Vettel drives Toro Rosso to pick up Bandini trophy

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel journeyed to Italy on Sunday to receive the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy in recognition of his outstanding performances last year with Toro Rosso. The award is given annually by the Italian village of Brisighella, in memory of local driver Bandini, who was killed at the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix.

During his first full Formula One season, Vettel clinched a stunning wet-weather victory at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix and finished eighth in the championship standings with 35 points.

Rather than being driven to the event, Vettel chose to drive himself, getting behind the wheel of the Toro Rosso Formula One car for the 12-kilometre journey from the Italian team’s factory in Faenza to Brisighella. With the roads remaining open, Vettel enjoyed the unusual experience of weaving in and out of normal traffic, with his police escort.

Once he arrived at the Italian village, local dignitaries and members of the Bandini family were on hand to present the trophy. Also in attendance was the mayor of Vettel’s home town in Germany, Heppenheim, who had an additional award for the driver - a pair of personalised road car number plates, which read HPSV1.

Previous recipients of the Bandini trophy include Felipe Massa, Mark Webber, Kimi Raikkonen, Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher and Robert Kubica.

Source:
http://www.formula1.com

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Williams suspended from teams’ association

Williams have been temporarily suspended from the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA). It follows Monday’s confirmation that Williams have lodged a formal entry for next year’s championship, despite the ongoing dispute between the teams and the FIA over the 2010 regulations.

“FOTA’s decision, although regrettable, is understandable,” said team principal Frank Williams after the news emerged from a meeting of team bosses in London on Wednesday. “However, as a racing team and a company whose only business is Formula One, with obligations to our partners and our employees, submitting our entry to next year’s championship was unquestionable.

"In addition, we are legally obliged under our contract with FOM and the FIA to participate in the world championship until the end of 2012.”

Teams have until this Friday (May 29) to submit their entries for 2010, but several have suggested they will not do so unless the FIA modifies plans to introduce an optional £40 million budget cap in exchange for more technical freedom.

During last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix all ten teams wrote to the FIA, requesting that the existing 2009 technical rules be retained for next season to allow more time for the future framing of the Formula One regulations to be considered.

Source:
http://www.formula1.com

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Cagiva Navigator 1000 (2005)

Technical Specifications

Engine Engine type Bore x Stroke Displacement Max power Max torque Valves Gearbox Final drive	Liquid cooled, l-twin, 4-stroke 98 mm x 66 mm 342 cm3 (cc) 97 hp (72.3 kW) @ 8400 rpm 88 Nm (64.9 ft. lbs) @ 7000 rpm 4 valves per cylinder 6-Speed Chain
Dimensions Overall length Overall width Seat height Wheelbase Ground clearance Dry weight Fuel capacity Tyre (front) Tyre (rear) Suspension (front) Suspension (rear) Brake (front) Brake (rear)	2168 mm 825 mm 850 mm 1530 mm (60.2 inches) 180 mm 210 kg (463 pounds) 20 l (5.3 gallon US) 100/90-19 140/80-17 45 mm telescopic hydraulic fork Proggresive type with single hydraulic shock single 296 mm disc with 4-piston calipers single 240 mm disc with 2-piston calipers

Image:
http://www.scenicreflections.com

Source:
http://www.fixya.com

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BMW R 1200 CL (2003)

Technical Specifications

Engine Engine type Bore x Stroke Displacement Compression ratio Max power Max torque Valves Gearbox Final drive

4-stroke, 2 cylinder opposed Boxer air/oil cooled 101 mm x 73 mm 1170 cm3 (cc) 10:1 61 hp (45.5 kW) @ 5000 rpm 98 Nm (72.3 ft. lbs) @ 3000 rpm 4 valves per cylinder 6-Speed Cardan

Dimensions Overall length Overall width Seat height Wheelbase Dry weight Fuel capacity Tyre (front) Tyre (rear) Suspension (front) Suspension (rear) Brake (front) Brake (rear)

2415 mm (95.1 inches) 853 mm (33.6 inches) 745 mm (29.3 inches) 1650 mm (65 inches) 305 kg (672.4 pounds) 17,5 l (4.6 gallon US) 100/90-18 170/80-15 Motorrad telelever, ctanchion diameter mm, central strut. 145 mm wheel travel Die cast aluminium single sided swing arm with BMW Motorrad Monolever, WAD strut, spring preload adjustable to continuously variable levels by means of hydraulic handwheel. 100 mm wheel travel dual 305 mm discs with 4-piston calipers single 285 mm disc with 2-piston calipers

Source:
http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za

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Button 'shows Schumacher traits'

Championship leader Jenson Button is showing some of the same character traits as Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, says team chief Ross Brawn.

In 2004 Brawn and Button's team-mate Rubens Barrichello were at Ferrari when Schumacher won the first five races. In 2009 Button has won five out of six.

"Rubens has had his occasions when he beat Michael and he was a pretty strong reference," said Brawn.

"The fact Jenson's won these races with Rubens in the team sets the standard."

Brawn said the way Button had handled his latest win in Monaco was reminiscent of seven-time champion Schumacher in his prime.

"There was a bit in the race where Jenson was coming up to a group that were racing each other and we were talking on the pit wall and saying maybe he should ease the pace back a bit and not get mixed up in it," he said.

"And he came on the radio almost simultaneously and said 'Look guys, I don't want to get involved in that, what's going on in front, I'm going to ease back a bit'.

"So he's gaining in that mental capacity to do things as well as driving the car."

Button's 16-point lead over team-mate Barrichello means he is sure to be championship leader for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on 21 June.

And having already won in Monaco, where he now lives, Button admitted he would get even more satisfaction from racing on his real home soil.

"I always love the British Grand Prix, it's obviously my proper home grand prix," he said.

"Turning up there leading the championship, it's going to be a nice feeling and hopefully I'll put on a good show in front of the home crowd."

Button signed a one-year deal with the Brawn team on considerably reduced terms after the demise of the old Honda team during the close season.

But such has been his instant impact that Brawn chief executive officer Nick Fry is keen to tie him down on a longer-term deal.

"Jenson's been with us a long time, and we've had failures and we've had successes," he said.

"My objective, and our objective, is to have him for the rest of his career, and nothing's changed on that front.

"It's mutual that he would like to stay with the team, and after five race wins, we should be able to get something together."

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk

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Raikkonen ready to go rallying again this weekend

After an impressive debut performance in January’s arduous Arctic Lapland Rally - he finished 13th - it seems Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen has caught the rallying bug. Swapping the snow of Finland for Italian tarmac, this weekend Raikkonen will take part in the annual Rally della Marca alongside co-driver Kaj Lindstrom.

“I'll race in a rally in Italy, in the Marca Trevigiana, and I want to thank the Scuderia that they gave me the possibility to take part in such a competition,” Raikkonen told Ferrari’s official website. “I really enjoy myself and it will be my first experience on the tarmac after some tests on snow last winter.

The shakedown for the Italian event will take place on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s race. "As I'm coming from the race track it will be interesting to see what I will be able to do behind the wheel of the Fiat Grande Punto S2000 on the roads close to Treviso,” he added.

Raikkonen heads to the rally on a high, after his return to the podium at last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. The Finn, who last finished in the top three at the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, believes that the team’s efforts are starting to pay off and that a race win in 2009 is now a real possibility, if they continue to improve the F60.

“Being back on the podium is a nice reward for the whole team,” he added. “The hard work of the last few weeks has finally borne some fruit, which is really positive for all of us. We know that we're on the right way now. There are still some minor things to be done but sooner or later we will win.

"We'll show up with further improvements of the F60 in the upcoming races and we hope we can then challenge the leaders even more, in the qualifying and in the race.”

Source:
http://www.formula1.com

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Honda VT 500 C Shadow (1984)

Technical Specifications

Engine Engine type Bore x Stroke Displacement Compression ratio Max power Max torque Valves Fuel system Clutch Gearbox Ratios Starting system Ignition

liquid cooled, v-twin, 4-stroke 65 mm x 45.2 mm 491 cm3 (cc) 11.6:1 78.2 hp (58.3 kW) @ 10500 rpm 58 Nm (42.8 ft. lbs) @ 8000 rpm DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder 34mm slanted flat-slide VP-type carburettors Wet, multiplate with coil springs Manual 6-Speed 1e 2.928 (41/14), 2nd 2.062 (33/16), 3th 1.647 (28/17), 4th 1.368 (26/19), 5th 1.200 (24/20), 6th 1.086 (25/23) Electric starter Computer-controlled digital transistorised with electronic advance

Dimensions Dry weight Fuel capacity Frame type Suspension (front) Suspension (rear) Tyre (front) Tyre (rear) Brake (front) Brake (rear)

180 kg (396.8 pounds) 12,5 l (3.3 gallon US) Mono-backbone; rectangular-section steel tube 41mm telescopic fork, 120 mm travel Monoshock damper with 7-step adjustable preload, 125 mm travel 120/70-17 160/60-17 dual 296 mm discs with 2-piston calipers single 240 mm disc with 1-piston calipers

Image:
http://www.motorera.com

Source:
http://www.fixya.com

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