Volkswagen to enter WRC

Volkswagen has confirmed that it will be contesting the World Rally Championship from 2013. The announcement was made in Olbia - just ahead of the Rally d'Italia Sardegna - where a concept version of the firm’s Polo R WRC was also revealed.

A fourth manufacturer is good news for the series, and the arrival of Volkswagen Motorsport should provide some added competition for the existing entries from Ford, Citroën and newcomers Mini.



The catalyst for the WRC’s revitalisation has undoubtedly been new cost-saving regulations, introduced at the start of this season.

Like its rivals, the Polo R WRC will be powered by a 1.6 litre, turbocharged petrol engine with direct injection producing around 295 bhp (220 kW / 300 PS) and 350 Nm (258 lb/ft) of torque. Featuring all-wheel drive, bodywork alterations and various aerodynamic aids, the end package is going to have to comply with the minimum weight limit of 1,200 kilograms (2,645 lbs).



Although the car is just a concept at the moment, work on the first prototypes is planned to commence later this year ahead of a testing programme in 2012.

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Nissan Leaf Nismo RC

Nissan has teamed up with Nismo, its in-house motorsport specialists, to produce a mid-motored, rear-wheel drive Racing Competition version of the Leaf.

During the transformation the rear doors have gone, the interior has been stripped out and a huge driver-adjustable wing has been bolted on to the back.



In fact, the bodywork is completely different, now featuring a carbon fibre monocoque with removable front and rear sections that gives a 40% weight saving. It’s also 350 mm (13.8 inches) lower, 170 mm (6.7 inches) wider and the wheelbase is 99 mm (3.9 inches) shorter. Overall length is virtually unchanged, though.



Although the powertrain has moved to the middle of the car, it produces the same 107 bhp (80 kW / 108 PS) as the standard Leaf and the lithium-ion battery pack is unchanged. Although the top speed is still just over 90 mph (145 km/h), tweaks have resulted in a much reduced 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 6.85 seconds.



The trade-off for that extra acceleration is range, as the Nismo RC has an anticipated running time of only twenty minutes. Not a lot, then, but it should be sufficient for a short race.



The Nisan Leaf Nismo RC is set to make its debut at the New York International Auto Show on 20th April. It will then go on to make demonstration appearances at motorsport events throughout this year. Beyond that, Nissan is exploring the possibility of a zero emissions race series.



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2012 WRC calendar

The World Motor Sport Council has agreed a calendar for the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship. Next year will see a reduction in the number of events, down from thirteen to twelve.





Out go the Jordanian, Italian and Australian rallies, while rounds in Abu Dhabi and New Zealand join the series. Rally Sweden becomes a joint Sweden-Norway event, and Rally Argentina is going to be long distance.



The inclusion of Great Britain and Abu Dhabi on the schedule is subject to the FIA approving those events’ business plans and rally formats.



Dates have yet to be confirmed, as the series organisers sensibly want to avoid any clashes with Formula 1 races.



List of 2012 World Rally Championship events, in alphabetical order:



· Abu Dhabi

· Argentina

· Finland

· France

· Great Britain

· Germany

· Greece

· Mexico

· New Zealand

· Portugal

· Spain

· Sweden - Norway

Aston Martin Vantage GT3

Aston Martin Racing is replacing its DBRS9 racer with the brand new Vantage GT3. Based on the V12 Vantage road car, the plan is to develop and build ten customer cars in time for a competition debut next season.

Target figures for the GT3’s dry-sump 6.0 litre engine are 600 bhp (447 kW / 608 PS) and 700 Nm (516 lb/ft) of torque. By comparison, the standard V12 Vantage manages with 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS) and 570 Nm (420 lb/ft).



But that doesn’t tell the whole story, as the extra output will be complemented by a weight reduction from 1,680 kg (3,704 lbs) to 1,250 kg (2,755 lbs).



Drive will be via a semi-automatic paddle shift Xtrac transmission, and the Vantage GT3 is going to get bespoke traction control and anti-lock braking systems.



John Gaw, Aston Martin Racing Managing Director, said: “The DBRS9 has been a very successful GT3 racing car and, despite being more than six years old, is still competitive today. However, the competition has moved on and we needed to create a new car that combines our six years’ experience in this category with the latest race technology to continue Aston Martin’s success in GT3 for many years to come.”



And he’s correct about the increased competition - since the introduction of the DBRS9, the class has seen the arrival of cars such as the McLaren MP4-12C GT3, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 and the recently upgraded BMW Z4 GT3.

MotoGP heading to Texas

Dorna Sports, organiser of MotoGP, has announced that the new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas will be hosting a round of the championship from 2013. A ten-year contract has been agreed, which also encompasses the Moto2 and Moto3 race categories.



The Hermann Tilke designed track must be impressing the right people. Still under construction, it first hit the headlines last year when Formula 1 announced it would be using the Texas venue for the United States Grand Prix. That’s also a ten-year deal, starting from next year.

A key feature of the 3.4 mile long circuit is the substantial change in elevation, while the layout is said to have been inspired by various classic tracks. With a capacity of 120,000, there should be plenty of room for spectators.



The Circuit of the Americas race means that the United States could have three MotoGP rounds - assuming, of course, that Laguna Seca and Indianapolis remain on the calendar beyond 2012.



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Mini WRC Team launched

The Mini WRC Team has been officially launched, ahead of a limited campaign in this year’s FIA World Rally Championship.

As previously announced, the pair of Mini Countryman John Cooper Works WRC cars will be crewed by Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle and Dani Sordo / Carlos del Barrio. Their first outing is going to be May’s Rally d’Italia Sardegna, the fifth event in the 2011 WRC calendar. A further five rounds are due to be contested this year, before the team commits to a full WRC programme in 2012.



Developed by Prodrive, customer versions of the Countryman rally car will also be made available to private teams in either S2000 or full WRC specification.

Mini Countryman John Cooper Works WRC 2011
Engine
Type	Four-cylinder, direct injection petrol, turbocharged
Capacity	1,600 cc
Power	Over 300 bhp (223 kW / 304 PS)
Torque	Over 400 Nm (295 lb/ft)
Maximum turbo boost	2.5 bar (absolute)
Transmission
Gearbox	Sequential Xtrac 6-speed
Drive	Permanent four-wheel drive
Chassis
Brakes	AP Racing, four piston, gravel 300mm / tarmac 355 mm (front and rear)
Suspension	Prodrive Öhlins Macpherson strut, 3-way adjustable dampers (front and rear)
Dimensions
Length	4,110 mm
Width	1,820 mm
Weight	1,200 kg (FIA minimum weight)

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Updated BMW Z4 GT3

BMW Motorsport has tweaked its Z4 GT3 racer for the 2011 season.

Following a successful competition debut last year, the modifications have focussed on improving the car’s aerodynamics. Other big changes include the fitment of an updated electronic management system for the 4.4 litre V8 engine, a new control unit for the actuators and the move to a two-paddle gearshift.



Available now to privateer race teams, the Z4 GT3 costs €315,000 plus VAT (around £278,500 or US $456,250 at today’s exchange rates). There’s still no sign of a street legal version, unfortunately.



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Final 2011 ILMC venue

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup organiser, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, has now confirmed that the Zhuhai International Circuit will host the Chinese round of the series.



Built in 1996, Zhuhai is in Guangdong Province close to Hong Kong and Macao. Perhaps the choice of venue isn’t too much of a surprise considering it was the location for the final event in last year’s inaugural ILMC.



However, it seems that there was impressively stiff competition from Shanghai this time around - so much so that the ACO is now talking about having two Chinese races in 2012.



Meanwhile, the Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours race will now take place on Saturday 7th May, not Sunday 8th May as previously advised.

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 2011
Round	Event	Country	Date
1	Sebring 12 Hours	USA	19th March
2	Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours	Belgium	7th May
3	Le Mans 24 Hours	France	11th - 12th June
4	Imola 6 Hours	Italy	3rd July
5	Silverstone 6 Hours	UK	11th September
6	Petit Le Mans (Road Atlanta)	USA	1st October
7	Zhuhai 6 Hours	China	12th November

Pirelli F1 tyre colours

Pirelli, sole Formula 1 tyre supplier for the next three seasons, is colour-coding the ‘Pirelli’ and ‘PZero’ sidewall logos so that spectators can determine what compounds are being used.

The colours chosen are:

· Wet – Orange

· Intermediate – Light blue

· Supersoft – Red

· Soft – Yellow

· Medium – White

· Hard – Silver



At first sight, it appears that it’s going to be difficult to tell some of the types apart, with silver and white in particular being hard to distinguish.



However, the rules stipulate that only two compounds of dry weather tyre can be used at each round, designated ‘prime’ and ‘option’. Pirelli’s cunning plan is that there will always be at least one step between the different tyre specifications on offer.



So, that means all the teams will have a combination of either Medium (white) and Supersoft (red) rubber available to them, or - as is the case for the three opening events in Australia, Malaysia and China - Hard (silver) and Soft (yellow). That ploy should encourage some interesting strategic race decisions, as well as averting any potential identification problems.



As per last season, each driver must use both nominated types of dry tyre during a dry race in order to be included in the results. If a dry race is suspended following an incident and cannot be restarted, a 30 second penalty will be added to a driver’s time if only one variety was used.



Also available at every round of the championship will be the Wet (orange) and Intermediate (light blue) compounds, in case of rain.



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Avensis NGTC racers debut

The two Toyota Avensis racers that’ll be competing in the 2011 British Touring Car Championship have been shown off for the first time.



Both were built by GPR Motorsport in accordance with the new Next Generation Touring Car regulations. Series organisers have introduced these to help keep costs down, primarily through the use of standardised components and robust two-litre turbocharged engines developing around 300 bhp (223 kW / 304 PS).

Car #11 will be run by Dynojet Racing for driver Frank Wrathall, the reigning Ginetta G50 Cup champion. However, as his Avensis hasn’t done any test miles yet, the team faces a challenge to get everything fettled before the first race on the 3rd of April at Brands Hatch.

Speedworks Motorsport meanwhile is looking after the #50 Avensis of Tony Hughes, another ex-Ginetta competitor. Although his pre-season preparations are a little more advanced, teething problems such as fuel and power steering pump failures have slowed progress.



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2011 BTCC Chevy Cruze

Silverline Chevrolet, the works outfit run by RML, has unveiled its new livery for the 2011 British Touring Car Championship. The new paintjob is similar to that also being used on the team’s WTCC contenders.

While some BTCC competitors are going to be fielding cars compliant with the new Next Generation Touring Car regulations, the Cruze racers remain in Super 2000 specification for this season.



Behind the wheel of the #1 Chevrolet will be reigning driver’s champion Jason Plato, who has decided to stay with the team to defend his title. Completing the unchanged driver line-up is team mate Alex MacDowall in the #20 car.

Images © GM Corp.



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2011 BTCC entries

2011 will see the biggest grid ever for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship since it switched to a two-litre formula. Despite the presence of only two full factory teams - Silverline Chevrolet and Honda Racing Team - ten manufacturers will be represented this season, including newcomers Audi, Proton and Toyota.



The boosted entry list is mainly down to the introduction of the Next Generation Touring Car technical regulations, which have been brought in to slash car development and running costs. Most of those savings will be achieved through the use of standardised parts including brakes, suspension and gearboxes. Using durable two-litre turbocharged engines in the NGTCs should help make the BTCC more affordable, too.



This year starts a period of transition, with the intention being that existing Super 2000-spec cars should have equal performance to the NGTC entries for the next two seasons, after which the latter will become dominant.

Team Aon Ford Focus: S2000 chassis with NGTC engine.

Good news for spectators is that children will get free admission at every round, while pit lane autograph sessions will continue to be a popular feature of race day.



For television viewers, the live package shown on ITV4 and ITV4 HD is going to be six to seven hours long, backed up by a one-hour highlights programme shown later on ITV1 and ITV4. Excellent terrestrial coverage that other championships would do well to emulate (WRC, that means you…).



The opening race of the series is at Brands Hatch on the 3rd of April.

2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship: Entry List
Full S2000 Specification Cars
No.	Driver	Team	Car
1*	Jason Plato (GBR)	Silverline Chevrolet	Chevrolet Cruze
20*	Alex MacDowall (GBR)	Silverline Chevrolet	Chevrolet Cruze
8	Robert Collard (GBR)	WSR	BMW 320si
18	Nick Foster (GBR)	WSR	BMW 320si
17	Dave Newsham (GBR)	Geoff Steel Racing	BMW 320si
28	John George (GBR)	GoMobileUK.com with tech-Speed	Chevrolet Cruze
29	Paul O’Neill (GBR)	GoMobileUK.com with tech-Speed	Chevrolet Cruze
78	Chris James (GBR)	Team ES Racing.com	Chevrolet Lacetti
43^	Lea Wood (GBR)	Central Group Racing	Honda Integra
S2000 Specification Cars Using NGTC Engines
No.	Driver	Team	Car
2*	Matt Neal (GBR)	Honda Racing Team	Honda Civic
52*	Gordon Shedden (GBR)	Honda Racing Team	Honda Civic
5**	Tom Chilton (GBR)	Team Aon	‘Global’ Ford Focus
44**	Andy Neate (GBR)	Team Aon	‘Global’ Ford Focus
TBA**	TBA	Team Aon	‘Global’ Ford Focus
7	Mat Jackson (GBR)	Airwaves Racing	Ford Focus
66	Liam Griffin (GBR)	Airwaves Racing	Ford Focus
14	James Nash (GBR)	888 Racing with Collins Contractors	Vauxhall Vectra
34	Tony Gilham (GBR)	888 Racing with Collins Contractors	Vauxhall Vectra
22	Tom Boardman (GBR)	Special Tuning Racing	Seat Leon
55	Jeff Smith (GBR)	Pirtek Racing	Vauxhall Vectra
77	Andrew Jordan (GBR)	Pirtek Racing	Vauxhall Vectra
99	Tom Onslow Cole (GBR)	AmD Milltek Racing.com	Volkswagen Golf
Full NGTC Specification Cars
No.	Driver	Team	Car
11	Frank Wrathall (GBR)	Dynojet	Toyota Avensis
12	David Pinkney (GBR)	Rob Austin Racing	Audi A4
13	TBA	Rob Austin Racing	Audi A4
42	Daniel Welch (GBR)	Welch Automotive	Proton Gen-2
50	Tony Hughes (GBR)	Speedworks Motorsport	Toyota Avensis
* Eligible for Manufacturer and Constructor championships. All other cars eligible for Independent championships.
** Eligible for Constructor championship.
^ BTC specification.

Snetterton corner names

With the redevelopment of Snetterton now complete, owner MotorSport Vision has revealed the circuit’s new corner names.



Fans were invited to submit ideas, and the final selections for the three track configurations mainly honour personalities from British motorsport and the local area.



These include Sir Frank Williams CBE, founder of the eponymous F1 team, commentator Murray Walker OBE and Norfolk native Martin Brundle - fittingly, the public’s most popular suggestion.



The Montreal turn meanwhile is so named because it replicates exactly the Casino Hairpin at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, venue of the Canadian GP.



Some of the monikers remain unchanged, though, such as the Senna Straight and the Bomb Hole curve.

2011 Suzuki GSV-R

The Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team has unveiled its 2011 challenger. Sporting a livery from Troy Lee Designs, the Suzuki GSV-R now produces over 220 bhp (165 kW / 225 PS) from its 800 cc V4 engine.

Combined with a weight of around 150 kg (330 lbs), that should be enough for a top speed of at least 205 mph (330 km/h). But that’s just one part of the performance mix - work has also been done to improve driveability and acceleration out of slow corners, while chassis stiffness has received attention to enhance handling and traction.

Rizla Suzuki will only be fielding one GSV-R this season, for Spanish rider Álvaro Bautista. The new bike will make its debut at this weekend’s MotoGP test session at Qatar, ahead of the first race of the season on 20 March which also takes place at the Losail circuit.

Aston Martin AMR-One

Aston Martin Racing has unveiled its AMR-One LMP1 racer, which will be used to contest this year’s Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. Although it seems likely that the team will miss the opening round at Sebring, it is expected to participate in the remaining events, including the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Unlike the rival Peugeot 908 HDi FAP and Audi R18 TDI, the AMR-One’s two litre, six cylinder, turbocharged engine uses petrol, not diesel. That choice follows a commitment by ILMC organisers, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, to modify the regulations to better equalise performance levels from the two fuels.



Further emphasising the different approach from its two main opponents, the AMR-One is an open-cockpit car. The bespoke carbon fibre monocoque chassis is brand new, and features a prominent aerodynamic fin.

When plans for an LMP1 challenger were first revealed last year, it was said that just six cars would be built. Aston Martin Racing has indeed been true to its word, and the factory team will be running two of them. Car #007 is going to be in the hands of Darren Turner, Stefan Mücke and an as yet unconfirmed third driver, while car #009 will see Adrian Fernandez, Andy Meyrick and Harold Primat behind the wheel.



Aston Martin is planning to commence testing the AMR-One soon, ahead of a competition debut at the 6 Heures du Castellet, the first race of the 2011 Le Mans Series that takes place on 3 April.



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Yamaha YZR-M1 livery

Yamaha Factory Racing has unveiled a new colour scheme its MotoGP challenger, the YZR-M1.

The bikes may look smart finished in blue with the signature Yamaha ‘speed block’ motif, but the livery reveals that attempts to find a title sponsor for the 2011 season have failed.



Current World Champion Jorge Lorenzo remains with the team to defend his title, while replacing Valentino Rossi is Ben Spies, who moves up to the works outfit following a year at independents Tech 3.

The 2011 MotoGP championship commences on March 20 with the Grand Prix of Qatar.



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BTCC-inspired Civic Ti

A major appeal of touring car racing is that the machinery used is similar - at least in looks - to the models that the public can buy from their local showroom.



Honda has decided to capitalise on this association by launching the limited edition Civic Ti. Unashamedly inspired by its own British Touring Car Championship contender, the Ti is based on the five-door 1.4 i-VTEC SE and 1.8 i-VTEC SE. Production will be restricted to just 500 examples.

A marketeer’s dream, the Ti builds on relationships already forged by the Honda Racing Team. For starters, the 17” wheels are supplied by Team Dynamics, and their dark finish undoubtedly looks good against the Premium White Pearl paintwork - the only colour choice available for the Ti.



There’s also a navigation system from Pioneer which, conveniently, is the company that has just been announced as title sponsor for Honda’s 2011 BTCC campaign. Featuring a 3D graphical touch screen, the Pioneer hardware includes mapping for 44 countries, incorporates a hands-free phone system and supports playback for CDs, DVDs and USB devices.



The package is completed by a fairly subtle ‘GP’ body kit.



According to Honda, all of that extra specification adds up to £3,700, but the good news is that the cost hasn’t been reflected in the Ti’s pricing.



In fact, the on the road prices for the Ti variants are over £300 less than their equivalent SE models. That makes the £15,995 1.4 i-VTEC Ti and £16,995 1.8 i-VTEC Ti rather a bargain. Both will go on sale in March.



Meanwhile, Honda Racing has made its intentions for the imminent BTCC season very clear, stating that the target is to win the Drivers’, Teams’ and Manufacturers’ titles.

Team Dynamics will again be running the cars, although a big difference for 2011 is that they are going to be powered by NGTC-spec turbocharged engines. Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden continue as Honda’s works drivers.

Virgin reveals MVR-02

Marussia Virgin Racing has unveiled its Formula 1 challenger for 2011.

After scoring zero points last season with the VR-01, naturally the team will be hoping for better things from its successor, the MVR-02. The addition of that ‘M’ to the name recognises that Russian sports car manufacturer Marussia Motors bought a large stake in the operation last November.

Virgin is sticking to Cosworth power for the MVR-02, but it hasn’t bothered installing a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). Wisely, the team recognises that there are bigger issues to address if it wants to slash a couple of seconds off its lap times and improve reliability.

Timo Glock remains as a driver for 2011, but Lucas di Grassi has been replaced by Belgian Jérôme d'Ambrosio.

Peugeot 908 HDi FAP

Peugeot Sport has revealed the car that will be going head-to-head with the Audi R18 TDI in this year’s Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

It’s still called the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, which is rather confusing because there are plenty of differences compared to 2010’s version. Those changes are thanks to a revised set of regulations, designed to cut the continued dominance of diesel-powered cars in endurance racing.



Not that Peugeot has been persuaded to switch to a petrol engine, though.



The 908 is still fuelled by diesel, but its motor is no longer a 5.5 litre V12. In its place is a 3.7 litre V8, capable of producing 542 bhp (404 kW / 550 PS). An impressive figure, but that smaller capacity means the 2011 908 is around 147 bhp (110 kW / 150 PS) down on its predecessor.

Having won the 2010 ILMC series, Peugeot is naturally eager to defend its title this season. The expanded championship now includes the Le Mans 24 Hours, a round which will receive particular focus given that all three 908s failed to finish 2010’s disastrous event.



Interestingly, the driver roster for the June race has already been decided, and it’s exactly the same as last year:



#7 908: Alexander Wurz / Anthony Davidson / Marc Gené

#8 908: Franck Montagny / Nicolas Minassian / Stéphane Sarrazin

#9 908: Sébastien Bourdais / Pedro Lamy / Simon Pagenaud

Commenting on the decision Olivier Quesnel, the Director of Peugeot Sport, said: ‘At our debrief after the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours at our base in Vélizy, I told all our drivers that I had every confidence in them for 2011. They are true professionals, every one of them. We have nine world class drivers who count among the discipline's very best. We have everything to gain from sticking to the same line-up.’

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 2011
Round	Event	Country	Date
1	Sebring 12 Hours	USA	19th March
2	Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours	Belgium	8th May
3	Le Mans 24 Hours	France	11th - 12th June
4	Imola 6 Hours	Italy	3rd July
5	Silverstone 6 Hours	UK	11th September
6	Petit Le Mans (Road Atlanta)	USA	1st October
7	(Circuit TBC) 6 Hours	China	12th November

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