Spanish GP this weekend

Catalunya Circuit, Spain

The Alonso fans will be out in full voice, hoping that this will be the GP at which Ferrari comes on even stronger, and the Spaniard fulfills all their dreams, even if Massa was dragging the chain two weeks ago in Turkey.

Spain has a long history in GP racing, and the Catalunya circuit (aka Montmelo) was built just 20 km from Barcelona. It was actually the fourth circuit in, or near, Barcelona, which has some claim to being Spain’s capital of motor racing.

The 5 km Circuit Catalunya was opened in 1991. A temporary chicane was built at ‘Nissan’ (a very shallow curve) in 1994, but for 1995, ‘Nissan’ was straightened reducing the length of a lap to the 5 km length.

I will be watching in front of the new big screen in Jameson’s Irish Pub (Soi AR, next to Nova Park). The race will start at 7 p.m. but I will get there early and have some dinner from the Jameson’s roast menu. Why not join me for dinner and a beer before the race?
The questions are: can Vettel grab another win before the others catch up? Will McLaren find more speed and challenge? Will Mercedes get Rosberg up on the podium and forget Schumacher? We will know by Sunday night.

World unites to halt death and injury on roads



Helmets in Thailand.

The above caption came with a press release from the World Health Organization (WHO), with the sub-header “Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 set to save millions of lives.”

Forgive my skepticism, but just “how” is this going to happen? We are told that, “From New Zealand to Mexico and the Russian Federation to South Africa, governments are committing to take new steps to save lives on their roads.” It goes on, “To mark the launch of the Decade, governments in countries such as Australia, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Niger, Nigeria, the Philippines, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam will host high-profile events and release national plans to improve safety and services for victims.”

The usual way these things happen is through buckets of money being thrown at all these governments, which will do the trick. Really?

Just look at some of these unimpeachable governments. Cambodia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria (do I smell another scam coming?) and Uzbekistan. None of these have any problems with corruption, do they? If you don’t believe me go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index and see how these nations appear on the corruption listings. (Let me guess now where the WHO money will go?)
So here’s how it will happen, according to WHO, “The Global Plan outlines steps towards improving the safety of roads and vehicles; enhancing emergency services; and building up road safety management generally. It also calls for increased legislation and enforcement on using helmets, seat-belts and child restraints and avoiding drinking and driving and speeding.”

The report continues, “Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists collectively represent almost half of those killed on the world’s roads. Most of the progress has been made in the last few decades has been towards protecting people in cars. The Global Plan suggests measures that may afford these vulnerable groups protection - such as building cycle and foot-paths and separate motorcycle lanes or improving access to safe public transport.”

Looking at Thailand’s experience, where about 80 percent of the road deaths are motorcyclists and the legislation is already here regarding motorcycle helmets and drinking and driving, so how is the WHO going to make “enforcement” happen? Buckets of money won’t even make policemen wear helmets, or do up the straps.
Or does the WHO know something you and I don’t?

This car is not on the WHO list, I am sure

The ultimate 911?

The “Ultimate” Porsche 911 has to be the special-edition Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 Coupe which will be limited to a production run of just 600 units globally as the swansong for the current-generation 997-series 911. Mind you, they’ve been trying to can the 911 for about 30 years, but popular demand keeps them in the showrooms.

The all-new, and even more confusingly named, 991-series 911 will make its world debut at this September’s Frankfurt motor show. This RS 4.0 is the ultimate naturally aspirated 911 road car.

This version of the 911 has the 4.0 liter boxer six from the 911 GT3 RSR racer to deliver an astonishing 368 kW (500 hp) at 8250 rpm (350 rpm higher than the GT3 RS’s 3.8 liter flat six) and some 460 Nm of peak torque 1000 rpm earlier at 5750 rpm.

The engine has the RSR crankshaft, forged pistons and titanium conrods which gives the RS 4.0 a specific output of 92 kW per liter, which at 125 hp/liter easily breaks the magic 100 hp/liter mark once achieved only by racing engines.

Porsche claim the close-ratio six-speed manual GT3 RS 4.0 is almost as quick as the 911 Turbo too, with claimed 0-100 km/h and 0-200 km/h figures of 3.9 and 12.0 seconds.

The rocket-ship has lightweight racing suspension components, carbon-fiber sports bucket seats, bonnet and front guards, a plastic rear window and “weight-optimized” carpet brings the kerb weight to just 1360 kg with a full tank of fuel. The RS 4.0 also features even wider wheel tracks and lower ride height, with additional ball-joint and a revised versions of Porsche’s Active Suspension Management system bringing the GT3 RS 4.0 closer to the set-up of the wild GT2 RS than the regular GT3 RS.

Porsche says the RS 4.0 can lap Germany’s famed 20.8 km Nürburgring-Nordschleife road course in seven minutes and 27 seconds -quicker than the GT3 RS it replaces at 7:33.

Price? In this country, forget it.

Bira 4 Hour race starts 4 hours late

CEA Honda City

The Saturday Four Hour races at the Bira circuit a couple of weeks ago were supposed to be two distinct enduros. Sedans in the Saturday morning and pick-ups in the afternoon. Well, that was the initial timetable, but with a smaller number of competitors in pick-ups than was expected, the pick-up event was cancelled. The sedans were then moved to the afternoon slot after a decision taken late on the Friday night. Ah well, TIT. Even then, it managed to start 15 minutes late!

Pole position was set by Tin and Wasin Srithai (brothers), but they finished the race in 3rd place with 172 laps. The race was won by a Mitsubishi Cedia driven by Hathai / Jack Lemvard / Anon with a total of 176 laps, followed by the CEA Honda City of Thomas Raldorf, Tony Percy and Paul Kenny with 174 laps.

The new CEA Honda Civic showed its mettle finishing second, having started in ninth position. A very spirited drive by all three drivers, making team owner Kevin Fisher very proud of his team, and rightly so.

Want to go motor racing?

Racing Vios at Bang Saen

Paul Kenny’s Pizza Company Toyota Vios is looking for a new home. Paul is stepping up to a Honda for the new season and the Vios is now surplus to requirements. I know this car well, having been one of Paul’s co-drivers in this car for the Four Hour at Bira a couple of years back, and again at the Six Hour at Bang Saen. This is a car which knows its own way around the local circuits, you probably don’t even need to steer!

The car is being sold for B. 295,000 in race ready condition, with the top of the line “Link” stand alone ECU system. The car is from 2005, but only did one full season in 2006, then nothing in 2007, and four races in 2008, then it did one race in 2009, and two races in 2010.

The car is prepared for any of the following classes:
Super 1500 Production
Pro car 1500 cc
Several of the 3K-NITTO championship classes
RAAT 6 hour endurance races.

Genuine enquiries only to [email protected].

Autotrivia Quiz

Quiz bike

Last week, hoping to confound the ‘Googlers’ I asked who made this motorcycle? It was a BMW.

So to this week, and another photograph. This car was a trendsetter, and still is today. Parts of it’s concept are in the Mitsubishi i-Miev, and that’s all the clues you are getting. Some of you are just getting too good!

For the Automania free beer this week, be the first correct answer to email [email protected].