it returned it's best ever mpg, 29.5 – which ain't bad for a 300+bhp forced aspiration V6 eh?

And whilst our Project P38 4.6-litre V8 Range Rover can only dream of hitting just shy of 30mpg (despite being LPG converted, so it might get close in cost per mile terms), it's also loving the V-Power Nitro + treatment, feeling much more peppy and powerful and also returning more miles per gallon. 

It might cost more at the pumps this new Shell V-Power fuel, but – with a light right foot – it's saving you money with improved mpg. And, hopefully, it's reducing servicing costs/extending the lifetime of our engines, thanks to the fact its designed to clean out nasty, power-sapping engine deposits from the moment you turn the key. 

And the more of the fuel you use, the more it cleans up and frees up your engine, with its clever "Friction Modification Technology" – as tested with Ferrari, which is designed to instantly reduce friction in critical engine areas, thereby helping the engine to deliver more power to the wheels.

It's certainly working with our old performance cars, and we hope aiding their long-term health.

Shell has teamed up with Formula One™ fan, Jake Humphrey, to launch the new V-Power Nitro+ Unleaded (and Diesel) and he says: "I’ve spent the last four years travelling the world with the F1 circuit and have seen first-hand how Shell share with Ferrari the passion for performance in motorsports. They’ve competed in over 500 races together and that is a testament to the fuels Shell produce. It’s a thrill to know that when I fill up with Shell V-Power Nitro+ Unleaded I will experience the same technology that is developed for Ferrari on the track, in my own car."
David Moss, Shell UK Retail General Manager, adds: "Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuels come with a racing seal of approval having been inspired by the Shell Technical Partnership with Ferrari, the titans of Formula One racing. At Shell, we are committed to making better fuels for our customers. Formula One helps us to deliver those better products. Our Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuels are the result of over 60 years of innovation and shared passion for performance with Ferrari in the motorsports arena and we’re excited about giving UK drivers the opportunity to try them for themselves and experience just what these new fuels can do."
For more information, visit www.shell.co.uk/vpower.

PRODUCT: TomTom GO 6000 Test Update

We've got the latest, all-singing, all-dancing, all-new-design flagship TomTom GO 6000 on test right now – with its brand new design language appearance, offering a streamlined, "map-centric experience" making it easier for the driver to use and read, displaying only the most relevant information at any given moment.
The new GO 6000 retails at a £1 under £300, so the fact it now includes lifetime Traffic and Map updates (of 45 European countries!) and built-in mobile data for the first time is a good thing, as that's quite an investment.
But what you get for your money is a stunning six-inch touchscreen, which is larger than a lot of built-in sat nav devices. The supplied mounting bracket is also really good, conventionally sticking into position, then twisting to get it stable and solid.
Being used to the old TomTom menu system, we found it took us a bit of time to get used to the new layout, colours, sounds and all with the fresh and funky GO 6000. But, once you do acclimatise, there's no going back… it's really intuitive, clean and clever.
The TomTom GO is the only navigation device which allows you to start navigating in two taps, which is really simples when you're in a hurry, and the map with live traffic is the first thing you see – giving you an immediate overview of the traffic situation around your current location and your potential route - supplying you with instant options and helping you avoid traffic from the off. That's ace.
But the best feature by far is the ‘Jam Ahead’ warning for traffic incidents – indicated with the bar on the RHS – which tells you exactly when you’ll hit the jam, what type of incident it is, warns you in case you’re moving at a faster speed than the traffic ahead and tells you exactly how many minutes it's going to add to your journey. And, if it's bad it'll suggest re-routing, where possible. This use of real-time TomTom Traffic information is just amazing, and has saved us countless times getting stuck in horrible traffic jams on a number of occasions already… which more than justifies it's £299 price tag to us.  

The GO 6000 is really good helping you stay legal too. Like the TomTom's of old, you get a central speed display, which goes orange when you wander over the limit and red when you're in points territory. But, even better now, the new RHS bar display that gives you traffic info. also calculates your average speed when you're travelling through a camera-monitored average speed check zone – again, changing colour to warn you if you're just, or miles over. This helps you stay points-free, at a glance – which is dead useful, especially in those frequently-found, nasty 50mph, narrow lane motorway roadworks the M25 and M62 are full of right now. And the GO also shows you the locations of solid-state and mobile zone Gatsos, which is helpful (although the updates for these are an extra £19.99).  

Another top function we enjoy is when you're searching for a destination – the TomTom GO starts finding it and suggesting options from the moment you start typing… like a Google search. And it'll even list points of interest on the RHS of the search too. 

And when you enter a city, the map goes all 3D on your ass, making it easier to relate the map to what you see ahead of you as a driver. This is really useful, and cool: When you approach a real landmark, there it is in 3D form in front of your eyes. 

Our experience to date with the GO 6000 has been akin to my experience with the most recent Kings of Leon album. At first, whilst I knew it was good, I didn't like it as much as the last one. But, the more I listened/used it, the more it rewarded me with its apparent simplicity, but actual complexity.  

The GO 6000 may not be cheap, but you get what you pay for and it comes highly, highly recommended by us at Road HQ. 

NEWS: David Appleby Engineering Get First Bentley Continental GT3

Lucky David Appleby Engineering has announced it will become the first Bentley Continental GT3 customer team – taking delivery of the new, glorious, 600bhp, twin turbo V8 race car in January.
The team, which will race under the Generation Bentley Racing banner, has been formed to develop young talent in motorsport for drivers, engineers and mechanics and will compete in the British GT Championship in 2014.
Drivers James Appleby (GB) and Steve Tandy (GB) will take the wheel next year in British GT and the car is available to compete in the FIA Blancpain endurance series for interested parties. The team is keen to take full advantage of the Continental GT3's eligibility for a wide spectrum of worldwide endurance racing.
James Appleby from Banbury, initially began his racing career in the SEAT Cupra Championship in 2008. James has since competed regularly in the Aston Martin GT4 at a European level as a Junior Aston Martin Racing team driver and was presented the star of the future award by Aston Martin Racing in 2010.
Steve Tandy from Gloucestershire started his career racing classic sportscars in 2006 and is very familiar with the British GT Championship having competed for the last two seasons in the GT3 class achieving two overall wins and a multitude of podium finishes.
Launched at Goodwood in July this year, the new 1300 kg Bentley Continental GT3 race car features a 4.0 litre V8 twin turbo V8 developing an unrestricted 600 bhp. The new race car is based on the road-going Continental and has received an aerodynamic package of enhancements while retaining its iconic and recognisable form.
Bentley’s Director of Motorsport, Brian Gush, comments: “I am delighted that David and his team will be competing with the Continental GT3 in our home country in 2014. The team has a wealth of experience and I'm confident that their energy and professionalism will see some very encouraging results next year. We'll be supporting them every step of the way and I wish them every success in the British GT Championship.”
David Appleby, Managing Director, David Appleby Engineering said: "Having had enormous success in GT4, we are very excited to be taking it to the next level. The Continental GT3 is a fantastic package of British design and engineering, and it's eligibility for both British GT and Blancpain makes it a perfect racecar for us."

Generation Bentley Racing will make its debut at the opening round of the British GT Championship taking place at Oulton Park on 19 April 2014.

NEWS: Hyundai Motorsport i20 WRC 2014 Line-up

Hyundai Motorsport has unveiled its full team line-up at a special launch event in Frankfurt today – readying for its debut in the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship at Monte Carlo next month.
Thierry Neuville made his first public appearance in Hyundai Motorsport colours as the team’s lead driver, while testing ace Juho Hänninen – who will drive the second i20 WRC at selected events – was also present. It was also announced that both Dani Sordo and Chris Atkinson will partner Neuville at several events during the season, with Sordo running on Rallye Monte-Carlo and Atkinson confirmed for Rally Australia. Quite a cool, youthful, talented line-up eh?

Hyundai Motorsport says they have "set realistic targets for its debut season with the primary objective of finishing each rally event with two cars. The young team will approach each rally with the goal of accumulating vital knowledge and data in order to strengthen its foundations for subsequent years. Going up against vastly more experienced WRC competitors, the team knows that it has a steep learning curve, but it certainly relishes the challenge and will be aiming to compete for podium places during the season."

“We have worked tremendously hard to get where we are today and to be able to launch our new WRC team to the world,” explains Team Principal of Hyundai Motorsport GmbH, Michel Nandan. “In less than one year, we have built and tested a brand new WRC-specification car, the Hyundai i20 WRC, and established a professional team and modern motorsport facility. It’s a huge accomplishment but we know that we have a lot to learn in our first season. Our aims for 2014 are realistic: we want to finish each rally with both cars and build up a database of information and experience so we can develop ourselves into prospective rally winners in the future. If all goes well, we will hope to be competing for occasional podiums as the year progresses.”
The launch event was held at the home of Hyundai Motor Europe in Offenbach, just a short drive from Hyundai Motorsport’s facility in Alzenau, where final preparations are taking place for the team’s rally debut in just over one month. Over 150 journalists and guests attended the event to see the newly liveried Hyundai i20 WRC and team on display.
The complete line-up for 2014 includes a new title partner, Shell, which will see the team named Hyundai Shell World Rally Team. The multi-year partnership will see Shell Helix-Ultra logos adorn the Hyundai i20 WRC at all WRC events.
“Shell is delighted to be returning to the WRC in 2014 with Hyundai,” said Colin Abraham, Shell Vice President Marketing (Fuels and Lubricants). “Shell and Hyundai have worked closely together to deliver a high quality product to customers around the world for more than eight years. We bring a genuine understanding of each other’s strengths to this exciting new team as the Hyundai i20 WRC prepares for its first competitive season.”
“I am really excited at the prospect of helping Hyundai Motorsport to integrate itself into the tough WRC environment,” said Neuville. “It is an honour to be representing a manufacturer like Hyundai Motor Company but also to have the extra responsibility of leading the team in our first season. I am looking forward to Monte Carlo. I can already feel the professionalism, motivation and passion of this team so although it will be a steep learning curve, I am sure it will be a positive one.”
Hänninen said: “I respect the opportunity that I have been given to join Hyundai Motorsport in its debut WRC season. I was the first to drive the Hyundai i20 WRC back in May so I feel really close to the project and have a great relationship with the team. I am looking forward to competing in Rally Sweden and continuing our learning curve.”
Sordo commented: “I am very happy to be part of this exciting Hyundai WRC project. It might be a young team but there is a high level of experience and professionalism that makes the team a really appealing package. I am looking forward to bringing my years of WRC experience to the team in its debut season and to take part in Rallye Monte-Carlo, the first event.”
“It’s been a pleasure to be part of Hyundai Motorsport in testing this season and to have had the chance to contribute to the development of the i20 WRC,”said Atkinson. “It’s fantastic to be able to carry on with the team into 2014, our first WRC season, and to be able to drive in Rally Australia later in the year.”
Hyundai Motor Company also used the occasion of its WRC launch to announce that Hyundai “N” will be used to symbolise Hyundai’s high performance technology on both the i20 WRC car and future mass-produced high performance cars. Linked directly to the company’s renewed involvement in WRC, “N” brings together Hyundai Motor’s technology and innovation with the learning from motorsport to provide a new experience for customers.
Representing the company’s passion for high performance, “N” takes inspiration in both name and spirit from the Namyang R&D Centre that has collaborated with Hyundai Motorsport on the development of the i20 WRC. The Namyang R&D Centre is at the heart of the technological innovation and development that serves as the driving force behind Hyundai’s growth as a global brand.
The Hyundai WRC team has come a long way since the first iteration of the i20 WRC car made an appearance at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012. Hyundai Motorsport has developed from scratch into a fully functioning motorsport team, defying the odds to build, test and prepare two rally cars ready to compete in 2014.
With more than 90 staff from 18 nationalities, made up of motorsport specialists and experienced Hyundai personnel, the team represents the perfect mix of Hyundai and motorsport ideals.

In just over one month’s time, Hyundai Motorsport is set to add a new dimension to the FIA World Rally Championship by competing in its debut event of 2014. The company has already shown what can be accomplished in a short space of time with the right mentality and approach. For the Hyundai Shell World Rally Team, January cannot come soon enough.

NEWS: Brit Kris Meeke Gets Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Drive

Hooray for British rallying! Colin McRae's rising star, Kris Meeke finally has a full WRC drive in 2014  – with co-driver Paul Nagle, racing alongside Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson in an all-new Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team line up, which looks impressive. 2014 is shaping up to be a great year, with Hyundai Motorsport entering the fray with youthful talent and VW Motorsport's amazing Polo R WRC aiming to stay on top with their dream team. Bring it on!
Having won the World Rally Championship eight times between 2003 and 2012, Citroën Racing is to continue its involvement in WRC with the two new, talented "high-potential" pairings.
Kris Meeke came through the ranks of Citroën Racing’s promotional formulas, before driving a C2 Super 1600 for the brand in the Junior WRC. IRC Champion in 2009, the Northern Irishman has since made a return to the World Rally Championship. His two 2013 appearances – in Finland and Australia (which he was leading until he rolled out) – saw him put in some impressive performances at the wheel of the DS3 WRC. 2014 will see these occasional outings give way to a full programme, as he becomes the first British driver to race a full season since Colin McRae’s 2003 swansong with Citroën.
“It’s an incredible opportunity,” said a delighted Meeke. “I've always been close to Citroën over the last few years. I’m really lucky to be able to work with a team that has so much experience and so many titles.”
“I have only competed in ten World Championship rallies in a WRC,” Meeke added. “I think I’ve got some potential, but I still need to get some experience under my belt. The Citroën DS3 WRC is a terrific car and I’m going to be able to use the team’s knowledge to help me improve. I know that I'll have to be patient in the first half of the season and learn all about the rallies that I haven't done before.”
Twenty-six-year-old Mads Østberg has already taken part in 65 WRC rallies and won the Norwegian Championship four times. With seven podium finishes to his name at world level, he notched up his first WRC victory at the Rally of Portugal in 2012.
“I am very happy and proud to be joining Citroën Racing,” explained the Norwegian. “We worked hard to get an official driver’s spot. After so many years watching Citroën win, it’s a dream come true to be part of this team.”
“Competing is the most important thing,” added Mads. “And even though I don’t know the team or the car yet, I can recognise the worth of the guys and the Citroën DS3 WRC. Of course, I’m joining Citroën Racing to get some good results and to try and win some rallies. I've always shown that I could be quick. I know that the standard in the World Rally Championship is exceptionally high, but I want to be competitive!”
Like last year, Khalid Al Qassimi will take part in a selection of World Championship rallies. The driver from Abu Dhabi will line up for the races in Sweden, Portugal, Italy and Spain and will concentrate on taking part in the entire Middle East rally Championship.
“Our team line-up for the 2014 season is in keeping with our ambitions,” concluded Yves Matton, Managing Director of Citroën Racing.
“Kris Meeke and Mads Østberg have followed very different career paths, but both of them are on the cusp of making it into the very top class of world rally drivers. After an initial phase of learning and getting to know each other, our goal will be to help them to improve and turn them into real contenders for victory.”

Citroën Racing will unveil its entire rally and track racing programme for 2014 on Monday 16 December, at a press conference in Versailles, France. The event will be broadcast on www.citroen-wrc.com at 14:30 (GMT+1).

NEWS: Hyundai Motorsport Reward Test Ace Juho Hänninen With i20 WRC No.2 Slot

Hyundai Motorsport have rewarded their Finnish test driver, Juho Hänninen, with a drive in the second i20 WRC in next year's debut championship for the team – alongside lead driver Thierry Neuville. Watch Juno testing in Finland here.
Hyundai say: "Hänninen has impressed in his test driver role and will contest selected events in 2014 as a perfect complement to lead driver Thierry Neuville."
32-year-old Hänninen knows the new car inside out – having become well-acquainted with Hyundai Motorsport throughout 2013, having completed an impressive 3,500 testing kilometres at the helm of the i20 WRC this year. The Finn has played an integral role in the team’s preparations for its debut WRC season and will be another strong asset to Hyundai Motorsport in its debut season.
“I am very pleased to continue our working relationship with Juho,”commented Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal, Michel Nandan. “He was the first driver to sign for Hyundai Motorsport earlier this year and he was the one who completed the first ever runs in the Hyundai i20 WRC. He has shown great loyalty to our new team and it is fitting that he joins us at a number of specific events during our maiden WRC season.”
“Juho has done an outstanding job in testing this year. He has proven to be a very complete driver with a perfect mix of speed and technical abilities, as well as being a real team player giving valuable feedback to our team of engineers” continued Nandan. “He brings with him a vast experience of WRC and he has completed the most kilometres in the Hyundai i20 WRC this year so we feel he will be an ideal complement to Thierry.”
Hänninen will be joined in 2014 once again by his co-driver Tomi Tuominen and will make his WRC debut for Hyundai at February’s Rally Sweden, an event he knows very well. He made his WRC debut in Sweden in 2006, winning the Group N class, and finished sixth in this year’s event.
Hänninen has tasted success in a variety of different rally cars in his career and has been victorious in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the FIA European Rally Championship and the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship since his World Rally debut. He has set a high standard in the S2000 category in recent years and took his first WRC stage win at Monte Carlo this year, underlining his potential at the pinnacle of international rallying.
“I am really honoured to have been chosen by Hyundai to be one of the drivers of the second i20 WRC car in 2014, including Rally Sweden, which is one of my favourites,” said Hänninen. “I have been working with the team a lot since May and it has been a really fantastic project to be involved in. All the people in the team are very nice and it has been friendly environment, but with everyone still giving 100% all the time. It’s been a pleasure to work with them in testing and I really respect the opportunity to drive some rallies for the team in 2014.”
Alongside his occasional appearances in the second Hyundai i20 WRC car next year, Hänninen will also continue to play a vital testing role as the team prepares for 2015.
Hyundai has already revealed that a number of drivers will share the second i20 WRC throughout 2014. An announcement on who will be Thierry Neuville’s team-mate at Rallye Monte-Carlo will be made in due course.

We wish Juho Hänninen, Thierry Neuville and Hyundai all the very best in WRC in 2014 and beyond. It's a great looking, fab sounding little car and we hope is a real competitor against the VW Polo R and Citroen DS3 and Fiesta RS WRC cars. Geat to have such diversity coming into the revitalised top rallying action.  

PRODUCT: New Limited-Edition Manthey Racing Watch

Christmas is coming – so why not ask your loved ones for one of these lovely new watches from Green Hell 911 dominators, Manthey Racing? 

It's a fresh designed, limited chronograph of Manthey-Racing described as "a sporty and elegant timekeeper from the 24 h record winner team."
This is the second time the Nürburgring-based Porsche racing team has created an exclusive timekeeper with stopwatch function. And the last watch – put forward in 2011 – was sold out within a few weeks. And with only 300 units of this version being sold, expect the same again… so be quick if you want one!
Manthey say: "On the racetrack the relation between speed and time is a special one – it decides on victory or defeat at long last. Furthermore it is extremely important for the strategy, particularly in long-distance racing. Much attention was given to the esthetic design as one already imposes at first sight. A case made of brushed stainless steel, a genuine leather bracelet with in coloured ornamental stitchings as well as two engraves – the Manthey chronograph is impressive because of function as well as look."
And boss and Ring racing legend, Olaf Manthey adds: "This is where it comes full circle. On the racetrack the performance counts on the relation to timing. And only those who know how to unite
speed and reliability will have the lead at the end.”
The brushed stainless steel, mineral glass and black dial watch is capable of 10 bars underwater pressure, to 100m depth and features a high-quality CITIZEN quartz movement made in Japan. There are also four indicators for counting seconds, minutes and hours as well as the date display. And the stop function is controlled through two buttons which are upper and below the crown. While a shining mass on the indicators allows reading the time without problems in the dark. It also comes with a two year warranty and, naturally the Manthey Racing logo.
The exclusive watch comes in an exclusive present box with Manthey-Racing logo and is being sold at a price of €169, excluding shipment charges. It can be ordered via the Manthey online shop. 

PRODUCT: Shell V-Power Nitro+ Fuels

Performance car drivers may have noticed a new fuel being promoted by Shell – their V-Power Nitro+ Unleaded (& V-Power Nitro+ Diesel) – which the giant fuel brand says "is our best performance unleaded fuel," developed in conjunction with Scuderia Ferrari and featuring the very latest in Friction Modification Technology (FMT)… which sounds impressive, right?!

Put in simples idiot speak – the smart fuel cleans combustion deposits from inside the critical valve areas of your engine, which cause friction. Friction causes heat, which saps power: Less dirt = less friction = less heat = more power/efficiency. Gottit at the back?   

The new, high octane Super Unleaded V-Power Nitro + and V-Power Nitro + Diesel fuels are designed to actively clean engines, and start working start away, reducing power-sapping engine deposits with a special "unique double action formulation"containing 25% more friction reducer than previous Shell V-Power products. 

More than 120 boffins at Shell and Ferrari have combined more than 100 years high quality fuel production experience to develop the new Nitro+ V-Power range – aiming to produce a performance (and mpg) enhancing range of higher octane, cleaner performance fuels. 

A Shell spokesperson said: "Shell and Ferrari share one of the most long-standing and successful partnerships in Formula One history. As a result, Shell V-Power Nitro+ Unleaded has been developed by the same team of scientists that develop the Shell V-Power race fuels we supply to Scuderia Ferrari in the 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship."
"Not all premium unleaded fuels are the same. Using lower quality products can lead to deposit build-up that disrupts the mixing of fuel and air, resulting in incomplete combustion. Shell V-Power Nitro+ Unleaded is designed to clean your engine, instantly getting to work on these deposits – unlocking hidden engine performance."

We've been trying the fuel on our twin-turbo V6 Project S4 & our new 4.6-litre V8 Range Rover (project details coming soon in 2014), and whilst we've not had the cars on the dyno to see if there is a tangible power hike, the Audi has certainly responded strongly – feeling more spritely and also returning its best ever mpg on a recent road trip, at 29! And the old V8 in the Range Rover Vogue seems to feel more alive and loves lapping it up too – but it'll quad any fuel at an alarming rate! 

Best of all, the price difference at the pumps between regular unleaded and the new V-Power Nitro+ seems to be lower than it used to be. So, for added bite and efficiency, we reckon it's worth the few extra quid on a fill up. Try it for yourself and see… 

NEWS: New ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24-Hour 2014 Qualifying mini-race

The 2014 ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24h-Race will feature a brand new “Little brother” for the 24h-Race – with a short qualifying race in April, described by Race Director Walter Hornung, as an “optimum testing opportunity in racing conditions but without championship pressure.”
The bold, new idea was unveiled today along with the news there will be several practice sessions (some in evening hours) on the original 24-hour race track, Nürburgring Nordschleife & GP Circuits. 

The new format offers the media and the motor-racing enthusiasts the chance of getting a first overview of the top-class field of the 24h-Race that will be contested in June.

From the function test at the Grand Prix circuit through the practice sessions held at the Nordschleife up to the evening hours to the two-hour qualifying session and a six-hour race in the Green Hell on Sunday, the new event format provides anything helping the teams preparing for the main event held on the Corpus Christi weekend.

Naturally, the new qualifying format will make the fight for the top 30 qualifying ranking places – and the flashing strobe lights that go with that accolade – more fierce than ever.
“To make sure that the teams will be able to complete as many laps as possible even in the case of technical problems or minor accidents, we will interrupt the practice sessions by short breaks that will be used to tow damaged cars back to the paddock,” adds Hornung. “And they also can practice driving in the dark, on this weekend – a move underlining our efforts to increase the safety for the 24h-Race competitors.” 

“This also might increase the motivation for teams from abroad with limited Nordschleife experience to regard the qualifying race as a must. After all, having contested the evening practice session and two stints in the six-hour qualifying race will result in the permission to contest the 24h-Race even for drivers who have got a lot of motor-racing experience under their belts – but not so when it comes to racing at the Nordschleife," a spokesman added.

NEWS: Alfa DNA Driving Mode For Whole Range: Film – Free-running with Ronnie Shalvis

Alfa Romeo’s signature Alfa D.N.A driving mode selector will now feature across the entire 2014 Alfa Romeo range as standard, regardless of engine or trim level. And to mark the range update, Alfa Romeo teamed up with one of the world's elite parkour athletes, Ronnie Shalvis, to put the Alfa D.N.A. system to the ultimate agility test.
In the film sequence above, Ronnie takes on both Alfa MiTo and Alfa Giulietta in the ultimate urban playground, pitting man against machine on both road and ice surfaces to see who has the greater control of their environment. Basically, it's a viral video to make something that sounds quite dull, look cool… and show the DNA system is not all PR fluff.
The 2014 Alfa MiTo and 2014 Alfa Giulietta will feature the driving mode selector with three distinctive settings – ‘Dynamic’, ‘Natural’ and ‘All-Weather’ – while the Alfa Romeo 4C supercar has an additional forth setting specifically for track driving: ‘Race’ mode!
Ronnie Shalvis commented: "With parkour, you have to adapt to varying and challenging environments, whilst remaining agile and dynamic. If you fail to respond to a situation or mistime a move, it could result in serious injury. When everything works together, though, and you nail those difficult manoeuvres, it’s an amazing feeling! Making the film with Alfa Romeo was a fantastic experience and I think it really demonstrates how having that control of your environment lets you stay safe but also have a lot of fun."
Damien Dally, Head of Brand, Alfa Romeo UK, noted: "The Alfa D.N.A. system ensures that every 2014 Alfa Romeo can adapt to the prevailing driving conditions, varying the cars numerous dynamic characteristics from power delivery to steering feel and VDC stability control intervention. Despite its sophistication, the driver only has to simply flick the switch to select the appropriate driving mode and the car will take care of the rest."
About Alfa D.N.A:
The Alfa D.N.A. system lets drivers manually select from one of several different driving modes depending on the road conditions: ‘Dynamic’, ‘Natural’ and ‘All-Weather’, as well as ‘Race’ in the Alfa Romeo 4C. Once a mode is selected, Alfa D.N.A then automatically adjusts settings for throttle response, power delivery, power steering assistance, VDC stability control and braking Pre-Fill. Where fitted, ALFA TCT gear-changes and adaptive suspension settings are also adjusted.
DYNAMIC
‘Dynamic’ mode provides a more immediate throttle response, with making fifty percent of the engine’s torque available within the first 10 percent of pedal travel. Pre-Fill braking is activated to boost braking performance and more steering weight is added for a sportier, more involving drive. In addition, the electronic dynamic and stability systems (VDC, DST, ASR) become less intrusive and for models fitted with the ALFA TCT gearbox, the gearshift characteristics are reconfigured.
NATURAL
Natural mode is designed for everyday driving with the performance levels drivers expect from an Alfa Romeo but delivered more progressively with optimum fuel consumption. 
ALL-WEATHER In All-Weather mode Alfa’s VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) system is more intrusive whilst ASR (Anti-Slip Regulator) is lightened, allowing the wheels to slip and gain traction in icy conditions. Models equipped with ALFA TCT can also pull away in second gear, further helping avoid wheel spin.
RACE (Alfa Romeo 4C only) Activated by holding the selector forward whilst in ‘Dynamic’ mode, ‘Race’ mode puts the driver completely in control, disabling stability control (re-engaging only under emergency braking) and ASR. Alfa’s Q2 differential control remains active. ‘Race’ mode allows drivers to push the Alfa Romeo 4C to its limit on the track. For more details visit: www.alfaromeo.co.uk

MAGAZINE: Wales Rally GB 2013 Special

Check out our FREE Wales Rally GB special of Road Magazine – featuring the tale of VW's total dominance in this historic, gritty gravel event and the 2013 season (unbelievably their 1st in WRC!), a local WRC2 win by Elfyn Evans' M-Sport Ford, Citroen's many rolls, Olympian Amy Williams & TV's Tony Jardine's ace class win and a report from the new 'RallyFest' stages, and more. This epic event – when it was the iconic Lombard RAC, then Network Q – is what made me a petrolhead, motoring journalist and lifelong rally fan. Standing stage-side as a young boy, obligatory bobble hat on and armed with an airhorn, I witnessed the legendary Group B cult cars – 205 T16, Delta Integrale, Audi Quattro – spit flames and gravel, wastegates chattering: I was hooked. I adored that era of rallying, but I’m not all misty-eyed. The event, the cars and the world of rallying got faster and evolved and I moved with it – always enjoying the unique, special sport. But, in recent years, our only UK WRC round – Wales Rally GB – lost its way, the crowds, and the buzz that went with them. I’m not sure, but it may have even come close to losing WRC favour too: A tragedy. Cue a re-think, a revitalisation of this historic, amazing, challenging event. And boy, did MSA Chairman, Alan Gow and all the Wales Rally GB team work wonders this year – new North Wales base, night stages, the introduction of family-friendly “RallyFest” stages, lively ceremonial start/finish, pop concerts... the lot. And, best of all, 196-miles of some of the best, most challenging, technical, slippery, tricky and epochal special stages in the world – Hafren, Sweet Lamb, Myherin, Gartheiniog, Dyfi... names that sing louder than a male voice choir to rally fans the world over. The event re-brand – and targeted, hard work of the PR and social media team – not only created what is essentially a new Wales Rally GB event, but it did something even more magical... it brought the crowds back, and with it the uniquely Welsh forest flavour. And the WRC and national drivers didn’t disappoint... as you can read here in our Wales Rally GB special.

NEWS: 600bhp & Ring-Record R35 Nismo GT-R Unveiled

Nissan's much-anticipated tuning partner, Nismo, has unveiled details of its (TBC) Ring-record-slaying (7:08.679!!!) "dreams come true" – if predictably named – Nissan GT-R Nismo.
See it's mega lap record video here.
The "race-oriented" model delivers "factory tuned" supercar dynamics with revolutionary enhanced aerodynamics and ultra-precise handling.
Undeniably, the Nissan GT-R is already established as one of the best performing supercars in the automotive sphere, and now Nissan has drawn on decades of racing experience gathered by Nismo, the brand's motorsport specialists, to develop the ultimate Nissan GT-R.
The Nissan GT-R Nismo features exclusive styling that embraces the longstanding racing philosophy of form following function. It has numerous motorsports-inspired technologies to enhance the car's performance through optimised aerodynamics, suspension and powertrain, creating a well-balanced machine that is at home on both the road and track.
The Nissan GT-R Nismo will be available in Japan in late February 2014, U.S. and Europe later in 2014.
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn says this is the fastest Nissan GT-R ever. "With a 7:08.679 lap time, we can authoritatively say that the Nissan GT-R Nismo* holds the volume production car lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschliefe, which is the gold standard of high performance achievement."

Nissan GT-R Nismo Overview - Flagship of the Nismo lineup

1. Mechanical Features
Nissan GT-R Nismo employs innovation, uncompromising engineering and motorsports-inspired technologies to achieve new levels of power, speed and handling.

Engine:

• Under the hood, the 3.8-litre V6 VR38DETT engine benefits from the know-how that Nismo has gained from participating in such events as the world-renowned Nürburgring 24 hour race. Engine power has risen and is now rated at 600hp (441kw) and 481 lb ft (652 Nm) of torque.
• New high-flow, large diameter turbochargers, which are used for GT3 racing, improve breathing, while optimised individual ignition timing control for each cylinder and upgraded fuel pump improve combustion.

Chassis:

• The suspension setup,is inspired by that of the Nismo racing GT-R and tuned for stunning agility, road-holding and handling finesse, without compromising refinement.
• The springs and custom-developed Bilstein DampTronic dampers in the front and rear suspension are specially tuned to deliver exceptional grip levels and progressive handling response at the limit. Three suspension modes can be selected: Comfort, Normal and R, for circuit applications.
• Exclusive Nismo tyres - developed by Dunlop - exhibit outstanding grip and handling characteristics. Front: 255/40 ZRF20; rear 285/35 ZRF20.
• Specially-developed links fitted to the front double wishbone suspension increase castor trail to optimise wheel position during high-G cornering and improve straight-line and cornering stability. Additionally, large high-rigidity bolts are used to increase stiffness of the wheel-hub attachment area.
• To minimize body-roll during cornering and changes of direction, the Nissan GT-R Nismo features a 17.3 mm hollow rear anti-roll bar which raises roll stiffness while reducing weight.

Body construction:

• Increased rigidity in the bodyshell is achieved using adhesive bonding in addition to spot welding leading to precise suspension response under extreme load, the Nismo "factory tuned" enhancement.

2. Exterior design - Exclusive styling with improved aerodynamics:

• Using the latest Computational Fluid Dynamic simulation techniques to analyse airflow, Nismo has developed an aero package that improves road-holding, minimises the negative impact of drag, while giving the car a menacing and muscular appearance.
• Together, the front bumper, engine undercover strake and carbon rear spoiler increase downforce, lowering the centre of gravity and generating an additional 100kg (at 300km/h) compared to the freshly updated 2014 GT-R model. The car's aerodynamic characteristics are tuned to ensure the downforce is equally spread front to rear at all speeds for progressive handling characteristics. A widened front bumper configuration and elongated yet tapered rear bumper design keep the drag to Cd 0.26, the same as that of 2014 Nissan GT-R.
• The Nissan GT-R Nismo will be available in five body colors: Brilliant White Pearl, Meteor Flake Pearl Black, Ultimate Metallic Silver and Vibrant Red. And unique to the GT-R Nismo model, a Dark Matte Grey accentuates the car's imposing exterior muscularity.
• The GT-R Nismo's black 6-spoke wheels are inspired by Nissan's legendary GT500 race car.

3. Interior:

• The Nissan GT-R Nismo cockpit inspires driver confidence through both its craftsmanship and optimised driving position.
• Ergonomically sculpted carbon-fibre-backed reclining RECARO seats (Europe/Japan) comfortably, yet firmly, support the driver and front-seat passenger.
• Nismo racers influenced the design of the steering wheel which is dressed in Alcantara®, with three spokes, red centre mark and red stitching to give the best combination of grip, feedback and comfort.
• The combi meter has carbon-like finish, and tachometer features a red design. The meter hood is also dressed with Alcantara®.
• Interior trim features include discreet red stitching on the seats, centre console, door trim and steering wheel.

See lots more pics of the new road car and the Ring record car here.

VIDEO: Wales Rally GB Amazing In-Car

It was an absolutely belting classic Wales Rally GB and massive congratulations to the organisers for re-vamping the event, which attracted HUGE crowds and saw some amazing rallying action – dominated, as throughout 2013, by VW in their inaugural WRC season, who rounded off their record-breaking, historic year with a 1-2 podium with Sebastian Ogier and Yari Matti-Latvala. Incredible. We will be publishing a Wales Rally GB special very soon in Road Magazine, with all the thrills, spills and rally aches – but meantime, why not enjoy one of the stars of 2013... the impossible cool Andreas Mikkelsen in his VW Polo R WRC on one of the best, fastest, most slippery an tricky gravel stages of the event – SS12, Gartheiniog. Nine minutes of flat out, ballsy rally driving to showcase just how amazing that Polo R is, and why Wales Rally GB is so special and unique! And rising star Andreas' raw talent and speed.

BLOG: Ashley Van Dyke on NASCAR Action @ Phoenix International Raceway

It's been a while, but our USA correspondent, Ashley Van Dyke, is back in the saddle – with a a nice NASCAR feature for us lucky folk from Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale. 

She says...

Hi Roadies! 

Top NASCAR Sprint Cup driver, Jeff Burton and the throbbing No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS from the Richard Childress Racing stable have just returned to Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, AZ for the second scintillating stop of the year. This stunning southwest desert race track nestled in the desert sun next to the stunning Estrella Mountains is always a pleasure to attend – but especially for the roar of NASCAR!
This will be Jeff Burton’s 28th start at Phoenix International Raceway and he's had a hell of a career here –  sporting two wins in 2000 and 2001, seven top-five finishes, and 14 top-ten finishes. Plus, he's led a total of 222 laps at the one-mile facility. More importantly, this event marks a milestone in Burton’s career making it his 1,000th career NASCAR start. Congratulations Jeff!
"Phoenix International Raceway is a really fun race track, I enjoy going there. We had a top-10 finish in March and I fully expect to go there and contend for the win again," said Jeff. 

"It's definitely another track that is in a transition phase. As the fresh asphalt from the recent repave goes through some of those hot, Phoenix summers, the grip level is starting to fade. That's a good thing though because the tire that Goodyear was taking there made it so difficult to get going on restarts. Now you can take right off and go fast. I think it will be a better race because the restarts will be more aggressive."
On Friday, Burton qualified in 15th position with a best time of 26.153 and best speed hitting 137.652 mph average in his two qualification laps. NASCAR is a fast sport folks! His practice times were timed consecutively at 26.354, 26.703, and 26.964 over the course of the weekend. 

The NASCAR Sprint Cup race got started Sunday afternoon where the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet crossed the finish line in 17th position, after a typically rough, tough race.
No. 99 Ford driver Carl Edwards was leading at the White Flag but ran short of gas on the last lap and No. 29 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick took the easy pass over Edwards for the win and scored the 200th victory for the Richard Childress Racing organization.
Five drivers have amassed at least 1,000 career NASCAR national series starts in their careers: Richard Petty (1,185), Mark Martin (1,141), Joe Nemechek (1,073), Michael Waltrip (1,062) and Terry Labonte (1,013), and now Burton with 1,000.
Another great NASCAR race over at Phoenix International. Always a buzz. See you soon for more USA reports Roadies. 

Ashley x

Main photo credit:

Photo by TheHotLap.com and caption: Burton making the pass on Danica Patrick at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Advocare 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

NEWS: Wales Rally GB Is Here!

At last: The new-look Wales Rally GB is go! We'll be there watching the final (and only UK-based) round of the WRC and we can't wait. Will you be getting involved in the gravel-spitting action?  

After months of planning and preparation, Wales Rally GB (14-17 November) is primed and ready for some spectacular action as the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) reaches its thrilling conclusion in the legendary Welsh forests.
The newly crowned 2013 WRC champion Sébastien Ogier heads the star-studded field which also includes two past Wales Rally GB winners from Scandinavia, Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala. The established rally aces will be joined by former F1 grand prix winner Robert Kubica in his first WRC car drive and Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams MBE.
The high-speed show blasts off in Snowdonia on Thursday evening (14 November) following a glittering Ceremonial Start in front of Conwy Castle. Conwy Quay from 18:30hrs will be lit up by fireworks, searchlights, flames and lasers while Conwy Castle's medieval fortifications will be transformed by some amazing digitally-created visuals.
In total the WRC competitors face 22 classic special stages, all run against the clock, before the winner is crowned back in Llandudno on Sunday afternoon. Adding to the sense of occasion, the Great Orme that overlooks both Conwy and Llandudno – and witnesses the rally's final competitive stage on Sunday – will be floodlit for the duration of the world championship event.
The event's move to north Wales not only features a new Headquarters and Service Park in Deeside but also the inclusion of three exciting new, family-friendly RallyFest Stages at Sweet Lamb (Friday), Chirk Castle (Saturday) and Kinmel Park (Sunday). Aimed at providing a full day's entertainment for all ages, these RallyFests include big screens, live music, car displays plus a host of other fun-filled attractions. There's also live music on offer at the Service Park on the Friday and Saturday evenings.
Various ticket options will be available to purchase 'on the day' from the official Wales Rally GB ticket offices at Venue Cymru (in Llandudno) and the Deeside Service Park. Alternatively, fans can take advantage of the revised ticket pricing 2013 with 'on the gate' adult entry to individual special stages just £15* on a first come first served basis.
For ticket office opening times, a full list of prices and the event timetable, visit:www.walesrallygb.com

* Limited tickets are available to purchase 'on the gate' for individual Forest and RallyFest Stages, subject to availability. World Rally Passes (providing access to all of the action over the four days), Day Passes and RallyFest tickets are on sale at the official Wales Rally GB ticket offices. Terms and conditions may apply.

NEWS: TomTom Traffic Index Survey Reveals UK's Worst Cities

How much time do you think you spend stuck in traffic a year? And which cities in the UK are the worst for the misery of gridlock? Well, TomTom has the answers, from a recent Traffic Index survey – revealing British commuters are spending nine working days a year stuck in traffic. Ouch!
The survey out today reveals:

Traffic jams in 11 out of 17 of Britain's biggest cities have got worse in the past year. Cities where congestion levels have gone up since this time last year include Belfast, Brighton, London, Manchester, Leicester, Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle.
Only Edinburgh, Leeds-Bradford and Nottingham have seen congestion levels improve. In others such as Bristol, Birmingham and Glasgow congestion levels have remained just as bad in the past 12 months.
The TomTom Traffic Index shows that Belfast remains the most congested city in the UK, with journey times up to 88 per cent longer in morning peak times and 32 per cent throughout the day.
Second is Bristol with journey times up to 66 per cent longer in evening peak times, followed by Brighton where travelling during rush hour takes 45 per cent longer than usual.
Despite the congestion charge, driving in London now takes more time than last year with drivers enduring rush-hour journey times of up to 60 per cent longer than non-peak times. Over the course of a day, driving in London takes 29 per cent longer than it would if traffic were free-flowing, making the capital the fifth most congested city in the UK – just behind Edinburgh.
Sat nav firm TomTom analysed more than nine trillion pieces of data worldwide to compile its traffic index, which showed that Moscow remains the most congested city globally, followed by Istanbul and Rio de Janeiro.
“We are seeing a clear pattern which shows that congestion levels increase as economies emerge from recession. The traditional responses to tackling congestion, like building new roads or widening existing ones are no longer proving effective. The way traffic is managed needs significant change,” says TomTom's Chief Executive Officer, Harold Goddijn.
The TomTom Traffic Index is the world’s most accurate barometer of traffic congestion in 169 cities across six continents. It compares travel times during non-congested hours (free flow) with travel times in peak hours. The Index takes into account local roads and highways.
“The findings indicate that real-time traffic information has the potential to ease congestion in urban areas by routing drivers away from gridlock, and help commuters to make smarter decisions,” commented Goddijn.
The TomTom Traffic Index shows that across the UK, typical journey times take 23 per cent longer in morning and evening rush hours. Cardiff has seen the biggest increase in congestion in the past year, followed by Portsmouth and Brighton.
Contrary to popular belief, the average driver in London does not experience the most extra travel time due to congestion - those in Belfast, Bristol, Brighton and Edinburgh are in worse shape. While those cities are smaller, congestion adds relatively more travel time to driving trips than it does in London.
Belfast, Bristol and Edinburgh all top London when it comes to evening rush hour commuting. In Belfast an average morning commute travel time can be almost doubled by congestion. With new bus lanes, commuters may have better options during peak periods.
Bristol has the highest proportion of people cycling to work in Britain and that may be the best option, especially in the centre.

How depressing! Try getting one of the latest TomTom GO 6000's like us… it's helping us avoid traffic hell all over the place. Ace!

NEWS: Hyundai WRC Sign Thierry Neuville

Cool specs, raw talent and a dude to boot, 25-year-old Belgian driver Thierry Neuville is now set to be Hyundai Motorsport’s No.1 driver for its inaugural 2014 WRC season in the new i20.

Ogier and VW may have dominated the 2013 WRC season, with their amazing, record breaking wins – but there can be no doubt that Neuville is the WRC's hottest property… and the move by Hyundai to sign him clearly states their ambition for WRC. And we salute them for that… and wish Neuville and the Hyundai Motorsport team the very best of luck. It's really great to have two new manufacturers in the sport. 

“I am thrilled to announce Thierry Neuville as the lead driver to our new WRC team,” says Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal, Michel Nandan. “Thierry is having a fantastic 2013 season and is proving himself to be one of the most exciting young drivers in WRC. His raw speed, driving skill and dynamic approach to rallying make him the ideal lead driver for Hyundai.”

“By signing a driver of Thierry’s talent, we can show that Hyundai’s WRC engagement is serious and focussed on long-term success after signing with the talented young driver, Thierry. It is also great recognition for the work that the entire team has carried out in such a short time. We both share similar values and objectives to win the championship in the long-term so we are proud to have Thierry in the team and as an ambassador for the Hyundai Motorsport brand.”
Neuville, along with his co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul, will join Hyundai Motorsport behind the wheel of the new i20 WRC rally car in all 13 WRC events in 2014, beginning with the team’s debut at the Monte-Carlo Rally in January, signalling the start of the Belgian driver’s third consecutive WRC season.
Neuville’s experience will be invaluable to Hyundai Motorsport as the manufacturer begins its first fully-fledged championship WRC campaign with a team and car that have been developed from scratch, impressively in under a year. Neuville’s eye-catching performances this season have challenged the established competitors in WRC and have resulted in his reputation as one of the most exciting, young and dynamic drivers coming up through the WRC ranks.
“I am pleased to be joining Hyundai Motorsport for the 2014 World Rally Championship,” comments Thierry Neuville. “I believe Hyundai Motorsport is the perfect fit for me because it is a young, emerging and ambitious manufacturer team with long-term objectives for championship success and I have long held aspirations of driving for a manufacturer team. I wasimpressed with the team’s facility, their approach to the rally programme and their clear potential. I hope my two years of experience in WRC will be beneficial to the team as we build a harmonious working partnership. We know we have a steep learning curve ahead of us in our first season but I am convinced we will have a successful future together.”
In two competing seasons in the World Rally Championship, Neuville has contested a total of 32 rallies. He finished seventh in the 2012 championship, which acted as a prelude to a championship challenging 2013 season in which he has so far claimed four consecutive runner-up results (Italy, Finland, Germany and Australia), in addition to two third-place finishes (Mexico, Greece), leaving him second in the WRC standings with one rally left to run.

Maybe a win in Wales Rally GB for Neuville will set the tone for next year… in the Hyundai which looks very quick indeed. See tarmac test below:

NEWS: Funny New TomTom Ads Campaign

Portable Navigation Device specialists, TomTom don't just make perfect sat nav devices designed to take the sting out of navigating and now avoid traffic jams (like the GO 6000 we have on test does, which is mega, see below...!) – they are branding genius'.
To prove this, TomTom has teamed up with DDB and Tribal Worldwide to create "a light hearted and funny take on the frustrating experiences of being stuck in traffic" for some new advertising in the UK and Germany.
TomTom says: "The campaign plays on insightful, awkward moments when you want to reach your destination as quickly as possible – such as sitting in an unexpected traffic jam after mistaking your travelling partner for being pregnant.
"The aim of the campaign is to change how people think about and use their portable navigation device (PND), from it being a thing they use for the occasional journey to an unknown destination, to a device they use every day to help avoid traffic jams on their daily commute and get to their destination faster.
"So whether you are trying to make it to an important meeting on time, trying to get home to see the kids before they go to bed, or simply trying to escape an awkward moment in your car, TomTom Traffic will always find the quickest route."
Gary Raucher, SVP of Marketing for TomTom added: "The team really helped bring the TomTom brand to life and show how a PND becomes relevant to daily driving when it delivers real-time, accurate traffic information. This is an important campaign for us, being the first significant above-the-line campaign we’ve launched since 2009 and the first to be developed with DDB."
And Mark Chalmers, ECD at DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam said: “Best friends or colleagues, husbands or wives, we've all dropped some clangers and need a quicker journey as a result. Just like our scenarios, the TomTom device is for the daily commute, the airport trip or the big day out. As the campaign develops, we'll be opening it up to the public with a real time, social media tactic, created by consumers, as they contribute live, via Twitter, to improvised comedy shows in cars. “
The campaign runs in the UK and Germany until the end of 2013. Listen to the radio commercials here, and check out the full campaign on the TomTom website. Check it out...

NEWS: Extensive Hyundai i20 WRC R&D Rolls On

Hyundai Motorsport are in the middle of a huge R&D session (and now homologation testing) on their forthcoming i20 WRC car – having just completed a gruelling 15 day, 1000Km gravel and tarmac rally test, with Juho Hänninen, Bryan Bouffier and Chris Atkinson alternating behind the wheel in both Spain and Germany.  The aim...? An inaugural season like VW have just had surely! . 

Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal Michel Nandan, said: “This month was exceptionally busy for us. We were out testing the i20 WRC on both surfaces for more than half of the month, with our three test drivers swapping the seat on four separate test sessions. We now have two latest-spec i20 WRC cars, which allows us to further intensify the development schedule by alternating between the two chassis. Overall, it was a positive month as we managed to test new parts, try different set-up solutions and cover some good mileage with the car.”
October’s testing kicked off with a four-day gravel test in the south of Spain where the team continued to assess the behaviour of the i20 WRC in warm weather conditions with both Juho Hänninen and Chris Atkinson on duty. “During this test we took the opportunity to continue the development of the car on gravel conditions, similar to the ones we will find in Portugal and Sardinia next year. We tried several configurations for these kinds of terrains and evaluated some new components which we hadn’t tested before,” explained Nandan.
The Hyundai Motorsport team then moved from the south of Spain up to the Catalonia region for a five-day gravel test. This was followed by a tarmac test in Baumholder, Germany, home of the iconic Arena Panzerplatte, which forms part of Rallye Deutschland’s itinerary.
“After concentrating on loose surfaces in the first part of October, we took the i20 WRC to tarmac for a test on the same conditions of Rallye Deutschland. We had some new suspension parts to try as we hadn’t tested on tarmac since August,” Nandan continued.
In the final week of October, the team continues tarmac development in Catalonia on the roads of Rally de España, the penultimate round of the WRC, which was held last week. “Testing on the same roads as the rally allows us to start to have some references on the stages we will tackle next year,” concluded Nandan.
This month marked also the beginning of another important process for the Hyundai Motorsport team. The dossier for the homologation of the i20 WRC needs to be compiled and lodged by the FIA by the end of October.
We at Road wish them well on their WRC journey – bringing greater diversity and talent to the sport. 

See more test images (superb!) here.