So what did we learn from the Malaysian GP?
The ecstatic Renault team
Well, the first thing we learned was that there are quite a
few hand grenades out there, pretending to be V8 race engines.
BMW have exploded two in two meetings, Ferrari have changed
two in two meetings, Williams exploded one last meeting, Red
Bull have exploded another, Toyota ditto – and so the list
goes on. The new V8s seem to rev spectacularly, and some of
them seem to have an enormous power band (pulling strongly
from 10,000 RPM right the way through to 19,000).
If it isn’t the engine going out to lunch, then it seems to be
the hydraulics that fail. Coulthard and Webber both retiring
from this malady. I actually find it hard to understand
hydraulic failure, as we have been dealing with hydraulics on
cars for over 50 years. Or perhaps “hydraulic failure” is
today’s excuse, similar to the “electrical problems” cited
when I was running race cars. Reason for stopping? Electrical
failure (the conrod knocked the ignition cap off as it exited
from the right hand side of the engine block!)
Young Rosberg is certainly quick, but his attempts to shove
his team mate out of the way just resulted in Alonso saying
“Thank you” and driving right around the outside. He may be
quick, but he has a lot to learn.
Jenson Button? Second on the grid in the Honda, third at the
end, but seems to lack fire in the mid-race period. A car
problem? A Button problem? And his team mate, Rooby Baby is
now admitting he can’t come to grips with the car. This is
amazing. A professional race car driver who has been driving
this year’s car for two months, and still can’t come to grips
with it. Perhaps the Ferrari was easier to drive? Or perhaps
he ran with Schumacher’s settings?
Ferrari did not impress in Malaysia. A fifth and a sixth keeps
them in the points, but meagerly only. Protests against the
flexibility of the wings are sitting on the back burner, after
Ferrari said they would fix the flex by Melbourne in two
weeks. But remember, never write off Michael Schumacher!
Renault? What can you say other than impressive. No exploding
engines, obviously not lacking in the grunt department, well
set up cars and a good driver pairing. Alonso is obviously
hungry for the 2006 world championship, and if he continues to
drive in the faultless manner he has of late, will be a
shoe-in for the title. However, Fisichella deserved his win,
and his pole position, and don’t believe the line that the
team inadvertently overfilled Alonso’s car for qualifying. The
team knows down to the last drop how much goes in, and how
much the car is carrying, with all their telemetry.
“Accidentally” overfilled! My bottom!
Seems as though Klien is Kaptain Kaos for 2006, while Sato
can’t get the (not very Super) Aguri to go fast enough to do
any damage hitting anybody or thing. His team mate Ide? No
ide(a) at all.
McLaren had a very subdued weekend, despite all the ‘upbeat’
words from the Ronster. Raikkonen was also strangely quiet and
accepting, after being punted of by Kaptain Kaos. That
operation to remove his personality was certainly very
extensive.
No GP this week
The next GP for the Eff Wun circus will be in Australia on
April 2. After two rounds (Bahrain and Malaysia) it is still
anybody’s title, with Renault, Ferrari, McLaren and Honda
being the top runners at this point.
Final Entry
List 2006 MotoGP World Championship
The FIM (the two wheeled version of the FIA) has
announced the official entries for the MotoGP championship for
2006.
Valentino
Rossi
Note that the riding number does not correspond with the
position in last year’s championship. Many riders being
superstitious, do not want to change their number,
consequently you get the undisputed champion Valentino Rossi
riding under number 46. (Will he race a Ferrari under that
Number? Answer – No! The FIA insists that the number refers to
the position in last year’s championship.)
The entries are:
5. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team, Yamaha
6. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda, Honda
7. Carlos Checa (SPA) Tech3 Yamaha, Yamaha
10. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts, KR211V
15. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team, Ducati
17. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team, Kawasaki
21. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP, Suzuki
24. Toni Elias (SPA) Fortuna Honda, Honda
26. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team, Honda
27. Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda LCR, Honda
30. Jose Luis Cardoso (SPA) Pramac D’Antin MotoGP, Ducati
33. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda, Honda
46. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team, Yamaha
56. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team, Kawasaki
65. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team, Ducati
66. Alex Hofmann (GER) Pramac D’Antin MotoGP, Ducati
69. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team, Honda
71. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Team Suzuki MotoGP, Suzuki
77. James Ellison (GBR) Tech3 Yamaha, Yamaha.
The country with the greatest representation is Spain with
five entries, followed by the USA with four, Italy with three,
Japan and Australia two each and singleton entries from
France, Germany and the UK.
Blue Oval unveiled the new
Ranger ahead of its Bangkok show debut
The Down-under media have become excited by
Thailand’s Ford Ranger pick-up series. Known as the ‘Courier’
in many countries, the Thai-built vehicles are important as
far as Thai exports are concerned, as well as to the financial
viability of Ford Motor Corp in this country. With FoMoCo in
trouble in the US, it is even more important that the company
trades in the black overseas.
Ford
Ranger/Courier
GoAuto reported Ford had revealed a redesigned Courier pick-up
on the eve of its global debut at Bangkok’s International
Motor Show opening.
Bigger, more aggressive and featuring two new common-rail
four-cylinder turbo-diesel engines, the Blue Oval’s crucial
new light commercial contender goes on sale in Australia late
this year.
The reveal of Ford’s all-new Ranger/Courier – revealed in both
single-cab and extra-cab 4x4 guises, the latter complete with
reverse-opening rear doors - completes the new-generation
model cycle for all of Australia’s Thailand-built pickups.
Holden (GM’s manufacturing and sales arm in Australia) was the
first to release its big, bold new RA Rodeo (in March 2003)
and in January launched an Alloytec V6-powered version, while
Toyota followed with an even more brazen seventh-generation
HiLux in April 2005.
Nissan’s Spanish-built D40 dual-cab Navara is the sole
exception to Australia’s Thai-built LCVs and was launched in
Australia in November 2005 (and continues to be sold alongside
its D22 predecessor), while Mitsubishi’s all-new Triton
dual-cab has also broken cover and will arrive down-under
mid-year with 3.2-litre diesel and 3.5-litre petrol power.
Ford-controlled Mazda also revealed its next-generation,
Ranger-based B-Series LCV.
Ford’s new Ranger, as it’s known in Thailand and the US,
closely follows the design theme laid down by the Blue Oval’s
4-Trac concept revealed at December’s Thailand International
Motor Expo. That vehicle was styled in part by former Ford
Australia designer Paul Gibson, who now heads up Ford’s
Asia-Pacific design centre.
Presenting strong visual links with Ford’s bigger F-Series –
America’s top-selling pickup for the past 29 years – the new
Ranger/Courier brings the sort of distinctive styling and
imposing dimensions Ford needs to compete with the likes of
Rodeo, HiLux, Navara and Triton.
Courier’s popularity has been waning behind that of the new
HiLux, the three-year-old Rodeo, the evergreen Triton and even
its Mazda Bravo twin. Last year Courier claimed just 4.5 per
cent of the two-wheel drive pick-up market with 3551 sales.
Courier fared much better in 4x4 guise, however, attracting
4053 sales and 6.5 per cent of the Pickup Cab-chassis 4x4
segment, to rank behind HiLux, Rodeo, Navara, LandCruiser and
Triton.
“The light truck market is one of the hottest segments in
Australia and this new model will ensure Ford remains at the
forefront of this important market,” said Ford Australia
president Tom Gorman in a release issued last Wednesday.
According to Ford, two new 16-valve DOHC turbo-diesel fours (a
2.5 litre and a more powerful 3.0 litre) will significantly
improve Courier’s towing capacity, which will be rated at up
to 3000kg.
Both Duratorq TDCi engines feature new generation high
pressure Bosch common-rail fuel injection and a variable
geometry turbocharger to combine best-in-class torque outputs
with low fuel consumption.
The 2.5 delivers around 107 kW and 330 Nm of torque from just
1800rpm – yet is claimed to consume 22 per cent less fuel than
Courier’s current 2.5 litre WLT diesel engine.
The all-new 3.0 litre version delivers around 116 kW and 380
Nm and is also mated to a five-speed manual transmission.
There is no mention of an auto.
Of course, Ford makes much of the Ranger’s muscular new look,
which comes courtesy of a 60 mm higher waistline, bold wheel
arch flares and a distinctive three-bar grille design that’s
integrated with a bulging bonnet.
A stylish, sedan-like interior contrasts with the Ranger’s
“tough truck” exterior and features a three-cluster instrument
panel, a bright chrome centre console housing an AM/FM/CD/MP3
audio system, ergonomically designed seats and the usual array
of storage locations - including an 8.1-litre glovebox, five
cupholders and an industry-first work tray that pulls out from
the instrument panel.
Ford says the new Ranger’s more rigid ladder frame chassis
improves handling, while tougher and more durable suspension
is claimed to improve ride quality.
Ground clearance gains have also been made and Ford says
Ranger’s steering has been “optimized for easy handling at low
speeds and firmer steering at highway cruising speeds”.
While Ford Australia was less bold, the FoMoCo press release
says Ranger aims to set new standards for a one-tonne pick-up
in terms of engine performance, fuel economy, passenger
comfort, safety features, drivability, towing capacity and
affordability.
Standard anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic brake-force
distribution (EBD), twin front airbags and outboard seatbelt
pretensioners will be complimented by optional side airbags –
a segment first.
Autotrivia Quiz
Last week I wrote that Porsche built a race car which
made its debut painted black. It did not do well. It was then
painted white and won every race the factory entered it in. I
asked, what was this car? It was the Group 6, 936 Porsche.
So to this week. Let’s stick with Porsche. Which Porsche
driver in the Targa Florio put a wheel off the road and
damaged a radius rod? He walked back to the pits to be asked,
“Is that what broke, or is it all that’s left?” Clue: He was
English.
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct
answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
