McLaren Reforms Partnership With Honda

After months of speculation, McLaren and Honda have announced a new technology partnership to begin in 2015. In the late 80s, McLaren and Honda formed one of the most successful alliances in Formula 1 history – winning 15 of 16 Grands Prix in 1988. For the 2015 season, Honda will supply McLaren with engines and energy recovery systems, taking the place of current supplier Mercedes. New engine manufacturers entering Formula 1 is always a good thing for the sport and should keep things interesting for years to come.

Photo courtesy of McLaren.

The 2013 Spanish Grand Prix

I had intended on posting my recap of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix last night. But after writing it, something didn’t feel right. In fact Formula 1 doesn’t feel right lately and as a ravenous fan of the sport, I’ve been struggling.

Maybe it’s just one of those seasons – it happens. But maybe it’s part of a larger problem with the sport and this is just the beginning? I’ve been rattling my brain, trying to figure out when the racing stopped.

After a 3 week hiatus, I had hoped the teams would’ve been able to regroup back at their respective bases, that McLaren would’ve had the chance to dial in their sluggish MP4-28 and that Pirelli would’ve fixed their damn tires. None of that seems to have happened and what we were left with was another mediocre race at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Before I tumble any further down the slope, praises are in order for Fernando Alonso, who’s now 4th on the all time winning list, surpassing Nigel Mansell. His drive on Sunday really was that of a consummate professional. A bulletproof strategy by Ferrari and a clean race by Alonso secured the team’s second win of the season and damn do I respect them for it.

Even his teammate Felipe Massa continued to show flashes of his former brilliance and clinched a well deserved 3rd place finish. Right now my money is on Ferrari as the team to beat.

Despite parting ways with their technical director earlier in the week, Lotus didn’t skip a beat. Kimi Raikkonen has found a home on the podium in 2013. At this point it seems ridiculous that he would ever consider a move to Red Bull in 2014. Then again it’s still early and anything can happen.

Where Lotus, Ferrari and even Force India have excelled is with their understanding of Pirelli’s hellacious tires. They’ve been a bone of contention amongst teams and fans of the sport alike. In a contract year it would seem insane for Pirelli to produce such an inferior product and more insane still that they wouldn’t offer any sort of explanation. It’s no wonder Paul Hembery deactivated his Twitter account late last season, after being lambasted by fans.

However bad Pirelli’s tires are in 2013, what’s been arguably worse is the racing or lack thereof. Formula 1 has reached a turning point where drivers are no longer pushing from start to finish. Instead they’ve adopted a more conservative strategy – one that saw Lewis Hamilton telling his engineers “I can’t drive any slower”. This is motor racing but somewhere along the way, Formula 1 seems to have forgotten that.

Everyone’s playing the blame game. Drivers are blaming team orders, teams are blaming Pirelli and the FIA, but all the outcry seems lost in what has become a rather staged piece of entertainment. What’s most interesting is how the sport has managed to convince us all that what we’re watching is indeed great racing. The off track soap opera is entertaining as ever, most notably the team drama at Red Bull. But for all of the sport’s technical advances, we’re still seeing drivers struggle to push because of a lack of tires or fuel. Maybe the races are too long? Something tells me it would make no difference to shorten them.

In the days following the Spanish Grand Prix we’ve heard plenty of public bellyaching from Red Bull. Things have gotten so loud that Pirelli made the decision to produce a longer lasting compound for the Canadian Grand Prix in June. We’ve also heard Jenson Button admit that he’s embarrassed by his McLaren team and their MP4-28′s performance.

It’s been a difficult season for the Woking boys and one that may see the exit of Martin Whitmarsh as Team Principal – there have already been rumors of his possible resignation around the paddock. Then there’s Mercedes who look great in qualifying, but have struggled on race day. Both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg quickly fell into obscurity by the end of Sunday’s race. One thing’s become abundantly clear – if the tires are to blame then we may see a massive shift throughout the field in Montreal.

Many would argue with me but Formula 1 is in a slump right now. Maybe the lack of exciting venues is to blame and we’ll see the energy reignited in Monaco next week. However at some point you just have to say screw the tires, the cars and the excuses and go out and race.

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

RCM Gobstopper In Action

Someday I want to buy a GC8 and build something like the RCM Gobstopper.

One of my all time favorites and still competing after all these years.

Photo courtesy of Rich Sams.

Subaru WRC2007 Engine

How do you get a Subaru rally car through every terrain imaginable?

It’s a start.

Days Gone By

I communicate pretty regularly with a number of veteran Subaru owners – guys who have been in the game for upwards of a decade. One thing we all seem to agree on is that the community is dead. It’s a harsh statement but one that’s undeniably true. I base my views primarily on the parts market or lack thereof. It’s become harder than ever to buy new parts for the various iterations of the Impreza, especially the GC and GD. If you’re trying to do the JDM thing, good luck.

As more Japanese companies pull out of the US, it’s a grim reminder that people have moved into other cars or out of the community entirely. The BRZ was a nice blip on the radar, especially for those seeking more aggressive wheel options for the unrelenting 5×100 bolt pattern. However the BRZ has in no way captured the market or the interests of Subaru aficionados, quite the same way the FR-S has.

The Impreza has become dated and with Subaru out of the WRC, it’s tuned variants are becoming increasingly irrelevant in this new era of paddle-shifters and energy recovery systems. Someday we can only hope that the Impreza will share a similar affinity to classics like the Hakosuka and S30 Z. In the meantime, I only see the car’s popularity dwindling.

It’s a grim outlook, but in many ways an optimistic one because I still love my WRX as much as I did the day I got it in 2005. It’s a car that’s gotten so far under my skin that I may never be able to part ways with it. In the meantime there are still exciting Imprezas out there – granted their harder to find, but they still exist. There’s also the exciting news of the WRX Concept and Subaru’s desire to continually produce AWD rally-inspired cars. Maybe someday we’ll see a return to the Impreza’s former glory in the WRC. For now we hold onto the memories.

The 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix

Apologies for the lack of updates on A Class lately. Things have been pretty busy and after a fairly uninspiring Chinese Grand Prix, I decided to reserve my Formula 1 discussion for after the Bahrain Grand Prix. Lets get straight to it.

When it comes to the Bahrain Grand Prix, the political situation has long overshadowed the race itself. With the kingdom’s citizens at odds with the ruling Al Khalifa family, many have questioned the relevance of having the race at all. In typical Bernie fashion, the Don of Formula 1 was quoted saying the government was “stupid” to hold the race. It’s no secret that from a sponsorship standpoint, the Bahrain Grand Prix is one of the most lucrative on the World Championship calender.

As it turns out, Sunday’s race ended up being one of the most exciting of 2013 with lots of great battles throughout the field.

Mercedes continued to look quick at the start of this weekend with a great showing in qualifying. Nico Rosberg secured his second career pole with teammate Lewis Hamilton in P4. Hamilton ultimately suffered a 5 grid spot penalty for a gearbox change following free practice. On Sunday things didn’t fare so well for Mercedes as both drivers struggled to maintain pace.

The opening laps provided for some of the most exciting wheel-to-wheel racing at the start of any Grand Prix in recent years, with Rosberg fending off Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso – who exchanged places for P2. However once DRS was enabled, Vettel made his move and created a lead which he held for the remainder of the race.  Rosberg’s pace continued to falter, but he displayed a level of aggression we haven’t seen from him in the past. Ultimately the driver finished 9th.

Things fared slightly better for Hamilton who was quoted after the race saying the car went from “terrible” to “amazing”. Hamilton also had some nice duels with his former McLaren teammate Jenson Button and Sergio Perez. He finished 5th overall and has stayed consistent in the points since the start of the season.

Lotus have come out fighting in 2013 and amid rumors of the team’s struggles to secure more funding to keep Kimi Raikkonen next season, have produced an excellent car in the E21. Raikkonen struggled in qualifying and started P9. Things fared better on Sunday and with the car’s excellent tire management, he was able to secure a podium finish placing 2nd.

His teammate Romain Grosjean also struggled in qualifying, starting in P11, but made it count in the race. Grosjean finished 3rd after some interesting battles throughout the field. It’s amazing to see the success Lotus has achieved in such a short time. The team’s engineers have certainly discovered the secret to maintaining Pirelli’s unforgiving tires. It’s no secret that Raikkonen is one of the most popular drivers on the market for 2014, with Red Bull rumored to be courting him for Mark Webber’s seat. Ultimately he’s a major factor in Lotus’s newfound success over the last couple of seasons.

Things didn’t go well for Ferrari this weekend. After a great qualifying session for both drivers on Saturday, a series of mechanical maladies saw Fernando Alonso finishing 8th and his teammate Felipe Massa out of the points in 14th. Ferrari have gotten off to a much more successful start in 2013 with the highly competitive F138. However a broken wing on Alsonso’s car forced the driver to do without DRS in most of the race, while Massa experienced numerous tire issues. Both drives made an unnecessary amount of pit stops which ultimately cost them.

With an admittedly sluggish car, McLaren’s only goal for the weekend was to score points. As the teams head back to Europe for a 3 week break, McLaren will essentially rebuild their car in the hopes of being more competitive in Spain. For the second race weekend in a row, Sergio Perez was unable to break into Q3 with his teammate Jenson Button settling for P10 at the start of Sunday’s race. McLaren haven’t had the pace all season, however Button has managed better results than his teammate, who has been harshly criticized in recent weeks.

After scoring just 2 World Championship points in the first 3 races of the season, the pressure was on Perez to deliver in Bahrain. Some unusually aggressive driving saw him in an exciting and nerve wracking battle with his teammate. Button was unhappy with the advances by Perez which calls in to question some of his earlier comments with regards to Red Bull’s team orders debacle. When it comes to tire management their may be no better driver in Formula 1 than Button, ultimately he finished 10th on Sunday with Perez in a more successful 6th. McLaren have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks as they’ll not like being without a podium finish for much longer. Expect to see a very different MP4-28 in Spain.

At the end of the day it was Sebastian Vettel who stood at the top of the podium. In typical fashion Vettel got an early lead and dominated the remainder of the race. Vettle has become increasingly outspoken in the last couple of weeks, with regards to Red Bull’s team orders in Malaysia. At the start of the Chinese Grand Prix, he virtually did a 180 from his previous comments about overtaking his teammate and said he would do it again. The bad blood has continued to flow in the Red Bull paddock with Mark Webber suffering a dismal weekend in China, then being forced to use his teammates engine maps in Bahrain. Red Bull continue to maintain that they support both drivers equally but that is becoming increasingly harder to believe.

Webber celebrated his 200th Grand Prix in Bahrain with a small cake cutting ceremony at which neither Vettel or Helmut Marko were in attendance. The politics within the team seem to be boiling over as Marko was seen telling Niki Lauda not to be nice to Webber. At this point it seems highly unlikely that Webber with continue with Red Bull in 2014. It’s been reported the Australian is scheduled to meet with team owner Dietrich Mateschitz later this week at Red Bull’s headquarters. The meeting will presumably be about his future, as he continues to deny rumors about a a move to Porsche next year.

It was a departure from the usual procession in Bahrain with plenty of wheel-to-wheel racing across the field. The World Championship is still wide open and anything can happen after the teams get a chance to regroup in Europe. It’s hard to believe Formula 1 is already headed to Spain next with the Monaco Grand Prix just a month away!

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

The Great Sound Debate In Formula 1

2014 will mark a new technical era in Formula 1 with the reintroduction of turbocharged V6 engines. As car manufacturers move away from high displacement in favor of more economical setups, it makes sense that Formula 1 would follow a similar path. The switch will also invite new manufacturers to join the sport with Honda and Hyundai rumored to enter in 2015. From a business perspective, the new technical regulations make sense, however there are worries that the sport will loose some of its spectacle.

The unique and at times violent roar of Formula 1 cars has always played an important role in the sport. The Ferrari V12s of the early 90s produced a sound heard nowhere else before or since. Many including Bernie Ecclestone, are worried that the muted tones of forced induction will turn some fans away from the sport.

Many will recall the first turbo era of Formula 1 in the 80s. The manufacturers used 6-cylinder engines not unlike what we’ll see in 2014 and the roar of their turbos’ external wastegates, provided an equally menacing soundtrack to the V10s and V12s to follow. The inline 6 turbocharged engines from BMW where known to be the most power Formula 1 has ever seen – rumored to produce nearly 1500 HP and 65 PSI in qualifying trim. While the 2014 cars will max out at around 750 HP, there’s still the potential for them to sound fantastic.

The sport’s engine manufacturers are already hard at work completing the new V6s and their sound has been a closely guarded secret. However Eccelstone has complained about the sound and even suggested the use of artificial enhancements, to make things more exciting for spectators. While Formula 1 purists will scoff at that mere suggestion of artificial noise, no one really knows what to expect. No official videos have been released of the new engine sound, however one YouTube user has produced some possibilities of what we might hear in 2014.

Each engine sound has been modified to rev to 15000 RPM which will be the limit in 2014. While the modified VR38 from the GT-R sounds exciting, the actual sound may be closer to the modified Alfa 155 DTM. It’s unlikely the turbochargers will feature external wastegates which are largely responsible for the roar of the cars in the 80s. They will also be producing significantly less boost in favor of an Energy Recovery System.

The 2014 regulations all seem a bit complicated however they’re a reflection of what we’re seeing on production cars these days. BMW is one manufacturer known for pumping artificial engine noise through the speakers of their M cars. Even Mercedes are shying away from their iconic V8s in favor of more economical turbo setups.

Despite my initial reservations, I’m excited for the new turbo era of Formula 1. With added boost we may be treated to less traction in the bends. The new ERS will also provide an additional 150 HP at the touch of a button. It will increase the potential for overtaking and make for better racing in general. While the simulations are all very entertaining, my hope is that we’ll be hearing this in 2014.

Videos courtesy of ngendro & CarniftyTV.

BBC Formula 1 Opening 2013

The BBC has some of the best production quality in the business – watch any episode of Top Gear. Their Formula 1 broadcast is no exception and for the 2013 season, they enlisted the help of London-based agency Intro, to design their new opening montage.

The video is a brilliant mix of Formula 1′s most iconic scenes with Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’ providing the soundtrack.

NBC Sports should be taking notes.

Video courtesy of Intro.

A Team Divided At Red Bull Racing

I wanted to elaborate a bit more on the events that unfolded at yesterday’s Malaysian Grand Prix. The race recap covered the overall event, but the team orders involving Red Bull are worthy of another look. I’ve been discussing it a lot on Twitter over the last 24 hours and you can read more of that here.

In many ways yesterday’s Grand Prix served as a study into the pros and cons of team orders in Formula 1. On one hand you have Mercedes, who used them to keep their drivers from racing one another and risking valuable points in the World Championship. On the other hand you have Red Bull who used them so ineffectively that it’s created a massive rift on their team. I won’t elaborate too much on Mercedes as the situation is more straight forward. I can understand why Ross Brawn wanted to keep his drivers from racing one another, but I can’t understand what difference it would’ve made to let Nico Rosberg overtake Lewis Hamilton. The decision goes against the team’s philosophy that both drivers are equals, in which case it shouldn’t have mattered who finished ahead. After Hamilton’s humbling podium speech, the team should have no problem getting past this one, if they haven’t already.

The greater problem lies within Red Bull Racing. After being told explicitly by team bosses to hold position, Sebastian Vettel decided to take matters into his own hands and perform a risky passing maneuver on his teammate and the race leader Mark Webber. The pass had come after both drivers were instructed to power down their engines and bring the cars home safely. Unfortunately for Webber it meant losing out on his first win since last year’s British Grand Prix.

While the media has done their best to perpetuate the situation to far greater depths, it does create some serious problems for Red Bull as a team. In one corner you have Mark Webber,  a workhorse of a driver who produces consistent results and rarely finishes outside of the points. At most other teams, Webber would be a clear number 1 driver. In the other corner is a proven World Champion in Sebastian Vettel with 3 titles to his name.

Many have taken Vettel’s side and made the argument that the German displays the qualities needed to win championships. His ruthlessness isn’t unlike some of his predecessors, including Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. But at what point does a driver believe he’s bigger than the team that supports him? Despite Schumacher’s cunning and Senna’s sheer aggression, they knew their places within their respective teams and in a sport like Formula 1, no driver is bigger than his team. Vettel’s actions on Sunday say otherwise. By ignoring the team’s orders he showed a lack of respect and everyone watching, that he knows what’s best for himself and potentially his team. Irrational decisions can be made in the heat of the moment and it’s only after the fact that we allow ourselves to consider different perspectives. However, it won’t be easy for Vettel to come back from this. Not only has he put himself in a difficult position, he’s put Red Bull in a difficult position with Mark Webber.

If the World Championship comes down to the line at the end of the season, can Red Bull expect Webber to offer support, if his own championship bid is obsolete? The Australian has reached a point in his career where the opportunities of winning a championship of his own are numbered. 2013 could be his last realistic possibility to do so. Nothing is certain in Formula 1 and if this were to be Webber’s last season with Red Bull, then he would have no greater opportunity than right now. At age 36, this could even be his last season in Formula 1. If that were the case, he’d have nothing to lose and that will certainly affect his willingness to be a team player during crunch time. Red Bull understands this and it could prove to be a major downfall, as they seek to add a fourth consecutive World Constructor’s Championship to their legacy.

After the events that unfolded in Malaysia, Sebastian Vettel has not only further alienated himself from Webber, but potentially his team as well. Even his biggest supporter, Helmut Marko wasn’t pleased with Vettel’s lack of compliance to the team’s orders. Time heals all wounds but some take longer than others. We’re already a month into the Formula 1 season and Vettel may have run out of opportunities to connect with his teammate. The rivalry between both Red Bull drivers has been fierce since day 1, but as Webber stated yesterday, Vettel has protection within the team. While penalizing him isn’t necessarily the answer, Red Bull owe it to themselves to make a move in Webber’s favor or they risk loosing one of their greatest allies on the track. However, that ship may have already sailed.

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

The 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix

Formula 1 wrapped up the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier today and what is typically a rain soaked procession, turned out to be one of the most dramatic races in recent memory. The events at Sepang International Circuit conjured up memories of the Senna-Prost era at McLaren and cemented Formula 1′s identity as a team sport.

There’s an infinite amount of story lines to discuss as Europe’s sporting columns are ablaze with Red Bull and Mercedes gossip. With pit stop foibles, mechanical maladies and host of very unhappy teammates, lets get straight to it.

Ferrari came out of qualifying in prime position to score their first race win of the season, with Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa starting P2 and P3. After an aggressive start by the Red Bulls, Alonso fought for position, coming out of turn 1. The Ferrari driver’s front wing became dislodged after making contact with Sebastian Vettel and then Mark Webber as he fought the Red Bulls. Alsonso was expected to come into the pits after the first lap to have his wing replaced, but failed to do so.

Upon completing the first straight of lap 2, his font wing broke free, lodging itself under the F138′s front tires and sending Alonso off the track. With his race over, it left most scratching their heads at Alonso’s bizarre decision to stay on track. The assumption was a strategy to complete 1 more lap and pit for a wing and tire change, as the track began to dry. Unfortunately things ended differently and costed Alonso valuable points in his bid to win the 2013 World Driver’s Championship. It’s still early enough in the season, but as we’ve seen so many times before, mishaps from earlier in the season tend to rear their ugly face in November. His teammate Felipe Massa completed a solid drive, finishing 5th overall.

Pit stop woes followed Alonso’s retirement for the remainder of Malaysia’s first half. In an unfortunate turn, Force India had to retire both cars as they experienced a number of issues with improperly securing wheel nuts. A collision in the pits involving Caterham and a Freudian Slip saw Lewis Hamilton pull into the McLaren pits for a brief second. Early in the race McLaren displayed flashes of brilliance with some very quick tire changes and saw Jenson Button leading the race. His success was short lived after another horrendous stop in which the mechanics sent Button out, after failing to secure the MP4-28′s right front wheel nut.

The team did manage to rescuer it, only to have Button return to the track in 14th and later retire with 3 laps to go. McLaren have gotten off to another tough start in 2013. With an admittedly sluggish car, the team can’t afford to make costly mistakes in the pits. The question is how long Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh will have to right his ship before his job comes into question. Sergio Perez secured 1 point after finishing 10th overall.

With an abundance of drama happening throughout pit lane, it was Red Bull and Mercedes that stole the show. Both teams dealt with similar issues involving team orders in an effort to conserve fuel and keep both cars on the track. Mark Webber displayed some brilliant driving as he lead most of the race and it seemed inevitable that he would secure his first win since last year’s British Grand Prix. Unfortunately his teammate Sebastian Vettel struggled with playing second fiddle and had a number of exchanges with race engineers in a bid to overtake Webber. After an excellent pit stop on lap 44, Webber emerged ahead of Vettel in P1. The two drivers battled for the next 2 laps, fighting for the lead which Webber maintained. After some interjection by team bosses, the Red Bull drivers were told to maintain the gap and bring the cars home for some valuable points. The strategy didn’t sit well with Vettel as he took to the inside, nearly colliding with the pit wall to overtake Webber in turn 1. The move was a blatant disregard for team orders and a fuming Webber showed his lack of gratitude by giving Vettel the finger. The pass has been the most talked about event following the race and in many ways brings to light the internal problems that have followed Red Bull the last few seasons. It’s no secret that Webber and Vettel aren’t the greatest of friends and Webber’s response to the move and a complete lack of sympathy on behalf of Vettel go on to illustrate a mutual dislike between the teammates. Vettel ultimately won the race, his 27th career win, with Webber finishing a close 2nd.

Mercedes experienced their own issues resulting from team orders as Lewis Hamilton struggled to outpace his teammate Nico Roseberg, in an effort to maintain tires and fuel. Rosberg had a number of exchanges with Team Principal Ross Brawn, urging him to allow a pass on Hamilton. There was concern for both cars’ fuel loads following the race and Rosberg was instructed to maintain his position. Had fuel levels not been an issue for Mercedes, it’s likely that both drivers would’ve caught the Red Bulls and there may have been a different outcome. Hamilton finished 3rd overall with Rosberg in 4th. Mercedes should be very pleased with their efforts this weekend. Many speculated that the success of the team would be a work in progress for most of 2013, however in the 2nd race of the season the team are fighting for race wins. Their time will certainly come and soon.

Once the checkered flag was raised everyone was talking about the pending podium ceremonies. A very dejected Lewis Hamilton joined fueding Red Bull teammates Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. A very uncelebratory air surrounded the podium as everyone anxiously awaited the driver’s interviews, lead by Martin Brundle.

This is a scenario where the podium interviews are useless because rarely do we get honest emotion from the drivers as they maintain composure under the spotlight. Everyone had hoped for Vettel to provide some reasoning for his actions but ended up getting a half hearted apology for not following the team’s orders. Webber was considerably more candid, however his choice in words held back most of what he was probably thinking. Hamilton showed real class in his acceptance of 3rd with his mention of Rosberg and a lack of willingness to accept his trophy. It appears as though Hamilton is desperate to turn over a new leaf this season and change people’s perceptions of himself. He certainly won a few fans back today.

It was a fantastically exciting Malaysian Grand Prix and a departure from the boring race F1 fans have grown accustomed to. It’s a 2 week break until the teams are in Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix.

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.