Autosport International 2010 - Part 2

Part 2 of Autosport and we arrive in easily the highlight for many of the show - the Live Action Arena. 1 entire hall is transformed into an indoor racetrack for racing and demonstration runs, so tight racing and very noisy! The Fiesta racing was the 1st racing demo out

Followed by the European Drift Championship drifters - Mark Luney, Paul Conlan and Pete Barber

and some close dirtbike racing

Then 5th Gear presenters Tiff Needell and Vicki Butler Henderson doing some semi drifting - Tiff struggled to do competitive drifting way back in 2006 so he might be better next time he fancies a proper go - or not, particularly when he claimed not to be able to turn the traction control off on the Jaguar he is seen driving above.... Vicki was a bit better in her Porsche though!

Then we have the Autograss specials - purpose built chassis, usually motorcycle engine powered so a very high power to weight ratio - so wheelies and the ability to drift almost the entire arena easier than the drift cars almost, although I think the wheelies were more for show, still good to see though!

And close racing, Id love to see these on their natural surface - grass and mud

The Formula Palmer Audi single seaters were good too, plenty of flames, although this,again, might have been done for the show with the cars adjusted to overfuel slightly, but looked good in the dark!

The cars were being driven by the finalists of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award

Pat (on the right, Fiesta) and Liam (on the left,Citroen C4) Doran about to do a rallycross demo - but given these cars are ideal for the slippery surface of the arena (4wd and 600bhp) the show they put on was a little tame compared to what Ive seen them do before, but then again with 17 shows to do over the 4 days of the show and practice sessions, you have to make the cars last

F1 stockcars - big, heavy, fast - and loud with their unsilenced Chevy V8's - always a favourite of mine - you dont just hear them, you feel them

Being RWD with low grip meant they too, were easy to drift around the arena and are full contact racing, so bumping,nudging and pushing is allowed

An original (not a replica) Lancia Stratos, sounded lovely with its raspy Ferrari V6

An original Audi Sport Quattro - driven here by none other than Stig Blomqvist - the original Stig!

And to end, figure of 8 banger racing, the previously made comment regarding 17 shows applies here too, Id say the last show on Sunday was entertaining!

Part 3 soon

Motorsport can be dangerous

A big crash from the FIA GT3 Championship held at Circuit Paul Ricard in France - its a testament to the safety standards that nobody was seriously hurt.

The accident was caused by a bit of rain on small 1 part of the circuit which meant little grip, as the cars were running on dry slick tyres and not intermediates or wet tyres:


And the aftermath with a replay from a different angle which shows how violent the crash was.Look at the damaged armco barrier at the start of this video, after both the Corvette and Audi R8 had hit it very hard, takes a lot of force to cause this amount of damage, to both the cars and the barrier.



The race was abandoned due to the damaged barriers which were replaced for the following days racing

The final of the FIA GT and GT3 championship is on October 25/26 at Zolder in Belgium and whats more you can watch all the qualifying and racing LIVE on the series websites - FIA GT / FIA GT3

Le Mans Series 1000km of Silverstone - Part 2

Part 2 and its onto the 1000km race. A big thanks to Sportscarpros for sorting media access to this 1 for me. The race would last for just over 5 hours and 30mins, plenty of time to visit almost every part of the track and for experimenting with my photos. Here are some observations from the day, far too much to cover, could easily put 4/5 parts to this event

The Kolles Audi R10 TDi at the start, leads the petrol powered chase. The TDi is a clue that this car is diesel powered, yet was still very competitive - Diesel power having several wins at Le Mans now

The race marked the swansong of the GT1 class in the Le Mans Series, but only 3 cars competed,the Larbre Saleen S7-R

The Luc Alphand Corvette C6R -easily the loudest car on track with its rumbling V8

and the Gigawave Aston Martin DBR9, the Aston won this round but the Corvette took the series

Henri Pescarolo looks a bit apprehensive before the start, he should be - his car will be starting at the back, but overtake everyone to lead, then slide down the order with a gearbox problem...

Tomas Enge looks a bit happier, he is on the front row and will end up 3rd

Probably the best known driver in the race today , none other than 1992 F1 World Champion Nigel Mansell, but he is pictured here waiting to go back out on track during the race, as his Ginetta Zytek LMP1 car was in its garage, having a wishbone replaced

The second loudest car after the Corvette, the Drayson Racing GT2 Aston Martin V8 Vantage

The Lola-Aston Martin B09/60, the 007 car is leading the championship and is favourite to win

The Saleen makes a pitstop

and the #007 Aston, typically 5-8 pitstops are needed during the course of the race, more if the car is giving problems. This car finished 3rd overall, but enough to seal the LMP1 championship

The Speedy Racing Sebah Lola Aston Martin LMP1, 2nd overall
008 Aston, 12rd overall

The Team WFR Embassy-Zytek LMP2 car, eventually finishing 14th
The laps tick down, but its not over til its over


The Ibanez - Courage C75 LMP2 car, which placed 17th

The Felbermayr-Proton Porsche 997, 7th in GT2 but enuogh to win the GT2 championship

And the winner overall was the LMP1 Team Oreca Matmut - AIM - completing 195laps - or 1000km in just over 5 hours 30mins.

Ive really enjoyed the 3 sportscar events Ive attended in 2009 and Ill be going to a few more in 2010, bigger and arguably better than the events Ive covered mostly until now!

Sound like Thunder, go like Lightning - FIA GT Championship

Drifting and Time Attack are good, but the odd time a good old fashioned race can be better, so what could be better than exotic sportscar racing and the FIA GT championship at Silverstone

Nothing like a multi million dollar grid, this is the GT3 cup

Or a multi million dollar pit area, no jeeps pulling trailers here, but plenty of trucks, hospitality areas and motorhomes
And all the action, covered on the big screen

Onto the action and the main race, the RAC Tourist Trophy, won by the K plus K motorsport Saleen S7R

Second was the VitaPhone Racing Maserati MC12

Third was the SRT Corvette C6R

There will be new rules for the GT1 category and there were 2 new cars running to these rules, firstly the awesome Ford GT, build by Matech Racing

and the eagerly awaited Nissan R35 GTR, run by Gigawave Motorsport and Nismo. The GTR retired, but the Fords managed 8th and 10th

The winner in GT2 was the ProSpeed Porsche 997 GT3 RS, seen here behind another rumbling GT1 Corvette. GT2 was Porsche 997 vs Ferrari F430, with a sole Aston Martin

on the grid

and behind the Wiesmann GT MF5 safety car

Also on the bill for the weekend was the FIA European GT3 Championship, both races won by the distinctive Morgan Aero 8 GT3, seen here overtaking a Ferrari F430 Scuderia

The GT3 had the biggest and most varied grid though, aswell as the Morgan and Ferrari it featured:

Lamborghini Gallardo GT3

Audi R8 LMS

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S

Jaguar XKR-S

Ford GT

BMW Alpina B6 GT3

Viper Competition Coupe

Corvette Z06R GT3

Aston Martin DBRS9

But the main attraction was still the GT1 cars for most, late on Saturday evening you could have a good look around them as they left scrutineering

But they belong on the track, making you feel your ear drums vibrate and your stomach rumbling.....