Ecclestone sorry to see friend Briatore leave F1

Bernie Ecclestone has said he was "surprised" and "very sorry" to see his friend and business partner Flavio Briatore leave Formula One.

"I'm very, very sorry that he's ending his association with Formula One," the F1 chief executive, who frequently travelled to races with the Italian and co-owns the football club Queens Park Rangers with him, said after hearing that Briatore had fallen on his sword over the 'crash-gate' scandal.

Renault face charges from the WMSC on Monday
"I feel sorry for him. Obviously, I'm surprised at what has happened, and I'm taken by surprise that they've decided to walk away," Ecclestone added.

Also departing Renault on Wednesday was Pat Symonds, who until the Piquet allegations was one of F1's most highly respected and regarded senior engineers and tacticians.

Ecclestone said: "I am surprised at Pat letting himself become involved."
It is speculated that the next move for the pair might be lifetime bans from FIA-sanctioned motor racing and even other forms of sport, criminal proceedings for ordering a dangerous crash, and other court actions, including by Ferrari or Felipe Massa for costing them the 2008 world championship.

The World Motor Sport Council will sit to consider possible sanctions against Renault, Briatore and Symonds next Monday.

"I've no idea what will happen. We'll have to wait and see. To be honest with you, I don't want to make any comments about the World Council," said Ecclestone.

He also told the Daily Mail newspaper: "You can't defend him (Briatore) at all. What he did was completely unnecessary. It's a pity that it's happened."

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Swift media reaction to Briatore departure

The media read between the lines of Renault's short media statement issued today which announced that the bosses Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds had left the team and that Renault would not dispute allegations they conspired with Nelson Piquet to rig the outcome of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix by faking an accident.



The German press agency DPA said the team had "effectively admitted to race-fixing" ahead of the September 21 hearing of the World Motor Sport Council who have the powers to impose a range of penalties, from fines to permanent exclusion.
"Renault will almost certainly plead for clemency ... as they will claim the actions of two men should not affect the employment of nearly 700 other staff within the team," said the Daily Telegraph.

The Times of London agreed: "(The) governing body is likely to accept that, by admitting its guilt and by removing the conspirators, Renault has gone a long way to clearing this matter up."

The Telegraph said it "unclear whether the pair have fallen on their swords or been pushed" by the French carmaker parent, Renault SA.

Ed Gorman, writing for the Times, made the same conclusion about Renault's guilt, explaining that Wednesday's events had turned "one of the worst examples of pre-meditated cheating in the history of professional sport ... from ... lurid allegations to fact".
Even the wire services made no bones about interpreting Renault's statement. Reuters said "Renault admit race-fixing charge", AFP said the team "partly admit some role in the controversy", while PA said Briatore and Symonds have "fallen on their sword".

There are also other ramifications to consider, such as Briatore's co-ownership with Bernie Ecclestone of the London football club Queens Park Rangers, and - depending on the carmaker's reaction or the WMSC sanction - Renault's significant role in GP2 and other motor racing categories.

Former team boss and owner Eddie Jordan told the BBC: "Will the FA (Football Association) allow him to continue to run a club?"

"As a normal person on the street I think this is a clear-cut admission and I am surprised," he added, explaining that after decades in motor racing, he "can't comprehend" ordering a driver to crash.

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Briatore and Symonds leave Renault

Ahead of Monday's Extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in which Renault faces charges of conspiring with Nelson Piquet to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, the team announced today that both Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have left the team.

Ahead of the WMSC hearing, Briatore and Symonds
leave the Renault team
"The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix," a statement reads.
"It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team. Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September 2009, the team will not make any further comment."
Should the team be found guilty of the allegations, the range of sanctions available to the FIA range from a fine, to exclusion from the world championship.

Last Friday, September 11, the team announced that they and Briatore had commenced legal proceedings against Piquet and his father over 'false allegations' and 'attempted blackmail'. The team has not clarified its current stance with regard to this matter.

E.A. © CAPSIS International
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Hockenheim still working towards F1 solution

Yet another meeting to discuss the future of the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim passed this week without a definitive solution.


The race's existing private promoters have ruled out absorbing financial losses in future, raising the prospect that Germany, an important and traditional F1 host, will not be featured on next year’s Formula One calendar.
A meeting was held this week between representatives of F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone and the head of state Gunther Oettinger, according to Sudwestfunk.

"It was perhaps a pre-decisive round," said Dieter Gummer, who is the mayor of Hockenheim and also chairman of the Hockenheimring circuit, "but a final decision has not yet been made.

It is believed that Ecclestone is willing to become the promoter but is asking for €1.5 million from the existing stakeholders.

That would reportedly ensure a race in 2010, giving time for the establishment of an extension of the current arrangement whereby Hockenheim alternates annually with the Nurburgring.
© CAPSIS International
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Hulkenberg expecting to step up to F1

Hulkenberg's credentials are also impeccable. Since 2005 he has captured titles in Formula BMW, A1GP, F3 Masters at Zandvoort and European F3. Sir Frank Williams has stated previously that "Nico is ready for F1.onza last weekend secured the 2009 GP2 championship, expects the achievement to be his ticket to Formula One.


"I hope and think so," the 22-year-old told Germany's Sport Bild. "It looks good," he said in a separate interview with Auto Motor und Sport.

On paper, the German's chances do look good: he is Williams' test driver and the British team has an 'option' to put him in a race seat next year, and he is managed by arguably the most successful driver manager in F1 history, Willi Weber.

"We are negotiating with several teams," Weber told the German news agency DPA. "Williams has an option."

Hulkenberg added: "I feel very good with Williams and would gladly stay there."

Moreover, the GP2 title is usually a reliable ticket to the F1 grid: dating back to the series' inception in 2005, only Hulkenberg's predecessor Giorgio Pantano did not move up to the premier category as champion.

Hulkenberg's credentials are also impeccable. Since 2005 he has captured titles in Formula BMW, A1GP, F3 Masters at Zandvoort and European F3. Sir Frank Williams has stated previously that "Nico is ready for F1.
However, there have been rumblings about the quality of competition faced by Hulkenberg this year.

Romain Grosjean was a high points scorer but pulled out when he was called up to F1 by Renault, leaving Hulkenberg's eventual title rival as Vitaly Petrov, who in some circles is known only as a heavily-sponsored Russian driver.

“Petrov is very good and he's a workhorse; he works very hard and takes it all very seriously,” Hulkenberg insisted. “I have a lot of respect for him."

Petrov is understood to be in talks with Campos, but Hulkenberg revealed that he has not been in discussions with any of the new Formula One teams.

Asked when he expects a decision about his next move to be taken, he answered: "I hope in the next weeks."

E.A. © CAPSIS International
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Ford plans to introduce two-cylinder and three-cylinder engines

Ford Motor Co. will introduce its smallest turbocharged engine yet next year, and on the horizon are even tinier engines--including two- and three-cylinder versions, the automaker's powertrain chief said Monday.

Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president of powertrain engineering, said two- and three-cylinder engines and engines with displacements of 1.0 liter or below are possible.

“I think you'll see all of those things roll out,” Samardzich said. “It's more than experimental.”

Samardzich wouldn't talk about a timetable for such small engines or specify in what markets or vehicles they would first appear. But it makes sense that engines of that size would first be introduced in developing markets or in Europe, where small vehicles dominate.

Meanwhile, in 2010 Ford will introduce a new 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine with its EcoBoost turbocharging and direct-injection technology. The engine will go on sale late next year on the next-generation Ford C-Max, a family of Focus-derived small minivans.

Ford will sell the seven-seat Grand C-Max, the larger of the two body styles, in North America beginning around late 2011. But executives aren't saying whether the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine will power the Grand C-Max in North America.

The 1.6-liter EcoBoost is intended to replace naturally aspirated, large I-4 engines. Torque compares with a 2.5-liter I-4, officials said.

When Ford goes to even smaller engines, it will use technologies such as balance shafts to help solve noise and vibration issues, Samardzich said. Those problems are “manageable,” she said.

The smallest EcoBoost engine that Ford has confirmed for North America is a 2.0-liter I-4 that goes on sale in 2010 in undisclosed nameplates. It is intended to replace 3.0-liter V6 engines.

By 2013, Ford says, it will sell 1.3 million EcoBoost-equipped vehicles per year globally, with up to 750,000 in North America alone. Two-thirds of the volume will come from four-cylinder models.

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Dodge kills the Caliber SRT4

Dodge is dropping its fastest, most powerful small car for the 2010 model year. The Dodge Caliber SRT4--a turbocharged, muscle-bound version of the Caliber--is being discontinued.

"The Dodge Caliber SRT4 was planned for a limited production run in the highly competitive sport compact market segment," Dodge said in a statement.

Dodge did not provide information on the number of Caliber SRT4s sold since the vehicle was introduced in late 2007.

The Caliber SRT4 was Dodge's attempt to add a little muscle-car panache to its smallest car. It was powered by a 285-hp turbocharged version of the inline four-cylinder engine built at the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance factory in Dundee, Mich., operated jointly with Hyundai and Mitsubishi. The six-speed manual transmission was supplied by Getrag, of Germany.

Chrysler's SRT (Street and Racing Technology) group now has five vehicles for 2010: the Chrysler 300C SRT8; the Dodge Charger SRT8, Challenger SRT8 and Viper SRT10; and the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

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Brabus E V12 Black Baron

With a limited production run of only 10 units, the new Brabus E V12 Black Baron is indeed a car for the powerful. In short, the black Benz can simply be described by the numbers: 800 HP, 1047 lb-ft of torque, 217 MPH top speed and a price of $875,000. It is no wonder why they only made 10, that much Mercedes only belongs in the hands of a few.

The Brabus E V12 Black Baron is based on the new 2010 E-Class and in true Brabus fashion, a 6.3 Liter biturbo V12 has been shoehorned into place where the standard 5.5 Liter 8 cylinder mill would have sat. As part of the Brabus power package, the engine includes a ram air induction system, a quad tipped exhaust and a reprogrammed engine computer to get the most from the new power plant.

On the outside the German tuner has added a redesined front bumper, bolder front fenders, aggressive side sills and an aerodynamic inspired set of rear wheel covers. There is a more pronounced spoiler mounted on top of the trunk and a carbon fiber diffuser underneath.

Aside from the body modifications, the E V12’s performance has also been improved considerably: the Brabus E V12 rockets from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.7 seconds, hit 125 MPH in about 10 seconds while on its way to a top speed of 217 MPH, or even 230 MPH if you can persuade them to remove the electronic limiter.

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