AUTO MANIA: by Dr. Iain Corness [email protected]

Pro Racing Series at Bira this weekend

Pro Racing Series.

One of the other promoting groups has Bira this weekend. The Pro Racing Series is run by GPI (Grand Prix International), a group that has been involved in motor racing in Thailand for decades, beginning with Dr. Prachin Eamlumnow, and now by his sons Anothai and Peerapong Eamlumnow. The Pro Racing Series stands between the Nitto 3K series and the Supercar Series, so is somewhat more professional as opposed to the picnic atmosphere of the Nitto 3K races.
We are battling against time (again held up by the rain), but hope to have the rebuilt Securitas Escort at this meeting, using it as a shake-down for all the new mechanicals in our Retro Mk1 Ford Escort. As I type this, a replacement gearbox is going into the car to replace the one that jammed up on me at Kaeng Krachan putting me into the wall and several barrel rolls.
Look for our AA Insurance/Sausage King hospitality tent on the right hand side of the hairpin where we have a sausage sizzle, plus cold drinks.

What did we learn from the Singapore GP?

What did we learn? Well, we learned there is no such animal as a 100 percent reliable car. Millions are spent to produce race cars that will last a minimum of two hours, but even race leader Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) would find that his gearbox decided that 24 laps were enough. Not only did that mean he retired from the Singapore GP with no points, but he will incur a five place grid demotion for the next race in Japan. This rule that components have to last X number of meetings is nonsense. No team is going to send out their driver knowing they have a faulty gearbox. It is enough of a penalty that they do not finish the race. Why then penalize them for the next one as well?
So to the race. Until his retirement, Hamilton was the undisputed leader. Pole by a large margin and running away with the race, until the gearbox problem. Inheriting the lead, The Finger (Vettel, Red Bull) just maintained the position and cruised to the end, bringing him into second in the WDC. He is certainly now within striking distance of the leader Alonso (Ferrari). Vettel’s team mate Webber has really thrown away all his chances in the WDC with a very mediocre race which even ended up with him receiving a 20 second penalty for a clumsy pass on Kobayashi, demoting him to 11th and outside the points.
Third was Mr. Consistency Fernando Alonso (Ferrari). Never within a cooee of challenging for the top step of the podium, but always there. His team mate Massa ‘lucked’ his way into 8th, and 30 seconds behind Alonso. More on Massa later in this article.
Driver of the day (sorry, evening) for me was Paul Di Resta (Force India) who finished in 4th, stayed out of trouble all weekend and deserved his final placing. His team mate Hulkenberg, who excelled in the lower formulae, just seems out of his depth in F1, but his place at Force India has been guaranteed by Vijay Mallya.
On a street circuit such as Monaco and Singapore, any over-driving soon shows up. Number one over-driver of the weekend was undoubtedly Bruno Senna (Williams). His driving showed the desperation of a driver knowing that his seat will be sold to someone else for 2013. Goodbye Bruno, you have an illustrious name, but that’s not enough, I am afraid.
Other drivers lining up at the exit door for 2012 include Kobayashi (Sauber) who has not shown any of the banzai of previous years, and has been sadly shown up by team mate Perez. Next to him at the off-ramp is Massa (Ferrari) who has just not been anywhere near his team mate Alonso. Towering over the diminutive Sauber and Ferrari drivers (they are both dwarves) is Michael Schumacher (Mercedes). Still the most illustrious driver in the history of the sport, but now too many crashes amongst the good laps reminiscent of the old days. Time for Michael to call it quits. The hapless Russian Petrov will also have to walk the plank at Caterham. The rubles have run out, and so has his talent. Goodbye Vitaly. And finally there is Kathikeyan in the HRT. Even national pride giving him sponsorship from Tata, he has to go. The cost of repairs to his car now being greater than the money he brought in. He will be selling suits with a silk shirt next year.
Finally, was it a great race? No, and it never will be, no matter who they have as post-race party people, fireworks and publicists. The track is too narrow, the corners are too close together and the novelty of ‘under lights’ has worn off. However, if you like to see crashes, reserve your seat for 2013.

BMW goes FWD and the world is slack-jawed. Why?

FWD BMW

BMW has previewed its controversial new front-wheel-drive car, the first in the company’s history, badged as a BMW. And the world’s press corps has gone mad.
Now whilst all previous BeeEmms have been RWD, let us not forget that BMW owns Mini and they are all FWD. BeeEmm already had the technology and all they had to do was design a new body/chassis and install the Mini mechanicals.
The to be released Concept Active Tourer is a plug-in petrol-electric hybrid concept car with the space saving transverse engine layout which BMW says is set to heavily influence the design, packaging, ride and handling properties of their next generation of small cars.
The Concept Active Tourer five-door hatchback closely previews a new people mover crossover model to introduce as its entry level 1-Series line-up in early 2014 as a rival for the Mercedes-Benz B-Class and Volkswagen Golf Plus.
The concept car will be shown at the 2012 Paris motor show at the end of September, with BMW’s new 1.5 liter three cylinder direct injection petrol engine as part of a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that will be used by its i sub-brand’s new i8 sportscar - as previewed at last year’s Frankfurt motor show, and driven by Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible III.
Mounted transversely the new three-cylinder engine is supported by an electric motor, with drive through an eight speed automatic gearbox to all four wheels. Power is put at a combined 140 kW.
The battery is a lithium-ion battery pack mounted within the floor of the boot that can be charged both from a regular powerpoint and on the run with the Kinetic Energy Regeneration System (KERS).
BMW says the petrol engine exclusively drives the front wheels, while the electric motor provides power to the rear - an interesting deviation from the more usual all power to one end or both ends of the vehicle.
BMW claims 0-100 km/h in less than 8.0 seconds, a top speed of about 200 km/h along with combined average consumption of less than 2.5 L/100 km and electric-only range of up to 30 km.
While the concept car uses an opulent mix of materials, expect the production version to boast a level of perceived quality in line with the 1-Series. The front seats are raised to a height comparable to that of the BMW X1. The rear seat folds to extend boot space in a 40:20:40 split, while a table can be erected on the rear of the front seat backs to extend the concept car’s practicality.
This will probably be the next 1-Series, but don’t expect it any day soon!

Race of Champions coming to Bangkok

Schumi and The Finger.

As reported in the daily press, seven-times Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher will be in the line-up as the Race Of Champions (ROC) celebrates its 25th year of competition this year. The ROC will be held at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium, on the weekend of December 15-16.
Held every year since 1988, the end-of-season contest brings together the world’s greatest drivers from motor sport’s main disciplines - including Formula 1, world rally, touring cars, Le Mans and the X-Games - and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery. Drivers pair up for the ROC Nations Cup, this year scheduled for Saturday 15 December, before the individual Race Of Champions takes place on Sunday 16 December.
For the past five years Schumacher has joined up with The Finger (Sebastian Vettel) to take Team Germany to victory in the ROC Nations Cup. Reigning F1 world champion Vettel has already announced he will be back and now Schumacher has confirmed that the winning duo will be reunited again.
Schumacher said, “I have never raced in Thailand before so this will be an interesting addition to my motor sport travels.”
“Racing in a stadium is sensational - and it’s a very different experience for us drivers to hear the fans so close. And of course we are all professionals so the moment we close the visor we want to win...”
After London’s Wembley Stadium (2007-2008), Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ Olympic Stadium (2009) and Dusseldorf’s ESPRIT arena (2010-2011), ROC 2012 will take place on a specially constructed tarmac track with two adjacent lanes winding their way round Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium.
One of my northern readers expressed doubts that Thailand could get everything together on time, but the ROC is a packaged deal with its own organizing group that puts it together, something like the roadshows of the Rolling Stones where they come and erect huge stages and inflatables and after the event take it away again. The event makes for great TV as you can see the side by side action. If you haven’t seen one go to YouTube, I’m sure they must have some. Schumi and The Finger have dominated the team’s events, but not the individual final (some rally chap did it last year from memory). The cars are supplied by the organizers and include a buggy contraption, a KTM X-Bow, and a V8 sedan. As I said, it is the complete package. All the host country has to do is supply a venue, so Rajamangala it is!

Autotrivia quiz

Last week, I mentioned that at the One-Hour Production Car Race held on 30 August 1949, where Prince Bira was entered, but did not finish. I asked why and what car was he driving? It was a Jaguar XK 120 and Prince Bira spun after a puncture.
So to this week. What was the first post-war transverse front engine FWD car built in the UK? And before you say “Mini” - it wasn’t the first!
For the Automania free beer this week, be the first correct answer to email [email protected]