​

(Infiniti Red Bull Racing)
Sebastian Vettel, Team Principal Christian Horner and Mark Webber celebrate after the Brazilian Grand Prix, the last race of the 2013 Formula 1 season. Not only was it Vettel's thirteenth win of the season, it tied him with with Alberto Ascari's record of nine successive Grand Prix wins, although Ascari's were spread across the 1952 season and the start of the 1953 campaign. "I don't want to compare the record that we have got today," said Vettel, the now four-time F1 champion. "It's not fair as it was a different time when Ascari was driving. Cars broke down more often then and teams were less consistent, so therefore it's a different type of record that we have got today," he said. 

His Infiniti Red Bull Racing teammate, Mark Webber, finished second in his last F1 start. "It was nice to take the helmet off for the final lap," Webber said. "In this sport it's not always possible to give things a personal touch. We have the helmets on all the time, so they fans don't always see a Formula One driver in a car without a helmet. It was nice to get it off and see the marshals and the fans; it was just a really nice thing to experience. I heard a lot of noises that I don't normally hear. "Crossing the line and seeing all the guys was great," he added. "Christian radioed me and said enjoy the last lap, which I did. I did it as slow as I could; it was a very special day. Seb and I have had our challenges over time and it's easier to have a relationship with Fernando, as he's in another team, but to finish on the podium with those two guys – well, they have been the best of this generation. I have raced them a lot and to finish with those guys was nice for me because it meant a lot, showing that I can drive well at the end of my career and that I got the timing right." 

"Today was of course Mark's last race," Vettel added. "We didn't have the best relationship, but nevertheless we always had respect for each other on a professional level and whatever was going on off-track, didn't make a difference to us on track and we both pushed each other very hard. I certainly learned a lot from Mark. I learned to become a better driver due to his impressive skills; that's why I consider him one of the best drivers on the grid."

(Photos by John Hendrick/INDYCAR)

Juan Pablo Montoya tried out his new INDYCAR ride on Monday. The former Indianapolis 500, Formula One and NASCAR race winner tested his Team Penske Indy car on Monday in Sebring, Florida. Teammate Will Power took the car out first to get it set-up, then Montoya took it out for a few laps. The initial results were very positive. “He was within a few tenths of Will in the first outing,” Team Penske Racing President Tim Cindric said. “It was pretty impressive, really. We put him out on old tires just to learn where the gear shifts were and then put him back on Will’s tire and he was within a couple tenths right out of the box. Right now it’s happening pretty fast, he’s probably a half a second off the guys who were here last week, but that’s not too bad. Finding the last half second without losing his confidence will be the challenge.” “The biggest thing is that everything is still happening really fast, Montoya said. “It’s OK, but as it happens so fast you end up making mistakes. With more time in the car, everything will slow down and it will be easier. It’s happened to me before a few times, so I know that with time everything will be easier.” Montoya turned 20 laps during the morning test session and ran times comparable to Power. “You don’t win races in Formula One and poles in Formula One and races in the CART Series on your first try if you’re slow,” Power said. “I actually expected to learn from him. He’s already brought some good ideas to the team even before he got in the car. Just from what I see from the data he has a very similar style to me. The way he brakes and everything. That should be good as far as our setups.” Montoya returned to car for another day of testing at Sebring on Tuesday, but that session was closed to the media. Montoya gave himself a grade of 8 out of 10, but he said his goal for the test is to gain knowledge that he can use to help the entire team get better. “Do I want to win? Of course I want to win,” he said. “Do I want to do the best I can. Yeah. How good is that going to be?  I don’t know. You have to beat Will, who is one of the fastest guys in the series. Helio has a ton of experience. I ran against him when I won the championship, and he’s still doing it. For them to get in the car every day, this is there home, and I need to make this my home.”

Editor-in-Chief's Note: After enduring another wave of F1 teams unveiling their new machines - this time for the upcoming 2014 season - I can safely say that the current crop of F1 machines are the least attractive, okay, the flat-out ugliest racing machines of all time. And the hopes that this will change anytime soon are slim and none. It's a giant, heaping, steaming bowl of Not Good too. - PMD

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
The No. 5 Action Express Racing "Corvette" Daytona Prototype driven by Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Sebastian Bourdais was the dominant car in the 52nd Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. The winning DP completed 695 laps on the 3.56-mile circuit, covering 2,474.2 miles for the team owned by Daytona Beach businessman Bob Johnson. “Bob was convincingly, absolutely dead sure we were going to win it,” Bourdais said. “He was right. The guys were prepared. Everybody knew exactly what to do and how to do it, and the execution was perfect. What can I say? It’s a dream come true.” It was Barbosa's second overall victory at Daytona in five years for Action Express (he also won won in class in 2003), while Fittipaldi took his second (overall in 2004) and Bourdais – a four-time Champ Car World Series champion – won the event for the first time. The race had a somber tone throughout because of the devastating crash of Memo Gidley – driving the pole-winning No. 99 GAINSCO "Corvette" DP – who rear-ended the disabled No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia driven by Matteo Malucelli. Both drivers were taken to nearby Halifax Hospital, with Gidley having serious injuries to his left arm, left leg, and back. The race was red-flagged for 55:45 minutes due to the incident. See John Thawley's scintillating images from the race here.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Patrick Pilet beat BMW Team RLL’s Joey Hand (No. 55 BMW Z4 GTE) to the checkered flag by 2.838 seconds in the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR, coming back after briefly falling behind Hand with two laps remaining. Richard Lietz and Nick Tandy were the other drivers of the winning Porsche. It was Porsche’s 76th class victory in the history of the Rolex 24, and the 40th triumph for a 911-based Porsche.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Three months after setting the all-time speed record on the 2.5-mile Daytona tri-oval, Colin Braun took his first Rolex 24 victory in Prototype Challenge. Braun swept to a one-lap triumph in the No. 54 CORE autosport ORECA FLM09 with co-drivers Jon Bennett, Mark Wilkins and James Gue. "We worked really, really hard to come up with a plan that we wanted to stick with,” Braun said. “We came prepared this weekend and executed our plan, down to being fastest in the opening two practice sessions, winning the pole and I think we led the most laps.”

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Alessandro Pier Guidi (No. 555 Level 5 Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia) raced hard with Markus Winkelhock (No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Audi R8 LMS) at the end of the race for the GT Daytona class victory. Guidi finished 1.293 seconds ahead at the checkered flag, but was immediately penalized for his aggressive driving and the race initially was awarded to the Flying Lizard Motorsports machine. Upon further review by IMSA Supervisory Officials, the decision was reversed and Level 5 Motorsports was declared the winning team. “It’s bittersweet not to be part of the podium, but we are pleased that IMSA took a second look at the decision,” said Bill Sweedler, who joined Scott Tucker, Jeff Segal, Townsend Bell and Guidi on the winning lineup. “The fact is that IMSA took time to right a wrong and now the winning team is now declared the winner. That’s what matters.” It was Ferrari’s first Rolex 24 triumph since Gianpiero Moretti’s MOMO Ferrari 333SP won overall in 1998. “It was an exciting last two laps,” Guidi said. “After 24 hours, we were so tired. But we didn’t give up.” Winkelhock was joined by Nelson Canache Jr., Spencer Pumpelly and Tim Pappas in the Flying Lizard Audi. 

Editor-in-Chief's Note: If you want to know the depths of major league road racing's despair here in the U.S., check out Gordon Kirby's deep dive into the problems that define the Tudor United SportsCar Championship. - PMD

(BMW/newspressUSA)
Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana (No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M3), shown above winning overall in Friday’s BMW Performance 200 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race, were then excluded from the results following a post-race technical inspection. This handed the victory to Shelby Blackstock and Ashley Frieberg in the No. 48 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3. Freiberg became the first woman to win overall in Continental Tire Challenge history. It also was the first Continental Tire Challenge victory for Blackstock, the son of singer/actor Reba McEntire. Blackstock and Freiberg led what turned out to be a 1-2 sweep for Fall-Line Motorsports, as John Edwards and 18-year-old Trent Hindman took second in the No. 46 Trim-Tex/Criocco Ozzimo/Atlas Acon/DFL Interiors BMW M3.

(BMW/newspressUSA)
The Eric Foss/Jeff Mosing No. 56 Mosler Motorcars BMW 328i won the ST class in the BMW Performance 200, the first for Murillo Racing. The next race for the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge will be its debut at Sebring International Raceway on Friday, March 14.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Three excellent reads for you this week. The first two are by colleague Gordon Kirby, who does a superb job in framing just how dynamic, transformative and revolutionary racing's golden era here in the U.S. - encompassing the 60s and 70s - really was. It was an extraordinary time, never to be repeated in the now over-regulated racing environment that exists today. Kirby also does a fine tribute in Motorsport magazine to Mark Donohue and the fantastic career he had while being an integral part of the dawn of Penske Racing. And Paul Tracy provides an entertaining piece in Motorsport magazine about the convoluted rules and varying degrees of "officiating" in racing today. He also gets a few well-placed jabs in about the sport in general too. All very much worth the read. - PMD

(FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy/newspress)
Ken Block will join the all-new FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy. Block (Hoonigan Racing Division Ford Fiesta) will compete in Hell, Norway, June 14-15, Loheac, France, September 6-7, and Istanbul, Turkey, October 11-12. “I’m stoked with how the new liveries for my Ford Fiestas have turned out, as well as the race schedule we’ve been able to put together for 2014," Block said. "Once again I’ve been fortunate enough to put together a highly diverse schedule that has me going around the world... and, most interestingly, racing in three of the World Rallycross Championship rounds for the first time ever. I’m pretty sure nobody has a better job than me this year!” Former Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has also announced he will compete in World RX.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.0110)

John Thawley was at the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Winter Test at Sebring, Florida, last week and captured all of the action. Check out John's excellent work here.

(Photo by Harold Hinson/HHP courtesy of GM/Chevrolet Racing)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports National Guard Chevrolet SS) celebrates winning the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway Sunday night. After a six-hour rain delay, Earnhardt stormed to the front and held off a furious bunch of challengers to capture his second win in NASCAR's premier event. ''We could fight off battle after battle," Earnhardt said. "We got a little help at the end there from Jeff (Gordon) to get away on the restart,'' Earnhardt said. ''This is amazing. I can't believe this is happening. I never take this for granted, man because it doesn't happen twice, let alone once.'' Watch the end of the race here.

(Photo by Alan Marler/HHP courtesy of GM/Chevrolet Racing)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. steams toward the finish line at the end of the Daytona 500 with Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing FedEx Express Toyota Camry), Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS) and Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Miller Lite Ford Fusion) right behind him.

(Russell LaBounty LAT Photo USA ©2014, courtesy of Toyota  Racing)
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing FedEx Express Toyota Camry) gets pit service from his crew on the way to a second-place finish in the Daytona 500.

(Nigel Kinrade/Nigel Kinrade Photography, ©2014, courtesy of Ford Racing)
Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Miller Lite Ford Fusion) looked to be a real contender for the win in the last few laps of the Daytona 500 but he came up short, finishing third.

(FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy)
Jacques Villeneuve began preparations for the all-new 2014 FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy over the weekend as he tested his Albatec Racing Peugeot 208 at Lydden Hill. Villeneuve, a former F1 World Champion, Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar star completed 40 laps at the home of British rallycross to allow the 42-year-old driver vital seat-time in the machine. Andy Scott, Team Principal at Albatec Racing, was delighted with his new teammate’s performance behind the wheel of the 600HP Peugeot 208: “As expected, Jacques was immediately fast once we’d addressed the power steering issue this morning, and just got quicker and quicker as the day progressed. We will test again before the season starts, but where and when has not yet been decided.” The opening round of the 2014 FIA World Rallycross Championship will take place at Montalegre in Portugal the weekend of May 3-4. Villeneuve will make his "home" debut in the series at Trois-Rivières in Québec on August 7-8.

(FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy)

(Rally America)
Ken Block with co-driver Alex Gelsomino (Hoonigan Racing Ford Fiesta) won the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood - round two of the Rally America National Championship - held on February 21-22 in Salem, MO. The victory marks the seventh time the team has won the event out of their last eight attempts.

​

(Infiniti Red Bull Racing)
Sebastian Vettel, Team Principal Christian Horner and Mark Webber celebrate after the Brazilian Grand Prix, the last race of the 2013 Formula 1 season. Not only was it Vettel's thirteenth win of the season, it tied him with with Alberto Ascari's record of nine successive Grand Prix wins, although Ascari's were spread across the 1952 season and the start of the 1953 campaign. "I don't want to compare the record that we have got today," said Vettel, the now four-time F1 champion. "It's not fair as it was a different time when Ascari was driving. Cars broke down more often then and teams were less consistent, so therefore it's a different type of record that we have got today," he said. 

His Infiniti Red Bull Racing teammate, Mark Webber, finished second in his last F1 start. "It was nice to take the helmet off for the final lap," Webber said. "In this sport it's not always possible to give things a personal touch. We have the helmets on all the time, so they fans don't always see a Formula One driver in a car without a helmet. It was nice to get it off and see the marshals and the fans; it was just a really nice thing to experience. I heard a lot of noises that I don't normally hear. "Crossing the line and seeing all the guys was great," he added. "Christian radioed me and said enjoy the last lap, which I did. I did it as slow as I could; it was a very special day. Seb and I have had our challenges over time and it's easier to have a relationship with Fernando, as he's in another team, but to finish on the podium with those two guys – well, they have been the best of this generation. I have raced them a lot and to finish with those guys was nice for me because it meant a lot, showing that I can drive well at the end of my career and that I got the timing right." 

"Today was of course Mark's last race," Vettel added. "We didn't have the best relationship, but nevertheless we always had respect for each other on a professional level and whatever was going on off-track, didn't make a difference to us on track and we both pushed each other very hard. I certainly learned a lot from Mark. I learned to become a better driver due to his impressive skills; that's why I consider him one of the best drivers on the grid."

(Photos by John Hendrick/INDYCAR)

Juan Pablo Montoya tried out his new INDYCAR ride on Monday. The former Indianapolis 500, Formula One and NASCAR race winner tested his Team Penske Indy car on Monday in Sebring, Florida. Teammate Will Power took the car out first to get it set-up, then Montoya took it out for a few laps. The initial results were very positive. “He was within a few tenths of Will in the first outing,” Team Penske Racing President Tim Cindric said. “It was pretty impressive, really. We put him out on old tires just to learn where the gear shifts were and then put him back on Will’s tire and he was within a couple tenths right out of the box. Right now it’s happening pretty fast, he’s probably a half a second off the guys who were here last week, but that’s not too bad. Finding the last half second without losing his confidence will be the challenge.” “The biggest thing is that everything is still happening really fast, Montoya said. “It’s OK, but as it happens so fast you end up making mistakes. With more time in the car, everything will slow down and it will be easier. It’s happened to me before a few times, so I know that with time everything will be easier.” Montoya turned 20 laps during the morning test session and ran times comparable to Power. “You don’t win races in Formula One and poles in Formula One and races in the CART Series on your first try if you’re slow,” Power said. “I actually expected to learn from him. He’s already brought some good ideas to the team even before he got in the car. Just from what I see from the data he has a very similar style to me. The way he brakes and everything. That should be good as far as our setups.” Montoya returned to car for another day of testing at Sebring on Tuesday, but that session was closed to the media. Montoya gave himself a grade of 8 out of 10, but he said his goal for the test is to gain knowledge that he can use to help the entire team get better. “Do I want to win? Of course I want to win,” he said. “Do I want to do the best I can. Yeah. How good is that going to be?  I don’t know. You have to beat Will, who is one of the fastest guys in the series. Helio has a ton of experience. I ran against him when I won the championship, and he’s still doing it. For them to get in the car every day, this is there home, and I need to make this my home.”

​​

(Strakka Racing)
Strakka Racing has agreed to a long-term sportscar partnership with DOME, in which it will work together to develop, bring to market and race a brand-new ‘cost-capped’ LMP2 coupe prototype endurance race car – the Strakka DOME S103. Silverstone-based Strakka Racing has competed in the 24 Hour of Le Mans for the last six consecutive years – winning the LMP2 trophy (and finishing a record-breaking 5th overall) in 2010 and the LMP1 Privateers’ award in 2013. In 2012 Strakka Racing was runner up in the LMP1 Privateers’ class in the FIA World Endurance Championship and finished as LMP2 runner up in 2010 and 2011 in the European Le Mans Series. DOME was established in 1975 by Min​oru Hayashi, and over the last 38 years has become a leading racecar constructor and motorsport competitor. Based in Maibara, Shiga Prefecture in Japan, DOME made its Le Mans 24 Hour race debut in 1979. The first Strakka DOME S103 will be powered by a Nissan VK45 4.5-litre V8 LMP2 petrol engine and will contest the entire FIA World Endurance Championship next year, pending approval of the Selection Committee. Utilizing DOME’s 50% wind tunnel (which it has run since 2000), CFD expertise and lightweight technology, the Strakka DOME S103 promises to be one of the most aerodynamically and advancedLMP2 cars on the grid.  

(Images courtesy of Veloce Books)

"Return to Glory!" by Robert Ackerson (Veloce Books) documents the Mercedes-Benz 300SL's debut in racing and the manufacturer's return to competition in 1952. After a 13-year absence, Mercedes-Benz returned to motor sport competition with an automobile that rewrote the history of modern sports car racing. From the 300SL's Mille Miglia debut, through the Nürburgring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans to its greatest race, the Carrera Panamericana, it's all well documented in this book, including a detailed photographic essay illustrating the restoration of the oldest 300 SL in existence.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: After enduring another wave of F1 teams unveiling their new machines - this time for the upcoming 2014 season - I can safely say that the current crop of F1 machines are the least attractive, okay, the flat-out ugliest racing machines of all time. And the hopes that this will change anytime soon are slim and none. It's a giant, heaping, steaming bowl of Not Good too. - PMD

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
The No. 5 Action Express Racing "Corvette" Daytona Prototype driven by Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Sebastian Bourdais was the dominant car in the 52nd Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. The winning DP completed 695 laps on the 3.56-mile circuit, covering 2,474.2 miles for the team owned by Daytona Beach businessman Bob Johnson. “Bob was convincingly, absolutely dead sure we were going to win it,” Bourdais said. “He was right. The guys were prepared. Everybody knew exactly what to do and how to do it, and the execution was perfect. What can I say? It’s a dream come true.” It was Barbosa's second overall victory at Daytona in five years for Action Express (he also won won in class in 2003), while Fittipaldi took his second (overall in 2004) and Bourdais – a four-time Champ Car World Series champion – won the event for the first time. The race had a somber tone throughout because of the devastating crash of Memo Gidley – driving the pole-winning No. 99 GAINSCO "Corvette" DP – who rear-ended the disabled No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia driven by Matteo Malucelli. Both drivers were taken to nearby Halifax Hospital, with Gidley having serious injuries to his left arm, left leg, and back. The race was red-flagged for 55:45 minutes due to the incident. See John Thawley's scintillating images from the race here.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Patrick Pilet beat BMW Team RLL’s Joey Hand (No. 55 BMW Z4 GTE) to the checkered flag by 2.838 seconds in the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR, coming back after briefly falling behind Hand with two laps remaining. Richard Lietz and Nick Tandy were the other drivers of the winning Porsche. It was Porsche’s 76th class victory in the history of the Rolex 24, and the 40th triumph for a 911-based Porsche.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Three months after setting the all-time speed record on the 2.5-mile Daytona tri-oval, Colin Braun took his first Rolex 24 victory in Prototype Challenge. Braun swept to a one-lap triumph in the No. 54 CORE autosport ORECA FLM09 with co-drivers Jon Bennett, Mark Wilkins and James Gue. "We worked really, really hard to come up with a plan that we wanted to stick with,” Braun said. “We came prepared this weekend and executed our plan, down to being fastest in the opening two practice sessions, winning the pole and I think we led the most laps.”

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.011)
Alessandro Pier Guidi (No. 555 Level 5 Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia) raced hard with Markus Winkelhock (No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Audi R8 LMS) at the end of the race for the GT Daytona class victory. Guidi finished 1.293 seconds ahead at the checkered flag, but was immediately penalized for his aggressive driving and the race initially was awarded to the Flying Lizard Motorsports machine. Upon further review by IMSA Supervisory Officials, the decision was reversed and Level 5 Motorsports was declared the winning team. “It’s bittersweet not to be part of the podium, but we are pleased that IMSA took a second look at the decision,” said Bill Sweedler, who joined Scott Tucker, Jeff Segal, Townsend Bell and Guidi on the winning lineup. “The fact is that IMSA took time to right a wrong and now the winning team is now declared the winner. That’s what matters.” It was Ferrari’s first Rolex 24 triumph since Gianpiero Moretti’s MOMO Ferrari 333SP won overall in 1998. “It was an exciting last two laps,” Guidi said. “After 24 hours, we were so tired. But we didn’t give up.” Winkelhock was joined by Nelson Canache Jr., Spencer Pumpelly and Tim Pappas in the Flying Lizard Audi. 

Editor-in-Chief's Note: If you want to know the depths of major league road racing's despair here in the U.S., check out Gordon Kirby's deep dive into the problems that define the Tudor United SportsCar Championship. - PMD

(BMW/newspressUSA)
Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana (No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M3), shown above winning overall in Friday’s BMW Performance 200 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race, were then excluded from the results following a post-race technical inspection. This handed the victory to Shelby Blackstock and Ashley Frieberg in the No. 48 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3. Freiberg became the first woman to win overall in Continental Tire Challenge history. It also was the first Continental Tire Challenge victory for Blackstock, the son of singer/actor Reba McEntire. Blackstock and Freiberg led what turned out to be a 1-2 sweep for Fall-Line Motorsports, as John Edwards and 18-year-old Trent Hindman took second in the No. 46 Trim-Tex/Criocco Ozzimo/Atlas Acon/DFL Interiors BMW M3.

(BMW/newspressUSA)
The Eric Foss/Jeff Mosing No. 56 Mosler Motorcars BMW 328i won the ST class in the BMW Performance 200, the first for Murillo Racing. The next race for the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge will be its debut at Sebring International Raceway on Friday, March 14.

(Images courtesy of Porsche)
Porsche has taken the wraps off of its 919 Hybrid prototype racing machine at the Geneva International Motor Show. According to Porsche, the high efficiency of the Porsche 919 Hybrid is the result of a balanced overall concept. From the combustion engine to the energy recovery systems, suspension and chassis, aerodynamics and driver ergonomics, the sum of the components "form an incredibly efficient unit for maximum performance." The drive system is based on a 4-cylinder gasoline engine that is compact and lightweight. The 2.0 liter V-engine is a structural component of the chassis, and reaches a maximum engine speed of approximately 9,000 rpm. It features direct injection, a single turbocharger and thermodynamic recovery capabilities. The compact unit outputs around 500 hp. Two different energy recovery systems harness energy to replenish the batteries and provide power. The first system is the innovative recovery of thermal energy by an electric generator powered by exhaust gases. The second hybrid system is a motor on the front axle utilizing brake recuperation to convert kinetic energy into electric energy. The electric energy is then stored in water-cooled lithium-ion battery packs and when the driver needs the stored power, the front motor drives the two front wheels through a differential during acceleration. This gives the Porsche 919 Hybrid a temporary all-wheel drive system, because the gasoline engine directs power to the rear wheels, just like the 918 Spyder. Porsche formed a new team of over 200 employees to develop and implement the program at their development center in Weissach. Friedrich Enzinger, Head of LMP1: "Within two and one half years we built the infrastructure, assembled our team and put this highly complex race car on wheels. We have the greatest respect for the lead our competitors have in racing experience. Our objective in the first year is simple: to finish races and be competitive." Don't kid yourselves folks, they're in it to win. Anything less than victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be a massive disappointment.

Porsche also displayed its 911 RSR racing machine at Geneva, the seventh generation of the 911 racer. In its first appearance at the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans the Porsche 911 RSR placed first and second in the GT-Class. Improved even further for the 2014 season, the 911 RSR started the 2014 season with a class victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The 911 RSR is raced in the new TUDOR United Sports Car Championship as well as being part of the WEC World Sportscar Championship series, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"Crucial in the development of the Le Mans prototype were the newly created and revolutionary racing rules for this class as they relate to energy efficiency," Matthias Müller, Chairman of Porsche AG, commented. "In 2014, it will not be the fastest car that wins the World Endurance Championship series and the 24 hours of Le Mans, rather it will be the car that goes the furthest with a defined amount of energy. And it is precisely this challenge that carmakers must overcome. The 919 Hybrid is our fastest mobile research laboratory and the most complex race car that Porsche has ever built."

Romain Dumas (France), Neel Jani (Switzerland) and Marc Lieb (Germany) will share driving duties in the Porsche 919 Hybrid with number 14. Car number 20 will be driven by Timo Bernhard (Germany), Brendon Hartley (New Zealand) and Mark Webber (Australia).

Porsche North America racing team on Twitter: @PorscheNAracing
Porsche Motorsport on Twitter: @PorscheRaces
Follow both accounts for live motorsports news about driver changes, weather conditions, tire selections and other insider information throughout a race weekend.

(Audi Motorsport)
Audi unveiled the 2014-specification Audi RS 5 DTM in Geneva. With aerodynamic tweaks and visual details designed to be make it appear closer to the sporty production models of the RS line than its predecessor, the new Audi RS 5 DTM is "significantly more aggressive," according to Audi. “In addition to the suspension, our main priority was to improve the aero,” says Stefan Aicher, Head of Vehicle Design at Audi Sport. The RS 5 now has the honeycomb grill from the production car at the front and new air ducts feeding the engine and brakes. As a result, the race car now "shares an almost identical look to the sporting RS production models," says Audi. Almost identical? Uh, if you say so.

(Audi Motorsport)

(Photo by Harold Hinson/HHP for GM Racing/Chevrolet)
Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Jimmy John's Chevrolet SS ) dominated the "The Profit on CNBC 500" NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Speedway on Sunday. Harvick led 224 of the 312 laps at the one-mile track, including the final 24, surviving several re-starts while holding off Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports National Guard Chevrolet SS). Watch the video here.

(Photo by Harold Hinson/HHP for GM Racing/Chevrolet)
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports National Guard Chevrolet SS) followed up his big Daytona 500 win with a strong second-place run in Phoenix. Earnhardt, Jr. leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings.

(Photo by Matthew T. Thacker/NKP ©2014 courtesy of Ford Racing)
Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Alliance Truck Parts Ford Fusion, above) sat on the pole in Phoenix and ran a very racy third, with Team Penske teammate Joey Logano (No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Fusion) finishing right behind him in fourth.

  Kurt Busch. The 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will join Andretti Autosport for the 98th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25. If he qualifies for the race, he will become the fourth driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in Concord, N.C., later that same day. "To add a driver with the résumé of Kurt Busch to the Indianapolis 500 field is a huge gain for INDYCAR," said Derrick Walker, INDYCAR President of Competition and Operations. "We want to see the best 33 drivers put their skills to the test on the biggest stage in motorsports, regardless of which series they come from. To attempt 'the Double' is a tremendous challenge, and we're looking forward to watching Kurt accomplish the feat this May." Busch, 35, commented: "It was a talk over dinner (with his agent, John Caponigro) one night on 'what if?' and now it's all becoming a reality for me to drive in the Indy 500 with Andretti. I went once to watch the '500' with Roger Penske when I first signed a contract with him to drive stock cars. To feel it, to experience it, I'm going to actually revert back to that to try to block out some of the emotional excitement of what it means to be part of the '500.' To drive in it this year, nothing is going to compare, nothing can prepare or get me ready when they drop that green flag and 33 of us rush into Turn 1." Busch tested an Andretti Autosport car at the Speedway last May, his second time in an Indy car. "That was a whole kid in a candy store moment of experiencing an open-wheel car at 220 mph," he said. "You can definitely get a different appreciation for the track and its heritage with an open-wheel car versus a stock car that I've done the last 15 years there. It got my mind going and my juices flowing on 'I want to do this.' The adrenaline and excitement was there, but last year just didn't seem like the right timing. Now 11 months of chewing on the fat and working on the details, I'm more excited than ever to do this."

(Lexus USA)
Lexus will debut the RC F GT3 racing concept at the 84th Geneva International Motor Show. Based on the recently revealed RC F performance coupe, the RC F GT3 concept was developed to meet Group GT3 international racing standards. The machine weighs 2,755.8 lbs. and comes with a modified version of the base RC F’s V8 engine, producing over 540HP, according to Lexus. Lexus will supply GT3-compliant (certified by the FIA) vehicles to racing teams starting in 2015, with development testing beginning this year.

(Lexus USA)

(BMW Group photos)
Development work on the new BMW M4 DTM, which will compete in the 2014 DTM season, is now complete after almost a year of development. The new car will make its first public appearances at the official ITR tests in Budapest, March 31st – April 3rd, and then at the final test in Hockenheim, April 14th – 17th. “Even before the BMW M3 DTM completed its final race last season, our development team was already hard at work on the 2014 car,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “Preparing a new car for the DTM is a big challenge. In few other series is aerodynamics so important. Even the slightest detail can make the difference between success and failure. And this attention to detail shown by our engineers is apparent at first glance – from the elongated bonnet with its steeply sloping front and aerodynamically optimised wing mirrors, to the contoured roofline that is a characteristic feature of the BMW M4.” The M4 DTM model made its first appearance in the wind tunnel at the BMW Group’s Aero Lab last April 22nd, thirteen days before the opening race of the 2013 season in Hockenheim. The BMW M4 DTM made its on-track debut in Monteblanco, February 11, 2014, three hundred days after the first test in the wind tunnel.

(John Thawley  ~  Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com  ~ 248.227.0110)
Corvette Racing will be out in full force at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the 62nd running of the event. The spiritual home of GM factory participation in road racing, the Florida endurance classic is rich in Chevrolet and Corvette history. A Corvette first raced at Sebring in 1956, placing ninth overall. Almost 60 years later, Corvette Racing will go for its ninth class win at Sebring (since 2002), which is now Round 2 of the inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Sebring International Raceway sits on the site of Fort Hendricks - a World War II airbase that was used as a training ground for American B-17 bombers - and it's the most brutal test in all of sports car racing. Part of the circuit – most notably Turn 16 through the exit of Turn 1 - uses the old concrete runway and taxiway, which pounds the cars and drivers unmercifully. As at the season-opener at Daytona, the factory Corvette team will have three drivers each. Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen will team with IndyCar star Ryan Briscoe in the Pratt & Miller-prepared No. 3 Corvette C7.R. And Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner will share the No. 4 team car with Robin Liddell. Television coverage of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring will be available live on FOX Sports 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT, with the remainder of the race airing live on IMSA.com. FOX Sports 1 also will air a three-hour recap at 8:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 16.

(Images courtesy of Honda)
Honda will join the Daytona Prototype category in the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship at the 62nd annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Honda Performance Development (HPD), Honda's North American racing company, has developed a new, 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged Daytona Prototype version of the production J35 engine, joining Chevrolet and Ford in the Daytona Prototype manufacturer ranks while becoming the only company to field efforts in both categories that make up the new Prototype class in the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship. In the companion LMP2 prototype category, HPD produces a complete chassis-engine package, including the ARX-03b chassis and Honda 2.8-liter HR28TT twin-turbo V6 engines, in competition with both Nissan and Mazda. The Daytona Prototype Honda Riley package will debut at Sebring fielded by Starworks Motorsport, while Extreme Speed Motorsports will continue to field a pair of HPD ARX-03b Hondas created to LMP2 specifications, continuing a partnership that began in 2013.

(Photo by Russell LaBounty NKP, ©2014, courtesy of Ford Racing)
Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Miller Lite Ford Fusion) charged past a sputtering Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Mountain Dew Kickstart Chevrolet SS), who ran out of fuel on the last lap, to win the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday. It completed the weekend sweep for Keselowski as he also won the Nationwide race on Saturday. Keselowski's "sweep" was the first for a Ford driver since Carl Edwards did it at Phoenix in 2010. Paul Menard (No. 27 Richard Childress Racing Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet SS) had an impressive run to finish third. Watch a NASCAR video of the final laps here.

(Photo by Harold Hinson/HHP courtesy of GM Racing/Chevrolet)
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is looking very competitive early in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season with three top three finishes in the first three races, including a win in the Daytona 500. Earnhardt Jr. leads the Sprint Cup standings.

(Photo by Christa L. Thomas/HHP courtesy of GM Racing/Chevrolet)
Paul Menard (No. 27 Richard Childress Racing Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet SS) ran a very racy third in Las Vegas on Sunday. Here he gets pit service from his RCR crew.

(Photo by Matthew T. Thacker/NKP, ©2014, courtesy of Ford Racing)
It was a big weekend for Brad Keselowski, Team Penske and Ford.

(Volkswagen)
Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (No. 1 Volkswagen Polo R WRC) and runners-up Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (No. 2 Volkswagen Polo R WRC) finished 1-2 at the Rally Mexico, the third round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the seventh Volkswagen victory in a row. It was also the fourth one-two for the Polo R WRC in 16 outings in the World Rally championship. Ogier/Ingrassia finished 5:28.6 minutes ahead of Thierry Neuville (No. 7 Hyundai i20 WRC, with co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul). It was the first podium finish for the Hyundai team.

(Images courtesy of Porsche)
Porsche has taken the wraps off of its 919 Hybrid prototype racing machine at the Geneva International Motor Show. According to Porsche, the high efficiency of the Porsche 919 Hybrid is the result of a balanced overall concept. From the combustion engine to the energy recovery systems, suspension and chassis, aerodynamics and driver ergonomics, the sum of the components "form an incredibly efficient unit for maximum performance." The drive system is based on a 4-cylinder gasoline engine that is compact and lightweight. The 2.0 liter V-engine is a structural component of the chassis, and reaches a maximum engine speed of approximately 9,000 rpm. It features direct injection, a single turbocharger and thermodynamic recovery capabilities. The compact unit outputs around 500 hp. Two different energy recovery systems harness energy to replenish the batteries and provide power. The first system is the innovative recovery of thermal energy by an electric generator powered by exhaust gases. The second hybrid system is a motor on the front axle utilizing brake recuperation to convert kinetic energy into electric energy. The electric energy is then stored in water-cooled lithium-ion battery packs and when the driver needs the stored power, the front motor drives the two front wheels through a differential during acceleration. This gives the Porsche 919 Hybrid a temporary all-wheel drive system, because the gasoline engine directs power to the rear wheels, just like the 918 Spyder. Porsche formed a new team of over 200 employees to develop and implement the program at their development center in Weissach. Friedrich Enzinger, Head of LMP1: "Within two and one half years we built the infrastructure, assembled our team and put this highly complex race car on wheels. We have the greatest respect for the lead our competitors have in racing experience. Our objective in the first year is simple: to finish races and be competitive." Don't kid yourselves folks, they're in it to win. Anything less than victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be a massive disappointment.

Porsche also displayed its 911 RSR racing machine at Geneva, the seventh generation of the 911 racer. In its first appearance at the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans the Porsche 911 RSR placed first and second in the GT-Class. Improved even further for the 2014 season, the 911 RSR started the 2014 season with a class victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The 911 RSR is raced in the new TUDOR United Sports Car Championship as well as being part of the WEC World Sportscar Championship series, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"Crucial in the development of the Le Mans prototype were the newly created and revolutionary racing rules for this class as they relate to energy efficiency," Matthias Müller, Chairman of Porsche AG, commented. "In 2014, it will not be the fastest car that wins the World Endurance Championship series and the 24 hours of Le Mans, rather it will be the car that goes the furthest with a defined amount of energy. And it is precisely this challenge that carmakers must overcome. The 919 Hybrid is our fastest mobile research laboratory and the most complex race car that Porsche has ever built."

Romain Dumas (France), Neel Jani (Switzerland) and Marc Lieb (Germany) will share driving duties in the Porsche 919 Hybrid with number 14. Car number 20 will be driven by Timo Bernhard (Germany), Brendon Hartley (New Zealand) and Mark Webber (Australia).

Porsche North America racing team on Twitter: @PorscheNAracing
Porsche Motorsport on Twitter: @PorscheRaces
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