Button hails 'perfect job' in India

Jenson Button said he could not have done any better than second place after finishing behind Sebastian Vettel at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix.

Button got within three seconds of Vettel and was always pressing but admitted the Red Bull always had something in reserve.

"The last race I really struggled on the first lap and lost a lot of places so I wanted to redeem myself here," said Button. "I got a good start to get up to second by turn four and then it was just basically trying to hang on to Sebastian. His pace was very good, he didn't seem to make any mistakes and every time through the pit stops we gained a little bit, I don't know if it was the stop itself or after the stop but on tyres when I came out of the box I felt very good and very competitive and that was when I could really close the gap down.

"But as soon as Seb got into a rhythm I couldn't do anything about it really but all in all for the team I think we've done a perfect job today and we couldn't have done anything else."

Button tempered his delight at finishing second with the knowledge that it has been a difficult two weeks for motorsport. Afterwards, he dedicated the race to his junior former rival Dan Wheldon and MotoGP star Marco Simoncelli.

"Yesterday was a disaster for me in qualifying but I think we've put it right here so a good race but as Seb said it's a tough weekend for everyone in motorsport. The last two weekends have been very difficult and we've had two fatalities so it's been difficult obviously with Dan who I knew from a very early age, he was the guy who we always had to beat in the early formulas so I think we should dedicate this first Indian race to Dan and obviously Marco, another super talented youngster who was the most amazing guy to watch on a bike."

Sebastian Vettel cruises to Indian GP victory ahead of Jenson Button

Sebastian Vettel strolled to his 11th victory of the season at the Buddh International Circuit to become the winner of Formula 1's first ever Indian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver's latest triumph was one of his most straightforward of his ultra-successful year. As his front row partner and team-mate Mark Webber was attacked by Jenson Button's McLaren and Fernando Alonso's Ferrari at the start, Vettel was free to pull clear.

He sat on a four to five second lead for most of the distance, as he led every lap and completed a perfect performance with the fastest lap of the race as well.

Button got through to second at the first corner, as Alonso twitched under braking and ran wide, letting Webber keep third. The Australian mounted some vigorous attacks on Button over the opening laps, before the McLaren managed to escape and head off for an ultimately uncontested second.

Webber then lost third to Alonso at the final stops, when being the first of the frontrunners to change to the hard Pirellis cost him.

Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa's turbulent season continued with yet another collision between them. The Ferrari had got ahead of the McLaren on the first lap and was a safe distance ahead until an error just before half-distance left Massa vulnerable to attacks from Hamilton.

They eventually collided as Hamilton went down the inside at Turn 5 - with the stewards deciding Massa was at fault for leaving insufficient room and giving the Brazilian a drive-through penalty. Massa later retired when he smashed his suspension on a kerb, just as he had in qualifying, while Hamilton recovered from ninth to seventh after pitting for a new front wing.

He finished behind the two Mercedes, which were led by Michael Schumacher, who had moved onto Nico Rosberg's tail with a fast start then jumped him for fifth with a late final pitstop.

Toro Rosso looked set to get both cars in the points until Sebastien Buemi stopped with smoke pouring from his machine. Jaime Alguersuari went on to take eighth, ahead of Adrian Sutil in the leading Force India, and Sergio Perez, as the Sauber man proved the most successful of those who ran ultra-short opening stints on hard tyres then switched to softs for the duration.

Perez narrowly beat Renault's Vitaly Petrov, who followed the same strategy. Bruno Senna challenged for points in the second Renault but was hampered by KERS issues and finished 12th, followed by Paul di Resta (Force India) and Heikki Kovalainen's Lotus - which showed strong race pace to run as high as 10th.

The Buddh layout proved tricky for the field to safely navigate as one on the first lap. First a brush between the two Williams sent Rubens Barrichello into Kamui Kobayashi's Sauber, which then rejoined in the path of Timo Glock's Virgin. Among several other brushes of wheels around the lap, Jarno Trulli was left with a puncture after his Lotus was punted into a spin by an HRT.

Sebastian Vettel secures 13th pole position of the season in India

Sebastian Vettel swept to the 13th pole position of his dominant 2011 season with another commanding performance in qualifying for Formula 1's inaugural Indian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver was quickest in Q2, and carried that form into Q3 with a 1m24.437s provisional pole on his first flying lap.

No one managed to beat that, but Vettel improved to 1m24.178s anyway to firmly cement his pole.

It will be an all-Red Bull front row, as although Lewis Hamilton was second quickest for McLaren, his three-place penalty for a yellow flag infringement in practice will drop him to fifth and elevate Mark Webber from third to second.

Fernando Alonso was just 0.011 seconds down on Webber in the top Ferrari, with Jenson Button next up for McLaren.

Felipe Massa took sixth on the grid despite crashing right at the end of Q3 when he smashed his suspension over a kerb then skated off into the gravel at the next corner.

Nico Rosberg was seventh for Mercedes, while the remaining Q3 men all chose to sit out the segment to save tyres. Adrian Sutil was classified eighth in the only Force India to make it to Q3, with his team-mate Paul di Resta in 13th. Both Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi also reached Q3 but Toro Rosso opted not to run.

Toro Rosso's strong performance squeezed some likely top 10 names outside the Q3 cut. Neither Renault made it - Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna will start back in 11th and 15th, although Petrov could consider himself unlucky as he equalled 10th-placed Alguersuari's Q2 time but the Spaniard got there first. Petrov is carrying a five-place grid penalty for colliding with Michael Schumacher in Korea in any case.

Schumacher also narrowly missed out, the Mercedes driver missing Q3 by 0.018s as he qualified 12th.

The two Williams of Pastor Maldonado and Rubens Barrichello sandwiched Senna in 14th and 16th.

It was a tough qualifying for Sauber. Sergio Perez was only 17th and will take a three-place penalty anyway for the same misdemeanour as Hamilton, while Kamui Kobayashi was eliminated in Q1 - a fate that could have befallen either Button or Schumacher had they not squeezed out strong late laps amid traffic.

HRT's Narain Karthikeyan qualified ahead of both Virgins for his home race, and will gain another position from his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo taking a gearbox penalty. Another gearbox fault meant Virgin's Timo Glock was firmly slowest.

Vettel goes fastest in final practice in India

Sebastian Vettel beat Jenson Button to the fastest time in a late battle for the top spot in the final practice session ahead of Indian Grand Prix qualifying.

Just under four tenths of a second separated the Red Bull and McLaren at the end of the hour, with their respective team-mates Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton third and fourth, ahead of the Ferraris.

The Red Bulls had been in command for the majority of the session, with Webber the first of the big guns to set a quick time, before Vettel hit the front and went ever faster until establishing a 1m26.311s benchmark.

 

When the late qualifying simulations began, Friday pacesetter Felipe Massa (Ferrari) was first to beat Vettel with a 1m26.058s - though his advantage lasted only moments before Button came through with a 1m25.942s.

The McLaren was deposed by Fernando Alonso's Ferrari, which lapped in 1m25.784s, but Button responded on his second flying lap of the run by jumping 0.6s clear with a 1m25.191s.

That looked like it might be sufficient to keep the Briton on top, as although Hamilton and Webber closed in, they were a few fractions of a second shy of Button's time.

But world champion Vettel was still out and as the chequered flag fell, he produced a 1m24.824s to beat Button by 0.367 seconds and set himself up as pole favourite once again.

Behind Webber, Hamilton and Alonso, sixth-placed Massa's front wing continued to vibrate distinctively for much of the session, before apparently being replaced with a different specification for the final run, when it was more stable.

Force India looks strong heading into qualifying, with Paul di Resta seventh and Adrian Sutil ninth, split by Nico Rosberg's Mercedes. Both Mercedes had been in the top five until the soft tyre runs. Michael Schumacher ended up 11th behind Sebastien Buemi's Toro Rosso.

Local favourite Narain Karthikeyan had a quick spin at the final corner early on but managed to head all the other 'new' teams' drivers for quite a while in his HRT, before ending the morning 22nd.

The only other significant incident was a spin for Bruno Senna on the Renault driver's last lap, in which he was fortunate to miss the barriers, while plenty of drivers continued to explore the limits of the dusty track with minor errors.

Felipe Massa tops second Indian Grand Prix practice

Felipe Massa put Ferrari on top as the Formula 1 teams continued to get to grips with India's Buddh International circuit in the second free practice session ahead of this weekend's inaugural grand prix in the nation.

While the Ferrari's new front wing continued to prompt distinctive showers of sparks as it vibrated again the track surface, the revised car showed promising pace, with Massa lapping the dusty track in 1m25.706s 18 minutes before the end of the session to claim the top spot.

His team-mate Fernando Alonso also showed well in third, 0.224 seconds off Massa's pace.

They were split by champion Sebastian Vettel, whose Red Bull had been quickest for the majority of the afternoon, until Massa's fast time saw the German pipped by 0.088s.

Morning pacesetter Lewis Hamilton, who will go into qualifying for a three-place grid penalty for disregarding yellow flags earlier today, was fourth quickest in the best of the McLarens, with his team-mate Jenson Button sixth behind Mark Webber's Red Bull.

Force India took 'best of the rest' honours in front of its effective home crowd thanks to Adrian Sutil's seventh place, two positions ahead of team-mate Paul di Resta, as they sandwiched Vitaly Petrov's Renault. Sebastien Buemi completed the top 10 for Toro Rosso.

The Mercedes were further back than usual in 19th (Nico Rosberg) and 21st (Michael Schumacher) - the seven-time champion having missed some of the session while an issue was resolved on his car.

There were plenty of small incidents as the drivers explored the track's limits, particularly at Turn 6, and one red flag after Jerome D'Ambrosio went off at Turn 11 and ended up backed his Virgin into the barriers, causing significant damage. He was unhurt and the session quickly resumed.

Petrov also had a spin in his Renault, while Pastor Maldonado dumped his Williams in the Turn 9 gravel early on but was retrieved in time to rejoin the session and complete 24 laps.

Hamilton and Perez hit with three-place grid penalties

Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez have both been slapped with three-place grid penalties at the Indian Grand Prix for ignoring double-waved yellow flags during the first practice session.

The incidents occurred towards the end of the session when marshals were on track at turn 16 recovering Pastor Maldonado's stricken Williams. Drivers are supposed to slow down significantly under double-waved yellow flags and be prepared to stop in order to protect marshals on the circuit. But after reviewing the two drivers' data with Hamilton and Perez present, the stewards ruled that both had ignored the flags.

Perez's incident was timed at 11:29 local time, which according to the FIA was "while a car was being recovered in close proximity to the track", while Hamilton's infringement was at 11:31 local time when "marshals were in close proximity to the track".

Both drivers will be demoted three places on Sunday's grid.

Lewis Hamilton fastest in first free practice for Indian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton waited until the last possible moment to lead the way in an eventful first free practice session for the Indian Grand Prix

Red Bull looked to have made the perfect start to the weekend, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber having covered the first and second positions in the final moments, but that was until Hamilton's charging 1m26.836s lap put him top. Though there was some suspicion that yellow flags had been waving when he set it.

The McLaren of Jenson Button was fourth fastest ahead of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes.


Perhaps appropriately it was Adrian Sutil's Force India that was the first Formula 1 car on track for the dry, sunny - and still dusty - opening session. He was followed out by the country's home-grown talent Karun Chandhok.

But no sooner had they got out on track but they were back in the pits again as the session was red-flagged to retrieve the canine.

The track was live again after five minutes and initially it was Chandhok, and his Indian rival Narian Karthekeyan who initially squabbled over the top spot. That was until Michael Schumacher came out and set an initial benchmark of 1m38.658s. That mark was set to shrink by 12s before the end of the session.

Indeed Schumacher lopped four seconds off it himself just before the half-hour mark.

Jaime Alguerusari moved to the top not long after Schumacher set that lap and would then spend the next 15 minutes improving his time as he fought off the attentions of Rosberg and Sebastien Buemi.

Eventually Button emerged from the pit for a proper run at half distance moving the goalposts significantly with a 1m30.794s. This seemed to trigger a flurry of activity from the top men as Vettel also joined in. But the world champion's attempt was scuppered by a trip off-track at the Turn 5/Turn 6 section – something that would happen to several drivers as they learned the new layout.

Button remained top through the second half hour as several drivers joined the fray, but Fernando Alonso wasn't one of them. The Ferrari driver managing just four laps before he parked up off track, sidelined by an engine problem.

Hamilton moved to the top with 25 minutes to go with a 1m27.515s lap, as Vettel too moved ahead of Button. Webber's arrival in second then bumped the Englishman to fourth.

The last 15 minutes saw the Red Bulls move into familiar position as Webber kept his foot in to set a 1m27.428s, only to then watch the world champion steal his thunder with a 1m27.416s.

Things may have changed again, but a dramatic ten minutes which saw Alguersuari thump the Turn 10 barrier with the rear of his Toro Rosso and engine problems for Pastor Maldonado render the circuit a yellow zone for much of it. Sergio Perez too made a run across the grass.

It was in the aftermath of all this, as the track finally cleared that Hamilton set his lap, with flags still apparently waving in the area of Maldonado's smoky Williams.

Behind the top six Felipe Massa was seventh fastest in the only operational Ferrari, sparking his way around the track with a new front wing. Sutil ended up eighth ahead of Buemi and Kamui Kobayashi in the Sauber.

Of the Indians in the field, Chandhok was 19th fastest for Lotus in the end, but was more than 1.6s off the pace of team-mate Jarno Trulli, while Karthikeyan was 22nd.

Track 'in perfect condition' - di Resta

 

 Paul di Resta says that the track at the Buddh International Circuit is "in perfect condition" ahead of the Indian Grand Prix.

Di Resta has been preparing for the inaugural race by using the Force India simulator before arriving in India, with his first view of the track in the flesh coming courtesy of a track walk on Thursday morning. Di Resta said that there was a lot more information he could gather by walking the track, but that it was clear the circuit was fully ready for racing.



"Obviously because you've done the simulator you know which way you're going, but the first time I did the simulator there wasn't even maps or anything out, so it was kind of you just drive out and didn't really know where the track was going," di Resta said. "Whereas when you go out you can actually see where it is, you can see the off-camber, you can see the kerbs and as I said I think they've done a mighty job. Even to the point down to where the kerbs are I think it's in perfect condition ready to go."
With a number of undulations and blind approaches to corners, di Resta said that was one of the more unique challenges to the circuit, but that he was still unsure as to how difficult the turn 10 and 11 complex would be.

"They're always tricky; they're more tricky as well when you're in the car because you're a lot lower. Having been on the simulator they were quite hard to see and get a feeling for, but I suppose that's one of the bits that stick out and you've got to work hard at.
"[Turns 10 and 11] is a bit like Turkey but the other way round, I'm not so sure how much of a challenge it will be but it is going to be quite a quick corner ... it's a different way of looking at it, it looks more like a double apex as opposed to the four that are in Turkey."
Di Resta also said that he expected a big difference in lap times on Friday as teams tried to work out the optimal car setup for the track.

"Within one run they'll know the track. On a new track it's all about what you need from the car, what test items you'll have, because I think you'll see a big variation tomorrow with it being new; with not having any experience in terms of downforce levels. It just really depends, and on the track surface as well nobody knows what the car needs, whether it'll be front-limited, rear-limited, it's a big challenge. And I think you'll see people out very early although the track conditions will improve massively over the weekend. Pirelli's tyre strategy has changed as well so the work over the two sessions will be quite a bit different to normal."

India preview - a new dawn near New Delhi

It has one of the longest straights in Formula One, a big corner like Istanbul Park’s, goes up and down in places, and has a 62 percent capacity for DRS in qualifying that mirrors Spa-Francorchamps. Small wonder that the inaugural Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit outside New Delhi has everyone very excited this weekend.

Narain Karthikeyan, who will take over Vitantonio Liuzzi’s HRT for the weekend, expects a great race in his homeland.

“This is going to be one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar. The texture of the tarmac is exceptionally smooth compared to most circuits on the calendar, so I think that’s a plus. The lap time difference between the hard and soft tyres is going to be huge, maybe in excess of two seconds a lap. I’d expect the teams to use the hard as little as possible: maybe just a short final stint in the race as the benefits in lap time produced by the soft tyre should outweigh its shorter life as the track surface isn’t abrasive at all and track temperatures I think should be under 40 degrees during the weekend.

“The long pit lane will play a part in strategy as well with teams trying to get through the race with as few stops as possible. The layout itself is going to put tremendous energy through the tyres - especially the banked Turn 10, which is a long, multiple-apex right-hander, somewhat similar to Turn Eight in Turkey. The front-left will definitely experience a lot of load through there - and there are a couple of slow-speed corners that will challenge the rears on exit. So overall it will be a great challenge for the tyres and it’ll be interesting to see how it pans out. I am so looking forward to it.”

The range of slow and fast corners, and the long straights, will make the compromise between downforce and straight-line speed even harder to determine. 

On current form Sebastian Vettel has to start favourite. “By the time we race in India, I’ll have done several laps of the track on the simulator,” Red Bull’s world champion says. “What I know so far is that the track is 5.1 kilometres and in the industrial town of Noida, about 50 minutes by car from New Delhi. The track is a combination of slow corners and high-speed straights which flow into each other. The altitude difference is extreme, rather like in Spa or Turkey, which will give the driving an additional element.

“Incidentally, we’re expecting the track to have the second highest average speed of the season after Monza. That means that we’ll be completing a lap at an average speed of 235 km/h, so there should be plenty of good opportunities to overtake. I’m really looking forward to India; I always do when we drive on a new track.”

The McLaren drivers aim to upset the German’s equilibrium, however.

“It’s too early to say how quick we’ll be,” Lewis Hamilton says, “but I think we’re set to be competitive at all of the final three races. We were quick at Singapore, Japan and Korea - and I think the pattern at the front has sort of settled down now as we reach the end of the season. I think we have a car that can be quick anywhere, so I’d like to think we’d be in the hunt again next weekend.

“India’s a sport-mad nation - mostly, it’s about cricket, which is understandable because they’re a very successful cricketing country - but I really think the people of India are going to take Formula One to their hearts. The reception we’ve had in the last few years has been greater than I could ever have predicted and I think the whole country is ready for something new and something exciting.”

Jenson Button says: “The track has quite a nice mix of corners - the start of the lap is pretty stop-start, there are a couple of long straights mixed with tight hairpins, but it’s the end of the lap that’s more interesting: there are some pretty high-speed changes of direction through the esses, and some gradient change.

“One of the things that looks really interesting is the double-apex banked corner at the back of the circuit - that’s pretty unusual. It’s sort of a mix between Turn 13 at China and Korea’s Turn 11.

“I always look forward to the next Grand Prix. The word is that people in India are really excited about Formula One and the event - it’s important for the sport that we make a good first impression and I really hope we have a fantastic race. Our car's been pretty competitive recently and we'd like to win more races before the end of the season.”

Adding to the unpredictable nature of the race is that everyone starts in the dark, especially Pirelli, when it comes to what exactly they can expect, though they have all done their simulation homework. That’s why the Italian tyre supplier have gone for the combination they brought to Silverstone, the P Zero Silver hard tyre - making its final appearance of the season - and the P Zero Yellow soft. 

But this time the soft tyre has been nominated as the prime choice, with the harder compound as the option. This means that the teams will have more of the softer tyres than the harder tyres at their disposal during free practice on Friday, which will give them their first opportunity to run on the 5.125-kilometre track. In addition they will also get an extra set of soft tyres that day, allowing them to maximise their running and provide Pirelli with some valuable information for the future.

Pirelli expect considerable circuit evolution over the course of the weekend as more rubber gets laid down and the level of grip changes. This effect is also caused by the new track surface cleaning, before the oils in the bitumen dissipate and the asphalt begins to age.

“We’ve opted for a deliberately conservative nomination in selecting the hard tyre alongside the soft,” says motorsport director Paul Hembery, “simply because on a brand new circuit you are never quite sure of the exact race conditions you will encounter. But we’ve structured the allocation in such a way that we think the teams will run more on the softer tyres. 

“This will help us to make some decisions about our strategy for next year, particularly after we saw the excellent durability of the softer compounds. It’s too early to talk about the number of pit stops we expect this weekend, but we anticipate a reasonably significant lap time difference between the two compounds.”

Simulations suggest a lap time around 1m 27s, an average speed of 210 km/h, but with the longest pit lane in the business teams may opt for the minimum number of pit stops during the race. There are two independent DRS zones for the race, one on the start-finish straight and the other on the long back straight. The detection point for the first is just after the penultimate corner, while that for the second is just ahead of the Turn Three hairpin that leads on to the straight.

The weather should be reasonably settled throughout the weekend, with partial cloud and an ambient temperature of 29 degrees Celsius expected on each day.

Friday’s opening practice session will see two Indian drivers on track, with Lotus tester Karun Chandhok joining compatriot Karthikeyan for FP1. Lotus took the tough call not to give Chandhok another race outing for his home Grand Prix, choosing instead to stick with their experienced line-up of Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli as they bid to secure tenth place in the constructors’ championship.

Sunday’s race will run over 60 laps and starts at 1500 hours local time, which will be five and a half hours ahead of GMT.

Two DRS zones for India’s Buddh International

Drivers will get two chances per lap to use DRS in this Sunday’s 2011 Formula 1 Airtel Grand Prix of India, the FIA has confirmed. It follows the use of two zones in the Canadian, European and Italian races earlier in the year.

Like Monza, the all-new Buddh International Circuit will have independent detection points for each of its two zones - unlike Montreal and Valencia where both zones shared one detection point.

The first zone’s detection point is 10 metres after the penultimate Turn 15, with its activation point just 36 metres into the start-finish straight, which should ensure plenty of passing into the third-gear right hander that is Turn One.

After flowing through the gentle, left-hand curve known as Turn Two, the second zone’s detection point comes 16 metres before the Turn Three hairpin. Drivers can then activate DRS 510 metres into the New Delhi circuit’s back straight, which is one of the longest on the calendar.

That heads into a low-speed, second-gear right hander (Turn Four), which again should present a good overtaking opportunity.

New front wing for McLaren in India

 After an encouraging last two races in Japan and Korea, McLaren is looking to further close the gap to rivals Red Bull by introducing upgrades in India, particularly regarding a new front wing.












"We are bringing some new aerodynamic pieces to this event," said team technical director Paddy Lowe in a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in. "We have a new front wing, so that's the main thing and something we hope to take forward through to the last few races of the season. But we are winding towards a close with what we'll bring in terms of updates this year. But things like the front wing will carry forward to next year as the regulations on the front are exactly the same."

Although the technical regulations regarding front wing configurations are unchanged for 2012, a possible loophole discovered by Mercedes has received widespread coverage regarding winglets that divert airflow to produce a 'blown diffuser' effect and increase performance. But according to Lowe, although McLaren have looked at the innovation, it is not something they are immediately concerned with.

"We are aware of that, there has been quite a lot of coverage. We're not feeling desperately excited about it but we'll see. We're not singling it out against many other things we're constantly reviewing that people are coming up with. It's in the nature of the sport. You need to work on your own ideas but not have your head in the sand relative to what other people are doing."
As for the challenge of the new Buddh circuit, Lowe thinks that the similarities to Korea will produce another strong performance.

"It looks like a very exciting circuit and it looks like it as many similarities to Korea where we've just been in the sense that you have a first section with long straights and slowish corners and then the second half of the circuit is dominated by a lot of high speed sequences. So how we will fare relative to our competition I see being reasonably similar to how we were in Korea.
"Obviously it was great there - we got a pole position with Lewis for the first time this year, which was fantastic. So I think we are very hopeful we can deliver the same level of performance this Saturday. In the race it seemed a lot more even between the top three teams and we'll have to see how that pans out but we're confident."

Buddh circuit under capacity for first race

The inaugural Indian Grand Prix is set to receive a crowd of over 80,000 people, race organisers have confirmed ahead of Sunday's showpiece.

Although the capacity of the new Buddh circuit is 120,000, it is still hoped that more tickets will be sold at a discounted rate in order to further fill the circuit.

"We have sold close to 80,000 tickets which is pretty encouraging considering that its the first F1 race ever in the country," confirmed a spokesman for race promoter Jaypee. "Of course we would have been happier had we sold off 90 per cent tickets because ticket sales are the only source of revenue for us. But there are still a few days to go and we are keeping our fingers crossed."

Meanwhile, drivers and teams have offered mixed reaction after landing in preparation for the weekend's racing.

"I had a bit of a feeling that the Indians didn't really want to see us," Virgin driver Timo Glock told Germany'sT-Online. "I hope the fans take us closer to the heart than the local immigration authorities did."

It also emerged that fellow German Nico Rosberg was initially denied entry to India and Lotus driver Heikki Kovalainen added that the entry process was unnecessarily complicated.

"I had to fill in about 70 pages of paperwork. It's unreal how complicated it was," he said.

Hyundai introduces 1.6 turbo petrol & R2.0 diesel engines

The announcement follows the company’s in-house powertrain development program which showcased the Gamma 1.6-litre petrol turbo engine and the Euro6 R-2.0 diesel engine.
To start with, the 1.6-litre T-GDI delivers an impressive 152.1kW (at 6,000 rpm) and 264.8Nm of torque (at 1,750 rpm). We can certainly see a great deal of potential for this engine in the Hyundai range!

Chandhok won't race in India

 Karun Chandhok will not race in the inaugural Indian Grand Prix after Lotus confirmed to ESPNF1 that it is sticking with its usual driver line-up.
Chandhok had hoped to join Narain Karthikeyan on the grid for the first race in India, with Jarno Trulli the man most likely to be replaced as had been the case for the German Grand Prix earlier this season. However Lotus has decided that it will not change its race drivers as it focuses on securing 10th place in the constructors' championship.





While any points are unlikely, Lotus, HRT and Virgin are all ranked according to their highest finishing position. Lotus currently holds 10th by virtue of two 13th-placed finishes to HRT's one, and so needs to maximise any opportunity to improve on that result.
Chandhok will still drive in Free Practice 1 on Friday, however, and said he understood the team's decision.

"I am very excited about driving at the new Buddh International Circuit in FP1 in front of my home crowd and while I am obviously disappointed that I won't have the chance to race on Sunday, I accept the team's decision to opt for the experience and talent they have at their disposal with Jarno and Heikki,"

Chandhok said. "This is a team that is still young, still growing, and I know that they have to do their best to secure their future in the sport - sometimes the hard decisions have to be made, and in this case it must have been a very difficult choice, but I understand that this isn't about me.

"It's about the team and everything the 254 people on track and back at the factory are doing to build for the future. For me, I believe that I have grown as a driver in and out of the car this year with my role in the Friday practice sessions and I'm looking forward to playing my part in helping the team have another strong weekend on track."

Reiza Studios Announces New Ayrton Senna Game

 

With Brazil-based Reiza Studios‘ first racer, Game Stock Car, under its belt, the studio has just announced a new partnership with Ayrton Senna Institute to develop a new game for Windows PC.

According to the press release, “The new project will see Reiza going beyond, combining a brand new game engine with a meticulous research process, passion and technical perfectionism in the best Senna style, to recreate in all its details a magic era in racing, when Ayrton wrote his history.”

Ayrton Senna was a three-time Formula One world champion. While not explicitly stated in the press release, one can imagine this will probably be a Formula One style racer. This news comes right after Reiza has released a Formula car update to Game Stock Car.

“The new Reiza project will also have a social purpose,” states the press release, “as part of the revenue will be destined to the various educational programs developed by the Ayrton Senna Institute all over Brazil, which every year benefits over 2 million children and youngsters with quality public education.”

The Ayrton Senna Game is currently under development and is predicted to be released at the end of 2012.

Video: Jaguar C-X75 Concept car rolling footage

We’ve reported several times on the gorgeous Jaguar C-X75 Concept being approved for production, and of course the news that Australians will be able to buy it and drive it locally, due to its right-hand-drive configuration being confirmed.

Every time we’ve seen the concept in person, it has been stationary. Now, a fan has captured the concept car moving under its own power. The concept shows twin-turbines under the rear glass cover, but Jaguar confirmed earlier in the year that the concept car’s motivation comes from electric motors which are recharged via plug-in, rather than using turbines to generate the electric power.

That’s why the car is virtually silent in this video, however those proportions do look beautiful on the move -- even if it is only a few kilometres an hour.
The production version of the C-X75 will use a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine using Formula 1 technology thanks to Jaguar’s partnership with the Williams F1 team. It will go into production in 2013.

McLaren MP4-12C posts 7:28 lap time at the Nurburgring

It’s probably not the result most were expecting, given the McLaren’s formidable reputation for speed, but in German magazine Sport Auto’s Supertest, the MP4-12C has posted a Nurburgring Nordschleife lap time of 7mins 28secs.

This is behind the cheaper, and arguably more involving Porsche GT2 RS, which posted a 7:24 despite being slower to 100km/h, although the Porsche is lighter.
Given the way the MP4-12C tackled the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Top Gear’s review, many would have expected a faster ‘Ring time, especially in light of the Lexus LFA’s time posted a few weeks ago of 7:14.
What do you think? Is the McLaren’s Nordschleife time reasonable, or were you anticipating something better?

Mercedes-Benz MLC coupe production confirmed for Alabama plant

Production of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz MLC sports utility vehicle will take place at the company’s manufacturing facilities in Alabama, USA, as part of a $350 million expansion investment of the plant.

The new plant, located in Tuscaloosa, will build the all-new Mercedes-Benz MLC which was rumoured in the past as a possible BMW X6 rival. Daimler has now confirmed the vehicle will exist and that it will take on the same segment as the BMW X6.

Up to 400 new jobs will be created at the plant thanks to the expansion, a plant which currently assembles vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, R-Class and the GL-Class that uses the same platform.
Mercedes-Benz is yet to reveal details about the new Mercedes-Benz MLC coupe, but it’s understood it will be heavily based on the M-Class SUV, sharing similar engine and trim level packages, as well as similar in-car equipment and features.
Dailmer CEO Dieter Zetsche has said that the investment in the plant will not just allow for the production of the new MLC, but also nine other all-new models which are being planned for release over the next four years. One of the models could include the new C-Class CLC four-door coupe.
Production for the Mercedes-Benz MLC is set to commence in 2015.

Pirelli 'conservative' for India

 Motorsport director Paul Hembery said that Pirelli has been "conservative" with its tyre choices for the Indian Grand Prix due to the unknown of racing on a new circuit.
Pirelli has been widely praised for improving the quality of racing this season with its rapidly degrading tyre compounds, and for the last race in Korea it took what it called an "aggressive" strategy in supplying both the soft and supersoft compounds. For India, however, Pirelli has aired on the side of caution, taking the soft and hard compounds, and Hembery admitted a lack of previous information had forced the approach.


"We've opted for a deliberately conservative nomination in selecting the hard tyre alongside the soft, simply because on a brand new circuit you are never quite sure of the exact race conditions you will encounter," Hembery said. "But we've structured the allocation in such a way that we think the teams will run more on the softer tyres, particularly because we are bringing an extra set of soft compound tyres for Friday."

Hembery said that the combination should help Pirelli analyse what will be the optimal two compounds for next year's race, but that at present even the most likely strategy this weekend was still unknown.
"This will help us to make some decisions about our strategy for next year, particularly after we saw the excellent durability of the softer compounds. It's too early to talk about the number of pit stops we expect this weekend, but we anticipate a reasonably significant lap time difference between the two compounds."

Narain Karthikeyan, however, believes the hard tyre will barely be used due to the smooth track surface and a "huge" difference in the tyre compounds.
"The lap time difference between the hard and soft tyres is going to be huge, maybe in excess of two seconds a lap. I'd expect the teams to use the hard as less as possible: maybe just a short final stint in the race as the benefits in lap time produced by the soft tyre should outweigh its shorter life as the track surface isn't abrasive at all and track temperatures I think should be under 40 degrees during the weekend. The long pit lane will play a part in strategy as well with teams trying to get through the race with as few stops as possible."

Ecclestone admits he had concerns over India

 As recently as two weeks ago, Bernie Ecclestone feared the inaugural Indian Grand Prix might have to be called off.
The F1 chief executive and other officials have sworn for months that the new Buddh International Circuit would be ready for its late October race date. But Ecclestone admitted to the Guardian: "I was pessimistic a fortnight ago. I was sent pictures of the track and I thought Christ, we're not going to get it finished in time.
"But what they have done in the meantime - and I've been sent more recent pictures - is incredible. The people there are very anxious to be sure they're doing a good job and they are very passionate about their sport."

And Ecclestone believes the racing at the remaining three races could be some of the best all season.
"I'm really looking forward to [next] Sunday's race," he added. "And I think here, and in Abu Dhabi and Brazil, the racing will be even keener than it has been this season. The drivers have been concerned about finishing second or third or fourth, because of the state of the championship. They have been anxious not to fall off the road. But now they don't care. Now these guys will be racing to win."
ey don't care. Now these guys will be racing to win."

Ecclestone would welcome Mosley back

 

Bernie Ecclestone says he would welcome the return of Max Mosley as FIA president in the future, calling his decision not to stand by him in 2008 as "one of the worst things I've done in my life".

Mosley lost his position in 2009 after a News of the World sex scandal, with Ecclestone at the time calling for Mosley to step down having previously worked closely alongside him. With Jean Todt having since taken over as president, Ecclestone told Auto Motor und Sport that he would welcome Mosley back because his misdemeanours were "nothing to do with Formula One".
"One of the worst things I've done in my life - and for which I am ashamed - is to not defend Max Mosley when he had his big problems," Ecclestone said. "There's no excuse. I made the mistake because so many people - executives and decision-makers from big companies and banks - convinced me that Max must go in the circumstances. But I was influenced very strongly and badly not to support him."

Despite his apparent preference to see Mosley return, Ecclestone insists he has no problem with Todt.
"I have apologised personally to Max and also publicly before the FIA World Council ... I have nothing against the present incumbent, Jean Todt, but I would welcome Max's return."

Mini Cooper SoHo Exclusive for the UK

Mini has released its special edition Cooper SoHo exclusively for the United Kingdom. The model borrows its name from the well-known fashionable neighborhood in London. In case you may have forgotten, Mini stated earlier this year that it would be christening some special edition cars after London’s famous boroughs, districts, streets and landmarks.

The exterior of the Cooper SoHo is identified by a special white silver paint job. Complimenting this striking paintwork are tinted bi-xenon headlights with black interior reflectors and white indicators. The car maker has also deployed 17-inch Black Star Bullet alloy wheels.

Interior changes are minor, but they have included an anthracite headliner, a 3-spoke sport leather steering wheel and piano black trim. The model will be gentle on the environment with a CO2 emission rate of just 99g/km and a fuel consumption of 74.3mpg.

The Mini Cooper SoHo is available as both a hatch and a convertible. The price of the hatch starts at £16,765 and the convertible will sell for £19,060. The limited edition Mini will be on sale until March next.

New Citroen C4 Aircross

Shortly after launching its new C4 hatchback, Citroen has once again teamed up with Mitsubishi for its new compact SUV, the C4 Aircross. The SUV, that takes many of its style cues from Citroen’s Hypnos concept car, will be released for sale in the United Kingdom in the second half of 2012.

 

The SUV measures just 340mm long, 1800mm wide, 1630mm tall and comes with a boot volume of 442 litres. Powertrain choices include a variety of gasoline and diesel engines, ranging from 110 horsepower up to 150, with front or all wheel drive. Other features include 18 inch wheels, integrated LED running lights that light up a panoramic glass sunroof, integrated rearview reversing camera and a switchable AWD system to allow for a permanent or part-time four wheel drive.
Although exact engines and transmissions haven’t been decided for the UK yet, an HDI 110 engine and six-speed manual transmission is likely to be offered. Other engines available in Europe include a 1.6 petrol and a more powerful 2.0 HDI 150.
In the official press release, Citroen has stated that “The new Citroën body style draws upon the brand’s technological excellence, combining the grip of an off-roader with the ride and driveability of a saloon. Ecologically considerate, the model also boasts some of the lowest CO2 emissions in its segment.”

2012 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Special Edition Revealed

The special edition of the Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson has been unwrapped. Recognizable by its six-bar grille, tinted headlights, exterior graphics and 22-inch aluminum wheels, the model comes in tuxedo black or white platinum tri-coat colours.

The cabin is well-equipped with a snake skin leather interior including heated leather seats, high gloss trim and a Harley-Davidson badge on the center console. Voice-activated GPS navigation, a 4.2-inch productivity screen, a remote start system, a power moon-roof and brushed aluminum scuff plates are all part of the package.
The other standard features of the truck include a rear-view camera, ambient lighting, 110v-power inverter and power adjustable performance pedals.
The 6.2-litre V8 gasoline engine which uses big-bore architecture produces a power of 411 hp (306 kW/ 417 PS) and a torque of 434 lb-ft (588 Nm). An optional four wheel drive system is attached to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Ford assures that the vehicle has a maximum trailer towing capacity of 7,500 pounds (3,402 kilograms).
The new model adds to the collaborated Ford-Harley-Davidson F-series trucks.

Hamilton expects to be competitive

 

 Lewis Hamilton expects McLaren to be competitive in the inaugural Indian Grand Prix next weekend.

Formula One visits India for the first time to race on the new Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. Despite only being able to simulate how well suited the MP4-26C will be to the circuit, Hamilton says McLaren's competitiveness in the last three grands prix leads him to believe it will be fighting for victories on every circuit until the end of the season.
"It's too early to say, but I think we're set to be competitive at all of the final three races<" Hamilton said. "We were quick at Singapore, Japan and Korea - and I think the pattern at the front has sort of settled down now as we reach the end of the season. I think we have a car that can be quick anywhere, so I'd like to think we'd be in the hunt again next weekend."
Hamilton also thinks that India will embrace Formula One, having experienced the number of fans that turned out to watch him carry out a demonstration run in September.

"I've been a few times before - we've done a few Vodafone promotional days there. The last time was just crazy - just after Singapore, we did a demo run in Bangalore and were expecting 5,000 people to turn up. On the day, there were around 40,000 fans - it was just incredible. "You can't believe how many people are aware of Formula 1 and how many are looking forward to the race next week. There's already a great deal of knowledge about the sport - I think it's going to be a big deal.

"India's a sport-mad nation - mostly, it's about cricket, which is understandable because they're a very successful cricketing country, but I really think the people of India are going to take Formula 1 to their hearts. The reception we've had in the last few years has been greater than I could ever have predicted and I think the whole country is ready for something new and something exciting. I really hope India will get turned on to Formula 1 in a big way - it would be amazing to have an entire continent supporting you - and I really hope we can put on a fantastic race!"

Liuzzi to give up seat for Karthikeyan in India

Tonio Liuzzi will not drive at the Indian Grand Prix after being asked by HRT to make way for Narain Karthikeyan, who is returning for a one-off race in front of his home crowd.

The original plan had been for Daniel Ricciardo to step aside, but on Saturday HRT revealed that it had asked Liuzzi to stand down for one race only. Karthikeyan brings added sponsorship to the team and at the time of writing is the only Indian confirmed on next weekend's grid.


"Having Narain Karthikeyan, the first Indian driver in F1 history, and Tata with us makes it feel like a home race," HRT team principal Colin Kolles said. "Narain is a talented driver and we are proud to be going down this path with him. For this single event, Narain will be driving alongside Daniel Ricciardo.
"I have asked Tonio Liuzzi to step aside for the Indian GP in order to allow driving programs with Ricciardo and Karthikeyan to be completed. I have to thank Tonio for his professional approach and attitude. After the positive performance the team had in Korea, I hope that we will keep on that line in India. Although Narain has already driven around the track and given us a positive feedback, we really don't know what to expect but we are looking forward to it."
Karthikeyan is looking forward to the event, which he hopes will encourage young Indian racing drivers to aim for F1.

"Driving in front of the home crowd cheering on is going to be a surreal experience," he said. "A once in a lifetime experience and I feel extremely fortunate. There is a huge buzz around the Grand Prix already and I'm sure that it'll be a resounding success that will motivate more youngsters towards the sport and give us the future F1 drivers. Making it into F1 at the time I did was a seriously uphill task and the thought of being able to compete in the inaugural Indian GP was non-existent. But it is finally here and I'll be on the grid.
"It is going to be one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar. There are points at which, if you're in an F1 car, you will see nothing but the sky. The layout itself is going to put tremendous energy through the tyres and the strategy will play a key role in the final result. For sure I'll race hard and try to get a good result for myself and the team. I would like to express my gratitude towards Tata Group and the rest of sponsors for their continued support and belief throughout my career."

Simoncelli dies from injuries suffered in Malaysian GP crash

Marco Simoncelli has died from the injuries he sustained in a crash on the second lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix. He was 24.

Simoncelli was fighting for fourth with Alvaro Bautista when he lost the front of his bike and slid across the circuit, into the path of Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi, both of whom appeared to hit the Honda.

Simoncelli lay stricken on the track after the crash, his helmet having come off during the incident.

He was taken by ambulance to the circuit's medical centre, but at 4.56pm local time it was announced he had succumbed to his injuries.

The death was the first fatality in MotoGP since Daijiro Katoh, also a Gresini rider, passed away as a result of injuries sustained in the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix. The last fatal accident in the world championship series came when Moto2 rider Showa Tomizawa was killed at Misano last September.

Simoncelli had established himself as one of the most exciting new stars in MotoGP this season, his second year at the top level with the Gresini Honda team.

A former European 125cc champion, Simoncelli was a race winner and frontrunner during three years in world championship 125cc racing before coming to the 250cc series in 2006.

He spent four seasons with the Gilera team, with the breakthrough coming in 2008 when he not only became a winner for the first time, but charged to the title, beating Alvaro Bautista.

Simoncelli stayed on in 250cc to defend his title in 2009, although he narrowly lost the crown to future Gresini MotoGP team-mate Hiroshi Aoyama after an early-season injury left him playing catch-up.

He secured a MotoGP seat with Gresini for 2010 and became ever more competitive as his rookie season went on.

That earned him a factory specification Honda this season, and he took full advantage to get among the frontrunners from the outset.

Pole positions at Catalunya and Assen came amid a run of six straight front row starts, although incidents in races meant he could not deliver the results his speed promised - and led to rows with other riders.

But Simoncelli calmed his style as the season progressed, finally taking his maiden MotoGP podium at Brno, and achieving a career-best second in Australia just a week ago. He had also secured works Honda equipment again with Gresini next season, ensuring he would have started 2012 as a potential MotoGP winner.

2012 Hyundai Sonata Facelift Unveiled

Korean carmaker Hyundai seems less enthusiastic about the release of its face lifted models. May be that’s why the company has made the unveiling of its 2012 Sonata facelift a quiet affair.

The car, however, looks stunning and is distinct from the present market model. The face-lifted version comes equipped a revised grille, restyled mirrors, LED taillights and new 18-inch alloy wheels.
Though the alterations seem to have brought in minimum changes to the interior, we find a handful of higher quality materials, revised trim and a cool glove box have been included. Hyundai hopes to keep on the legacy of its earlier mid-sized sedan with the mild tweaks.
The car will continue with the default 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine giving 165 hp (123 kW / 167 PS) in South Korea. However, the 2.4-liter edition of the face-lifted 2012 Sonata will be changed to fit in the new turbocharged 2.0-liter which pumps out a power of 271 (202 kW / 275 PS).

Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series Detailed

As you all know a sneak peek of the Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series came about  last week, thanks to a handful of leaked photographs. Now, we have stumbled upon  full official particulars and pictures of certainly the most powerful C-Class from Mercedes.

Merc SL65 AMG Dropped

Although Mercedes has silently withdrawn the SL65 AMG model, the car maker has plans to bring in a redesigned model at a later stage.


In case you need reminding, the twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 mill produces 612 PS (450 kW / 604 hp) and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque. Though earlier reports had hinted at the possibility, we are still not sure about the automaker’s plans to completely drop the V12 production.
Based on persisting rumours, chances are that this could be the end of V12, as Merc could go for the fuel-efficient V8l instead.

Webber knows 85% of track

 With the grand prix the first event to be held on the circuit in Greater Noida, the teams are only able to base their setups and expectations on simulator work. Webber said he has experienced the track in the Red Bull simulator, which has given him a fairly thorough understanding of the track, but that the little subtleties will come together once he finally gets to drive it.
"We have completed some good simulator work," Webber said. "But in terms of the kerbs and other subtle final details, these will obviously come into place right at the end, so I'd say we have an 85% understanding of what the track is going to be like. It's always nice to drive at a new venue and in the simulator it looks like quite a quick flowing track, very rewarding."

Webber also said that the weather could cause issues for the rapidly degrading Pirelli tyres.
"It's going to be pretty warm, which is going to be a challenge for the tyres. I've never been to India before. There are some amazing cricket players from India - it's their number one sport and I'd love to watch Australia play cricket there someday. I'm looking forward to the weekend."
"

Kubica 'months' away from return

 Robert Kubica is still "a few more months" away from being able to return to Formula One, according to his doctor.
Kubica has missed the whole of 2011 following a rally accident in Italy in February which left him with life-threatening injuries. Having begun rehabilitation, Renault team principal Eric Boullier said that the team would keep a seat for Kubica if he was ready to return, but that he needed to be able to make a decision by mid-October.
While Renault has since pushed that deadline back, it appears Kubica will not be able to give the team confirmation any time soon, with Dr Riccardo Ceccarelli saying that progress is slow, even though he does still aim to be able to return.

"Our goal is to get him back in F1," Ceccarelli told Lucca television. "But he will still need a few more months of rehabilitation. The cuts were so bad that many colleagues and specialists had ruled out a return to the wheel for Robert. But, clinically, little by little everything has improved and the hope to see him driving as soon as 2012 is becoming more and more concrete."

New Jersey set to host F1 race in 2013

New Jersey will host a Formula One race in 2013, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Earlier this year the townships of West New York and Weekhawken announced their interest in bringing F1 to the city, with plans for a street race set against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline. The latest report says an announcement is due on Tuesday which will see the race hit the streets in June 2013.

The reports suggest the New Jersey race will run alongside the US Grand Prix in Austin, which is set to make its debut on the calendar next season.

In August, the mayors of Weehawken and West New York released a joint statement saying the race would be privately funded, with Leo Hindery Jr, a former chief executive of the YES TV network, reportedly leading the group of investors.

"In these uncertain economic times when every direct and indirect revenue source is vital, our own Formula One race could be a very positive boost to our citizens," mayors Richard Turner and Felix Roque said in a joint statement last August. "This said, we need to ensure that the financial benefits from the privilege of having these races in our towns are equitably shared and that no tax dollars are used. The investor group has already told us that our towns would be substantially compensated annually."

F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone has been in talks with various promoters to bring a street race to Greater New York over the years but the plans have never reached fruition.

The Audi TT RS 2012

The United States will be getting a wider range of the Audi’s RS offerings first with the 2012 Audi TT RS and then later the RS5. With 360 horsepower squeezed from an award winning turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine at just 3,300 pounds, the coupe is probably the best TT ever made. The vehicle can reach a top speed of 174 mph and get to 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds. Audi magnetic ride on the TT RS allows the suspension characteristic to be actively altered benefiting the driver as the system constantly adapts to the driving situation at the time.
There have also been a few design changes to the exterior that compares to the TT S with a high gloss black diamond-patterned Singleframe grille and large front air inlets, fixed rear wing spoiler that provides increased down force, oval exhaust pipes and 19″ rotor wheels. Side mirrors are also coated with a matte aluminum finish.
In the interior, features include a contoured 3-spoke sport multifunction steering wheel, aluminum door sills with the RS logo and RS-specific interior door handles. Other interior features include 10-way power sport front seats with three-step heating, leather seat coverings and LED ambient lighting.
In the US the new Audi TT RS has a price tag of $56,850 including a destination fee of $875.

Mercedes A-Class Cabriolet

According to recent reports a convertible version of the new Mercedes A-Class is on its way. The model is the latest edition to a new line of compact car models from Mercedes and has been designed to compete with the Audi A3 Cabriolet, BMW 1 Series Convertible and VW Golf Cabriolet.
During a presentation at the launch of the B-Class, Mercedes CEO, Dr Dieter Zetsche, announced that five new compact cars are in the works over the next few year. Four of the five models have already been revealed and the A-Class Cabriolet rounds up the lot.

Under the hood, in addition to a 1.6-litre petrol turbo and a 1.8 diesel, the A-Class range will get a sporty turbocharged 200bhp 2.0-litre petrol motor. A soft top is expected to reduce weight and costs.

Mercedes SLS AMG 2012 Spied

 

At the 2010 Los Angeles motor show AMG boss Ola Kaellenius announced that the Mercedes tuning division would release two very special Black Series cars in the near future. The first has already been seen, the C63 AMG Coupe Black Series and now the second Mercedes SLS AMG has been spied being tested on the Nurburgring in Germany. The SLS AMG is the most extreme of the Black Series to date and is apparently lighter in weight. This, combined with its extra power with an expected naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8, should get the car to 60 miles per/hour in about 3 seconds.
The bodywork shows flared fenders front and rear shrouding wider front and rear tracks, upgraded brakes, and bigger wheels fitted with track-orientated rubber.
It’s likely that the car will cost about $500, 000.