http://monticellomotorclub.com/
Posted on 08/05/2009 7:57:45 PM PDT by Chode
The American Grand Prix will be returning to the calendar in 2012 as Austin, Texas hosts what is set to be the country's first race since 2007. The confirmation comes following much speculation regarding a Grand Prix in the country, with races in New York and its surrounding area having been the main topics.
After plans for a New Jersey street circuit were scrapped just a day after they were revealed, the Upper State New York Monticello circuit put forward a proposal last week although it has now been confirmed that a deal has been signed between Texas and sporting commercial rights holder Formula One Management (FOM).
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thx... i pinged the list to your article
Hermann Tilke has designed six of the current F1 circuits, including Istanbul Park which plays home to this weekend's Turkish Grand, as well as parts of existing tracks such as the new-for-2002 loops at Germany's Hockenheim and Nürburgring venues.
The Austin, Texas site - which spans some 700 acres (2.8km²) - will be the first purpose-built home for a race in the USA since Watkins Glen in 1980.
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A lap of Istanbul with Mark Webber
Ferrari to start 800th race in Turkey
Ferrari, the only team remaining in Formula 1 which also contested the World Championship in its maiden season, is set to begin its 800th Grand Prix in Istanbul this weekend. Of the five races in Turkey so far, the Italian outfit has won three courtesy of Felipe Massa.
Although it did not contest the 1950 British Grand Prix, the first ever F1 race in the World Championship, the squad founded by Enzo Ferrari appeared at Monaco to race for the first time on 21 May that year.
The 800th Formula 1 race was staged in Singapore two years ago, the infamous event which has since become infamous due to the 'Crashgate' race-fixing scandal. Ferrari's figure is somewhat behind as the team has not competed in a small number of events over the course of the past six decades.
The End
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Mark Webber wants unity with Red Bull team-mate Vettel 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8716594.stm
Vettel and Webber's catastrophic collision
Championship leader Mark Webber has called on Red Bull to be united as they look to recover from the disastrous finale to the Turkish Grand Prix.
The team were on course for a one-two finish when Sebastian Vettel attempted an overtaking move, collided with Webber and crashed out of the race.
The drivers blamed each other for the crash, but Webber is now keen for the team to put the incident behind them.
"We need to bounce back and be united as a team, and keep going," he said.
Sunday's incident occurred on lap 40 and left Webber requiring a new front wing before resuming to finish third behind the McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.
Vettel emerged from his car pointing his finger to his head in a manner suggesting that he thought Webber had pulled off a crazy move.
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606: DEBATE
Borntolead
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The public recriminations continued with team principal Christian Horner criticising both drivers and Red Bull's motorsport adviser Helmut Marko fuelling talk of favouritism by putting the blame firmly at Webber's door.
The Australian, who now leads the standings by only five points, said the team could have dealt with the fallout from the crash better.
"If you look back obviously, after it all happens, you of course want to handle things a lot more differently," he said.
"The team, collectively with the drivers, all of us have to learn how to deal with these situations maybe better in the future."
Webber's comments came as Horner insisted that both drivers will continue to receive equal billing within the team.
Horner said Webber and Vettel had learned a "costly lesson" and plans to sit down with the duo for clear-the-air talks before the Canadian Grand Prix.
"Both drivers, as has always been the case, will continue to be given equal treatment," he said.
"The Turkish Grand Prix has been a costly lesson for both of them and we are confident this situation won't happen again.
"The drivers are both intelligent individuals and this issue will be resolved prior to the Canadian Grand Prix."
Mark Webber says he will seek clear-the-air talks with team-mate Sebastian Vettel following the crash at the Turkish Grand Prix, which cost Red Bull a one-two finish. In his column for the Australian Daily Telegraph, Webber wrote: "Seb and I will sit down and have a chat about it because we need to avoid costly slip-ups like this in the future. We'll probably have a difference of opinion about what happened on Sunday [night] until we go to our graves, but we're both adults and we need to find a way of racing together that doesn't compromise the team."
Full story: The Australian Daily Telegraph
Jenson Button says any animosity between Vettel and Webber could work in McLaren's favour. "I don't know what's going to happen between [Vettel and Webber]," Button said. "Whether they will kiss and make up before the next race in Canada. But if they don't it normally means that they won't be sharing information as much. Possibly, I don't know how it works there."
Full story: The Daily Telegraph
Insiders at Red Bull believe they have acted fast enough to limit any bad feeling between their two drivers. Nether Webber nor Vettel was allowed to leave a team meeting on Sunday until the matter had been talked out.
Full story: The Independent
Meanwhile, Button and team-mate Lewis Hamilton have insisted that they won't allow their rivalry to wreck either of their seasons. While Button said the duo would continue to challenge each other in a "hard, but fair" style of racing, Hamilton said: "We don't do moves that jeopardise our own results."
Full story: The Daily Mirror
Williams will use their re-modelled front wing in the Canadian Grand Prix on 13 June. Drivers Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg had been required to revert to an older version of the car in Turkey after crashes in Monaco had left both vehicles requiring new parts.
Full story: Autosport
Renault team boss Eric Boullier says the team are getting close to rolling out their very own F-duct. Boullier said Renault's version of the rear wing-stalling device, used by several rivals including McLaren, Mercedes and Sauber, would be tested soon. "We are going to use it soon but we want to make sure it works 100% before we put it into a race," he said.
Full story: ESPN F1
Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug says the team is hungry to carry on improving this season after an encouraging performance in Turkey. Haug said the fourth and fifth places achieved by Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg were "still not good enough" for Mercedes GP and challenged his outfit to become "a winning team".
Full story: Autosport
Formula 1 teams are being forced to design their 2011 cars based around the current specification of Bridgestone tyres because of a delay over the identity of next season's provider. Bridgestone is leaving the sport next season, but an unresolved battle between Pirelli and Michelin to succeed the Japanese outfit is leaving teams no choice but to base their models around Bridgestone for the time being.
Full story: ESPN F1
Lotus Racing boss Tony Fernandes is convinced the team will one day grace the Formula 1 winners' podium. Despite both of the team's drivers failing to finish the last two races, Fernandes thinks the team has a bright future and can "one day be victorious".
Full story: Press Association
Tilke designing Austin track, site already purchased
Click here
thx, good stuff...
Wonder if they plan on hiring locally, WOOHOOO
absolutely start sniffing around now, early gets the worm...
Gee, how many different ways can Webber and Red Bull come up with to lose a race this season? It appears that by the end of the season that Webber will have lost four or five races, any which could have crown him champion.
ain't that the truth...
Lotus have recruited three designers from rivals Force India in a bid to turn around their ailing fortunes.
Mark Smith will take over as the team's technical director, Lewis Butler joins as chief designer and Marianne Hinson will be head of aerodynamics.
Team owner Tony Fernandes said: "I am honoured that these fantastic talents have put their faith in Lotus, and see the very bright future we have."
Lotus are yet to win a point since returning to Formula 1 this season.
The three new recruits have all worked with Lotus chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne at other teams.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8718856.stm
Red Bull are making moves to secure Sebastian Vettel's future at the team until the end of 2015 in a bid to head off interest from rivals. The German's current deal runs until the end of 2012 but the team are trying to seal a three-year extension.
Full story: Autosport
Jenson Button has described receiving his MBE as "the greatest honour I could possibly imagine" after being presented with the award by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
Full story: McLaren.com
Michael Schumacher has put his Formula 1 career back on track after a nightmare start, according to brother Ralf. The Mercedes driver is already 59 points behind leader Mark Webber.
Full story: The Sun
Red Bull chief Christian Horner has told the team's rivals not to expect any more presents after Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel's needless collision allowed Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button to secure a McLaren one-two in Turkey.
Full story: The Sun
Mercedes boss Ross Brawn hopes the tyre supplier issue will be resolved soon so that teams will be able to test the 2011 compounds before the end of the season.
Full story: espnf1.com
Robert Kubica will remain a Renault driver during the 2011 season, according to his manager. A string of fine drives has led to widespread speculation that the Pole is on Ferrari's wanted list.
Full story: espnf1.com
Silverstone has unveiled the latest photos of its brand-new state-of-the-art Stowe pit complex, which was officially opened on Thursday. The latest developments are part of a major overhaul of the Northamptonshire circuit.
Full story: GPUpdate.net
Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug says the clash between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber is a 'nightmare' for Red Bull Racing.
Full story: Autosport.com
Jaime Alguersuari says his Toro Rosso team should not be expected to develop a rear wing-stalling F-duct device too soon.
Full story: GPUpdate.net
Lotus chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne has described the signing of leading design personnel Mark Smith, Marianne Hinson and Lewis Butler from Force India as a 'statement of intent'.
Full story: Autosport
McLaren's Technology Centre in Woking fell silent for one minute on Wednesday as the team commemorated the death of founder Bruce McLaren, who was killed in a testing accident 40 years ago.
Full story: GPUpdate.net
BMW Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi has urged his team to push on from the point they earned at last weekend's Turkish Grand Prix. The Japanese driver says "it can only be the first step".
Full story: Formula1.com
see link for pix... http://www.odessafile.com/sports-Milliken.htm
Friends, fans wish Bill Milliken a happy 99th
WATKINS GLEN, April 18 -- They turned out in force at the International Motor Racing Research Center Saturday: fans and friends of racing legend William "Bill" Milliken on the weekend of his 99th birthday.
Milliken was on hand, as sharp as ever, holding court from a comfortable chair against the front wall of the Center. Fans came by one and two at a time to say hello, or chat, or get him to sign a copy of his autobiography, Equations of Motion: Adventure, Risk and Innovation.
He was the subject of interviews, too, during which he said Watkins Glen "is like a second home to me" and a place he likes to revisit whenever possible.
Among the party-goers was the late Don Brubaker's daughter Nancy, warmly greeted by Milliken. Don Brubaker was an instrumental figure along with Milliken and a few others in helping Cameron Argetsinger launch auto racing on the streets of Watkins Glen in 1948.
Argetsinger's widow Jean was on hand, too, as were their sons J.C. (president of the Racing Research Center) and Michael, a Chicago-based writer who said he "wouldn't have missed this for the world. The Millikens are old and dear friends." Michael was heading back to Chicago late that afternoon.
And then there was Paul Cozad, who sat next to Milliken and talked to him at length. Afterward, he was asked if he was a previous acquaintance.
"We worked together back in the late '70s and early '80s," said Cozad, of North Tonawanda. "I thought he'd died some time ago, then I heard two days ago that this was going on, and that he would be here. I got so excited, I said 'Holy Cow, I have to be there.'"
The gathering featured such one-on-one discussions for an hour and a half, and than a cake-cutting ceremony, followed by a program. Included in the program were a proclamation of "Bill Milliken Day" read by county legislator Stewart Field, a talk by racing historian Bill Green concerning Milliken's career highlights, personal reflections about Milliken by J.C. Argetsinger, a reading by Michael Argetsinger of greetings from friends unable to attend, comments from the audience, and the introduction of Milliken.
"There a lot of history walking around here today," said one visitor.
A little of that history:
Milliken was born on April 18, 1911, in Old Town, Maine, and today lives in the Buffalo, NY, area. He still drives, but was driven to Saturday's party by Donna Lewis, self-described as "the significant other" of Milliken's son Douglas, who was also present.
Milliken was one of the earliest members of the Sports Car Club of America and competed in more than 100 post-World War II races. In Watkins Glen, he served as head of the Rules Committee, including for the first race on Oct. 2, 1948.
It was in that first race through the streets that Milliken sealed his fame in Watkins Glen, rolling his Type 35A Bugatti in a section of the original circuit known today as “Milliken’s Corner.” He crawled out from under the wreckage, uninjured, to the cheers of the gathered crowd.
In his racing career he drove a variety of cars, including Bugattis and the Four Wheel Drive Miller, at Watkins Glen, Pike’s Peak, Sebring and other tracks for 15 years. He served a term as chief steward for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix races at Watkins Glen.
With Cameron Argetsinger, Milliken was in the first group inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame in 2005. He served as vice president and as a member of the SCCA Contest Board and was elected to the first SCCA Board of Directors. He also wrote the first set of SCCA General Competition Rules.
A 1934 graduate of MIT, Milliken worked in the aircraft industry for 20 years in analysis, wind tunnel and flight testing. From 1944, he was managing director at Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory, retiring as the head of the Transportation Research Division, which he founded.
Milliken Research Associates was created in 1976 as a foundational research asset to the automotive and auto racing industries. He remains active in MRA, which is now run by his son.
Milliken's automotive innovations have earned him the highest engineering honors, and his technical books are required reading for automotive engineers and students.
Photos in text:
Top: William F. Milliken greets longtime friend Jean Argetsinger, the widow of Cameron Argetsinger.
Second: Milliken stuck a knife in his cake and then admired the photo atop it. When informed the photo too was edible, he said "cool."
Third: Milliken sat in a comfortable chair near the Center's front entrance, visiting with friends and well-wishers.
Fourth: Michael Argetsinger
Bottom: Milliken makes a point during a conversation at the party.
Milliken signed a copy of his book for Watkins Glen photographer Bill Bauman.
Left: Racing historian Bill Green. Right: Jean Argetsinger visits with Milliken's son Douglas.
Bill Milliken in his racing days. (Photo provided)
This was among a selection of Milliken photos on display at the party
Watching 24 Hrs of Le Mans right now. Well, the rain is giving the DISH some trouble so I am watching an error screen, but you get the idea.
Hamilton pulled it out on that last lap. We’ll see how tomorrow goes, Webber and Vettel are right behind and Alonso is not that far off the pace either. Should be a great GP.
yup... been watching for the last two hours
A deal for Pirelli to become Formula 1's sole tyre supplier in 2011 has the backing of the majority of the teams, according to Red Bull boss Christian Horner. Michael Schumacher has insisted Mercedes can take positives from the Canadian Grand Prix, even though he was passed on the final corner to finish 11th and out of the points. "I was fighting cars with a good top speed... [but for tyre wear] I would have been in a good position," said the seven-time champion.
Full story: michaelschumacher.de
Team principal Stefano Domenicali has admitted Ferrari concentrated too much on developing the F-duct in recent weeks, at the expense of improving the front of the car.
Full story: autosport.com
Jacques Villeneuve is unlikely to find a seat with Renault next season. The 39-year-old is a former champion, but Renault boss Eric Boullier believes he may struggle if he gets his wish to return after a five-year break.
Full story in French: Rue Frontenac
thx...
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International Motor Racing Research Center