F1: 2010 Monaco Grand Prix - Qualifying Results

With the weekend’s fastest man so far (Alonso) out of the running for pole position, Mark Webber steps up to claim top spot and Red Bull continues it’s flawless pursuit of pole perfection. After Alonoso pitched his car into the unforgiving wall and put himself on the sidelines and out of the running in the last practice session, the rest of the field battled for pole. Ferrari’s Massa found himself 4th just behind Vettel. Another great performance from Kubica to put his Renault on the front line just behind Webber. Perhaps the biggest surprise was McLaren’s Button struggling to qualify 9th. The Mercedes of Rosberg and Schumacher are the meat in a McLaren sandwhich behind Lewis (5th). Rounding out the top 10 are Rubens and Liuzzi.


2010 Monaco Grand Prix - Qualifying Results

	Driver	Team	Time (min)
1	Mark Webber	Red Bull Racing	1:13.826 min (S3) 1:14.462 min (S2) 1:15.035 min (S1)
2	Robert Kubica	Renault	1:14.120 min (S3) 1:14.549 min (S2) 1:15.045 min (S1)
3	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull Racing	1:14.227 min (S3) 1:14.568 min (S2) 1:15.110 min (S1)
4	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	1:14.283 min (S3) 1:14.405 min (S2) 1:14.757 min (S1)
5	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren	1:14.432 min (S3) 1:14.527 min (S2) 1:15.676 min (S1)
6	Nico Rosberg	MERCEDES GP PETRONAS	1:14.544 min (S3) 1:14.375 min (S2) 1:15.188 min (S1)
7	Michael Schumacher	MERCEDES GP PETRONAS	1:14.590 min (S3) 1:14.691 min (S2) 1:15.649 min (S1)
8	Jenson Button	McLaren	1:14.637 min (S3) 1:15.150 min (S2) 1:15.623 min (S1)
9	Rubens Barrichello	Williams	1:14.901 min (S3) 1:15.083 min (S2) 1:15.590 min (S1)
10	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Force India	1:15.170 min (S3) 1:15.061 min (S2) 1:15.397 min (S1)
11	Nico Hulkenberg	Williams	1:15.317 min (S2) 1:16.030 min (S1)
12	Adrian Sutil	Force India	1:15.318 min (S2) 1:15.445 min (S1)
13	Sebastien Buemi	Toro Rosso	1:15.413 min (S2) 1:15.961 min (S1)
14	Vitaly Petrov	Renault	1:15.576 min (S2) 1:15.482 min (S1)
15	Pedro de la Rosa	Sauber	1:15.692 min (S2) 1:15.908 min (S1)
16	Kamui Kobayashi	Sauber	1:15.992 min (S2) 1:16.175 min (S1)
17	Jaime Alguersuari	Toro Rosso	1:16.176 min (S2) 1:16.021 min (S1)
18	Heikki Kovalainen	Lotus	1:17.094 min (S1)
19	Jarno Trulli	Lotus	1:17.134 min (S1)
20	Timo Glock	Virgin	1:17.377 min (S1)
21	Lucas di Grassi	Virgin	1:17.864 min (S1)
22	Bruno Senna	HRT	1:18.509 min (S1)
23	Karun Chandhok	HRT	1:19.559 min (S1)
24	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	no time

2010 Chinese Grand Prix - RESULTS

Jenson Button has leapt to a ten-point lead in the 2010 world championship, by winning yet another thrilling rain-affected grand prix.

McLaren's reigning world champion, who also won in Melbourne, is now ten points clear of Nico Rosberg, who finished third in Shanghai after another impressive weekend in the Mercedes.

Former title leader Felipe Massa is now just sixth in the standings after finishing sixth in Shanghai, where the Chinese venue was affected by showers throughout the 56-lap race.

Fernando Alonso, penalised for jumping the start, finished fourth, and is now two places ahead of China pole sitter Sebastian Vettel, who like his teammate and early race leader Mark Webber had a less than smooth race.

more detail. ...

2010 Chinese Grand Prix - RESULTS

Jenson Button has leapt to a ten-point lead in the 2010 world championship, by winning yet another thrilling rain-affected grand prix.

McLaren's reigning world champion, who also won in Melbourne, is now ten points clear of Nico Rosberg, who finished third in Shanghai after another impressive weekend in the Mercedes.

Former title leader Felipe Massa is now just sixth in the standings after finishing sixth in Shanghai, where the Chinese venue was affected by showers throughout the 56-lap race.

Fernando Alonso, penalised for jumping the start, finished fourth, and is now two places ahead of China pole sitter Sebastian Vettel, who like his teammate and early race leader Mark Webber had a less than smooth race.

more detail. ...

2010 Australian Grand Prix Qualifying

Fernando Alonso on Saturday shed no light on suggestions he might be
able to challenge the Red Bulls for victory at Albert Park.

As in Bahrain two weeks ago, the Ferrari driver has qualified third, but the
cars ahead of him on the Melbourne grid are both on-form Red Bulls led by
back-to-back pole sitter Sebastian Vettel.

Asked if Ferrari's race pace might give him the edge on Sunday evening, the
Spaniard answered: "No idea", but he did admit that beating the Renault powered
cars "was a difficult thing to do here".

Local hero Webber, 33, was visibly disappointed with second on the grid, as
he crassly likened the eight-hundredth gap to his young German teammate as a
"bee's d**k".

After his brush with the police on Friday night, Lewis Hamilton was half a
second slower than his McLaren teammate and missed the cut for the top ten.

His team boss Martin Whitmarsh told the BBC that the 'hoon' story had been
"blown out of proportion" by the media, admitting that Hamilton "will be
disappointed with his performance".

With a better showing than in Bahrain was Michael Schumacher, who despite still trailing his teammate Nico Rosberg said Melbourne has been "a little bit more fun" than his comeback event.

Pos	No	Driver	Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Laps
1	5	Sebastian Vettel	RBR-Renault	1:24.774	1:24.096	1:23.919	19
2	6	Mark Webber	RBR-Renault	1:25.286	1:24.276	1:24.035	20
3	8	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	1:25.082	1:24.335	1:24.111	22
4	1	Jenson Button	McLaren-Mercedes	1:24.897	1:24.531	1:24.675	19
5	7	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	1:25.548	1:25.010	1:24.837	24
6	4	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes Benz GP Ltd	1:24.788	1:24.788	1:24.884	26
7	3	Michael Schumacher	Mercedes Benz GP Ltd	1:25.351	1:24.871	1:24.927	24
8	9	Rubens Barrichello	Williams-Cosworth	1:25.702	1:25.085	1:25.217	20
9	11	Robert Kubica	Renault	1:25.588	1:25.122	1:25.372	23
10	14	Adrian Sutil	Force India-Mercedes	1:25.504	1:25.046	1:26.036	24
11	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	1:25.046	1:25.184		13
12	16	Sebastien Buemi	STR-Ferrari	1:26.061	1:25.638		17
13	15	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Force India-Mercedes	1:26.170	1:25.743		19
14	22	Pedro de la Rosa	BMW Sauber-Ferrari	1:26.089	1:25.747		15
15	10	Nico Hulkenberg	Williams-Cosworth	1:25.866	1:25.748		17
16	23	Kamui Kobayashi	BMW Sauber-Ferrari	1:26.251	1:25.777		16
17	17	Jaime Alguersuari	STR-Ferrari	1:26.095	1:26.089		16
18	12	Vitaly Petrov	Renault	1:26.471			10
19	19	Heikki Kovalainen	Lotus-Cosworth	1:28.797			9
20	18	Jarno Trulli	Lotus-Cosworth	1:29.111			8
21	24	Timo Glock	Virgin-Cosworth	1:29.592			8
22	25	Lucas di Grassi	Virgin-Cosworth	1:30.185			8
23	21	Bruno Senna	HRT-Cosworth	1:30.526			10
24	20	Karun Chandhok	HRT-Cosworth	1:30.613			10

2010 Australian Grand Prix Qualifying

Fernando Alonso on Saturday shed no light on suggestions he might be
able to challenge the Red Bulls for victory at Albert Park.

As in Bahrain two weeks ago, the Ferrari driver has qualified third, but the
cars ahead of him on the Melbourne grid are both on-form Red Bulls led by
back-to-back pole sitter Sebastian Vettel.

Asked if Ferrari's race pace might give him the edge on Sunday evening, the
Spaniard answered: "No idea", but he did admit that beating the Renault powered
cars "was a difficult thing to do here".

Local hero Webber, 33, was visibly disappointed with second on the grid, as
he crassly likened the eight-hundredth gap to his young German teammate as a
"bee's d**k".

After his brush with the police on Friday night, Lewis Hamilton was half a
second slower than his McLaren teammate and missed the cut for the top ten.

His team boss Martin Whitmarsh told the BBC that the 'hoon' story had been
"blown out of proportion" by the media, admitting that Hamilton "will be
disappointed with his performance".

With a better showing than in Bahrain was Michael Schumacher, who despite still trailing his teammate Nico Rosberg said Melbourne has been "a little bit more fun" than his comeback event.

Pos	No	Driver	Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Laps
1	5	Sebastian Vettel	RBR-Renault	1:24.774	1:24.096	1:23.919	19
2	6	Mark Webber	RBR-Renault	1:25.286	1:24.276	1:24.035	20
3	8	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	1:25.082	1:24.335	1:24.111	22
4	1	Jenson Button	McLaren-Mercedes	1:24.897	1:24.531	1:24.675	19
5	7	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	1:25.548	1:25.010	1:24.837	24
6	4	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes Benz GP Ltd	1:24.788	1:24.788	1:24.884	26
7	3	Michael Schumacher	Mercedes Benz GP Ltd	1:25.351	1:24.871	1:24.927	24
8	9	Rubens Barrichello	Williams-Cosworth	1:25.702	1:25.085	1:25.217	20
9	11	Robert Kubica	Renault	1:25.588	1:25.122	1:25.372	23
10	14	Adrian Sutil	Force India-Mercedes	1:25.504	1:25.046	1:26.036	24
11	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	1:25.046	1:25.184		13
12	16	Sebastien Buemi	STR-Ferrari	1:26.061	1:25.638		17
13	15	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Force India-Mercedes	1:26.170	1:25.743		19
14	22	Pedro de la Rosa	BMW Sauber-Ferrari	1:26.089	1:25.747		15
15	10	Nico Hulkenberg	Williams-Cosworth	1:25.866	1:25.748		17
16	23	Kamui Kobayashi	BMW Sauber-Ferrari	1:26.251	1:25.777		16
17	17	Jaime Alguersuari	STR-Ferrari	1:26.095	1:26.089		16
18	12	Vitaly Petrov	Renault	1:26.471			10
19	19	Heikki Kovalainen	Lotus-Cosworth	1:28.797			9
20	18	Jarno Trulli	Lotus-Cosworth	1:29.111			8
21	24	Timo Glock	Virgin-Cosworth	1:29.592			8
22	25	Lucas di Grassi	Virgin-Cosworth	1:30.185			8
23	21	Bruno Senna	HRT-Cosworth	1:30.526			10
24	20	Karun Chandhok	HRT-Cosworth	1:30.613			10

Geneva Motor Show: Mercedes SLS AMG F1 Safety Car

When the new Formula-1 season gets underway in Manama/Bahrain (12?14 March 2010), it will mark the debut of the most spectacular and powerful Official F1™ Safety Car of all time. The job of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which will be launched on 27 March 2010, is to ensure maximum safety in Formula 1. The "gullwing" model replaces the SL 63 AMG, which was used as the Official F1™ Safety Car in 2008 and 2009. As in the last two years, the C 63 AMG Estate will be used as the Official F1™ Medical Car for the new season.

"Together with the entire AMG Team, I am very proud that the new SLS AMG is the Official F1 Safety Car. I'm sure all Mercedes and AMG fans will be excited to see the gullwing model together with the new Mercedes GP Petronas Team at the F1 circuits," says Volker Mornhinweg, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

From March 2010, the Official F1™ Safety Car will be deployed whenever hazardous situations such as accidents or bad weather endanger normal racing. The SLS AMG, piloted by Bernd Mayländer (38, from Germany), will be on standby in the pit lane throughout the entire race. When radioed by Race Control, the former DTM driver and his co-driver, FIA man Pete Tibbetts (44, from the UK), will take to the track at the head of the field in order to guide the Formula-1 race cars safely around the circuit.
Unique vehicle concept for maximum driving dynamics

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has the best possible credentials for this demanding role in the top flight of motor racing: its 6.3-litre V8 engine has a maximum output of 420 kW (571 hp) and a peak torque of 650 Nm, enabling the gullwing model to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. Fast lap times are a must for the Official F1™ Safety Car, otherwise the Formula-1 cars' tyres and brakes would cool down too quickly, while their engines could overheat.

The unique vehicle concept is a key factor in ensuring outstanding driving dynamics: the aluminium spaceframe body keeps the vehicle weight down to 1620 kilograms (DIN kerb weight). And thanks to the dry-sump lubrication system, the AMG V8 powerplant can be installed very low down, resulting in a beneficial lowering of the vehicle's centre of gravity. The installation position a long way behind the front axle and the transaxle arrangement of the new seven-speed double-clutch transmission on the rear axle have a positive effect on the weight distribution, which is 47/53 percent (front/rear). Pure motorsport technology is used for the AMG sports suspension: aluminium double-wishbone axles at the front and rear ensure outstanding driving dynamics with precise turn-in ability, first-class agility, low mass inertia when changing direction spontaneously and, therefore, a high cornering limit.


Double-clutch transmission and ceramic composite brake system

The AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission with double-clutch technology features four modes and allows fast gear changes with practically no interruption in tractive power: in manual mode ("M"), gear changes can be effected in 100 milliseconds. Together with the 3-stage ESP®, the integrated mechanical multidisc differential lock ensures outstanding traction. Meanwhile, braking distances are minimised and resistance to fading is maximised, even when the brakes are subject to typical race-track loads, courtesy of the AMG ceramic high-performance composite brake system with its generously sized ceramic discs measuring 402 x 39 mm on the front axle and 360 x 32 mm on the rear axle. The weight-optimised 10-spoke forged wheels are shod with 265/35 R 19 (front) and 295/30 R 20 (rear) tyres.

The Official F1™ Safety Car features the same engine, power-transmission set-up, suspension and brake system as the standard-production SLS AMG. The exceptional technology package for the super sports car ensures perfect driving dynamics and means that no further technical modifications or lightweight-design measures are necessary, with the sole exception of an all-new rear silencer, which allows the high-revving AMG V8 naturally aspirated engine to breathe more easily and offers Formula-1 fans an even more emotionally charged sound experience.


Aerodynamically optimised light bar incorporating LED technology

Compared to the standard-production SLS, the Official F1™ Safety Car is distinguishable on the outside by its prominent F1 logos, carbon-fibre exterior mirrors and the characteristic roof light bar with integrated TV camera. It sits on an all-new carbon-fibre hood whose shape has been tested in the wind tunnel to ensure optimum airflow at the rear aerofoil. The aerofoil pops up when the car reaches 120 km/h and, together with the rear diffuser, provides the necessary rear downforce. LEDs are used for all light functions for the first time in the new, aerodynamically styled roof light bar. Their advantages over the previously used bulbs lie in their extremely fast response time and low power consumption.

The two centrally positioned green lights in the aerodynamically optimised light bar are illuminated when the Official F1™ Safety Car joins the field and first has to overtake all the racing cars in front of it. Once the SLS AMG has assumed the leading position, the outer orange flashing lights are switched on to signal to the Formula-1 drivers that no overtaking whatsoever is allowed. The white stroboscopic lights in the headlamps and tail lights perform a general signalling function in that they always flash during deployment of the safety car. A special number plate at the rear, displaying the words "Safety Car" and equipped with 700 LEDs, provides additional safety in darkness or wet weather. A reversing camera is integrated to the left of the number plate, allowing those in the cockpit of the Official F1™ Safety Car to keep an eye on the Formula-1 cars behind via monitors.


Practical interior with AMG sports bucket seats

The distinctive gullwing doors open to reveal a practical cockpit which, like the exterior, differs only slightly from that of the standard-production model. AMG sports bucket seats with black leather upholstery and six-point seat belts ensure optimum lateral support. On the right side of the AMG DRIVE UNIT, there are four coloured buttons for controlling the various light functions, along with the signal horn, which is activated when the car is driving into and out of the pit lane. The centre console, like various other interior trim parts, is finished in genuine carbon fibre, while the AMG performance steering wheel in leather/Alcantara features a specially shaped grip area, a high-quality genuine-metal insert and a flat-bottomed rim with a diameter of 370 millimetres. Two genuine-metal shift paddles are used to change between the seven gears in the double-clutch transmission.

Two central monitors in the SLS AMG cockpit are used to monitor the progress of the race. To the left and right of the lower monitor are the controls for the radio system, which allows Bernd Mayländer and Pete Tibbetts to communicate with Race Control as well as with each other. A second interior mirror lets the co-driver keep an eye on the Formula-1 cars behind. Meanwhile, the "Marshalling System" is integrated in the central display on the instrument cluster and in the lid of the glove compartment: here the driver and co-driver can see exactly the same signals as the Formula-1 drivers in their cockpits. For instance, the various LEDs indicate when yellow or green flags are being waved. LEDs indicating the status of the roof light bar, along with an on-board camera angled towards Bernd Mayländer, are mounted at the front end of the dashboard.


C 63 AMG Estate once again Official F1™ Medical Car

The SLS AMG is not the only AMG high-performance car to be involved in the Formula-1 World Championship: as in 2008 and 2009, the C 63 AMG Estate is the Official F1™ Medical Car – responsible for ensuring rapid emergency response in the event of an accident. The lightning-fast estate car follows the Formula-1 field on the start lap, since the race cars are still bunched extremely closely together during this critical phase of the race.

The concept on which the AMG Estate is based is ideal for meeting the requirements of Formula-1: outstanding driving dynamics are assured courtesy of the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine developing 336 kW (457 hp) with a peak torque of 600 Nm, not to mention the AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7G-TRONIC transmission, the adjustable coil-over suspension, the AMG light-alloy wheels shod with 235/35 R 19 (front) and 255/30 R 19 (rear) tyres, the differential lock, the 3-stage ESP®, and the AMG high-performance brake system with internally ventilated and perforated composite brake discs on the front axle.

The new AMG front apron with larger air dams hints at the optimised cooling for the water, engine oil, transmission fluid and power steering. One aspect that cannot be seen but can certainly be heard is the distinctive AMG V8 sound emitted from the new rear silencers of the AMG sports exhaust system. Like the Official F1™ Safety Car, the Official F1™ Medical Car is distinguishable by its F1 logos, the roof light bar, and the stroboscopic flashing LED lights at the front and rear. A number plate illuminated with LEDs and displaying the words "Medical Car" on the tailgate makes the car easier to see in darkness or adverse weather conditions.


Plenty of space in the boot for emergency equipment

The Official F1™ Medical Car is piloted by racing driver Alan van de Merwe (from South Africa); his co-driver is the official FIA Grand Prix Chief Medical Officer Dr Gary Hartstein (from Belgium). Two assisting medical experts from a specially selected clinic near the race track sit in the rear. There is plenty of space for all of the emergency equipment – including a defibrillator and respiration apparatus – in the 485-litre boot of the C 63 AMG Estate. Four AMG sports bucket seats with six-point seat belts, two monitors integrated in the centre console for monitoring the race and a radio set for communicating with Race Control distinguish the interior of the Official F1™ Medical Car from that of the standard-production C 63 AMG Estate.


AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO responsible for development

The development, track-testing and configuration of the two Official F1™ Safety Cars and the two Official F1™ Medical Cars – in both cases, there is one emergency vehicle and one replacement vehicle – are performed by the specialists from the AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO in close collaboration with the test team from the AMG overall vehicle development department. This involves drawing on over 40 years of know-how from the field of motorsport as well as the wealth of experience in the design of high-performance sports cars. Numerous test drives were performed on various racetracks in order to tune the suspension and verify all the systems and components. Two highly-qualified AMG technicians are also on hand to take responsibility for the deployment of the Safety Car and Medical Car at all 19 Formula-1 races.


Nine generations of Safety Cars from AMG

For 14 years AMG has continuously provided the Official F1™ Safety Car and the Official F1™ Medical Car in the top flight of international motorsport.

All AMG Safety Cars at a glance

1996:	C 36 AMG (W 202)
From 1997:	CLK 55 AMG (C 208)
2000:	CL 55 AMG (C 215)
From 2001:	SL 55 AMG (R 230)
2003:	CLK 55 AMG (C 209)
From 2004:	SLK 55 AMG (R 171)
From 2006:	CLK 63 AMG (C 209)
From 2008:	SL 63 AMG (R 230)
From 2010:	SLS AMG (C 197)

All AMG Medical Cars at a glance

1996:	C 36 AMG (W 202)
1997:	C 36 AMG (W 202); E 60 AMG (W 210)
From 1998:	C 55 AMG Estate (S 202)
From 2001:	C 32 AMG Estate (S 203)
From 2004:	C 55 AMG Estate (S 203)
From 2008:	C 63 AMG Estate (S 204)

As early as 1984, an AMG E-Class Coupé with V8 engine was used occasionally as the Medical Car. The activities of the Affalterbach-based company are also evidence of Mercedes-Benz's long-standing commitment to Formula 1.

Photos: gtspirit & yallaf1

Geneva Motor Show: Mercedes SLS AMG F1 Safety Car

When the new Formula-1 season gets underway in Manama/Bahrain (12?14 March 2010), it will mark the debut of the most spectacular and powerful Official F1™ Safety Car of all time. The job of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which will be launched on 27 March 2010, is to ensure maximum safety in Formula 1. The "gullwing" model replaces the SL 63 AMG, which was used as the Official F1™ Safety Car in 2008 and 2009. As in the last two years, the C 63 AMG Estate will be used as the Official F1™ Medical Car for the new season.

"Together with the entire AMG Team, I am very proud that the new SLS AMG is the Official F1 Safety Car. I'm sure all Mercedes and AMG fans will be excited to see the gullwing model together with the new Mercedes GP Petronas Team at the F1 circuits," says Volker Mornhinweg, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

From March 2010, the Official F1™ Safety Car will be deployed whenever hazardous situations such as accidents or bad weather endanger normal racing. The SLS AMG, piloted by Bernd Mayländer (38, from Germany), will be on standby in the pit lane throughout the entire race. When radioed by Race Control, the former DTM driver and his co-driver, FIA man Pete Tibbetts (44, from the UK), will take to the track at the head of the field in order to guide the Formula-1 race cars safely around the circuit.
Unique vehicle concept for maximum driving dynamics

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has the best possible credentials for this demanding role in the top flight of motor racing: its 6.3-litre V8 engine has a maximum output of 420 kW (571 hp) and a peak torque of 650 Nm, enabling the gullwing model to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. Fast lap times are a must for the Official F1™ Safety Car, otherwise the Formula-1 cars' tyres and brakes would cool down too quickly, while their engines could overheat.

The unique vehicle concept is a key factor in ensuring outstanding driving dynamics: the aluminium spaceframe body keeps the vehicle weight down to 1620 kilograms (DIN kerb weight). And thanks to the dry-sump lubrication system, the AMG V8 powerplant can be installed very low down, resulting in a beneficial lowering of the vehicle's centre of gravity. The installation position a long way behind the front axle and the transaxle arrangement of the new seven-speed double-clutch transmission on the rear axle have a positive effect on the weight distribution, which is 47/53 percent (front/rear). Pure motorsport technology is used for the AMG sports suspension: aluminium double-wishbone axles at the front and rear ensure outstanding driving dynamics with precise turn-in ability, first-class agility, low mass inertia when changing direction spontaneously and, therefore, a high cornering limit.


Double-clutch transmission and ceramic composite brake system

The AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission with double-clutch technology features four modes and allows fast gear changes with practically no interruption in tractive power: in manual mode ("M"), gear changes can be effected in 100 milliseconds. Together with the 3-stage ESP®, the integrated mechanical multidisc differential lock ensures outstanding traction. Meanwhile, braking distances are minimised and resistance to fading is maximised, even when the brakes are subject to typical race-track loads, courtesy of the AMG ceramic high-performance composite brake system with its generously sized ceramic discs measuring 402 x 39 mm on the front axle and 360 x 32 mm on the rear axle. The weight-optimised 10-spoke forged wheels are shod with 265/35 R 19 (front) and 295/30 R 20 (rear) tyres.

The Official F1™ Safety Car features the same engine, power-transmission set-up, suspension and brake system as the standard-production SLS AMG. The exceptional technology package for the super sports car ensures perfect driving dynamics and means that no further technical modifications or lightweight-design measures are necessary, with the sole exception of an all-new rear silencer, which allows the high-revving AMG V8 naturally aspirated engine to breathe more easily and offers Formula-1 fans an even more emotionally charged sound experience.


Aerodynamically optimised light bar incorporating LED technology

Compared to the standard-production SLS, the Official F1™ Safety Car is distinguishable on the outside by its prominent F1 logos, carbon-fibre exterior mirrors and the characteristic roof light bar with integrated TV camera. It sits on an all-new carbon-fibre hood whose shape has been tested in the wind tunnel to ensure optimum airflow at the rear aerofoil. The aerofoil pops up when the car reaches 120 km/h and, together with the rear diffuser, provides the necessary rear downforce. LEDs are used for all light functions for the first time in the new, aerodynamically styled roof light bar. Their advantages over the previously used bulbs lie in their extremely fast response time and low power consumption.

The two centrally positioned green lights in the aerodynamically optimised light bar are illuminated when the Official F1™ Safety Car joins the field and first has to overtake all the racing cars in front of it. Once the SLS AMG has assumed the leading position, the outer orange flashing lights are switched on to signal to the Formula-1 drivers that no overtaking whatsoever is allowed. The white stroboscopic lights in the headlamps and tail lights perform a general signalling function in that they always flash during deployment of the safety car. A special number plate at the rear, displaying the words "Safety Car" and equipped with 700 LEDs, provides additional safety in darkness or wet weather. A reversing camera is integrated to the left of the number plate, allowing those in the cockpit of the Official F1™ Safety Car to keep an eye on the Formula-1 cars behind via monitors.


Practical interior with AMG sports bucket seats

The distinctive gullwing doors open to reveal a practical cockpit which, like the exterior, differs only slightly from that of the standard-production model. AMG sports bucket seats with black leather upholstery and six-point seat belts ensure optimum lateral support. On the right side of the AMG DRIVE UNIT, there are four coloured buttons for controlling the various light functions, along with the signal horn, which is activated when the car is driving into and out of the pit lane. The centre console, like various other interior trim parts, is finished in genuine carbon fibre, while the AMG performance steering wheel in leather/Alcantara features a specially shaped grip area, a high-quality genuine-metal insert and a flat-bottomed rim with a diameter of 370 millimetres. Two genuine-metal shift paddles are used to change between the seven gears in the double-clutch transmission.

Two central monitors in the SLS AMG cockpit are used to monitor the progress of the race. To the left and right of the lower monitor are the controls for the radio system, which allows Bernd Mayländer and Pete Tibbetts to communicate with Race Control as well as with each other. A second interior mirror lets the co-driver keep an eye on the Formula-1 cars behind. Meanwhile, the "Marshalling System" is integrated in the central display on the instrument cluster and in the lid of the glove compartment: here the driver and co-driver can see exactly the same signals as the Formula-1 drivers in their cockpits. For instance, the various LEDs indicate when yellow or green flags are being waved. LEDs indicating the status of the roof light bar, along with an on-board camera angled towards Bernd Mayländer, are mounted at the front end of the dashboard.


C 63 AMG Estate once again Official F1™ Medical Car

The SLS AMG is not the only AMG high-performance car to be involved in the Formula-1 World Championship: as in 2008 and 2009, the C 63 AMG Estate is the Official F1™ Medical Car – responsible for ensuring rapid emergency response in the event of an accident. The lightning-fast estate car follows the Formula-1 field on the start lap, since the race cars are still bunched extremely closely together during this critical phase of the race.

The concept on which the AMG Estate is based is ideal for meeting the requirements of Formula-1: outstanding driving dynamics are assured courtesy of the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine developing 336 kW (457 hp) with a peak torque of 600 Nm, not to mention the AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7G-TRONIC transmission, the adjustable coil-over suspension, the AMG light-alloy wheels shod with 235/35 R 19 (front) and 255/30 R 19 (rear) tyres, the differential lock, the 3-stage ESP®, and the AMG high-performance brake system with internally ventilated and perforated composite brake discs on the front axle.

The new AMG front apron with larger air dams hints at the optimised cooling for the water, engine oil, transmission fluid and power steering. One aspect that cannot be seen but can certainly be heard is the distinctive AMG V8 sound emitted from the new rear silencers of the AMG sports exhaust system. Like the Official F1™ Safety Car, the Official F1™ Medical Car is distinguishable by its F1 logos, the roof light bar, and the stroboscopic flashing LED lights at the front and rear. A number plate illuminated with LEDs and displaying the words "Medical Car" on the tailgate makes the car easier to see in darkness or adverse weather conditions.


Plenty of space in the boot for emergency equipment

The Official F1™ Medical Car is piloted by racing driver Alan van de Merwe (from South Africa); his co-driver is the official FIA Grand Prix Chief Medical Officer Dr Gary Hartstein (from Belgium). Two assisting medical experts from a specially selected clinic near the race track sit in the rear. There is plenty of space for all of the emergency equipment – including a defibrillator and respiration apparatus – in the 485-litre boot of the C 63 AMG Estate. Four AMG sports bucket seats with six-point seat belts, two monitors integrated in the centre console for monitoring the race and a radio set for communicating with Race Control distinguish the interior of the Official F1™ Medical Car from that of the standard-production C 63 AMG Estate.


AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO responsible for development

The development, track-testing and configuration of the two Official F1™ Safety Cars and the two Official F1™ Medical Cars – in both cases, there is one emergency vehicle and one replacement vehicle – are performed by the specialists from the AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO in close collaboration with the test team from the AMG overall vehicle development department. This involves drawing on over 40 years of know-how from the field of motorsport as well as the wealth of experience in the design of high-performance sports cars. Numerous test drives were performed on various racetracks in order to tune the suspension and verify all the systems and components. Two highly-qualified AMG technicians are also on hand to take responsibility for the deployment of the Safety Car and Medical Car at all 19 Formula-1 races.


Nine generations of Safety Cars from AMG

For 14 years AMG has continuously provided the Official F1™ Safety Car and the Official F1™ Medical Car in the top flight of international motorsport.

All AMG Safety Cars at a glance

1996:	C 36 AMG (W 202)
From 1997:	CLK 55 AMG (C 208)
2000:	CL 55 AMG (C 215)
From 2001:	SL 55 AMG (R 230)
2003:	CLK 55 AMG (C 209)
From 2004:	SLK 55 AMG (R 171)
From 2006:	CLK 63 AMG (C 209)
From 2008:	SL 63 AMG (R 230)
From 2010:	SLS AMG (C 197)

All AMG Medical Cars at a glance

1996:	C 36 AMG (W 202)
1997:	C 36 AMG (W 202); E 60 AMG (W 210)
From 1998:	C 55 AMG Estate (S 202)
From 2001:	C 32 AMG Estate (S 203)
From 2004:	C 55 AMG Estate (S 203)
From 2008:	C 63 AMG Estate (S 204)

As early as 1984, an AMG E-Class Coupé with V8 engine was used occasionally as the Medical Car. The activities of the Affalterbach-based company are also evidence of Mercedes-Benz's long-standing commitment to Formula 1.

Photos: gtspirit & yallaf1

2011 NEW POLO GTI UNVEILED

The new Polo GTI has been unveiled, promising to be the fastest, most focussed and cleanest performance Polo yet produced.

The original performance variant of the Polo was unveiled in 1986 in the form of the G40 Coupé - a car that mixed a fast-revving, 113 PS, supercharged engine with a low kerbweight and sharpened responses.

Fast forward 24 years and the new Polo GTI bears similarities with the G40. At its heart is a 1.4-litre TSI engine that uses a supercharger from idle through to 3,000 rpm at which point the turbocharger cuts in to provide boost. The result is an output of 180 PS at 6,200 rpm and 184 lbs ft of torque from 2,000 rpm which, when aligned with a 1,184 kg kerbweight, allows the Polo GTI to accelerate from rest to 62 mph in 6.9 seconds before reaching a top speed of 142 mph.

Despite a keen focus on performance, the new Polo GTI is capable of delivering 47 mpg on the combined cycle while emitting just 139 g/km of CO2.


The TSI engine is linked to a compact seven-speed, twin-clutch DSG gearbox that channels drive through the front axle. In addition, the Polo GTI is fitted with the XDS differential, an electronic cross-axle traction control system for improved traction and handling. The XDS system is a functional extension of the electronic limited slip differential (EDL) which is a part of the standard ESP system.

In order to sharpen responses, the Polo GTI is fitted with new springs and dampers which results in a 15 mm lower ride height than the conventional Polo.

Like its Golf GTI sibling, the Polo GTI features significant aesthetic changes. A new front bumper featuring a deep airdam is joined by a honeycombe grille element with horizontal red strips and a simple GTI badge. New headlight units complete with the option of LED running lights lend the Polo GTI an imposing new look.


Further back, a subtle sill extension wraps around the lower edge of the body while at the back a new rear bumper features a small diffuser and a pair of chrome-tipped exhausts. The Polo badge is replaced by a simple ‘GTI' version.

Finally, a set of 17-inch wheels identical to those fitted to the Golf GTI are fitted along with a set of red brake callipers.

The changes continue inside the Polo GTI with revised dials, a new, flat-bottomed GTI steering wheel complete with small gearshift paddles and contrasting red stitching, aluminium pedals and new, heavily bolstered front sports seats finished in tartan trim. Subtle gloss black trim covers the centre console while the headlining is now finished in black.

The new Polo GTI is due to arrive in the UK in the summer at which point pricing and specification will be announced.
Photos: 4wheelsnews

2011 NEW POLO GTI UNVEILED

The new Polo GTI has been unveiled, promising to be the fastest, most focussed and cleanest performance Polo yet produced.

The original performance variant of the Polo was unveiled in 1986 in the form of the G40 Coupé - a car that mixed a fast-revving, 113 PS, supercharged engine with a low kerbweight and sharpened responses.

Fast forward 24 years and the new Polo GTI bears similarities with the G40. At its heart is a 1.4-litre TSI engine that uses a supercharger from idle through to 3,000 rpm at which point the turbocharger cuts in to provide boost. The result is an output of 180 PS at 6,200 rpm and 184 lbs ft of torque from 2,000 rpm which, when aligned with a 1,184 kg kerbweight, allows the Polo GTI to accelerate from rest to 62 mph in 6.9 seconds before reaching a top speed of 142 mph.

Despite a keen focus on performance, the new Polo GTI is capable of delivering 47 mpg on the combined cycle while emitting just 139 g/km of CO2.


The TSI engine is linked to a compact seven-speed, twin-clutch DSG gearbox that channels drive through the front axle. In addition, the Polo GTI is fitted with the XDS differential, an electronic cross-axle traction control system for improved traction and handling. The XDS system is a functional extension of the electronic limited slip differential (EDL) which is a part of the standard ESP system.

In order to sharpen responses, the Polo GTI is fitted with new springs and dampers which results in a 15 mm lower ride height than the conventional Polo.

Like its Golf GTI sibling, the Polo GTI features significant aesthetic changes. A new front bumper featuring a deep airdam is joined by a honeycombe grille element with horizontal red strips and a simple GTI badge. New headlight units complete with the option of LED running lights lend the Polo GTI an imposing new look.


Further back, a subtle sill extension wraps around the lower edge of the body while at the back a new rear bumper features a small diffuser and a pair of chrome-tipped exhausts. The Polo badge is replaced by a simple ‘GTI' version.

Finally, a set of 17-inch wheels identical to those fitted to the Golf GTI are fitted along with a set of red brake callipers.

The changes continue inside the Polo GTI with revised dials, a new, flat-bottomed GTI steering wheel complete with small gearshift paddles and contrasting red stitching, aluminium pedals and new, heavily bolstered front sports seats finished in tartan trim. Subtle gloss black trim covers the centre console while the headlining is now finished in black.

The new Polo GTI is due to arrive in the UK in the summer at which point pricing and specification will be announced.
Photos: 4wheelsnews

WILLIAMS HYBRID POWER CONTRACTS WITH PORSCHE AG FOR 911 GT3 R HYBRID [Video]

Oxford, UK, February 11, 2010. Williams Hybrid Power Limited is pleased to confirm that the energy storage system as part of the new Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid, which was announced today by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has been developed and supplied by Williams Hybrid Power. The 911 GT3 R Hybrid with innovative hybrid drive will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. Further details from Porsche follow in the attached press release.


The energy storage system was originally developed for use in Formula One by the AT&T Williams team but Williams Hybrid Power is now focused on applications in road vehicles.
The technology will also be developed for larger, infrastructure applications by Williams F1 at its new research facility in the Qatar Science and Technology Park.


Ian Foley, Managing Director of Williams Hybrid Power said, "We are delighted to see our technology being adopted by one of the world's leading engineering companies and most prestigious automotive manufacturers in one of their racing cars. Partnering with Porsche on this project has been a very positive experience and we are grateful to them for choosing to work with us."


Alex Burns, Chairman of Williams Hybrid Power and Chief Operating Officer of Williams F1 said, "This is a milestone for both Williams Hybrid Power and Williams F1. Together we have worked to bring this technology forward to the point where it can be tested in a racing car and deployed in a road car. We hope that this will be just the start of the evolution of hybrid systems developed for Formula One moving across to applications where they can contribute to cleaner and more powerful vehicles."


NOTES:

Williams Hybrid Power Ltd (WHP) has developed a novel, patented electromechanical composite flywheel system that provides a high-power, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for mobile or stationary energy storage and recovery, originally developed for Formula One. Through development of a flywheel for Williams F1's Kinetic Energy Recovery System, WHP has proved its world-class engineering capabilities in the composite flywheel field as well as radically improving aspects of the technology in the process. WHP is today making the technology available to meet the high-power energy storage needs in a variety of applications including hybrid passenger vehicles, hybrid buses, electric trains, diesel-electric ships and wind power generation. In November 2009, the company announced its involvement in a mild hybrid road car programme with Ricardo, CTG, JCB, Jaguar Land Rover, SKF and Torotrak. The project aims to demonstrate the potential of flywheel-based hybrid systems with the potential for 30 per cent fuel savings (and equivalent reductions in CO2 emissions) at an on-cost of less than £1000, to enable mass-market uptake of hybrid vehicles in price sensitive vehicle applications.




Source: GMM; Photos bbs.mihk