Indholdsfortegnelse for 11/01/18 i Autosport

FERRARI HAS PRODUCED SOME OF THE GREATEST Formula 1 cars in its seven decades. Only the 500 model of the 1950s and the F2002 can compete with our cover subject, the F2004, when it comes to domination. And the final Michael Schumacher title-winner has one other accolade: despite the faster, meaner F1 cars introduced last year, the F2004 still holds several lap records. Ignoring the negligible track changes in Bahrain and Monaco, the V10-engined machine holds seven records on current F1 circuits, plus another five (Imola, Nurburgring, Indianapolis, Magny-Cours and the final version of pre-2010 Silverstone). The current regulations mean that quicker cars are surely on their way, but for now the F2004 still has the title of Ferrari’s fastest F1 car. As key figures Rubens Barrichello, Ross Brawn, Aldo…

THE 2018 MOTORSPORT SEASON GETS UNDER way this week with the latest edition of Autosport International at Birmingham’s NEC. The annual curtain-raiser brings together many of the best people from the motorsport sphere – from karting and club-level racing, up to global series. This year’s show includes an exhibition showcasing many famous Ferrari designs, and a special display to celebrate the British Touring Car Championship. For the first time in the show’s 27-year history, a toptier FIA world championship will launch its upcoming season, with the World Rally Championship unveiling its 2018 campaign. All the manufacturers will present their latest creations, with many leading drivers, co-drivers and team principals also in attendance. “I’ve been going to Autosport International since it began and it really is seen, industry-wide, as the start of…

@MattJMNews “Cars from the past will pay tribute to the UK’s highest-profile series” There is plenty to celebrate at the Autosport International Show, and perhaps one of the most significant 2018 anniversaries will be the 60th birthday of the British Touring Car Championship. Autosport’s sister title Motorsport News has gathered together many significant cars from the category’s past – as well as its present – to pay tribute to the UK’s highest-profile championship. The wraps will come off HMS Racing’s new Alfa Romeo Giulietta (below), a dealer-supported attack on the series to be driven by Rob Austin. The three-time race winner and the HMS Racing team have been plotting this campaign for more than 12 months, and the new compact hatchback racer will be revealed in public for the first…

FIFTY YEARS OF RACING AT THRUXTON WILL BE marked on June 2-3 with a high-profile weekend of historic competition at the Hampshire track. Categories rarely, if ever, seen at the high-speed circuit will headline a special race programme designed to celebrate five decades of racing at Thruxton. Among the grids will be the Royal Automobile Club’s Woodcote Trophy, the Stirling Moss Trophy and the Historic Touring Car Challenge, featuring grids of pre-’56 sportscars, pre-’61 sports-racing cars and pre-’91 touring cars from Motor Racing Legends. From the Historic Sports Car Club will be the Super Touring Trophy, Historic Formula Ford and Guards Trophy, with further race content to be confirmed. Thruxton managing director Bill Coombs said: “We will have a mixture of racing and demonstrations over both days, all of which…

“Anything that raises the awareness and image of engineering across the country has got to be welcomed” The doomsday bells aren’t ringing yet, but British engineering could be facing some tough times ahead. That statement may seem improbable given that the government only recently identified engineering as a priority in its Industrial Strategy, announcing in November that it will increase investment in R&D from 1.7% to 2.4% of GDP by 2027, create an independent Industrial Strategy Council and invest a further £725 million into the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund – but the elephant in the room can be ignored no longer. Genuine concerns abound that the needs of the sector may not be met in future due to an estimated shortfall of 20,000 graduates per year, which is not a…

“We have a lot of pressure, because there are a lot of parts that depend on our good work” The Trulli GP debacle proved that Formula E could survive the mid-season collapse of a team and continue relatively unscathed. This year, the championship has weathered the storm of Sao Paolo and Montreal dropping off the calendar, but the absence of a merry band of technicians from Spain would be impactful for an entirely different reason. So keenly is its influence felt across several different elements in FE – from timing to TV graphics, race control and IT services, used by teams, drivers, media and fans alike – that without Al Kamel Systems, the show would descend into farce. Established in 2004 by Jose Luis Garcia, a former director of timing…

To motorsport-types of a certain age, Alan Docking needs no introduction. Arriving on Britain’s shores from his native Australia in 1973, Docking became a huge player in the European racing scene across 30 years, running teams in Formula 2 and Formula 3, interspersed with fleeting programmes in sportscars. But after a foray into the World Endurance Championship, he elected to step away from the pitwall five years ago and now focuses his attention on his own engineering businesses. Based in one of Silverstone’s myriad surrounding industrial parks, Docking is the managing director of two companies: Earls, which imports and manufactures components for hydraulic products, and Docking Engineering, which fabricates radiators and fuel tanks for a vast range of applications. Collectively, they employ around 25 people, including machinists, fabricators and office…

“The Ligier JSP217 is not well suited to Daytona” THERE’S ONE VERY SIGNIFICANT difference between Fernando Alonso’s latest jaunt off the Formula 1 piste in this month’s Daytona 24 Hours and his famous assault on last year’s Indianapolis 500. Beyond, of course, the Daytona ‘roval’ featuring right turns as well as left. Neither Alonso, nor anyone following the pre-Daytona 24 Hours test – dubbed ‘The Roar Before the Rolex 24’ – that took place last weekend, expects the Ligier-Gibson JSP217 he’s driving to be as competitive as his Andretti Autosport-run IndyCar. After all, the Andretti team was the quickest around Indy last May. But regardless of whether the United Autosports Ligier he shares with McLaren protege Lando Norris and Asian Le Mans Series LMP3 champion Phil Hanson can emerge as…

FERRARI FORMULA 1 PROTEGE Antonio Giovinazzi will take part in next week’s Formula E rookie test in Marrakech as the star name among an excellent 20-driver field. The Italian made his F1 race debut in 2017 as replacement for the injured Pascal Wehrlein at Sauber, and was a contender for a full-time seat this season before Sauber opted for his fellow Ferrari junior Charles Leclerc and team regular Marcus Ericsson instead. Giovinazzi, who has settled for a third-driver role in F1, will now make an appearance in the January 14 post-race FE rookie test in Morocco, and will pilot DS Virgin’s DSV-03 car. It comes against the backdrop of Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne evaluating a foray into the all-electric racing category with his Fiat Chrysler Automobiles company’s Maserati brand, and…

THE NURBURGRING IS IN DISCUSSIONS with Formula 1 bosses regarding a return to the calendar in 2019. Ongoing financial challenges and a change of ownership have prevented the circuit from hosting F1 grands prix since 2013. But when Mirco Markfort took over as chief executive officer in March 2016, the venue began formulating a plan to entice F1 back. Liberty Media is keen to retain European heartland races on the calendar, with the French Grand Prix returning this year for the first time since 2008. The German Grand Prix is also back after a one-year hiatus, with Hockenheim playing host. Markfort is keen for F1 to return to the Nurburgring, which previously alternated with Hockenheim in holding the German GP. He is believed to have met with F1 chief Chase…

@nauckas Motorsport and engineering are inseparable. The combination of competition and science – finding new limits for speed – is central to motor racing’s DNA. To help train new generations of engineers, the University of Bolton has established its new National Centre for Motorsport Engineering (NCME), a £13million development project that opened at the start of the 2017-18 academic year. The NCME builds on the university’s existing Centre for Advanced Performance Engineering (CAPE), and aims to be “the UK’s leading academic centre for motorsport engineering, offering industry-driven and studentled academic programmes creating outstanding engineers who will shape the future of automotive development in the UK and internationally”, according to its mission statement. Through the NCME, the university offers two three-year courses for students – BSc (Hons) Motorsport Engineering and BEng…

NATIONAL RACING l HISTORICS l HILLCLIMB l TRACK TESTS l FEATURES THE BRDC BRITISH F3 CHAMPIONSHIP has been allowed to continue using the British Formula 3 name for 2018. The FIA took ownership of the British Formula 3 and Formula 3 names over 2014 and 2015, and the BRDC series run by MotorSport Vision has received an extension to use the name through 2018. The news comes as the FIA moves towards its aim of introducing a new set of regulations for Regional F3 series. At the World Motor Sport Council meeting in December 2017, the FIA and its Single Seater Commission confirmed the regulations for Regional F3, with one series in the Americas and one in Asia. Autosport understands that, should British F3 have wanted to become an FIA…

BOB KING, THE FOUNDER OF Royale Racing Cars, died shortly before Christmas aged 79 after a long illness. King raced in the late 1950s and took a Cooper to New Zealand for the ’57 Grand Prix. But a broken camshaft in qualifying cost him the start money that would have been his fare home. He sold the car to Denny Hulme and spent 18 months in New Zealand before returning to the UK. His fledgling Racing Preparations company later acquired the rights to Coventry Climax, but then branched out into racecar construction for 1968. Over 25 years, Royale built hundreds of cars from Formula Ford to Formula 2 and GTP sports-prototypes. King was instrumental in supporting the young Tom Pryce and promoted young designer Rory Byrne, who in turn was…

WITH 10 CONSTRUCTORS’ TITLES IN a 22-season period, it’s no exaggeration to say that Adrian Newey is one of Formula 1’s finest technical brains, and his recently published book, How to Build a Car, does him full justice. The title is a tad misleading, suggesting a Haynes manual-esque approach, but this is primarily a memoir. Newey’s personality shines through the pages – colourful, energetic, artistic, fun-loving – and it’s clear he always tries to think in unorthodox ways. But, above all, it’s clear that he is very driven – the book even concludes by explaining that ‘how can I do this better?’ is his mantra. He also demonstrates that there’s far more to him than just the aero prowess with which he is mostly associated. The prose is sharp, punchy…

It’s that time of year again, as Autosport International brings the spotlight back onto the world of engineering in the designated Autosport Engineering hall. These are exciting times for the industry – and for motorsport especially. With the government’s Industrial Strategy committing extra funding for innovation to the tune of £4.7billion over the next four years, motorsport companies are well-placed to reap the benefits, but as MIA CEO Chris Aylett points out on page 18, the sector is not immune from the skills shortage afflicting the industry-at-large. There is no magic bullet, no overnight cure to securing the future of engineering. Instead, motorsport companies must be prepared to actively engage with young people and initiatives like The Year of Engineering, which seeks to raise the profile of engineering and inform…

Drivers often talk about the team, thanking the many people behind the scenes for their essential efforts. But aside from a select few – Adrian Newey and Ross Brawn spring to mind – there aren’t many that get a share of the spotlight. Or seek it. Mark Williams is one such man. The former head of vehicle engineering at McLaren – not the two-time snooker world champion – and McLaren Autosport BRDC Award judge has had a long and successful career that has included stints in Formula 1, Indycars and touring cars. He’s been an engineer and a designer, and has seen the sport change immeasurably over the past three decades, during which time he has worked with drivers such as Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Mika Hakkinen and…

A FLURRY OF DRIVER CONFIRMATIONS in the past few days has ramped up anticipation ahead of the forthcoming British Touring Car Championship season. Top team WSR will keep an unchanged driver line-up in its BMW 125i M Sports, consisting of former champions Colin Turkington and Andrew Jordan together with Rob Collard. Turkington (below) won four races last term and claimed the runner-up spot in the championship, and partnered with Collard under the Team BMW arm to help WSR take the BTCC constructors’-manufacturers’ and teams’ titles. Independents Trophy runner-up Jack Goff is another driver staying put, in his case remaining with the Eurotech Racing Honda Civic Type R. It will be the first time that the 26-year-old, a two-time race winner, will be staying with the same team for two consecutive…

BRITISH TEAM TF SPORT IS stepping up from the European Le Mans Series to the World Endurance Championship for the 2018-19 superseason, and will run an Aston Martin Vantage in the GTE-Am class. British professional Euan Hankey and Turkish gentleman driver Salih Yoluc, who finished second in the ELMS GTE class last season, will be joined in the car by reigning Carrera Cup GB champion Charlie Eastwood. TF, the team of former BTCC racer Tom Ferrier, made its WEC debut in last year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. “This is by far our biggest ever programme and it underlines the strength of our team at every level,” said Ferrier. “It’s a really big challenge but we’re confident we will be competitive and deliver results.” Hankey added: “We’re under no illusions as…

@adamcooperF1 Was the F2004 the greatest-ever Ferrari Formula 1 car? It’s a big claim to make, but there’s certainly a good case for it, and not just because it took Michael Schumacher to his seventh and last world championship title. The numbers are impressive. Between them, Schumacher and his team-mate Rubens Barrichello won 15 grands prix from 18 starts, and for 10 years the car shared the record of most victories in a season with the 1988 McLaren MP4/4 and Ferrari’s own F2002. More recently, Mercedes has moved the goalposts, with 19 wins in 2016, and 16 in both ’14 and ’15. But Schumacher’s strike rate of 13 individual successes remains a record, albeit one matched by his friend and countryman Sebastian Vettel in ’13. Above all, the F2004 was…

@davidevansrally 1 2018’S GOING TO BE THE BIG YEAR… So, you thought 2017 was supposed to be the big year for WRC? New technical regulations allied to returning world rally giants Citroen and Toyota made for a hugely entertaining season, with all four manufacturers and seven different drivers winning one or more rallies. But last year was a step into the unknown. This time last year, nobody could seriously predict the form (we all tried and said Citroen would fly and Toyota would flop – it didn’t quite work out like that…). We can now. The teams have crunched data from 12 months and 13 events and come to Birmingham with cars primed for performance and ready to be reliable. In the words of Toyota team principal Tommi Makinen: “If…

MULTIPLE FORMULA FORD FESTIVAL winner Joey Foster will return to the category for a full season in the British Racing and Sports Car Club’s National championship this year. The 35-year old, overall Festival victor in 2003 and in the Kent category in ’04, made a winning return to the Brands Hatch event at the end of last season, and was challenging for victory in the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone before suffering a mechanical problem. He will now contest a full single-seater season for the first time since he won the Australian Formula 3 Championship back in 2009. “I’ve been talking about it for a long time,” said Foster, who will race a Ray GR08 run by Don Hardman and Keith Bodicoat. “It just seems right this year. I had…

APPEARANCE AT RACE RETRO FOR REDMAN Brian Redman (above) will be one of the star guests at Race Retro at the end of February. Now 80, Redman raced in Formula 1 and the World Sportscar Championship, winning the 1970 Targa Florio, the Sebring 12 Hours twice and the Spa 1000Km four times. He starred in the Formula 5000 single-seater category and won the US F5000 title three times in a row. INTEREST GROWS IN HERITAGE FF1600 Fifteen drivers have already registered for the inaugural season of Heritage Formula Ford, which will race at five rounds across the UK. The new-for-2018 series is open to Formula Ford cars manufactured before 1993 and will race at Donington Park, Silverstone National, Oulton Park and Brands Hatch Indy as well as another track that…

Jochen Rindt (Lotus- Ford 72), Jack Brabham (Brabham-Ford BT33) and Jacky Ickx (Ferrari 312B) blast off the line at the start of the 1970 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, pursued by Jackie Oliver (BRM P153), Denny Hulme (McLaren-Ford M14D) and Ickx’s team-mate Clay Regazzoni. The race was won by Rindt, after Brabham ran low on fuel on the final lap. It was also notable for marking Emerson Fittipaldi’s grand prix debut and the final appearance of Dan Gurney. latimages.com @latimages…

It’s been a remarkable journey for the Northampton company since it was founded by Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth in 1958. Only Ferrari has accumulated more grand prix wins as an engine supplier than Cosworth – despite not adding to its tally of 176 since 2003 – while no fewer than 12 Formula 1 drivers’ titles and 10 consecutive Indianapolis 500 wins between 1978 and ’87 were scored by the all-conquering DFV/DFX. Aside from its exploits as an engine builder, which also translated into two Le Mans victories and numerous touring car successes with the Ford RS500 in the BTCC, DTM and at Bathurst, the brand has also carved a niche in electronics, used by teams and organisers alike in IndyCar, rallying and sportscars, having won the FIA/ACO tender to…

JENSON BUTTON “Jenson and Lewis Hamilton had very different driving styles. Jenson was the perfect guy to have in your team because he’s quick and he’s such a team player. “When we first met him to sound him out, we said what’s really important is that we use both cars in FP1, FP2 and FP3 to improve the McLaren and then in qualifying it’s down to you. Hopefully both cars have helped each other and you just shoot it out with Lewis. He said, ‘That’s perfect’. If I’d heard anything else I’d have been disappointed. “It was open-book engineering, it’s the only way you do it, otherwise you might as well be running two teams, but you need the drivers to be on board. They were very supportive of each…