Yamaha riders unveil new YZF-R1 in Las Vegas

All four Yamaha MotoGP riders took part in the global unveiling of the all-new Yamaha R1 today in a suitably glittering show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fiat Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, plus Tech 3 Yamaha team-mates Colin Edwards and James Toseland were surprise guests at the unveiling, which took place in front of 3000 Yamaha US dealers at the famous Mirage Hotel.

The all-new version of the R1, Yamaha's premium performance road bike, is more closely linked than ever to the YZR-M1 on which the four riders contest the MotoGP championship. The riders each came on stage aboard a different colour version of the machine, before being interviewed about it's qualities in relation to their own MotoGP bikes.

Next stop for the foursome will be the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the inaugural MotoGP race at the famous venue, which takes place this Sunday.

Valentino Rossi
"This is a great bike, it's very like my M1 and it's exciting to see so many MotoGP qualities now appearing on a bike for the road. I think everyone who loves the R1 and Yamaha will be very excited about this new version, it's fantastic!"

Jorge Lorenzo
"I think this bike will be very popular. Yamaha have worked very hard to try to make it as like our M1 as possible and it seems they have done a fantastic job. The cornering and agility especially is great, which is of course one of the best qualities of the M1."

Source:
http://www.yamaha-motor-europe.com

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Bruno Senna eager for F1 debut

Bruno Senna has said he will not mind if he begins his formula one career with a smaller team.

The 24-year-old, whose famous late uncle Ayrton Senna won three world championships, currently lies second overall in this season's GP2 standings.

Rumours are beginning to intensify that he is knocking on the door of a 2009 formula one debut; possibly with the team (Toro Rosso) co-owned by his uncle's former teammate and friend, Gerhard Berger, or perhaps even BMW-Sauber.

Senna gave little away to the Cologne newspaper Express.

"I really have no favourite team," he said.

"First I want the GP2 title. It is hard enough, and still not a guarantee of a good formula one car."

Even so, all previous GP2 champions - Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Timo Glock - currently race in F1, as do 2005 and 2006 runners-up Heikki Kovalainen and Nelson Piquet.

Even last year's runner-up, Lucas di Grassi, is currently a Renault test driver.

Senna, however, is not counting on immediately finding himself at the wheel of a winning F1 car.

"What happened to Lewis Hamilton was unique," he said. "I want to take my first step in formula one, and it is just luck about which cockpits are free.

"If I cannot debut with a top team, I will have to first prove myself with a smaller one," he added.

Source:
http://www.focusf1.com

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Force India considering engine supplier switch?

Force India may be considering a change of customer engine supplier for the 2009 season, according to reports.

The Silverstone based team, having changed ownership prior to the start of this season, is currently powered by Ferrari's 2.4 litre V8s.

But according to the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell, meetings may already have taken place - in the Montreal paddock earlier this month - between Force India and Honda chiefs.

Force India is contractually bound to the Ferrari deal, but it is suggested that the Vijay Mallya-owned squad is interested in Honda's offer of engines plus its KERS system at a lower price.

Rumours have abounded since the collapse of the Honda satellite Super Aguri this year that Honda is still keen to expand its F1 presence beyond the Brackley based works team.

Motorsport Aktuell claims that Honda is offering its engine-KERS package to Force India for a price 10 million euros per season lower than the Ferrari deal, as long as Takuma Sato is accommodated for a race seat.

Force India has reportedly not yet taken a decision.

Source:
http://www.focusf1.com

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British GP future just '50-50' - Damon Hill

BRDC president Damon Hill has estimated Silverstone's chances of retaining the British grand prix beyond 2009 at just "50-50".

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone is demanding higher race fees and substantial improvements to the circuit in Northamptonshire.

"I would say 50-50 is probably about right," Hill, also 1996 world champion, told British reporters at the Silverstone test on Thursday.

"It's one step at a time; the negotiations typically will be ongoing and I expect won't come to a conclusion until the final hour, whenever that is."

The track's owner, the British Racing Drivers' Club, has devised plans for new facilities at Silverstone, but money is still the key hurdle.

One ingredient in Silverstone's favour, however, is Lewis Hamilton, whose popularity must be credited for a sell-out crowd for next weekend's British grand prix.

10,000 attended the circuit on Thursday, to watch the McLaren driver simply top the test times.

"(He is) very important," Hill acknowledged. "But I would not presume that because we have got Lewis Hamilton contending for the world championship, that guarantees the future of the grand prix."

Another factor on Britain's side is the apparent FIA protection - part of the contracts between the governing body and F1's owners - for the British GP and other 'traditional' races on the calendar.

But unlike some of the British media, Hill does not scoff at reports that Donington is a possibility to host the British grand prix from 2010, although admitting that the government is unlikely to come to Silverstone's rescue.

The 47-year-old, though, didn't want to wade too far into the murky politics between Ecclestone and the FIA's Max Mosley at present.

"We would like to avoid the taking of sides on that one. But if there was a way of it becoming a protected event, that would be of interest - but we are certainly not relying on that," Hill said.

Source:
http://www.focusf1.com

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LG C2600

Specifications
LG C2600

Network	2G 3G	GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
Size	Dimensions Weight Display	102 x 46.5 x 18.5 mm (4.02 x 1.83 x 0.73 in) 88 gram LCD, 65K colors 128 x 128 pixels,  1.6 inches, 1:1 ratio (~113 ppi density)
Memory	Phonebook Call records Internal Card slot	Yes 20 dialed, 20 received, 20 missed calls
Data	GPRS EDGE 3G WLAN Bluetooth Infrared port USB	Class 8 Yes
Features	OS CPU Messaging Alert Browser Radio GPS Games Camera Video Colors Java	SMS, MMS Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3 ringtones WAP 2.0/xHTML FM radio Yes VGA Black Yes - Mini-SIM - Downloadable wallpapers - 120 MB USB Pen Drive memory - MP3 player - Predictive text input - Organizer - Voice memo - Clock - Calendar - Alarm
Battery	Stand-by Talk time	Standard Li-Ion battery Up to 200 h Up to 2 h 30 min

Image: http://www.welectronics.c

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LG KG120

Specifications
LG KG120

Network	2G 3G	GSM 900 / 1800
Size	Dimensions Weight Display	85 x 43 x 22 mm (3.35 x 1.69 x 0.87 in) 80 gram CSTN, 65K colors 128 x 128 pixels, 1:1 ratio
Memory	Phonebook Call records Internal Card slot	Yes 20 dialed, 10 received, 10 missed calls 500 kb
Data	GPRS EDGE 3G WLAN Bluetooth Infrared port USB	Class 10
Features	OS CPU Messaging Ringtones Browser Radio GPS Games Camera Video Colors Java	SMS, EMS Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic ringtones WAP 2.0/xHTML Yes Silver - Mini-SIM - Second external mono display - Predictive text input - Calculator - World time - Unit converter - Clock - Calendar - Alarm
Battery	Stand-by Talk time	Standard battery, Li-Ion 830 mAh Up to 200 h Up to 3 h

Image: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_kg120-pictures-1743.php

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Chelsea open legal proceedings against Lyn and Andersen over Mikel transfer

Chelsea have issued a high court claim for £16m against the Norwegian club FC Lyn Oslo and their disgraced former chief executive, Morgan Andersen, over the controversial purchase of John Mikel Obi, though there seems little prospect of the Premier League club being able to recoup all the money they paid for the Nigeria midfielder.

Mikel arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2006 in a complicated deal that saw some £4m paid to Lyn Oslo and £12m to Manchester United, who believed they had originally signed the player on professional terms. However, Andersen was convicted in an Oslo court earlier this year of forging contracts relating to Chelsea and Mikel, which enabled the Norwegian club to gain a slice of the player's transfer fee. Chelsea duly informed Lyn that the deal was based on a fraudulent misrepresentation that the player had an employment contract at the Oslo club and that they would seek full repayment.

Chelsea have privately stressed that they are not attempting to put Lyn Oslo out of business, and it appears unlikely that the Norwegian club, currently mid-table in their domestic league, would have the funds to pay anything close to the £16m compensation demanded. With that in mind, the two clubs are involved in "positive discussions" in a bid to reach some kind of compromise over the case, the pursuit of which has fast become a point of principal for the Premier League leaders.

Although Chelsea are technically seeking the return of the entire fee, the most likely result will be an out-of-court settlement between the clubs, given their willingness to maintain dialogue. "The claim is against FC Lyn Oslo and Morgan Andersen and follows the criminal conviction in Norway of Lyn's former chief executive officer," said a Chelsea spokesman. "It is for the entire £16m fee paid by Chelsea for the player as it is now clear, following Andersen's conviction, that the transfer was based on the fraudulent misrepresentation that Mikel had an employment contract with Lyn.

"Chelsea has written to Lyn to make clear that because the transfer was based on a fraudulent misrepresentation, now proven by a court of law, the settlement previously agreed is not binding. Chelsea is in contact with Lyn and looks forward to working positively with them to resolve the claim promptly. Chelsea would like to make clear that this legal action is against Lyn and Morgan Andersen."

That reflects the reality that Manchester United, who declined to comment, are not involved in any way in Chelsea's pursuit of the money they paid two years ago. Indeed, Chelsea are not intending to involve their Premier League rivals in the high court case. However, this should prove the final twist in a saga that infuriated Sir Alex Ferguson who, along with United, had been convinced that Mikel was bound for Old Trafford rather than Stamford Bridge some two years ago.

Mikel claimed to have signed a youth contract with Lyn in 2005 but, within a week, United announced they had agreed to sign him on professional terms at the end of the Norwegian season in January 2006. The player was even photographed wearing a United shirt, only for Chelsea also to claim to have reached an agreement to sign the player. That prompted United and Lyn to report the London club and the player's agents, John Shittu and Rune Hauge, to Fifa and it was not until June 2006, some 14 months after the saga first flared up, that Chelsea agreed a compromise deal to pay both Lyn and United for the player's services.

That decision was made on the basis that Mikel was under contract in Oslo, the reality of which was dispelled when Andersen — the chief executive at the Norwegian club at the time — was convicted of making false accusations and fraud over the agreement that apparently existed between his club and the midfielder. He was given a one-year suspended sentence after a court decided the professional contract Mikel subsequently denied ever signing and which committed him to the club actually carried a signature cut out from the amateur agreement to which he had previously been tied.

Source:
http://www.guardian.co.uk

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