F1 TO CUT COST..FINALLY

The announcement that Honda's F1 team is to close has put the sport in turbulence. As we knew, Honda is pulling out of the sport because the company can no longer justify the huge sums it has spent on some very sorry results. This was swiftly followed by pull outs of Subaru and Suzuki from the WRC. On the two wheels scene, Kawasaki had also opted out of MotoGP. And the numbers may not stop there.

As such, starting in 2009, big savings will be made on F1 engine costs, in-season testing and staff numbers, following a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Monaco. Here's the blueprint of the proposal.

Engines:
- From 2009, engine life to be doubled. Each driver to use maximum of eight engines per season; each team can use an additional four for testing
- Limited to 18,000 revs per minute.
- Cost to independent teams will be approximately 50% of 2008 prices.
- 2010 engine will continue to be used in 2011 and 2012.

Race weekend:
- From 2010, standardised radio and telemetry systems, a ban on tyre warmers, mechanical purging of tyres and refuelling on race weekends.
- Possible reduction in race distance or duration (proposal to follow after market research).

Research:
- From 2009, no wind tunnel exceeding 60% scale and 50 metres per second to be used after 1 January 2009.
- Restrictions on aerodynamic research, combined with a full analysis of factory facilities.
- Factory closures for six weeks per year, to accord with local laws.

Other:
- From 2010, subject to confirmation of practicability, the same transmission will be used by all teams.
- FIA to compose a standard parts list for the chassis.
- FIA and Formula One Teams' Association to study possibility of an entirely new power train (engine and transmission) for 2013, based on energy efficiency

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER HITS PEDESTRIAN while overtaking elderly driver

He might have been a whizz on the Formula One circuit, but the back roads of Kent proved more taxing for motor racing legend Michael Schumacher.

The seven-time world champion was on his way back from an event at Silverstone on Sunday when he was overtaking an elderly woman driver and accidentally clipped a pedestrian.
The 38-year-old German, who was behind the wheel of a Fiat Ducato van (picture), was not injured in the prang.

Martin Kingham told how he was knocked to the ground by the Formula One ace’s van as he rounded a corner and overtook another car before ploughing into him. ”The last thing you expect on a quiet afternoon is to be run over by Michael Schumacher - it was unbelievable,’ Mr Kingham, 39, told the Daily Mirror:

‘He came from behind me to overtake two old ladies in a little Fiat. The first thing I knew I was flat on my face after the collision. Martin Kingham was clipped by Schumacher as he was closing his garage. ‘When I realised who had hit me I thought I had concussion.’

Schumacher, who has a sponsorship deal with Fiat, was on his way to a private jet at a nearby airfield when he accident happened in Lydd, Kent. When you are used driving a Formula 1 car at very high speeds, an average car like a Fiat van should be no problem. But it seems the 7 time F1 champion isn’t perfect.

SECRET OF THEIR SUCCESS?

It appears as if McLaren’s new steering wheel could be behind the squad’s recent surge in form with Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen going from struggling to keep up with their rivals at Ferrari in France a month ago to winning back to back dominating victories at Silverstone and Hockenheim.

Although there is no doubt about Hamilton’s driving finesse, the domination we have seen in these recent races has left other teams scratching their heads, but if claims by the Telegraph are to be believed, the answer is quite simple.

It appears as if the MP4-23’s steering wheel is a little different from its rivals with four paddle levels instead of the regular two. Two being to change gears and the two additional levers used to adjust engine torque to suit the gear selected, helping to minimize wheel spin in slow corners but retaining speed for the fast ones. The rules indicate that drivers can not select gears and torque settings in one move, so the extra two levers must be used for the car to remain legal.

Just how long it will be before other teams use this technology, or the FIA bans it, is anyone’s guess, but if it is the reason for their upward turn in performance, you can bet it won’t take Ferrari too long to be right up there with them!

Fancy a drift, anyone?

Drifting requires a lot more skill and co-ordination and is a lot more complex than doing just one power slide. In a nutshell, it would be safe to say that drifting is a series of controlled power slides.

The foremost creator of drifting techniques would be Kuninitsu Takahashi back in the 70s. He would hit the apex of a turn at high speed, drift through the corner and exit, maintaining the same high speed. He won several championships and a legion of fans. One of which was, Keiichi Tsuchiya. Tsuchiya soon started practicing his drifting skills on the mountain roads of Japan and gained street-cred amongst the racing crowd. In 1988, he helped organize one of the first official drift competition in Japan. Since then, drifting has gained massive followers and even had movies (like Initial D and Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift) made about it.

There are different ways to engage your car in a drift. Techniques vary from beginner to advance. Let’s start with the basic and move on to the more difficult ones.
Note: These techniques apply to rear-wheel drive cars unless otherwise stated.

Hand- Brake Drift - Clutch in, handbrake up then once traction to rear wheels is lost, release clutch, accelerate and counter steer.

Powerslide - Done at corner exit with gas pedal down hard.

Shift Lock - Accelerate, quick downshift, let engine rev hard. Momentary wheel lock will occur.

Clutch Kick - Clutch in and out several times. This is will shock the powertrain and cause an imbalance to the car. Rear wheels will then slip. Apply “toe-heel” position for control.

Braking Drift - Hard brake into a corner, hard throttle off to exit. Driving wheels will lose traction. Steer accordingly. This method can be applied to front wheel drive cars as well.

Inertia Drift - Turn away from turn and then quickly turn back. This will cause the car’s weight to transfer from the inside of the turn to the outside of the turn causing the rear to swing into the desired drift line. Apply handbrake to lock rear wheels.

The techniques mentioned above are just some of the many methods used by today’s drifters. To drift your car with these techniques is not easy. A lot of practice is required for it to be done properly. Before you get any ideas about being your neighborhood’s local drifting hero, let me remind you that this article is meant to be informative and not act as your practice guide to drift techniques. Drifting is a sport and with any sport, risk is involved. It should only be done on the track and with proper safety precautions.

sources : Fandy of sgcarmart

F1 highlights

Ok. Lets start with some F1 news, shall we?

The pressure is on Lewis..

Lewis Hamilton admits the pressure to win in the Formula One World Championship is enormous. The McLaren driver hasn't had the best fortnight after crashing into his main rival Kimi Raikkonen in the pit lane in Canada. He has subsequently been hit with a 10-place grid penalty for the French Grand Prix. To make matters worse, he has been replaced at the top of the Drivers' Standings by BMW's Robert Kubica. "There's so much pressure, and I can't begin to explain how much pressure I have on my shoulders. "I put a lot of pressure on myself, and when you don't succeed it doesn't feel so great. Nice excuse, Lewis.

...as Bernie upped the ante on him

Bernie Ecclestone rates Fernando Alonso as the best Formula One driver currently on the grid, and believes Lewis Hamilton would be no match for Robert Kubica if the Pole was driving a Ferrari or a McLaren."If you saw him in a McLaren or a Ferrari, I think I'd put my money on him (Kubica) blowing away Hamilton," he said. Plus, Robert will be extra motivated by the intense rumour of his payrise (or should i say increased subsidy) from team sponsor Petronas effective midnight, June 5th 2008.