Looking Back: Honda RA300

Since the racing season is still a month and a half away, I thought that this would be the right time to share this picture of the 1967 Honda RA300. This car did not achieve much in its short time span, but it certainly makes someone like me, who was not even born when this car was built, think about how great this racing era must have been. A design like that is the quintessence of racing action from the time when Formula One was more of a sport and less of a business. I certainly would like to drive one of these some day.

The image is copyrighted to 3oneseven.

Europe is no more

According to this Marca interview with Bernie Ecclestone, Europe is the least important destination for Formula 1 races. Incidentally, Europe is where most of the sport's fans are (the rest are in Brazil). His statement makes it most obvious (in case anyone is still doubting) that Formula One is becoming more of a business and less of a sport. The exotic new places where the races are taking place attract more sponsors, but are the hardcore fans being alienated? At the same time, the F1 governing body has constantly failed to make the sport any better.

My personal opinion is that a man at 81 years of age should never be allowed anywhere near where a decision about such an important sport with millions of followers is being taken. Cerebral activity starts deteriorating well before that age, and at this point Mr. Bernie is just a blabbering old man who would not be out of place in a nice and warm retirement home.

Vettel's second is almost here

Sebastian Vettel's second consecutive title win is just behind the corner as the F1 season's next race takes place in Japan. He only needs one point from tomorrow's race, but  the reigning champion is going to snatch the championship in style by keeping on doing what he did so far: winning all the remining races until the end of the season.

Vettel is already in pole position, and by taking a look at his previous performances on the Suzuka track we can see that he also won here in the two previous years. So this is the best opportunity to clinch the title for the German wonder-boy. Fernando Alonso, who was the last winner on this track before Vettel's supremacy, is a bit behind in fifth place, but he is always ready to overtake from the set-go. The only title contender, Jenson Button however will start the race also in the front row and may attempt to outrun his adversary.

This is also a race between McLaren and Red Bull, and without the support of Mark Webber in sixth place Vettel will have to win the race with his own hands, whilst Lewis Hamilton in third place will also be a threat for first place. So what will happen? Most probably this will be no big deal for Sebastian Vettel, and Jenson Button's race is all about how he handles seeing the championship slip away from his hands whilst keeping his cool in order to retain his second place in the driver's standings.

Red Bull: History repeats itself?

As I was leafing through the news this week, I came upon this article about how Red Bull Racing have declared a profit for last year, mainly due to prize money (and I guess increased interest from sponsors). That is the icing on the cake, after winning the driver championship two years in a row (we all know that Mr. Button has no chance to make a comeback, even statistically).

It's nice to see a relatively new team rise up from the back rows and finally beating the racing giants at their own game. However, I already heard a similar story that occurred some 20 years previously and went by the name of Benetton. Benetton was a team owned by a manufacturing company, just as Red Bull. They started their winning streak under a German driver. Again just as Red Bull. They won two driver titles, just as... OK, I'm stretching it a bit here, but you get the gist.



What I hope doesn't happen is that, a couple of years from now the dream comes to an end, with half of the team moving out to Ferrari and the other half getting sold to one of the old boys who wants to make a comeback (such as Honda). Not to mention that the German driver that Benetton produced was in fact a monster who almost killed off the sport because no other rival could keep up with him. What do you think will happen?

F1 2011 hits the road

The game that you have all been waiting for, F1 2011 has just been released this week for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

You also get free shipping when you order the game from Amazon.

F1 2011 is Formula One racing game that challenges players to "Be the Driver and Live the Life" as they take on the role of an up-and-coming driver on the FIA Formula One World circuit. Sequel to Codemasters Birmingham's F1 2010 game, F1 2011 is designed around the EGO game engine, which renders more detailed damage and physics for in-game cars across larger environments than technologies used in other games. Additional features include: unprecedented authenticity with real-world Formula One racing, a huge range of tunable vehicle variables, your favorite drivers from the FIA circuit, new circuits and rule changes for 2011 and a new focus on multiplayer gaming, including a co-op option.

A True Formula One Experience

F1 2011 is the sequel to the BAFTA winning Formula One video game from Codemasters, the developer and publisher of award-winning racing games. Developed under Codemasters' exclusive worldwide agreement with Formula One World Championship Limited, F1 2011 comes complete with all the official drivers, teams and circuits featuring in the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Be the Driver, Live the Life
From the paddock to the track, F1 2011 takes players closer to the experience of being a Formula One driver than ever before. A new Parc Ferme area, an expanded and revamped Paddock, new Pit Lane, celebration and reaction cinematics and an enhanced media interaction system fully immerse players in the glamour, pressure and excitement of being a Formula One driver. Players progress from rookie to FIA Formula One Drivers' World Champion in an extensive career mode where gamers fight to become priority driver and shape the development of the car by performing well in races and earning performance upgrades.

KERS, DRS and More
F1 2011 includes all the new rule changes set to make this year's season the most exciting yet. F1 2011 debuts DRS (Drag Reduction System) - the new system which enables drivers to adjust the rear wing on the car to give a boost of up to 10km. KERS also returns, giving players an extra 80BHP for up to 6.67 seconds, enabling drivers to blast past rivals. Combined, these systems encourage close wheel-to-wheel racing with new options for both defense and attack. This season's new Pirelli tires are faithfully simulated in the game, and if players push their car too hard they may experience a range of authentic new damage failures. 

The World's Greatest Cars, the Most Exciting Racing
Building on the heritage of producing award-winning racing games for over a decade, Codemasters is uniquely placed to realize the spectacle and exhilaration of racing 200MPH+ Formula One cars for all fans. F1 2011 can be tuned for players from a wide range of skill levels, from the casual gamer to the hardcore simulation enthusiast and those in between, with a range of differing skill levels. A huge range of vehicle variables can be tuned to suit each player's unique driving style, or drivers can entrust their race engineer to set their car up and head straight onto the track. F1 2011 will support a comprehensive range of racing wheels for the ultimate racing experience.



For more information on gameplay and how to purchase this game, click here.

BBC F1 at Red Bull Racing Simulator

The BBC F1 presenter Jake Humphrey has a go at beating ex-driver and currently BBC F1 presenter David Coulthard, and Red Bull Team Princpal Christian Horner on a lap around Monza in the Red Bull Racing Simulator with an added interview with Christian Horner in the pit lane in Monza.


Uploaded by doctorwhofan on Sep 11, 2011

F1 in the States: Good or Bad?

It's a fact that Formula One racing is coming to the United States next year, with an event in Austin, Texas. I heard many comments online that it is a bad decision, but I'll try to name some good points along with the bad. Here goes.

Pros:

• It seems that Hollywood is taking an increased interest in F1 after the success of the Senna documentary. Bringing the sport closer to the limelight is bound to be beneficial to its exposure in the US.
• F1 already had an event in the US in the past, but was removed due to the dwindling interest from the local public. The track was mainly held to blame, however this time the track is being built with hosting the F1 event in mind.
• The track will be unique for F1, and by offering unique challenges and overtaking opportunities will perhaps be the track of the future for this sport.
• The track construction and maintenance will also be one of the ways to increase US jobs.

Cons:

• The US race is currently set on the same date as the NASCAR finale, making potential race fanatics that may be interested in the new sport think twice about attending the event. The race date has already been moved once, so maybe it will not be too much of a problem to shift it by at least one week.
• It also happens to be the penultimate race of the season, and if Red Bull or some other team keep getting the fun out of F1 by winning all the races, there will be no fun left at the end of the season to take to America.
• There are no US drivers currently racing in F1. Just one participant will make the interest rise, because people will want to cheer the driver that would be representing their nation against the world.
• The track is not ready yet. Let's hope it will be this time next year.

As you can see, it's a mixed bag of problems and opportunities. What is your opinion?

[rF] F1 2011 - S. Vettel - Spa-Francorchamps '11

Sebastian Vettel onboard lap @ Spa.

Author: FloFloF1
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Mercedes' Helping Hand

Transcript by www.newsy.com BY MEGAN FAROKHMANESH ANCHOR: JIM FLINK You're watching multisource tech news analysis from Newsy. Six million dollar man? Not quite -- but 14-year-old Matthew James' shiny new appendage is still nothing to shake a finger at. Autoblog reports that the Formula 1 fan... "...was born without a left hand, and wrote to Mercedes GP's boss Ross Brawn to ask if he could help out with the development of a new prosthetic version to replace his basic and unflexible one. As a return for the company's investment, Matthew said he would allow Mercedes to 'sponsor' his new hand, by putting the company logo on it." --A cheeky offer the Mercedes team found touching. But what does a race car have to do with high-tech prosthetics? Sky News reports, "After learning more about the prosthetic device - and how it was created using similar technologies to those used in F1 racing ... They got in touch with the bionic hand's developer, Touch Bionics, and a few months later, Matthew had his own fitted." So the two really do go hand in hand. But how does a bionic arm respond to muscle movement? Does it just plug into the wrist? Well -- yeah. Matthew fleshed out the appendage's power source and mechanics for BBC: MATTHEW JAMES: "There are two lithium batteries located in here, in the base. And I can achieve pretty much any movement through various grip patterns. For example, if I were to hold an open signal for two seconds, it would go into this pinch grip, which is useful <b>...</b>

Author: NewsyTech
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Disaster Team - Life F1 Racing.wmv

I return after one year with this video.In fact,I hope to make a collection of "disaster team"of F1's histoy.First,I started with Life F1 Racing.Good vision!

Author: Deltarally92
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Grand Prix Challenge (PS2)

Loading times were removed for your consideration and enjoyment. I remember the first time I saw this game. I was at E3. I was absolutely blown away by this game's visuals. However I was not so blown away at the horrible frame rate issues the game had. I left Sony's booth thinking "Well, that's what you get when you have graphics too detailed for the console to handle." Little did I know that by the time the game was released it ran at a screaming 60 frames per second and NEVER drops a single frame. It wasn't until many years after of the game's release that my attention was turned on to Grand Prix Challenge. A few years ago I decided to get more serious about collecting the games I wanted for all my consoles, so I looked at several websites that review and rate games and this one was always close to the top. Being a racing fanatic I had to check it out. I picked it up for like 7 bucks at Gay Stop. What I ended up getting is a game considered by many to be one of the finest F1 racers ever to grace a console. I admit that I am not a huge F1 racing fan. I don't watch Indy Car racing, and normally don't care for F1 games. However this one is special. It's special because it's nice and accessible for novices such as myself who don't wanna fool with a ton of overly complex adjustments to tweak your car's performance. You basically have suspension, down force, braking balance, and gear ratio sliders. Easy to understand and quick to adjust. You have two levels of traction <b>...</b>

Author: OldsXCool
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Highlights Formula 1 Silverstone 2011 by maxfernon

All of Silverstone 2011 By maxfernon Thank you for watching

Author: maxfernon
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Formula One's Williams return to Renault

British team Williams have rekindled one of Formula One's most successful partnerships by announcing on Monday that they will team up with French manufacturer Renault for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
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SENNA 2011 FULL Scenes 1/10

For more go to: doiop.com Release Date: August 12, 2011 (limited) Studio: Producers Distribution Agency Director: Asif Kapadia Screenwriter: Manish Pandey Starring: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Viviane Senna, Milton da Silva, Neide Senna, Jackie Stewart, Sid Watkins, Galvao Bueno, Reginaldo Leme, Gerhard Berger, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Jean-Marie Balestre, Michael Schumacher, Bussunda, Rubens Barrichello, Luiz Fernando Lima, Damon Hill, Riccardo Patrese, Bernie Ecclestone Genre: Documentary Plot Summary: Senna's remarkable story, charting his physical and spiritual achievements on the track and off, his quest for perfection, and the mythical status he has since attained, is the subject of "Senna," a documentary feature that spans the racing legend's years as an F1 driver, from his opening season in 1984 to his untimely death a decade later. Far more than a film for F1 fans, "Senna" unfolds a remarkable story in a remarkable manner, eschewing many standard documentary techniques in favor of a more cinematic approach that makes full use of astounding footage, much of which is drawn from F1 archives and previously unseen.

Author: HayDecoteaungb
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2 New McLaren MP4-12C on Race Track [HD]

The McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. It is the first production car wholly designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1, which for a long time held the record for the fastest production car in the world. The car's final design was unveiled on 8 September 2009. The MP4-12C features a carbon fibre composite chassis, and will be powered by a mid-mounted McLaren M838T 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine developing approximately 592 bhp (441 kW; 600 PS) and around 443 lb ft (601 N m) of torque. The car makes use of Formula 1 sourced technologies such as "brake steer ", where the inside rear wheel is braked during fast cornering to reduce understeer. Power is be transmitted to the wheels through a 7-speed Seamless Shift dual-clutch gearbox. The MP4-12C is priced at $229000.

Author: proukraine
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Formula One 'Spygate' engineer Coughlan apologises

Mike Coughlan, who was at the centre of the 'spygate' scandal that rocked Formula One back in 2007 but has returned to Grand Prix racing with Williams, said he aimed to "earn back everyone's respect".
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The Magic (09/10)

Ayrton Senna da Silva (March 21, 1960 -- May 1, 1994), better known as Ayrton Senna, was a Brazilian Formula 1 driver who won the championship three times, in 1988, 1990 and in 1991. He died in an accident that took place on the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, better known as Imola, in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. He's considered to be the most skilled driver in the history of motor racing. In 1988 he joined Frenchman Alain Prost at McLaren-Honda. Between them, Senna and Prost won fifteen out of the sixteen Grands Prix which took place that season, with Senna winning his first World Championship, a title he would go on to win again in 1990 and 1991. McLaren's performance declined in 1992, as the Williams-Renault combination began to dominate the sport, although Senna won five races to finish as runner-up in 1993. He moved to Williams in 1994, but suffered a fatal accident at the third race of the season at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Italy. Senna is regarded as one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula One. In 2009, a poll of 217 current and former Formula One drivers chose Senna as their greatest Formula One driver, in a survey conducted by British magazine Autosport. He was recognised for his qualifying speed over one lap and from 1989 until 2006 held the record for most pole positions. He was especially quick in wet conditions, as shown by his performances in the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, and the 1993 European Grand <b>...</b>

Author: Perainor
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Formula One teams against restaged Bahrain Grand Prix but money talks

• Formula One teams do not want December racing • Financial realities may force teams to race Formula One teams may be obliged to compete in a rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix despite their overwhelming unwillingness to do so if, at a meeting on Friday, the FIA World Motor Sport council decides the race should take place. After a meeting of team principals last weekend at Monaco, it is understood ...
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Montreal F1 Grand Prix June 2010

The start of the F1 final race of the June 2010 Grand Prix in Montreal from the Ferrari Box.

Author: girlinfo1
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ANALYSIS-Motor racing-Formula One rules pass the acid test

Formula One's new rules passed the acid test at the weekend but, despite the novelty of a thrilling Spanish Grand Prix, the season's story remained the same.
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