Shane's Corner

2010-04-25T20:51:00.003+01:00

Over the Easter holidays my family and me boarded a plane to Ireland before the Iceland volcano erupted. It was an annual family gathering and as I have not been there for one before I thought it was about time I showed my face.

My dad had organised a rent-a-car for the family and to my disappointment heard the dreadful news that it was a Ford Focus Diesel. It’s not the Focus part that turned my stomach, it was the six-letter word diesel. My family all own diesel cars, including the worst one of them all. The Rover 220. It’s loud, slow and a horrible green colour. Therefore its nickname is The Tank. The diesels sit on the driveway thanks to the father, who is one of these crazy select few who seem to think that diesels are better than petrols.

As we landed in Ireland we headed over to the rent-a-car desk only to be told we wouldn’t be getting a Focus. It was April 1^st and didn’t know whether it was an April Fools prank but instead we were given a Vauxhall Insignia Petrol. Petrol! This put a big grin on my face and a frown on my dads’. We would be driving around Ireland without the loud grunt coming from the exhaust. It would also be a first that when the engine started it wouldn’t wake the whole neighbourhood.

The Insignia is very easy on the eye and I have been a fan since their release last year. They have a sporty look to them but also have family in mind. The boot space was generous as we squeezed in our suitcases, but as it went back far it wasn’t deep enough. But as we only had the car for a week and didn’t intend on using the car much it was ok for us.

It was then time to set off on our journey and as I took a seat at the back I felt very enclosed within the car. The seat wrapped itself around me and left me feeling very comfortable. The only complaints I have to make about the rear seating is the slanted roof that limits head room. I was constantly hitting my head on the slant and if I were any bigger it would be a big pain in the backside. The other problem was the high doors. The whole frame was high up restricting my view out of the window and the theme ran throughout the whole of car.

As we tootled down the motorway the ride was mediocre. The car’s suspension would find every dip and bump in the road surface and certainly let you know when it found one.

It was when we got onto the country roads that would really test the car. As we went round every twist and turn the car didn’t seem to be as smooth as first thought. I didn’t know whether it was my dads’ driving as he is used to a diesel engine with a lot of torque or petrol was beginning to let me down. He still kept the same pattern of being lazy with the gears and changing at low revs. I was hoping that 40 minutes into the journey he would have seen the light and converted to petrol. But I was wrong.

When going up hills the car seemed to develop a huge amount of lag. The father dropped gears bringing up the revs but still the car refused to respond. I was beginning to think my dad was right but I didn’t want to agree with one of these diesel fanatics.

The following day I asked if I could drive the car back from the shops. To my amazement I was given the keys. This has never happened before. I felt like a child in a sweet store as I unlocked the car.

I inserted the keys and started the engine. I looked down to release the handbrake but only to realise there wasn’t one. With a puzzled face I queried my dad as to how you take it off. A simple Park button was in its place instead. This was the first I had seen one of these contraptions on a standard family car.

After playing around knowing what dial does which, we were off. The first thing I noticed was the gearbox. It was very clunky and wasn’t much movement with the stick. This meant it was hard to find the correct gear and took a few changes to come to grips with it.

We left the town centre and headed up hill and I began to realise my dad was making sense, much to my disappointment. The car was very slow and the rev needle didn’t want to go past 3,00rpm no matter how hard you had your foot on the accelerator. I tried everything to push the 1.8 litre engine up the hill but it was one fight I wasn’t going to win.

I wasn’t going to win the battle with the clutch either. When leaving junctions I tried releasing it slowly, quickly, finding the bite but nothing worked. After a long journey you would develop a bad case of clutch foot. It was very heavy, usually I like a heavy clutch as I can find the bite and roll on it but with the Insignia it was like finding a needle in a haystack.

The poor visibility from the back seats again ran all the way through to the front. The high dashboard and slanted sweeping roof made it difficult to see out of.

Vauxhall’s bid to enter the Insignia into a market already dominated by the likes of Honda, Toyota and Ford has not got off to the best of starts. There are multiple problems with the car and I wish I had enough time to let you know of them all.

The best parts of the car are its looks inside and out. The sweeping body makes the car very elegant and straight away pulls you in, but you must resist. It must be why so many of them were littered over Ireland’s roads. The men who walked into a Vauxhall dealership and left with an Insignia have shot themselves in the foot with a great big rocket launcher. Their wives have probably left them and taken the children, they’ve lost their job and nobody wants to be seen with him out in public. Vauxhall should rename it the Medusa or Marriage Wrecker.

After a week of owning the car it was about time to hand back the keys with much delight to my father. For the first time in a very long while I was given the opportunity to show him how petrols are better than diesels and I was let down. Back to the drawing board for me.

The steep £18,000 Vauxhall are asking for the basic model is still in dire need of improvements. For the very top of the range you will be requiring a deep wallet to cover the £30,000 asking price. For that amount of money you get a 2.8 litre V6 turbo fitted with a VXR badge.

The car got us from A to B, but with a struggle. If you are looking to buy this car I would look elsewhere as this car should remain a rent-a-car.

Formula 1 Update

2010-04-17T15:41:00.002+01:00

As you may have noticed there has not been any recent posts relating to Formula 1 on this page. I have created a new page for all F1 news that can be found on the link below.

www.shane901.wordpress.com

Mini Goes Big

2010-03-09T20:42:00.001Z

Mini has now officially ruined its’ own name single handily. They have announced the release of their new SUV, the Countryman, to hit UK stores in September.

Things come in fours with this Mini. It is the first Mini to get four doors, four seats and a new four-wheel drive system, but the ‘ALL4’ drive system will only be available to those who purchase the Cooper S and Cooper D. With this option the torque will be split 50-50 between front and rear wheels, with the choice to send it all to the rear if things get slippery.

This Mini is still in touch with its smaller, original brother as all five launch engines, two diesels and three petrols, are all taken from the existing line-up. The Countryman has been designed to be road-focused allowing customers various options to improve the ride and grip available, armed with a sufficiently deep wallet of course.

While many SUVs on the market at the moment are packing high litre engines that are full of grunt, the Countryman stores a weak 181bhp 1.6 litre turbo, which is only available with the fastest model in the range, the Cooper S.

With all the extra space in the Countryman provides compared to other Minis, Mini has produced a glamorous interior. The first thing that will catch your eye is the rail that runs right through the middle, which Mini has named, well, the Centre Rail (genius). The rail allows you to attach a multiple array of moveable storage boxes to it. The two rear seats can replaced for a three-seater bench at no extra cost, which is nice of Mini as the other optional extras are certainly not for the people who are tight with their money.

While this may all sound glamorous for a new big Mini, prices for the basic model are expected to start at £17,000. Yes you read that correct. That is without any of the optional extras.

It is certainly a sexy looking car and a different approach from the bosses at Mini HQ, but it is certainly not a Mini that first made its name for its lack of size.

Busy Schedule

2010-01-30T18:44:00.008Z

It has been a busy schedule for Formula 1 recently. This week saw three launch events from the main title rivals: Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren.

First, Ferrari. They revealed their car on Thursday at their Maranello headquarters and have pinned high expectations on it already. Hopeful of releasing a car to take them back to the front of the grid after a dismal 2009 season. The new F10 will be driven by two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and a long awaited return for Felipe Massa. The new car certainly looks more aggressive than last years, but whether that is due to the new regulations or it will help with performance, we will have to wait and see.

The new driver line-up is one of the strongest on the grid, certainly competing with Hamilton and Button at McLaren. Stefano Domenicali, team principal, has predicted that Alonso will win another title during his three-year contract. No mention on Massa's hopes though.

Friday saw the launch of the eagerly awaited McLaren MP4-25 at the Vodafone headquarters in Newbury. After a successful second half to last season, there are a lot of expectations for this team to do well, which they should as they have the current back-to-back world champions. But will it be another Hamilton and Alonso partnership?

While Button may be champion, he faces some stiff competition to hold the crown, coming from team-mate Hamilton and veteran Michael Schumacher. Will the competition between team-mates distract them from what matters? The title.

Finally, Mercedes revealed their livery and the most anticipated driver line-up at the very beginning of the week. Formally Brawn GP, they have retained the higher ranks that lead Brawn to both titles, Ross Brawn and Nick Fry. Similar to the Ferrari and McLaren, a lot of hopes ride on this team.

Having one of the most successful drivers in Formula 1 history, Schumacher, does he have what it takes to win another title at the age of 41? Ross Brawn has said there will be no favouritism amongst drivers.

While the three main competitors have revealed their cars, no one has forgotten about the presence of Red Bull. Having a very strong 2009 season finishing second in both constructors and drivers, will they be the team that the other teams looking over their shoulder?

Saab Live To Fight Another Day

2010-01-30T18:09:00.002Z

Over the coming weeks it was announced that Saab was going to go under due to lack of investment. General Motors were already prepared to let the Swedish ship sink, that was until Spyker sent out their sea rescue.

Spyker, the small Dutch supercar maker, was a definite surprise to take over ownership. While it is not expected that Spyker won't be involved in the long-run, they have saved thousands of jobs. GM allowed Saab to sink after trying to save money by building cars that had no individuality or spark, but instead dressed up the Vauxhalls in ball gowns.

But it wasn't just in the GM years that Saab made poor cars, they did that themselves pre-GM. While they are selling 100,000 cars a year on average, their rivals BMW, Mercedes and Audi are selling 10 times that. With that amount of sales it gives them the power to and resources to develop and build such fine cars.

While Saab stays afloat now, far too few people did the one thing that could of keep afloat: buy a Saab.

Schumacher Returns

2009-12-23T01:35:00.002Z

It is official! Michael Schumacher has come out of retirement to race along side Nico Rosberg at Mercedes next year.

Retiring at the age of 37, in 2006, the 40-year old, 41 in January, has reportedly signed a one-year contract thought to be worth £6.2 million.

Previously attempting a comeback last season to stand-in for Felipe Massa after his injury, it was not to be after a motorcycle accident last February. But this time it has the green light.

Personally, this is fantastic news as the seven-time world champion has been my idol since a very young age. He is the greatest driver to have graced the world of Formula 1. But while I, like many others, are hugely anticipating his return to the grid in March, will he live up to the expectation? Will he be able to outclass the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel?

2009-12-15T17:59:00.002Z

Recently we were set the task of filming a one minute video on xmas shopping. Unfortunately I was unable to upload the video due to technical faults, but it can be found on my group mate's page at http://sportsjournalist-9.blogspot.com/

Farnham Local News

2009-12-08T13:16:00.000Z

Radio news by shane90

Rememberance Day Vox Pop

2009-12-08T13:02:00.000Z

VOX POP by shane90

Manor GP To Be Rebranded As Virgin Racing

2009-12-03T23:30:00.001Z

Before Manor GP can even line up on the grid for the first race in Bahrain in March, they are set to be taken over by the global giant Virgin.

It was announced on Monday by the FIA when they released the entry list for 2010, before being officially announced by Manor boss John Booth and Virgin chief Richard Branson on Tuesday.

Rebranded as Virgin Racing, they join fellow newcomers Lotus F1 Racing, US F1 and Campos Meta. Filling all 12 available gird spaces for next season.

Virgin, who recently sponsored the championship team Brawn GP, have said that they aim to sponsor the underdog. Will this season be a mirrored reflection of the success Brawn had this season?

F1 Provisional Race Calendar

2009-12-03T23:29:00.001Z

1. Bahrain Grand Prix (Sakhir) 12-14 Mar

2. Australian Grand Prix (Melbourne) 26-28 Mar

3. Malaysian Grand Prix (Kuala Lumpur) 02-04 Apr

4. Chinese Grand Prix (Shanghai) 16-18 Apr

5. Spanish Grand Prix (Catalunya) 07-09 May

6. Monaco Grand Prix (Monte Carlo) 14-16 May

7. Turkish Grand Prix (Istanbul) 28-30 May

8. Canadian Grand Prix (Montreal) 11-13 Jun

9. Europe Grand Prix (Valencia) 25-27 Jun

10. British Grand Prix (Silverstone) 09-11 Jul

11. German Grand Prix (Hockemheim) 23-25 Jul

12. Hungarian Grand Prix (Budapest) 30 Jul- 01 Aug

13. Belgium Grand Prix (Spa_Francorchamps) 27-29 Aug

14. Italian Grand Prix (Monza) 10-12 Sep

15. Singapore Grand Prix (Singapore) 24-26 Sep

16. Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka) 1-3 Oct

17. Korean Grand Prix (Korea) 15-17 Oct

18. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Yas Marina Circuit) 29-31 Oct

19. Brazilian Grand Prix (Sao Paulo) 12-14 Nov

F1 Gossip Update

2009-12-03T23:27:00.002Z

Renault are currently looking for an escape plan to leave to F1 as a constructor before the 2010 season starts. They are actively searching high and low for potential buyers, with David Richard’s Prodrive among contenders. Renault would continue as an engine supplier.
Nick Heidfeld is confident he will find a competitive seat for next season as the identity of the driver who will occupy the second seat at Mercedes continues.
Volkswagen have played down rumors that they are entering the sport in 2012.
Gary Paffett put McLaren at the top of the time sheets on the second day of F1’s young driver tests at Jerez.

Canada Is Back On The Calendar

2009-12-03T23:27:00.001Z

The Canadian Grand Prix is to make a return to Formula 1 next year after a year out. A major financial deal was struck to keep the event in Montreal.

The race was absent from this season’s calendar due to a lack of funding and a dispute between local authorities and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone. But an investment of £8.5 million from both the Canadian Government and Montreal’s tourism board will see the race being held at Montreal for the next five years.

Montreal’s Minister of Tourism, Nicole Menard, said “The Grand Prix of Canada has more impact on the tourist industry than any other sports event in Canada. Of the 300,000 spectators at the competition, 25% come from outside Quebec.”

The race has been held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve since 1978. Both Lewis Hamilton and Robert Kubica have both won maiden victories there.

Formula 1 Update

2009-11-26T23:32:00.001Z

Current gossip surrounding the Formula 1 pit lane:

The saga of the seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher’s return took another set back. It emerged yesterday that Ferrari, whom he still remains under contract, have yet to receive any indication that he may consider racing for another team.
Qadbak have withdrawn from buying Sauber from BMW, opening the door for American investors.
Fernando Alonso has begun his first steps within Ferrari. He spent the last two days at the Ferrari headquarters getting to know the team and engineers working on next year’s car. Before leaving, he was given the chance to drive the new Ferrari 458 and a 599 around the Fiorano test track.
Lewis Hamilton spoke to Germany’s Sport Bild magazine saying he is not worried about the abrupt relationship split between McLaren and Mercedes, as McLaren will still be using the Mercedes engine.

And finally…

It is expected that Citroen are to announce the signing of Kimi Raikkonen for next season in the WRC.

Ford Fiesta S2000

2009-11-21T17:46:00.004Z

While Ford do not have plans to build an ST or RS Fiesta, the S2000 is the next best thing. Built by the same division that built the WRC Focus, M-Sport, it will be the Ford’s first global rally car.

Ford are aiming to have the car ready to compete in time for the 2011 WRC season. The Fiesta will be eligible to enter national rally championships, as well as the S2000 World Cup and the IRC. The 2.0-litre S2000 will debut at the final round of this year’s IRC at the Rally of Scotland next week.

Under the bonnet a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine is being housed. It will produce 280bhp while at the tops of its lungs at 8000rpm, along with 192lb ft at 6500rpm. It has also been fitted with a six-speed sequential gearbox and AP clutch to all four wheels, which will control the power sent from the engine.

As rally drivers are addicted to using the handbrake on tight hairpins to show off, the S2000 has a hydraulic handbrake to help in those hard hairpins. The car has multiple set-ups depending on the terrain; for example, on the rough gravel it will be fitted with Brembo 300m discs and four-piston monobloc callipers on all wheels, plus 15-inch aluminium alloys. But when on tarmac, the front brakes are upped to 355m and the wheels are raised to 18-inch magnesium.

To keep the Fiesta in touch with Earth, it has been fitted with adjustable dampers to keep them intact. All these gadgets and adjustments have tipped the car at the mandated 1200kg.

The WRC will be closing the doors on the big, chunky rally cars spelling the end of the Ford Focus and Citroen C2, but opening the door to small and simple cars in a bid to cut costs. Citroen are planning to build a rally version of their DS3 city car, but who else would you like to see revising their cars for the WRC? Renault Sport Clio? Honda Jazz? Fiat Abrath

Prices are yet to be announced, but plans from M-Sport state they are aiming to build 50 cars over the coming 12 months.

For a video of the S2000 in action, click on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFsEwVMItpk&feature=related

Button Joins, Raikkonen Leaves

2009-11-19T14:15:00.007Z

It was announced yesterday that Jenson Button has signed to partner Lewis Hamilton at McLaren next season.

It follows news that former world champion Kimi Raikkonen will not be driving in F1 next season, but to compete in the WRC (World Rally Championship).

Button, 29, left former team Brawn, for whom he won the title, described it as a “difficult decision.” But with new team McLaren, he will have tough competition from his teammate. Hamilton is regarded as the fastest driver in F1, having achieved a great amount in a short space of time.

Brawn GP, who have recently been taken over by Mercedes, made Button an offer that he did not deem acceptable. He took a pay cut to £3m to have a seat with Brawn at the start of last season, due to Brawn living on a shoestring budget. But McLaren, with all their power and money, persuaded Button to switch sides.

Button has said that the move was not about money, but about having a competitive car next season. But I feel it may be used as a scapegoat as his demands have risen. Winning the title has gone to his head and has now become drunk with power.

In other Formula 1 news, Kimi Raikkonen has taken a year out of F1 to focus on rallying. He made a guest appearance during his home rally in Finland this year, having set competitive times before crashing out. He failed to secure a driving seat with McLaren next season after making way for Fernando Alonso at Ferrari at the end of this season. McLaren was the only team that he had set his sights on as they were the only competitive team he thought he could win the title with. The 30-year-old attempted to sign a deal with McLaren, but his high salary demands meant McLaren could not afford to keep him.

A number of teams were interested in signing Raikkonen, but he was not interested as he saw no other team being competitive enough. He hopes to return to F1 in 2011, but again he may face the same fate to not finding a competitive enough team. Hopefully he does as he still has a lot of talent still left in him

Next year the driver’s line up is constantly changing with many rumours surrounding the pit-lane, it looks set to be an exciting season. Will it be an English 1-2 at McLaren, or will Ferrari make a comeback? We will find out in 12 months.

My BMW Experience

2009-11-18T19:05:00.001Z

Never in my dreams would I imagine myself driving a brand new BMW M3 around a racetrack at the age of 19. But recently that dream came true.

I arrived at Woking racetrack not knowing what I was about to experience. At first I thought I was going to watch a race of some kind, which would have still been a great pleasure. But no, I was given the chance to go one step further. I was asked to step into the passenger seat of a brand new 2009 BMW M3 Coupé Edition. I have always been a fan of the M3 since a young age, and to sit inside one was a dream come true. But it was an even better dream come true when a race driver sat in the driver’s seat, faced me and said “Shall we take it for a spin?” Many different types of emotions rushed over me, I was still thinking to myself whether this was real or not as I tried pinching myself. I felt like a small boy again.

Sitting on the start line he brought the revs up to 8000 with his left foot on the brake. Removing his foot off the brake sending the rear wheels into a frenzy of smoke, we were away as I was forced deep into the seat. We hit 60mph in 4.2 seconds, and I definitely knew about it. I had never felt anything like it. This was my first experience of being driven round a racetrack at full speed, and every single second was an overwhelming experience.

We arrived at the first corner and he was reaching speeds of 130mph. The first corner was definitely one not to take at high speed, but he was determined to do it. I sat upright as he did not seem to put his foot anywhere near the brake. For a moment I was genuinely scared, but at the very last second possible he stamped on the brake pedal. “You didn’t think I was going to slow down did you?” he said after we exited the corner. It was like this all the way around the 2.4km track.

When I finally managed to ease into the speed and knowing his was leaving it last second to brake, we pulled over. As he was pushing the car to its limits, we had to wait for new tires to be fitted. This gave me a chance to look around the £53,000 fourth generation M3. Looking at the specification sheet made me realise how much power was sat under the bonnet, a 4.0 litre V8 producing 420hp. Different from the previous M3, which contained a straight-six. But don’t go thinking that the new M3 has been turned into a lazy muscle car, because it hasn’t. It revs at 8300rpm and is noticeably faster than the previous M3. It is more forgiving and lighter, but also smarter thanks to the new revised iDrive. While you can change many different aspects of the car such as the levels of grip and performance via the small knob that sits centre of the control panel, the M Differential is busy at the rear of the car making sure the power is send to the right places at the right time.

Not only has the whole mechanical and performance side had a revamp, so has the exterior and interior. It has been given a carbon fiber roof, the same one used on the recent M6 coupé. It acts to cut out unnecessary weight and lowers the car’s centre of gravity, allowing it to be more agile around corners. The whole driver’s console has had a facelift. There is a lot more gadgets and buttons to press and play around with, a slip of the finger could send a nuclear missile out of the boot and end all humanity. Most noticeably is that the iDrive system has had a thorough going over. It is a lot clearer and easier to use than previous systems.

After the new tires were fitted we were ready to go. But there was a twist, which I was not expecting. I was asked if I wanted to take the car for a spin. Without having to think about it I shouted “YES!” as I jumped into the driver’s seat. As my hands gripped the leather steering wheel, I had fallen even deeper in love with the car. The seat was very comfortable, helped by the heated seats. But the main thought running through my mind was how I was going to handle the car. I have been used to driving a small Peugeot 106, to step into a M3 was a complete shock.

I bit my tongue and put it into first gear. It felt strange as I did not have to use the clutch, but instead the ‘flappy panels.’ I put my left foot on the brake, took off the handbrake, brought the revs up to 8000, the noise bellowing from the exhaust made me weak at the knees. My legs began to shake due to the excitement, either that or the nerves were getting to me, either way it was a good feeling. Holding the revs I let the brake go. 10 meters down the road, looking in my rear view mirror all I could see was a cloud of smoke. Arriving at the first corner I applied the brakes very early and took it slow, as I was still getting used to the sheer performance under the aluminum bonnet. When turning corners I was told not to take my hands of the steering wheel and instead use the movement from my arms. It took a good few laps for me to feel comfortable, but still at the back of my mind was not to crash the £53,000 machine. Lap by lap I pushed the accelerator further to the floor, raising the revs and pushing it more around the corners.

My heart rate hit a new high when a few laps in I applied the throttle too early when coming out of a corner sending it into a spin. I felt both embarrassed but also full of adrenaline. But this moment lead to greater things, the race driver sitting beside me asked “Do you want to learn how to do donuts?” He told me the techniques and I put them into practice. It took me a lot of tries to get it right. I would either not be turning enough, not applying enough acceleration or not being quick enough on the throttle. I finally did my first donut after my 100^th try, and it left me speechless.

It was getting late into the day and before I left I was set a challenge. The race driver who had accompanied me all day would set a timed lap, I then had to set my own time but be within 10 seconds of his. This was a challenge I could not refuse. I sat and watched him fly around the track and set a time of 1min 47 sec. This was an astonishing time as he was pushing the car to its limits and set a very high bar for me. It was then my turn. I was kited out in the full race uniform and sat in the driver’s seat. I felt like the Stig. The nerves got the best of me and my legs began to shake again. I was determined to overcome the feeling and set a respectable lap time. I left the start line and was making good progress through the lap, I was pushing as hard as I could and felt very proud. But every cloud has a silver lining. I again over estimated the power and was sent into another spin. It knocked my confidence as it was the same corner I had previously done it on. But I was given another chance and I was determined to make the car stick around the corner and leave facing the right way.

The corner arrived again and I was focused intently on conquering it. I hit the brake, threw the steering wheel into the corner and hoped for the best…I had done it. I was very proud and then set focus on getting to the end of the lap.

When I finished my lap, I left the car to see the time I had set. It had to be within 1min 57. I received the time sheet and looked down. I had butterflies in my stomach and rightly so. I had set a time of 1min 52. I burst out with excitement and was congratulated by the team that worked at the racetrack. This was one of my proudest moments.

I left and headed home with a huge achievement on a piece of paper. It will definitely be a fond memory for many years.

2009-11-10T12:52:00.001Z

Toyota Withdraw From F1

2009-11-04T19:00:00.004Z

It has been announced today that Toyota will be pulling out of Formula 1 with immediate effect. The world's largest car manufacture has said that it will now focus its eyes on its core business.

Toyota are now the third manufacture to pull out of F1 in 11 months. First Honda went, then BMW and now Toyota. They all have something in common, they are leaving due to the global financial crisis. But I suspect that the financial crisis is being used as a scapegoat to hide their poor results over the last few seasons.

Honda withdrew at the beginning of this year, but looking at their results over the 2007 & 2008 seasons you can see why they took that decision. During these two seasons they managed to score a total of 20 points, finishing 8th and 9th respectively. The highest scoring place they secured was in 2007 when Jenson Button finished 5th at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Half-way through this season BMW were next to cut all cords with F1. After a promising 2008 season, the future was looking bright for them to compete for the title this year, but everything didn't go to plan. The team cited "current developments in motorsport" for their exit. Although there was a lot of confusion at that time during the sport regarding Max Mosley, the team budgets and teams wanting to break away, I think again it was down to the poor results.

Finally Toyota announced today that they are pulling out with immediate effect. The team have always been well funded, but in all 139 races have never won once. Despite recent efforts with rookie Kamui Kobayashi finishing 6th in only his second race, things were not looking promising for them and they received a lot of criticism due to this.

Toyota have cited that the current financial crisis is a hurdle they do not wish to climb over, but Toyota are the world's largest manufacture and are definitely not shy of money. They published their loss of profits in the financial year up to March earlier this year, loosing a total of £2.9 billion, and are expecting to be a bigger loss when results of the financial year up to September are released later this week. But when you look at independent teams such as Williams & Brawn GP, they have been able to stand on their own two feet comfortably and will continue to do so next season. Brawn, who have been living on a shoestring budget, went on to win both the driver's and constructor's titles.

To add to the current crisis surrounding Formula 1, Renault today held an emergency meeting regarding their future. The meeting was held to decide whether Renault would continue racing as a team, simply be an engine supplier or quit altogether. The team earlier this season came under scrutiny after the alleged planed accident of Nelson Piquet, and got off lightly. This season has been their worst competitive season since 2001, finishing eighth out of 10 constructors.

The 2009 season has definitely been controversial, whether it be the teams dropping out, teams wanting to break away and start a new championship or race fixing, it has thrown a huge spanner into the works and the future of F1 is beginning to look bleak.

My Significant Car - Audi Quattro

2009-10-31T17:54:00.007Z

I feel one of the most significant cars that has been produced over the last decade is the Audi Quattro. It opened the gates for Audi to become the dominant force that they are now.

The Quattro was first put on public display at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show, one of the highest acclaimed annual motor shows. At first the car was seen as another plain Audi, but when the car was put into production it made a significant impact. The name “Quattro” is derived from the Italian word “four”, referring to four-wheel drive system (4WD). It was one of the first four-wheel drive systems that worked perfectly and inspired many other automobile manufactures to follow suit, most famously Subaru & Mitsubishi.

During its 11-year life, there was a total of 11,452 road vehicles produced. The visual design of the car has had no major changes, neither has the dynamic system of the car. The rear suspension was altered early on to remove the rear anti-roll bar to reduce a tendency for the lift-off oversteer.

The Audi Quattro was the first rally car to incorporate the four-wheel drive system after the then-recently changed rules. The first competition model Quattro had its debut in 1980 at the Janner Rally in Austria. The body was largely based on the original road-going version with only minor changes to comply with rally regulations. Many critics doubted the new drive-system saying that it would be too heavy and complicated, but the success proved them wrong. The following year Michele Mouton became the first female driver to win a world championship rally in her Audi Quattro.

Over the next three years Audi introduced the A1 and A2 models of the Quattro in response to the change of regulations set by the FIA (Federation Internationale de L’Automobile). In 1984 Audi again introduced another change to the Quattro. They introduced a short wheelbase that went on to dominate rallies in Monaco and Sweden, taking all podium places during the ’84 WRC (World Rally Championship) season.

Due to the short wheel based system, a special edition with a short wheelbase was put into production to be sold to the public. There were only a total of 224 cars that came out of the factory, which were all sold to on the German market for 203,850 German Marks.

One of the most significant models that was released was the S1. It set a new standard for race engines with its inline 5-cyclinder turbocharger. The S1 started the range of Audi’s ‘S’ car, which now represents an increased level in performance.

To commemorate the name and impact of the Quattro, Audi changed the ‘Q’ to a smaller ‘q’ to honour its former namesake.

Through its debut in 1981 to present day, the quattro drive system has had five dynamic changes to adapt with the increasing technology and power of modern cars. There are currently plans for a sixth generation of the quattro, which will allow the dynamic allocation of power to all four wheels. It has been reported to debut in the new Audi B8 S4.

The Quattro made such an impact that it has now become the standard 4WD system used by a lot of manufactures, including Volkswagen, Skoda, Seat, Ford and many more. Not only has it changed the drive system for the many road cars, but it has also dominated the motorsport racing industry for over two decades.

“The car was made for the quattro, now the quattro is made for the car.”

Piece To Camera

2009-10-27T12:55:00.003Z

Here is a recent video that our group produced. It was a task set to us to give us first hand experience with filming.

Vauxhall Leave BTCC

2009-10-06T10:27:00.016+01:00

After twenty years of dominating the BTCC, Vauxhall's dominance has come to an end. They announced in April that they would no longer be competing from the end of the 2009 season.

When General Motors first decided to enter into the touring car championship, they hired Triple 8 Racing to design, build and race the Vauxhall cars. This was the first moment when Vauxhall had entered into BTCC as a manufacture.

Four Vauxhall drivers won the Driver's Championship between 1989-1995. This showed an early dominant force, but then a dry spell hit. They would not win any trophies for six years. They were the first team to win the 'treble' for four consecutive years.

The introduction of the Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch in 2005 saw them win the constructor's title, but no driver's title. This would be the start of the terrible season that was to follow in which they did not win a single title.

2007 saw a new era of BTCC. They adopted S200 regulations, used in WTCC. The changes meant that Vauxhall had to drop the Astra and decided to replace it with the Vectra. Despite having a short amount of time to develop the car, it brought instant success, winning the driver's and constructor's titles.

When the announcement of SEAT leaving the BTCC at the end of the 2008 season, Vauxhall became the only manufacture team in the sport.

The final season saw Vauxhall take home the constructor's title in the thrilling race of last weekends race at Brands Hatch. They went out with a bang and was rightfully deserved.

They may have left due to no other manufacture based teams in the sport and the global economic downturn, but they have said they are still leaving the door open with the possibility to return in the future.

458 Italia Out In Public

2009-09-30T21:23:00.006+01:00

The new Ferrari 458 Italia has been shown in public for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this month. As you would expect, it has attracted a lot of attention.

It is being released to replace the current F430 early next year, which I feel was one of the best looking Ferraris’ available on the market. The 458 has an outstanding brand new 4.5 litre V8 engine that produces 562bhp with 398lb ft or torque.

It doesn't disappoint, containing all the latest Ferrari F1. It will go from 0-60mph in an astonishing 3.4 seconds. The current model will be released with a twin-cluth seven speed automatic gearbox. It is being supplied with a brand new ABS system and also has an E-Diff, which you would now expect to be on new Ferraris.

It is being thrown head first into the battle with the highly anticipated McLaren MP4-12C and Mercedes SLS AMG. They are all priced at the £150,000 mark and it will be an exciting war to see who comes out top.

Subaru To Unveil Carbon Imprezza

2009-09-30T21:01:00.008+01:00

Tokyo will host the annual Tokyo Motor Show this October, and Subaru are about to make a new unveiling. They will unveil their new Imprezza WRX STI Carbon Edition.

The name and looks of this car make it an exciting release from Subaru. But, sadly it does not live up to its name and heritage. While the centre of gravity is lowered due to the carbon roof, the rest of the car fails to impress.

Subaru have said that the car will have a five-speed automatic gearbox, with no manual expected to be on the cards. The interior also destroys any hope of the car being light weight, the interior is a full of chunky suede items throughout.

Subaru's word is that the car is designed to be on offer to a wider range of Subaru fans wanting a softer Imprezza. The car has no plans on being sold on the UK market, but by the specifications, I don't think we want it either. A Subaru Imprezza is a car that is meant for the car enthusiast wanting a challenge.

Alonso Moves To Ferrari

2009-09-30T19:57:00.005+01:00

It was announced today, by Ferrari themselves, that Alonso will be joining them for the 2010 season. It means Kimi Raikkonen will be making way for Alonso's arrival.

This has become the worst news I have heard in F1 since the announcement of Michael Schumacher's retirement in 2006. I was a huge fan of Schumacher since I was first introduced to F1 thirteen years ago. He has become the worlds greatest F1 driver following his record breaking seven drivers' titles. I have also been an avid fan of Ferrari, supporting them through thick & thin over the years, including the shaky start to this years season. Any driver that wears the red overalls I will support and urge on to win. But next season there will be an exception.

Since 2007, I have been supporting Kimi Raikkonen and he has become my favourite driver since Schumacher. For Kimi to win the drivers championship in his maiden season with Ferrari was a delight and he was definitely on the route for greater things. When I heard of the rumours of Alonso joining Ferrari in the early part of this season, I was hoping it would just be a rumour and nothing else. It was great news to hear that both Kimi & Massa had renewed their contracts until the end of the 2010 season, cancelling out any move for Alonso.

But when this news first reached me that Alonso was joining Ferrari next season with Raikkonen making way for his arrival, I was furious. There is one person I do not like in F1, and that is Alonso. He is an arrogant driver, who always expects to win and does not take losing very well. During his first spell at Renault he challenged Ferrari, and won...twice! Anyone who opposes Ferrari becomes my enemy. When he left Renault and moved to McLaren, it made it more obvious that he was arrogant due to his lack of success and blamed this on McLaren for favourtising Lewis over himself. It made me very happy when he returned back to Renault to have a terrible two seasons.

For the very first time I shall be hoping a Ferrari driver has a terrible season.

Singapore Grand Prix

2009-09-29T11:00:00.003+01:00

Lewis Hamilton followed up his win in Hungary by winning the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, and he did not cheat to earn it. It was a British dominated event with Lewis winning and Jenson moving closer to winning his first World Championship Title.

Jenson needs 5 points more than team mate, and main championship rival, Rubens Barrichello in this weekends Japanese Grand Prix in order to win the drivers title.

The developments of the weekends GP tell another story as the grid was constantly changing throughout the race.

As the five red lights disappeared, the race was "go go go". Rosberg was straight up the outside of Vettel into the first corner allowing him to take second position. This was a damaging blow to Vettel's championship race but it did not stop him pushing as hard as he could. He was not going to let the Rosberg and Hamilton out his sights and he was pushing the car to its limits, and it was working, as the top three were a tight pack.

Mark Webber made an illegal pass on Fernando Alonso at turn seven very early in the race. Webber passed Alonso on the outside of the corner whilst going over the curbs, giving him a better run out of the corner. Webber later was told over the radio he had to allow Alonso past, but to also allow Timo Glock past as he had also overtaken Alonso's Renault. This dropped him down to sixth place.

Rosberg made a fatal error on lap nineteen by crossing the white line from the pit lane exit, only to re-enter. He did not gain any advantage, but the race officials deemed it illegal and still gave him the drive through penalty. This drastically damaged his chances of winning the race. Before the incident he was pressing hard and right on the tail of race leader Lewis Hamilton.

It got worse for Rosberg as Adrian Sutil and make Nick Heidfeld make contact on lap 21. Sutil was constantly trying to pass rookie Jamie Alguersuari, but as Sutil went for the pass at turn 14 he hit a dusty section of track causing him to spin. Whilst carrying on the spin to return to the track, he hit the back on Heidfeld's BMW, snapping Heidfeld's rear axle and taking off Sutil's entire nosecone. Heidfeld was forced to retire, but Sutil managed to return to the pits to have a replacement nosecone.

The safety car was then called for as there was a load of debris covering the track. It made it worse for Rosberg as he was yet to take his drive through and could not do it till the safety car had returned to the pits. Although this had helped Button as he watched other drivers fuel evaporate while he continued on. This helped him up to eighth place with Kovalainen in Brawn sandwich.

Jamie Alguersuari recreated the pit lane incident with Massa last season at Singapore. Alguersuari left the pit lane with the fuel hose still attached. After watching the replay you can see that he left on his own accord and did not wait for the lollypop to be lifted.

Button continued to push and managed to gain fifth place, due to a better race strategy than Barrichello. The day became even worse for Vettel. He was given a drive through penalty for speeding in the pit lane and then to make things worse, he damaged his rear diffuser whilst going wide and hitting the curb, which would drastically reduce his speed. This could of ended his race but he continued to fight on and was racing for fourth or fifth place due to their strategy.

To make things worse for Red Bull, Mark Webber had brake failure. A big cloud of black brake dust was showing from his car before it finally gave up and forced him into a spin at turn one on lap 45. He managed to control the car to end up rear first into the barrier. His title race is now completely over as he is 32.5 points behind leader Jenson with only three races remaining.

On lap forty-seven there was a surprise double retirement for Toro Rosso as they were having brake failure and did not risk the rest of the race.

The race finished with an unsuspecting Timo Glock placed in second. He was quiet throughout the race and that podium finish will keep the bosses of Toyota happy back in Japan. Alonso was placed in third (and he did not cheat) which again was surprising as he was kept quite throughout the race. But the day belonged to Lewis Hamilton as he gave a spectacular drive with no faults from either his side or the pit team.

After the race, the incident involving Sutil and Heidfeld was resolved with Sutil handed a £12,500 fine. When Heidfeld was asked what his team was going to do next, he replied "Maybe we try find a brain for him [Sutil]".

Nico Rosberg, who, for the majority of the race was in second place, also apologised to the team after finishing in eleventh place. "Williams gave me a car to fight for the win" the German said. This performance will again go down on Williams record of having a fast car for qualifying, but when the race arrived they cannot perform.

Race Result:

1. Lewis Hamilton

2. Timo Glock

3. Fernando Alonso

4. Sebastian Vettel

5. Jenson Button

6. Rubens Barrichello

7. Heikki Kovalainen

8. Robert Kubica

9. Kazuki Nakajima

10. Kimi Raikkonen

11. Nico Rosberg

12. Jarno Trulli

13. Giancarlo Fisichella

14. Vitantonio Liuzzi

RET. Jamie Alguersuari

RET. Sebastian Buemi

RET. Mark Webber

RET. Adrian Sutil

RET. Nick Heidfeld

RET. Romain Grosjean

This post is dedicated to Matt Mansfield