VIDEO: WRC Argentina Water Splashes

Discover how the WRC teams get around the unique engineering problems faced by the multiple, deep water splashes in WRC Argentina, set to take place May 1st-4th this week. See WRC for more.

NEWS: Top Fuel Saving Tips

As a counter balance to all the red-hot-motorsport and wanton fuel abuse we cover in Road Magazine and with the cost of fuel still sky high and the threat of a triple dip recession hanging over us – here's some top fuel saving tips from road safety charity and award-winning breakdown cover company, GEM Motoring Assist, to eke out those extra miles per tankful.
GEM’s top tips for fuel efficient driving:
1. Engine efficiency: Get your car serviced regularly by a recognised garage to avoid a poorly tuned engine, which can use up to 50 per cent more fuel than a car that is well looked after.
2. Tyre tread: At least every month, check that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure. If not, even with just one tyre deflated by 20 per cent, fuel consumption could rise by five per cent.
3. Lose weight: For every one per cent of the car’s weight that you add, fuel consumption could rise by one per cent, so take out anything that you don’t need in the car (golf clubs, push chairs, tool boxes etc.)
4. Eliminate short journeys: Cold engines are thirsty engines, so really short journeys will be relatively expensive if driving just a short distance. Opt to walk, or even cycle.
5. Plan ahead: Plan your journey to avoid road works, or getting lost, which causes an estimated 350,000 tons of fuel wastage each year.
6. Slow down: Most cars run at their most efficient at approximately 60 mph, and for every five mph above that you drive, you will lose six per cent of your fuel economy. Slow down to save money.
7. Air con: If not needed, switch the air con in your car off to reduce demand on the engine. However, ensure that it is on for several minutes at least every couple of weeks to prevent a build up of harmful bacteria in the system.
8. Exploring for fuel: Don’t go out of your way to make a saving, as you could spend more on getting to a cheaper dealer, so fill up when you are passing, rather than making a separate journey.

David Williams MBE, CEO of GEM Motoring Assist comments: “We believe that there are simple yet effective steps for motorists to ensure that the fuel they pay for goes as far as possible. Even as petrol prices aren’t currently on the rise, it is always good practice to follow fuel efficient driving and get the most out of a car’s fuel tank.”

Thanks for the image by staff snapper, Neil Denham.

BLOG: Baby Car Seats & Bases: ISOFIX On Old Cars Problems Solved

With Team Road expecting a baby this Summer, we've entered the world of baby shopping full on. And whilst Mrs Road gets excited over tiny shoes and outfits, Mr Road has been busy sorting out the hardware... including anything car-related, like a car seat a base.

Mr Road swiftly found out this was a bit of a minefield – with a ton of products out there, all at vastly different prices and specifications. And what Mr Road initially thought would be a simple task, turned out to be a big headache – especially because Team Road's fleet consists of a B5 Audi S4 and P38 Range Rover V8 Vogue, both of which have no ISOFIX points. 

But I am getting ahead of myself... let's deal with some useful facts, which we found very hard to find, until we came across the amazing Mamas & Papas brand. Their stores not only stock the latest, greatest, coolest and well-priced range of baby gear, but their staff are utterly amazing – and could not have offered better advise, or been more helpful. Go there first and save yourself a lot of messing about is our advise!

In a nut shell, here's what we learned from the lovely Holly and team at Mamas & Papas:

   

Point one: Law: Child seats are compulsory for children up to 1.35m (UK) or 1.5m (Ireland) tall – depending on where you are travelling in the EU. As a helper, all child restraint systems with the ECE R44/04 certification comply with this law, but do note that side impact collisions are yet to be recognised by EU regulations as a standard safety measure for car seats. 

Point two: Categories: Car seats are grouped by the child’s weight. Age is an indicator, but for maximum safety you need to know how much your child weighs to choose the right seat. You also need to ensure that the seat you have chosen is approved for your vehicle. If in doubt, take your car with you when buying a seat and ask a trained staff member to demonstrate the fitting procedure. 

Point three: ISOFIX or not? The innovative, click-in-position ISOFIX technology was developed in 1997, by VW (& Britax). It's now an international installation standard for child seats in vehicles. Because ISOFIX connects child seats rigidly to the vehicle chassis rather than just using adult seat belts, it reduces installation errors and increases child safety enormously. In a recent survey, only 30% of child car seats are installed correctly when using an adult seat belt compared to 96% when using the ISOFIX system. You can tell if your car is ISOFIX compatible if it has this symbol, which indicates where the ISOFIX anchorage points are in your car. 

 

If your cars are old school like Team Road's are, you will not have ISOFIX points – but fear not! You can still fit the latest, safest, click-in-and-out car seat bases and seats using very cleverly designed, simple to install and still 100% safe (if properly installed) bases, utilising the standard adult car seat belt to secure the base.   

Point Four: What to look for: For safety and comfort, you need a car seat with the following features:  * A f ive-point safety harness (especially for a child aged from birth to four years), which fully restrains your child over the pelvic and shoulder areas keeping them firmly secured in every direction. And in the event of a crash, the harness evenly distributes the impact forces over the five points of contact minimising injury. 

* Easy headrest and harness adjustment, making life easy getting baby comfortable, without having to remove the shoulder straps, thus preventing re-thread errors.
* Deeply padded side wings. One in four accidents are side impact crashes and account for 20% of infant fatalities. Get the most padding you can. 

* Other useful things like quick remove covers that are machine washable, multi-recline positions allowing you to adjust the seat without disturbing your child and maximum comfort-factor, with lots of energy absorbing shoulder pads, pelvis pads and great fabrics.

* The cool factor!  

With all this in mind and after hours of careful internet and shopping research, Mr & Mrs Road decided Mamas & Papas not only offered the best range, the coolest/safest gear and great prices but – crucially – the best customer service, so we shopped there. 

Our choice of car seat was the £130 Aton (in a very cool denim fabric and which is fully one-click compatible with the travel system pram), along with an charcoal Aton base, which is ISOFIX or non-ISOFIX car compatible. It retails at £110, and is money very well spent for an easy life. 

Despite fears fitting the seat base with the adult car seat belt would not be as solid as ISOFIX, or indeed as safe or easy, we could into have been more wrong. It literally took five minutes to carefully thread the seat belt through the base and lock that into position with one click and extend the base's leg to the floor and lock that up. And we did as suggested to level the base off on the deep luxury leather of the Range Rover back seats, by installing the base on top of a folded towel (also useful in the event of leaks!). It could not have been more simple and is 100% solid and safe. And it looks great. Best of all, it unbelievably easy to use.  

The ultra light Aton base and car seat are a marvellous design – making it so easy to get in and out of the car, with just one click, no seat belt to obstruct and the oh-so simple lock/unlock turn lever to install and release the base, so you can move the base and seat between cars no worries. And the car seat can be swiftly removed and installed into the Aton pram in one click too – with no need to disturb the baby. It's amazing stuff summed up best by the grandparents who have all marvelled at the style, simplicity and ease of the car seat, base and pram set-up saying "it wasn't like this in our day!" Simples. 

So, if you are like Mr & Mrs Road – fretting over ISOFIX points and old cars – or you have a new ISOFIX-ready car and want an amazing car seat and base that's a dream to use, with first class customer service on tap, save yourself some stress and visit a Mamas & Papas store near you. Done! 

See loads more images of the seat, base and install on our Facebook page. 

NEWS: 2013 Wales Rally GB Moves North & Night Stages Return

Great news for Wales Rally GB fans – the 2013 event (November 14-17) will feature a brand new route, a new base (for the UK’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship), new HQ on Deeside and special ceremonies in Conwy and Llandudno on the stunning North Wales coastline. Plus, there will be a return to the popular night stages and family spectator stages – likely to be in the coastal towns, to draw in the crowds and involve the community. And the new, more compact route will also offer a wide range of tickets, to encourage spectating. 

Always a great, well respected event, but at risk of getting stuck in its ways down in South Wales, this is great news, we reckon. And organisers say the rally's new route – which will be announced here soon –  "will reinforce the legendary event’s position as one of the most challenging and attractive on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar." 

The UK's only WRC event has been based in South Wales since 2000 and the move comes after the recent announcement of an extended partnership with the Welsh Government and as a result of wide-scale consultation with manufacturers, teams, competitors and spectators. 

A spokesman said: "Highlighting the automotive industry’s importance to the Welsh economy, the rally’s Headquarters and central Service Park will be located on a new site being prepared alongside the Toyota Engine Plant on Deeside in Flintshire. The event’s ceremonial start will be hosted in Conwy on the Thursday evening with the finishing line celebrations in neighbouring Llandudno on Sunday afternoon." 

Four-days of competitive action will feature a more compact route with the majority of the timed Special Stages set in the classic Welsh forests. Adding to the overall appeal both night and family-friendly spectator stages are being reintroduced into the itinerary and fans will be offered a wider range of tickets at significantly lower prices than before. Full ticket details will be announced when the final route is confirmed but the pricing structure is being radically changed to cater for both traditional rally enthusiasts in the forests and new audiences expecting additional facilities.
"We have listened to what the teams and fans want in our determined efforts to create what we are confident will be not only one of the best rounds in the WRC but also a fitting finale to the entire 2013 world championship," explained Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of rally organiser International Motor Sports. 

"South Wales has provided us with a fantastic home for Wales Rally GB since 2000 but the move to North Wales has a number of significant advantages. Most importantly, perhaps, we are closer to the sport’s traditional heartlands, some iconic rally forests, as well as being within a short drive of some of the larger conurbations in the UK such as Liverpool, Manchester and the Midlands. Taking those factors into account, as well as our new ticket pricing policy which is designed to cater for both hardcore rally fans and a wider family audience, we are confident that the 2013 Wales Rally GB will be a highlight on the motor sport calendar."
Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Transport and Science, Edwina Hart, said: "This is exciting news for the Wales Rally GB and for North Wales. The event has always drawn the crowds in North Wales in previous years and I'm sure this move will refresh the event for spectators and competitors alike.
"The spectacular scenery and landscapes of North Wales will provide the perfect backdrop for Wales Rally GB, which will be the pinnacle for the UK domestic rally season and an exciting finale for the high-profile World Rally Championship this year.
"It also shows the Welsh Government's continued commitment to Wales Rally GB, which has significant links with the automotive sector in Wales. Wales is home to around 150 component and systems manufacturing companies and has 15,000 people employed in automotive manufacturing with an annual turnover of £3 billion.”
Cllr Graham Rees, Cabinet Member, Conwy County Borough Council said: "We’ve been working closely with the organisers of Wales Rally GB over the last few months to secure the return of this prestigious sporting event to Conwy County Borough, and we’re very pleased that Llandudno and Conwy have been selected to host this event. Motor sport is very popular and, along with a large number of supporters, can attract considerable economic benefits to an area. I’m sure it will be a great success."
Ticketing details and more information on a special pre-sale offer can be found on the newly redesigned official website www.walesrallygb.com.
Further announcements on the route and 2013 event will be made at a press conference in North Wales on 16-17 May with the Economy Minister, Edwina Hart.

Bring it on! We will be there to celebrate this great, revised and revitalised event... will you? 

See some images here.

NEWS: Kumho Success in VLN Championship

Tyre manufacturer, Kumho has already achieved numerous class wins in Germany’s popular Nürburgring-based, amazing VLN series this year – including a first ever top 10 finish in the opening round of the 2013 season (April 13), courtesy of twins Dennis and Marc Busch, driving an Audi R8 LMS Ultra (pictured).
Kumho say: "The result was particularly memorable as, having been troubled by a loose splitter in qualifying, the team occupied a lowly 40th place on the starting grid. However, a trouble-free run in the race allowed them to climb an impressive 32 places to finish a fine 8^th overall. This was the first time the well-known Busch pairing have shod their Audi with Kumho tyres. They acquired and raced the LMS last year, but this season decided to upgrade the machine to ‘Ultra’ specification and switch tyre brands, the combination of which clearly has great potential."
And Kumho’s European Motorsport Manager Steve Thompson added: "These are serious motor races, and this first round comprised no fewer than 500 drivers from 30 nations doing battle round the incomparable 24.6 kilometre-long circuit for four hours. As ever it was a great test of man and machine and we were delighted with the performance achieved by our tyres, and very much look forward to the remaining rounds of the championship."
This all bodes well for cars carrying Kumho for the forthcoming ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24-Hour.
For further information on Kumho and both its road and competition tyres, logo onto www.kumhotyre.co.uk.

VIDEO: 2013 ADAC Zurich 24h-Rennen Preview Film. Watch now!

NEWS: Pictures & Report of VLN Round 1

See a load of great images from our man at the Ring, Jochen of Frozenspeed of the first 2013 VLN race  from last weekend – including the unveiling of Peugeot's 208 GTi T16 racer (pictured), the world premiere of the Aston Rapide S with Hydrogen technology (with AM boss, Dr Ulrich Bez at the helm), a debut for the Hyundai Veloce, not to mention our good pal, Sabine Schmitz's new Porsche 911 GT3 R getting on pole! Go Sabine!
It was a packed grid, with some 216 cars entering the race, which was won by the white Schubert (factory entry) BMW Z4 #19 won, driven by Joerg Muller, Dirk Muller and Augusto Farfus. That beast Bimmer is a total weapon.
Speaking of weapons, the 24-Hr winning yellow and green cult car that is the Manthey Racing 911 GT3 RSR also made its comeback to VLN after a year of abscence and finished in 6th place.
The top six were:

1. Schubert Z4
2. Timbuli GT3 R
3. Schubert Z4
4. Timbuli GT3 R
5. Alzen Z4
6. Manthey RSR
So, three BMW Z4s and three 911 GT3 R in the top places, proving they are the cars to beat this year, in VLN and the 24-Hour? A thrilling season awaits.
As usual, the VLN is loaded with diversity and heritage, and it was great to see the Phoenix Audi R8 with the Stuck family at the helm, with Ferdinand Stuck and Johannes Stuck (sons of the infamous Hans-Joachim Stuck) teaming up with Luca Ludwig. And also making a name for itself was Gran Turismo's Kazunori Yamauchi in the new R35 Nismo GT-R GT3; a mean looking, great sounding, quick (and thirsty) machine.

We love VLN. Check out all Jochen's fab images on Facebook now. 

NEWS: Shell Launch V-Power Nitro + Unleaded and Diesel Fuels

Shell and Formula One™ face, Jake Humphrey are launching Shell V-Power Nitro+ Unleaded and Diesel performance fuels at an event at Battersea Power Station in London today.

Shell says: "The two new fuels are designed to instantly get to work inside your engine on deposits that can reduce the performance of your car. Developed by Shell Scientists, Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuels represent the next generation of Shell’s premium performance fuels and are the result of more than a century of experience in fuels innovation. They will replace Shell V-Power Unleaded and Diesel fuels which will be phased out from 18th April 2013. Developed with Scuderia Ferrari, the innovation behind Shell V-Power Nitro+ Unleaded lies in the enhanced Friction Modification Technology (FMT). The new formulation contains 25% more FMT which is designed to instantly reduce friction in critical engine areas. This helps the engine to turn more freely, unlocking valuable energy which can help lead to improved acceleration and power delivery.

"For motorists powering their cars with diesel fuel, Shell V-Power Nitro+ Diesel contains Shell’s most powerful detergent technology to date. It has been specially formulated to deliver a faster and more effective clean-up of diesel fuel injection systems , which helps to restore and maintain engine power.
"Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuels are designed to instantly get to work in your engine from the first fill, no matter what car you drive."
Jake Humphrey 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 & Nordics Retail General Manager, says: "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.

BLOG: Driver Focus: Pirelli World Challenge Racer, Jeff Courtney

Our very own USA correspondent, Ashley Van Dyke (pictured below) gives us an insight into Audi R8 LMS driver, Jeff Courtney, racing this year in the thrilling Pirelli World Challenge. 

Jeff Courtney entered the road racing scene at a fast pace by first enrolling in the Panoz Racing School in 2003, immediately entering into their amateur series, and winning the 2005 Panoz Winter Series Championship with multiple podium standings and two race wins. Simultaneously, Jeff was also competing in the SCCA Club division and SCCA Pro-Mazda series. Now, having had several wins under is belt, Courtney was ready for bigger and better competition.

In 2006 Courtney signed up for Touring Car and joined the Pirelli World Challenge Series, competing in an AWD Audi with STaSIS Motorsports. He was awarded Rookie of the Year honors after a very successful season where he posted four top 10 finishes, one top-five finish, and one top 10 start. The following year proved to be even more successful with the entry into World Challenge GT series. Courtney joined Woodhouse Performance in the No. 99 KendaTires/ProMPI Dodge Viper Competition Coup. It was with the No. 99 Dodge Viper that earned him four top-10 finishes, the Hard Charger Award at the Long beach Grand Prix, and was the top placing Viper in the overall championship.
Beginning in 2012, Courtney’s JCR Motorsports teamed with TruSpeed Motorsports to campaign the #99 Kenda/RecStuff.com Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season in Sonoma showing strong 10 ten finishes throughout the year but also dealing with an onslaught of mechanical setbacks.
Now, fast forward to the 2013 season where Kenda and RecStuff.com are returning to support Courtney along with STaSIS, JG Wheels, Speed Seat Factory, Oakley and GoPro. In a last minute off-season decision, JCR Motorsports decided to switch brands from the Porsche 911 GT3 to the Audi R8 LMS and a significant amount of effort was put into preparing the car for the season opener in St. Petersburg. The Streets of St. Petersburg double-header allowed the team to get the kinks in order to prepare themselves for being competitive in the new car. Jeff Courtney could not be more enthusiastic to continue the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge Championship series and see how far the Kenda/RecStuff.com Audi R8 LMS can go with JCR Motorsports driver Jeff Courtney behind the wheel. More information on Jeff and JCR Motorsports can be found at www.jeffcourtneyracing.com and @JeffCourtney99 on Twitter.

NEWS: InFlux_08 Magazine Launch & Auto Art Exhibition

The fabulous InFlux Magazine produced by Adrian Flux Insurance (who superbly insure our tuned Project S4) is having an exciting auto art exhibition event in London tomorrow – to launch Influx_08 "a very special print edition of the innovative multi-platformed magazine on car and bike culture." Cool doesn't even come close!
The London launch event includes guest speakers, film shows and live music along with the exhibition with includes some amazing bespoke artwork commissioned for the launch of Influx_08: These 15 full colour digital treatments and painstakingly hand-wrought takes on the mechanics of speed were specially commissioned by InFlux and are said to be "stunningly original pieces of work." Artist Oscar Wilson, for example, pays spectacular homage to the Maserati marque, Millie Marotta evokes the V12 engine as a beautiful endangered species, and Kate Copeland renders the symmetrical beauty of a Moto Guzzi cafe racer as you’ve never seen it before. Auto, design, art and culture fans will not be disappointed.
The talented team at InFlux says: "Reflecting the core values of its founder, Influx magazine has approached the coverage of cars and bikes as things that move the soul as well as the body. The exhibition focuses on this spirit-enhancing aspect of car and bike culture."
We wish the superb digital InFlux magazine all the luck with their launch event and every success with the printed Influx_08. Sign up for the magazine here. And follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook.
The launch event takes place at 71A Leonard Street, 18th April at 1830.
Oh, and happy 40th anniversary to Adrian Flux Insurance this year!

NEWS EXCLUSIVE: New GM-backed V8 'Supercar Systems' Hypercar

Road Magazine has an exclusive on one of the most ground-breaking and certainly the fastest Hypercars ever created. The brand new, British engineered (by our pals Z Cars) Hypercar is being created, with support from GM (and the 500 Group) in the USA no less, by Supercar Systems, and we will bring you all the news, images, videos and details here and on our Facebook page. So stay tuned.
Meantime, do check out this mind-blowing video of our pal, Tim Schrick testing the car at the Nurburgring last year – which we and Royle Media (PR agents for the project) arranged. Just watch as Tim gets settled and destroys Porsches, Ferrari, Lotus and the new BAC Mono track super star. Deeply impressive eh?
And this when the car was still in early R&D phases... in the 700bhp supercharged V8 (640bhp per tonne) version. A twin turbo version coming after launch of the initial models will knock out over 1,000bhp (940bhp per tonne), in a car weighing just 1,100Kg! These incredible mid-engine V8 Supercar Systems hypercars are still in R&D and the final stages of the body design process currently, with full FIA approval for the chassis also being arranged along with a raft of other safety sign offs. But we can tell you it will be a very special, super safe, amazingly affordable, dynamically superior, ultra lightweight, potent and powerful, low, wide and aggressive monster, with some eye-watering stats and specs, like these:




The Supercar Systems cars will come with a range of GM V8 engines – normally-aspirated, supercharged and twin turbocharged – ranging from the base LS3 model with 455bhp per tonne, to the LS7 version with 500bhp per ton, to LS9 with 630-650bhp per tonne and right up to the special LSTT 1,000bhp+ twin turbo V8 version.
And it's not all about power. There will be a truly superb engineering spec, with Ohlins suspension, Tilton carbon-disc (anti-lock) brakes, lightweight OZ wheels, Michelin rubber, huge downforce aero kit, traction control system and a stunning/practical/stylish interior, with a full FIA roll cage. And it will have great 360-degree visibility, plenty of room inside, a nice interior and more besides, making it a safe and comfortable place to go incredibly fast!
The basic, initial performance aims are to lap the Nurburgring in under seven minutes (which based on the evidence of this testing, slow warm-up R&D video, will be no issue), knock out a 0-60mph in under three seconds, blitz the quarter mile in just 10-seconds and yet still be capable of 25-27mpg. Wowzers! Best of all, it's going to be a whole lot more affordable – as well as powerful and faster – than most super cars. And it'll have main dealer GM parts and support.Prices are TBC, but expect twice the power of a GT3 RS for roughly half the price!

PLUS... there's a chance for YOU to get involved with the project now! As part of a unique "early customer program" the Supercar System team are looking for volunteers who will want one of these incredible cars first off the production line to get involved and be included in the final R&D phases, a proper test session withTim Schrick at the Nurburgring and more cool, exciting stuff. If that's you, email our pals at Z Cars on sales@zcars.org.uk. Plus, there may well be a chance to have a say on the final design of the bodywork too.
This is a deeply exciting project and one we can not wait to get behind the wheel off, not to mention bring you all the details – here on our blog and in Road Magazine. Remember, you heard it here first folks!

NEWS: New Porsche RSR 4th in Racing Debut @ Silverstone 6 Hour

Porsche's new 470bhp, 4.0-litre Type 991 911 RSR narrowly missed out on a podium – finishing fourth – in its factory debut at the Silverstone Six Hours, round one of the 2013 World Endurance Championship. The new car was being run and driven by multiple Nurburgring 24-Hour winners, Porsche AG Team Manthey, with Porsche works drivers Marc Lieb (Germany), Richard Lietz (Austria) and Romain Dumas (France) in the GTE-Pro class. And a second factory 911 RSR also ran, with factory driver colleagues Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Patrick Pilet (France) and Timo Bernhard (Germany) – taking sixth place.
Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Executive Board, Research and Development, Porsche AG, commented afterwards: "That was the first race for the new car and the new team. The organisation of the squad worked well. Of course, there are areas where we have room for improvement, but it’s like a football team, we first have to get everything running smoothly. Technically, everything worked on the 911 RSR apart from a one small thing which we will have fixed by the next race. As far as the performance is concerned, we still have room for improvement. Naturally, we also have to work on the car; it has a little too much oversteer. But all in all, I regard it as a positive weekend. It wouldn’t have been good if the car had experienced lots of problems, but that was not the case. We saw that the 911 RSR can turn consistently quick lap times over the race distance. Now if we do our homework, I think we’ll finish further up the field at the next races."
Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport, said: "Both new 911 RSR cars reached the flag on their race debut, and there were no major technical problems. With a new team, of course, there is still some fine-tuning to be done, that’s normal. We are looking forward to the next race and hope that the car will make another step forward there."
Marc Lieb (#92) said: "We gained many important insights in the race. The car underlined its potential. Now we just need to work a little more on that."
Richard Lietz (#92) said: "We were looking good in the fast corners, but we need to sort out the oversteer exiting the slow corners. But our engineers should be able to correct this by the next race. If so, the podium is within reach."
Romain Dumas (#92) said: "An interesting race. We learned a lot. On the straights we are a little slower than our opponents which makes overtaking very difficult. Still, there are many positive things we can take from this race."
Joerg Bergmeister (#91) said: "That wasn’t our dream result. But we’ve learned a lot this weekend. The conditions were not the easiest, because we had no time to practice on the dry track for setting up the car."
Patrick Pilet (#91) said: "It’s bad luck that we lost more than two laps, but the mechanics did a good job. In any case, we’ve found a good basis to work on and we are optimistic for the rest of the season."
Timo Bernhard (#91) said: "Heading towards Le Mans, that was a very valuable race for us. Our performance wasn’t too bad. Without the front axle problem a podium place would have been within reach."
Meanwhile, in the GTE-Am class, Christian Ried (Germany) and his Italian team-mates Gianluca Roda and Paolo Ruberti scored fifth place in last year’s Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (‘Type 997’) fielded by the customer team Felbermayr-Proton. Round two of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) takes place on 4 May in Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium).
See more image here and at www.fiawec.com.

NEWS: Conrad Grunewald Racing Formula Drift Championship R1 Long Beach Report

Our drifting dude in the States, Conrad Grunewald let rip in his brand new Hankook/Megan Racing/Top 1 Oil Chevrolet Camaro at the first round of the Formula Drift championship in Long Beach this past weekend. The build has happened real fast and looks amazing, but teething issues dictated the first round event, sadly.  

Here's what he had to say: 

"It was a tall order project to build this race car with only one goal in mind - win more races.

The Conrad Grunewald Racing team and I unloaded the car on Thursday and things started off well until clutch issues started up almost as soon as they started making runs on track. The crew worked to find the cause and discovered the clutch wasn’t engaging properly. After practice, there were a few setup adjustments and then we prepared the car for qualifications.
"Sadly, more issues continued to plague the team as we headed into the first qualification run. And just as I was getting ready to take my run – the car ran out of gas! Having been completely full with eight gallons before leaving the paddock, this was a puzzle for the team to work out and trouble shoot with very little time and only one shot left at making it into the main event. When I finally took to the track for my second qualification, clutch issues were back and the car wasn’t able to make full drifts during the run.
"It was a tough weekend for us and the team worked so hard, I can’t thank everyone enough. This COPO engine has me smiling every time I go for the throttle and the Megan Racing suspension we have now is making a big difference. I really need to thank Hankook, Top 1 Oil, Chevrolet Performance and all of our partners for their support."
The Hankook/Megan Racing/Top 1 Oil Chevrolet Camaro will be at Road Atlanta on May 11th for Round 2 of the Formula Drift championships. For more information on Conrad Grunewald please visit: www.conradgrunewaldracing.com.

Stay tuned for all the news here... and expect Conrad and his monster Camaro to be setting some monster backwards entries real soon.  

NEWS: Aston Martin Racing GT Victory @ Silverstone Six Hour

The V8 Vantage GTE's not only look great wrapped in Gulf livery, but they're winners straight away this season – as Aston Martin Racing’s 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) programme got off to a near perfect start at the Six Hours of Silverstone – with a double victory in the GT class.
The #97 V8-powered Vantage GTE, driven by Darren Turner (GB), Stefan Mücke (D) and Bruno Senna (BR), finished in first place in the GT Pro category, while the #95 car of Danish trio Christoffer Nygaard, Kristian Poulsen and Allan Simonsen triumphed in the GT Am class.
At Aston Martin Racing’s home round of the WEC in Northamptonshire, UK, Pedro Lamy (PT), Paul Dalla Lana (CN) and Frédéric Makowiecki (FR) also put in an impressive performance with third position in the #99 car in GT Pro, crossing the line a single lap behind the #97 machine and within 13 seconds of the second-placed car after six hours.
The fourth Gulf-liveried Aston Martin, the #96 car of Jamie Campbell-Walter (GB), Roald Goethe (D) and Stuart Hall (GB), finished fourth in GT Am having been in contention for a podium for the entire race.
After a successful qualifying on Saturday, which saw the team secure first and second position in both GT categories, Aston Martin Racing further proved its class-leading pace by setting the fastest lap of all the GT runners; the #99 car recorded a best lap of 2:01.426 after five hours, although competitor cars were very close behind in a super-competitive category.
While celebrating a near perfect start to Aston Martin Racing’s world championship bid with a faultless lights-to-flag victory, Darren Turner said: “That was an amazing result! We couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season. Stefan, Bruno and myself all pushed hard throughout what was, at times, a difficult race. However, the car was prepared perfectly with a lot of hard work and the result is a great reward for everything. Praise to our chief engineer, Dan Sayers, who has done a great job with the 2013 car and given us a package that should see us have a solid season.”
Making his WEC debut, Bruno Senna added: “I’m really happy to start my GT career with a win. It’s been great joining Aston Martin Racing and to get a pole position and win and go home from our first WEC race of the year with so many points for the championship is unbelievable. It was a tough race; we had to push hard while avoiding accidents, but my team did a great job. We must now keep pushing hard; the competition here is very, very strong.”
Allan Simonsen, speaking for the #95 GT Am-winning car, comments: “I’m very happy on behalf of the whole team. It was a big push to get us here and to start the season with points is fantastic. To do it on Aston Martin Racing’s home turf is even better; we couldn’t be happier.”
John Gaw, Team Principal at Aston Martin Racing, concluded: “Today’s outcome was better than we anticipated. We got much more than we expected out of the first race of the season; we came here aiming to score points with all four cars. This certainly bodes well for the championship.
“To do this at our home race in Aston Martin’s centenary year is extra special. I’d like to particularly thank the technicians and engineers and all others who have worked tirelessly since Shanghai to expand to this four-car effort. We look forward, as a team, to challenging for more race wins.”
The race-winning 2013-specification #97 Vantage GTE – which shares its bonded aluminium structure and basic engine and suspension architecture with Aston Martin’s sportiest road-going model, the V8 Vantage – completed 171 laps of the 3.7-mile Silverstone circuit, equating to a total race distance of more than 630 miles at an average speed of 108mph.
The FIA World Endurance Championship resumes in Belgium next month at the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps with the race due to start at 1430hrs (CET) on Saturday, May 4.
You watching?

NEWS: VW Motorsport WRC Dominance In Portugal

VW Motorsport have done it again – continuing their incredible inaugural WRC season in the new (Carlos Sainz developed) VW Polo R WRC – with a win on the tricky gravel of Portugal (WRC round four and the second gravel event), thanks to Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia's dominant 58-second victory.
Team mates, Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila also got onto the podium, coming in third (behind Citroen's Mikko Hirvonen). And Andreas Mikkelsen and Mikko Markkula completed the awesome team performance for Volkswagen – with sixth place on their competitive debut in the Polo R WRC. Sébastien Ogier has now extended his lead in the Drivers’ Championship, courtesy of his third win of the season, by over 50 points. And VW Motorsport are top of the manufacturers standings: Dream stuff.
Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg (Member of the Board of Management for the Volkswagen brand), said: "It was great to be present at such a magnificent success. I was very impressed by the manner in which the team earned this success, and how delighted they were by it. It is just fantastic to see how well the entire team is working together. This provides great backing for our drivers, who did an extraordinary job."
The second gravel rally of the season really put man and machine to the test. The conditions, with narrow, winding passages on rough, stony surfaces alternating with fast sections taken at full throttle, were the toughest encountered so far this season. Illness meant Sébastien Ogier was below strength going into the fourth rally of the year, but the Frenchman still held a slender lead at the end of day one. He extended his advantage at the top of the standings with four stage wins on Saturday, and retained his grip on the lead right through to the finish. The World Championship leader did have a bit of a shock at the start of the final day: the connector between the front and rear axles, which allows the handbrake to be used in tight hairpins, temporarily refused to close, causing him to lose time. A short service later, however, the number 8 Polo R WRC was back to full strength as it set off on the remaining stages.
Jari-Matti Latvala also had a worrying moment on Sunday: the driveshaft on the front-right of the car broke, forcing Latvala to tackle the 52.30-kilometre Almodovar stage – the longest on the rally – with just rear-wheel drive. Latvala consequently had to surrender second place overall, but superbly overcame the hindrance to hold off Evgeny Novikov (Ford) and earn his place on the podium.
A test of strategy: tyre selection secures victory on “Power Stage”
Even early on in the rally, Volkswagen’s top two drivers were already looking to save their tyres for the closing “Power Stage”. Additional points towards the Drivers’ Championship were up for grabs for those crews finishing first, second and third on the 52.30 kilometre special stage. And it proved to be a good decision. Starting on fresh Michelin tyres, the Volkswagen drivers were able to launch one last attack at the end of the rally: Sébastien Ogier picked up the three bonus points for clocking the fastest time on the “Power Stage”, while team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala earned one extra point for his third place.
A test of teamwork: Volkswagen service ensures podium finishes
The service played a key role at the Rally Portugal. The Volkswagen mechanics in the Service Park at the “Estádio Algarve” had a total of five time slots – of 15, 30 or 45 minutes – in which to repair the three Polo R WRCs. Given the tough conditions in Portugal, this barely gave the mechanics and engineers sufficient time, in which to replace worn parts and check the technology, which really took some punishment over the course of the four days. The 58-man Volkswagen team did an outstanding job, consistently sending the 315 hp four-wheel drive powerhouse from Wolfsburg back onto the stages in perfect condition.
A test for the newcomers: impressive start for Mikkelsen and Markkula
Andreas Mikkelsen and his co-driver Mikko Markkula, made a great start at the wheel of the third Polo R WRC, which was making its first outing of the season. Mikkelsen did exactly what the team had asked of him, gaining valuable experience in the World Rally Car under competitive conditions and crowning his reliability with sixth place overall and eighth World Championship points.
Quotes on day three of the Rally Portugal
Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7 said: "I am very happy and satisfied to stand on the podium for the first time for Volkswagen. We had a difficult start to the season, but our run of bad luck has finally come to an end. I feel really at home in the Polo R WRC now, and think that we will soon be able to do even better. The rally was a tough test for driver and car, as the route had suffered some serious erosion over the winter. The hard ground and many stones really put the car through its paces. Driver and co-driver had to be fully focussed and have perfect pace notes in order to get the car safely through the stages. Our mechanics did a perfect job of replacing the broken driveshaft on Sunday. As always, they were totally dependable – thank you. That all gives me a lot of encouragement ahead of the coming rallies, and I am already looking forward to Argentina in three weeks."
Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8 said: "Unbelievable. What a rollercoaster ride here in Portugal! I am overjoyed with the win. First the illness, then the brutal stages, which really push a rally car to the very limit. When we had the problem with the power transmission on this morning’s opening stage, I thought: ‘That’s it Séb. The rally is over.’ Fortunately we made it to the service and the guys did a fantastic job there. I think we really deserved the win. The rally was extremely demanding and difficult, for the car, the entire team, and particularly for me. When I arrived in Portugal on Monday evening, I was not certain whether I would be able to start. I was always tired and my energy reserves were completely empty. I was largely able to blank it out whilst I was driving, as the body is running on adrenalin then – but I certainly did not feel top fit. Fortunately my condition improved considerably over the last two days. I will now try to get as much rest and regain as much strength as possible in time for Argentina."
And Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9 said: "I learned something on every single metre of my first rally with the Polo R WRC. My goal was to gain as much experience as possible. I have come away with a lot of ideas as to how we can improve in the future. With the Polo R WRC, everything is a lot quicker than I am used to in Super-2000 cars. My pace notes were too detailed, particularly on fast sections. It was too much for Mikko to read them out, and for me to process them. We will work on that. The aerodynamics on the Polo R WRC are especially impressive. The cornering speeds are extremely high. As such, I am not yet using the full potential of the car in those corners we take in fourth, fifth or sixth gear. I just didn’t want to take any risks. All in all, however, I am very happy with my debut for Volkswagen. I received great support from the team, and would like to thank them for that.”
Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
“The Rally Portugal was a real test for the team, the Polo R WRC and the drivers. It was the first typical gravel rally of the season, and was also one of the most demanding on the calendar so far. We saw at the start of the rally that the Polo R WRC and its rivals at Ford and Citroën are on a par with each other. First, third and sixth is an outstanding team result, for which we have the class of our drivers to thank. A huge compliment goes to the engineers and mechanics, who did a magnificent job and secured our third victory, despite a few teething problems with this brand-new car. I am proud of the entire team. In terms of pace, we are among the front-runners and appear to be able to force our rivals to make mistakes, without making any ourselves. With that in mind, we might just have to change our goals for the season."
Quite an incredible, unstoppable start to the WRC season. Amazing stuff. We can't wait to see the VW fly at Wales Rally GB 14th November. You going?


Full results from Rally Portugal

1. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen	4:07:38.7 hrs.
2. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen (FIN/FIN), Citroën	+ 58.2 sec.
3. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen	+ 4:04.5 min.
4. Evgeny Novikov/Ilka Minor (RUS/A), Ford	+ 5:27.7 min.
5. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Giovanni Bernacchini (Q/I), Ford	+ 7:43.5 min.
6. Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN), Volkswagen	+ 9:39.8 min.
7. Martin Prokop/Michal Ernst (CZ/CZ), Ford	+ 15:04.2 min.
8. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson (N/S), Ford	+ 15:43.6 min.
9. Khalid Al Qassimi/Scott Martin (UAE/GB), Citroën	+ 15:56.9 min.
10. Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (FIN/FIN), Škoda	+ 16:21.0 min.

VIDEO: Ken Block Russian Go Pro Snow Film

Ken Block messing about on Russian snow, Russian racing hat on, more Go-Pro cameras than you can shake a stick at and all that hooning jazz in his Ford Fiesta Hybrid Function Hoon Vehicle. Do I need to say anymore? Frankly, no...

NEWS: Dunlop Sport Maxx Soft Tyre Success in 2013 BTCC Opener

Dunlop Tyres are reporting success in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) – with the introduction of their new high-performance Dunlop Sport Maxx Soft tyre.
This is one of the greatest changes in recent times for the series, with the tyre being used in one of the three races as nominated by the driver, giving a significant performance advantage.
BTCC organisers, TOCA, set Dunlop a goal of providing an option tyre which gives a minimum one-second per lap performance advantage for the initial laps, as a contrast to the standard (Sport Maxx Medium) tyre which is proven to offer consistent performance throughout the race. It was intended that tyre strategy would become part of the overall driver strategy and add to the excitement of the racing. This was certainly prevalent at the first round at Brands Hatch over Easter weekend.
Dunlop say: "The opening round of the Championship saw the soft tyre race debut and all expectations were met. Of the nine podium places, drivers on the soft tyres took three. Rob Austin stole the headlines in race one by charging from seventh on the grid to take the lead on his set of soft tyres before dropping back, however he still finished third. He set the fastest lap of the race on lap twelve of 27.
Matt Neal won the final race on soft tyres having started fourth, while perhaps the most commendable performance on the soft compound was from Gordon Shedden who finished the same race in second having started from the back of the grid in 25th place."
Alan Gow, BTCC Administrator & Series Director said: "Dunlop really delivered with this new tyre - it performed exactly how we wanted it to. But, to be honest, it's exactly what I expected from the great team at Dunlop Motorsport....their expertise and enthusiasm is second-to-none."
James Bailey, Director, Marketing and Communications, Dunlop Motorsport Europe said: "The new tyre uses a compound from the endurance racing range. While the regular Dunlop Sport Maxx is renowned for its wide operating window, the soft option has a ‘sweet-spot’ that is more focussed. Being derived from endurance racing, even after the tyre has peaked it still retains a high level of performance.
"We have had a great deal of success in the endurance world with the compounds from which the BTCC soft tyre is derived. While Dunlop has taken 34 overall wins out of 80 at the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours, LMP2 is currently the most competitive class. Dunlop has won in LMP2 in 2011 with the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and 2012 in the successor World Endurance Championship. 2013 would be our hat-trick. We would also be taking a Le Mans LMP2 hat-trick if we win there as well.
“As ever we will listen to feedback from TOCA and drivers as the season progresses and we encounter different tracks and conditions."
Interesting BTCC times!

NEWS: 2013 VLN Championship is Go!

This weekend will host the first of the awesome VLN Championship races of the 2013 season – one of only two VLN races before the annual Nurburgring 24h race season highlight, May 17th-20th. The series was initially delayed, due to bad Winter weather.

So, this weekend, more than 214 cars from 28 different brands and 500+ drivers from 30+ countries will participate in the inaugural season race – including many big team and driver names, not to mention car debuts. And our man, Jochen Van Cauwenberge of Frozenspeed Motorsport Photography will be there to capture all the action, in his ninth year of coverage of this incredible race series on the Nurburging Nordschleife: The best circuit in the world.
Top drivers for this weekend include Augusto Farfus, Martin Tomczyk, Dirk and Jorg Muller, Uwe Alzen, Lance-David Arnold and Marco Holzer and many other international GT aces. 

The FIA GT3 specification class has 21 entrants – an impressive number of top cars that would be enough to fill a field anywhere else in the world – such is the VLN's (understandable) popularity.
And the GT cars will be doing battle with the SP7 specials (such as the new Type 991 911 GT3 RSR), on a track loaded with Cup classes (Porsche, Opel, Renault, Toyota) and regular production touring cars.

Other highlights include, VLN and 24Hr regular, Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez driving the new Rapide S – in it's racing debut. And Dutch GT legend Cor Euser will debut the Lotus Evora GT4 on the Nurburgring. Meanwhile, Porsche works driver Marco Holzer will be driving the all-conquering Manthey RSR, marking a welcome return to the Nurburgring in the distinctive yellow green Manthey 911 livery.

Other vehicles making their debut are the Porsche 991 (in production class), Hyundai Veloster Turbo, Peugeot 208 GTI and 18 Astra OPC cup cars. And the list of amazing entries goes on and on with cars including Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8 LMS Ultra, BMW Z4 GT3, Chevrolet Corvette C6, Ferrari F458, Ford GT, Ginetta G50 GT4, McLaren MP4, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911 GT3 R and RSR.

Keep up to date here on the blog and see more of Jochen's amazing images on our Facebook page.

And find out about the superb VLN at: www.vln.de

NEWS: Hyundai i20 WRC

Good on Hyundai! The i20 WRC is on its way – and looking awesome!
Hyundai say they been making "key appointments to consolidate the team in core areas" – including Frenchman Bertrand Vallat leading the design office and compatriot Stephane Girard taking the role of Engine Manager, Alain Penasse joining Hyundai Motorsport as Team Manager and Stefan Ph. Henrich heading the marketing & communications team.   

Since the appointment of Team Principal Michel Nandan in January, the team has focussed not only on building its bespoke facility in Alzenau and getting the i20 WRC ready for intensive testing later in the year but also on consolidating technical, sporting, and marketing sides the team. With new key appointments in all of these areas, the team is now operating at full speed while continuing to grow rapidly.
Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal Michel Nandan commented: "We’ve been evolving rapidly since the beginning of the year and made great progress in filling all the main roles to establish our core team. We’re facing a big and exciting challenge, in building a team from scratch and we have now only nine months to prepare for next year. I’m now surrounded by the best people in the business and I’m confident we’ll be ready to meet our ambitious goal to be ready at the start of the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship. While we have a very busy year ahead of us, I believe that team-work together with shared commitment and passion for motorsport are the keys for success."
Can't wait to see and hear the first test later this year. See more images here. 

NEWS: Dunlop Debut 2013 Le Mans Tyres @ Silverstone World Endurance Championship

As well as the new Type 991 RSR debuting at Silverstone for the World Endurance Championships (& European Le Mans Championships) later this month, Dunlop tyres will also be debuting their new rubber – following a Winter of "focused development and testing."

Dunlop currently dominates the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) LMP2 class – with eight of the 10 participants opting for the same brand that claimed the 2012 title and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, the WEC forerunner, in 2011. The World Championship, which has the Le Mans 24h race

as its highlight, starts with a six-hour Race this Sunday 13th and 14th.

Dunlop says; "We have have specifically worked on developing compounds to improve warm-up

properties, which will be important for ELMS teams with tyre warmers now being prohibited. A new tyre shape has also been introduced for 2013, which optimises the tyre’s footprint, allowing lower running pressures and providing additional initial grip and consistency. The tyre improves grip

under braking and turn-in and gives better feedback to the driver. During testing at Aragon and Valencia, over 15,000 kilometres of testing was carried out on the new tyres with Dunlop’s LMP2 teams. Of the three compounds available for the WEC and ELMS races, the ‘medium’ and ‘hard’

slicks will be available for the Silverstone race along with full wets and an intermediate option."

Paul Bryant, Key Account Manager for Endurance Racing said: ""2013 is a big year for Dunlop with our 125th anniversary, our quest for hat-tricks at Le Mans and in WEC, and retaining the ELMS title. We have worked hard to evolve our tyres to make them not only perform better, but to give the drivers better feedback and confidence. We will continue to give our high level of support, working with our teams to give them the best chance of winning possible.”

Sexy slicks

NEWS: Type 991 911 RSR Ready To Race

The stunning new Typ3 991 911 RSR is ready to let rip in World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the Silverstone Six Hours, 13-14 April.
Powered by a 460 hp rear-mounted 4.0-litre flat-six engine, the 911 RSR is characterised by its lightweight design and sophisticated aerodynamics – and a special livery to celebrate 50 years of the 911 .
And the Porsche AG Team Manthey works team exclusively runs two 911 RSR race cars in the 2013 season – which includes the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours
This weekend, at the 6 Hours of Silverstone race in Northamptonshire, the new Porsche 911 RSR ‘Type 991’ makes its competition debut in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). At the same time, the livery of this exceptional version of the 911 honours a very special anniversary – 50 years of the Porsche 911.
Based on the seventh generation of the iconic 911 sports coupe, the RSR follows in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the 911 GT3 RSR (‘Type 997’). The new race car exploits significant lightweight design technology and sophisticated aerodynamics. As with the latest ‘Type 991’ 911 road car, the wheelbase is longer by 100mm. New wishbone front suspension replaces the McPherson struts used previously. Another new development from Porsche Motorsport is the particularly lightweight racing transmission, whose six gears are selected via paddles on the steering wheel. The rear-mounted, 460 hp, 4.0-litre six-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine has been taken from the predecessor and further optimised in detail.
One of the priorities in the development of the new 911 RSR was more evenly balanced weight distribution. The centre of gravity is also significantly lower than that of the prior model. Carbon fibre played a crucial role in the new design. The front and rear wheel housings, front and rear lids, doors, underbody, wheel arches, rear wing, dashboard and centre console are constructed from this very light and strong material. Moreover, all windows are made of particularly thin and light polycarbonate. Also contributing to the weight reduction is the lithium-ion battery, pioneered in the 911 GT3 and RS road-going sports cars.
The appearance of the new 911 RSR is dominated not just by its distinctive livery but also by the flared wheel arches and the deep cooling air intakes at the front. With the new air ducting, the radiator is now centrally-located in the nose and more effective than that of the previous model. At the same time, the cockpit air conditioning has become more efficient. The quick-change concept of the body panels was especially adapted for endurance racing, allowing for easier maintenance and shorter repair times. The front end, front lid and rear panel are fitted with quick release systems and can be replaced within seconds.

The Porsche Drivers
Factory drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Pilet (France) are at the wheel of the number 91 RSR in the GTE-Pro class. At Silverstone, Spa and Le Mans, the duo is joined by Timo Bernhard (Germany).
Competing in the RSR with starting number 92 are Porsche works drivers Marc Lieb (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria), who already shared a cockpit together in the 2012 WEC. At the first two races of the season in Silverstone and Spa (4 May), as well as at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (22 June), they receive support from their works driver colleague Romain Dumas (France).
Two customer teams tackle the GTE-Am class with last year’s Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (‘Type 997’). Driving the Proton Competition entry is Christian Ried (Germany) and his Italian team-mates Paolo Ruberti and Gianluca Roda, with an all-French line-up of Raymond Narac, Christophe Bourret and Jean-Karl Vernay competing for IMSA Performance Matmut.

The schedule
The six hour Silverstone race starts on Sunday, 14 April, at mid-day (13.00 hrs CET). Satellite TV channel Eurosport 2 will broadcast the start of the race live at 13.00 hours (30 minutes) and returns to a live broadcast at 15.00 hours (30 minutes). The final hour is aired live from 18.00 hours on Eurosport 1. The race can be viewed live on the internet under www.fiawec.com.

Porsche Motorsport team comments ahead of the race
Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport: “The whole team is ready and raring to tackle the first race with the 911 RSR. Our squad has worked extremely hard over the last months to make our new car competitive right from the start.”
Joerg Bergmeister (# 91): “I’m looking forward to my premiere in the WEC – in the most beautiful and spectacular 911 ever.”
Patrick Pilet (# 91): “To share the cockpit with such successful Porsche drivers like Joerg and Timo is a great and exciting challenge.”
Timo Bernhard (# 91): “I felt great at the tests in the 911 RSR. We have a good chance to win our class with this car.”
Marc Lieb (# 92): “The new 911 RSR is a significant step forward. I hope that the good test results can be confirmed at the first race.”
Richard Lietz (# 92): “We face very strong opposition from the works teams from Ferrari and Aston Martin. In Silverstone we’ll see where we stand.”
Romain Dumas (# 92): “I’m looking forward to racing the new 911 RSR with Marc and Richard and I’m confident that we’ll make a good start into the season.”

Return to Le Mans: 2014
With 16 overall victories, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in Le Mans history. In 2014, Porsche will return to the world-famous venue with a works-run sports prototype race car in the top LMP1 category.
At the Porsche Motorsport headquarters in Weissach, near Stuttgart, Germany, preparations for the running of the new LMP1 sports prototype in the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours and the sports car World Endurance Championship are progressing at high revs.
To support this programme, the infrastructure at the Research & Development Centre has been considerably expanded with a new workshop building and an office complex completed. The first roll-out of the new LMP1 car is planned for mid-2013. 

Can't wait! Go Team Manthey!

See more images of the new RSR here.

VIDEO: 183mph R35 GT-R World Ice Driving Record

Nissan's beast, 540bhp twin turbo 3.8-litre V6 R35 GT-R just keeps on getting better, and quicker – as its new 183mph Russian ice driving world record just shows, in a standard spec car. Check out this awesome video from the frozen Baikal lake, at -22C. Takes some balls...

NEWS: RMA Offer Chance To Drive an Audi R8 V10 Plus On Track

Our good friends at RMA Track Days are offering invited drivers attending their Silverstone GP event on 17th April the chance to drive Audi's mighty R8 V10 Plus. Cool! If you've not seen one already, check out this short TV commercial. 

The R8 V10 Plus costs £127,575 and features a tuned-up, 542bhp, 398lbft 5.2-litre V10 engine delivering 0-62mph in 3.5-seconds and a 197mph v-max. It also has fixed rate (not magnetic damping) suspension, carbon fibre brakes and the S-tronic semi-automatic transmission. It's a track-orientated R8, akin to the GT3 911.   

And RMA has arranged for Audi to show off three of the new R8 V10 Plus' at the Silverstone event. RMA says: "At just £399, it's a very reasonably priced day and we are confident it will be fully subscribed so book it now or miss out!"

Other 'must-do' 2013 RMA dates include: 

Donington Park - £275 – 98 dB(A), 29th April 2013
Book your place now!
&

Spa-Francorchamps
13th, 14th & 15th May 2013: Road, track and race car dates.
Book your place now!

MAGAZINE: Latest Issue Of Road Magazine: Subaru II

Open publication - Free publishing - More cars

This month's Road Magazine is our second Subaru special. We say a fond farewell to the last of the UK WRX STi legends, the punchy 340R, with a road trip to the Lakes. Hopefully, this is NOT the last we see of this amazing rally-bred turbo nutter; but it is, for now, here in the UK. Sad sign of the times. We also have a sneak preview of the brand new Forester GenIV, which is looking like picking up where the last fabulous model took off. Good news, at last! And we take the most under-rated Subaru of them all – the dependable Outback – on a 1,555-mile road trip to Meribel in the Alps, to really stretch its legs. Finally, we look at Subaru's class-winning SUV, the XV. Subaru had a record breaking year in 2012, globally, but needs our support here in the UK. Why, we just do not know. Their cars are brilliant, reliable, affordable, practical, fun and different. And we've not even mentioned the epic BRZ. Try one today and be prepared to be impressed. And do please share our humble publication with your mates – Subaru fans or not! And enjoy some Subaru videos on our Facebook page.

VIDEO: Sebastian Loeb: Rallying's finest. GT's finest next?

Congratulations to nine-times WRC winning driving God, Sebastian Loeb – who took his first victory, in his first 2013 FIA GT race this weekend at Nogaro.
Driving in his Sebastian Loeb Racing McLaren MP4-12C, with co-driver Alvaro Parente, the team took P1 in Sunday's qualifying race. Bravo Seb! Show these GT boys why rally drivers are the best in the world.

It's hard to believe this is Loeb's first full season in the GT car, watching his race craft on Sunday... as this overtake to take the lead over the No. 12 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS ultra of Niki Mayr-Melnhof (& Rene Rast) who lead from pole clearly shows.

Pure class... 

"It was a really good qualifying race," Loeb said. "Congratulations to Alvaro who had a great battle. He didn't have the opportunity as the Audi driver was really, really fast. We were still in contact after the pits. I struggled a bit with him but finally at the end, I could pass him. For sure it gives me great pleasure. It was a good fight."

Bring on the rest of the season. And follow Seb on Facebook.