Sebastien Loeb’s crash in his own words

Sebastien Loeb has returned the Service Park in Loutraki and has spoken about the crash on SS7 that took him out of the rally.

Loeb said: “It was my fault. It happened after I went around a high-speed right-hand corner, I was bit too sideways then the hit a big stone with the left-hand front wheel and that sent the car into the air. The car rolled over five or six times.

“The car is destroyed. There’s no chance to return tomorrow - the race is over. We are okay, that’s the main thing.”

After two uncharacteristically disappointing rallies, Loeb said his hopes of a record sixth consecutive world title were still very much alive. “Yes we might have lost a lot of championship points but we are still leading - and that’s an important point,” he said.

“Maybe my lead will be less, and that will make it more exciting for some people. It’s bad for Citroen, but that’s the race. We’ll do better next time...” he added.

Source: http://www.wrc.com

Murray powers into Queen's final

British number one Andy Murray stormed into his first grass-court final with a 6-2 6-4 win over Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Aegon Championships at Queen's.

The top seed will face American James Blake on Sunday, after four-times champion Andy Roddick retired with an ankle injury early in their semi-final.

Murray will be full of confidence after an impressive display against Ferrero.

He swept through the first set and was solid when the Spaniard improved in the second, securing victory in 71 minutes.

The 22-year-old Scot's superb form this week after making the transition from clay has increased hopes he can clinch his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.

But Murray is keen to play down the hype, explaining that he is focused on beating Blake, the sixth seed, and nothing else.

"It's so easy based on a few matches to get ahead of yourself," said Murray.

"That's a problem I think that a lot of people have in this country - expecting huge things and thinking that it's just going to happen.

"I need to go out there and make it happen. Any Grand Slams are going to be incredibly tough.

"For me, it might sound boring, and all sports people say it all the time, but I'm not looking or thinking about winning Wimbledon.

"I'm thinking about my match on Sunday and then preparing for the championships the best that I can."

After cruising through the early stages against Ferrero, Murray found it more difficult to finish his opponent off, with the former world number one showing admirable battling qualities when he seemed on the brink of collapse.

Murray got a taste of what was to come when he saw a glorious opportunity to break Ferrero come and go in the opening game of the second set.

The Scot squandered all three break points after leading 40-0 as the world number 90 finally showed some of the form that had helped him into the semi-finals.

And Ferrero then put the Murray serve under pressure for the first time in the next game, taking the first two points, but the Scot hit back with two consecutive aces and his supreme serving throughout meant he never actually faced a break point.

Ferrero's serve was less effective but he clung on, saving two more break points before Murray finally made the breakthrough to lead 4-3.

There was no way back for Ferrero from there and, although he battled on, Murray was relatively untroubled as he served out for victory.

"It was a good match," Murray told BBC Sport afterwards.

"I served very well in the first set and I was happy to win it in two as it was hotter out there than on other days this week.

"I've not had the easiest draw, but I'm lucky I've played well from the start of the week. It's been a good week so far and I hope that will continue on Sunday."

Murray becomes the first British player to reach the final at Queen's since Tim Henman in 2002.

Henman made the final three times in four years, losing the first to America's Pete Sampras in 1999, before Australia's Lleyton Hewitt defeated him in 2001 and 2002.

No British player has won the title since Bunny Austin in 1938.

The world number three might have expected to face Roddick - a winner at Queen's in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007 - in the final but the American's hopes were ended by a freak injury in the third game of his match.

Roddick had unsuccessfully chased down a Blake lob and laughed after attempting to hit the ball between his legs but then slipped off the back of the court and was clearly in pain.

He had his right ankle strapped during a medical time-out and attempted to play on but threw in the towel with the score at 4-4.

The 26-year-old is a two-time runner-up at Wimbledon, losing to Roger Federer in the final in 2004 and 2005, but it is not clear whether his injury will stop him from taking part in this year's tournament, which starts on 22 June.

"I'm going to do everything I can to play at Wimbledon," Roddick said afterwards.

"I met with my trainer and with the doctors. They don't think anything is torn. Initial tests showed the stability was okay. Strength was okay.

"It was just range of motion was limited. So that's good. I'm not saying I'm going to be out six weeks or anything like that. We're looking at days, not weeks."

Blake, 29, last reached the final at Queen's when he lost to Hewitt in 2006 but feels he has a chance to end up a winner this time.

"Anyone that's in a final has the ability to play great tennis, and I'd like to think I do.

"If I'm playing well and putting pressure on him, you know, you take your chances, and a lot of times if you're playing well it's going to come down to a point or two here and there.

"You just take advantage of a break point here, a point in a tie-break there

or something and go after your shots, play aggressive and see what happens."

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

Harrington misses cut in Memphis

Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia's US Open preparations suffered a blow as they missed the cut at the storm-delayed St Jude Classic in Memphis.

Ireland's Harrington ended his second round on Saturday but two bogeys in his last three holes took him to four over, while Spaniard Garcia was three over.

American Brian Gay hit a second-round 66 to take the clubhouse lead at 10 under and ensure the cut came at level.

Robert Allenby finished off with a 64 and starts round three one shot back.

Richard Johnson of Wales undid his opening 67 with a second-round 77 to also bow out, while Sweden's Henrik Stenson also crashed out after shooting a 75 to finish at eight over par for the week.

America's Phil Mickelson, playing in his first tournament since his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer, shot a level-par 70 but made the cut comfortably at two under par.

The second major of the year, the US Open, takes place at the notoriously tough Bethpage Black next week.

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

Teams agree to scrap Kers system

The Formula One Teams' Association has agreed to abandon the energy storage and recovery system (Kers) for the 2010 season, BBC Sport understands.

The optional Kinetic Energy Recovery System can give cars a power boost, but only Ferrari and McLaren are now still using it seven races into the season.

Fota will drop it because of its poor uptake - and pressure from motorsport's governing body, the FIA, to cut costs.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali said it was a "logical decision".

When asked by BBC Sport F1 pundit Eddie Jordan ahead of the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday if Fota teams had agreed and signed by democratic decision to abandon Kers next season in an earlier meeting, Domenicali confirmed that was the case.

"That is our position jointly," he said. "Of course we are the ones that are using it now with McLaren.

"We have invested a lot of money in it and it's difficult for the public to understand how there are cars with Kers and cars with no Kers.

"I think in the view of helping new teams to get into F1, and in order to save money, that is a logical decision - even if we have invested a lot of money in that project."

Under the rules at the start of this season, Kers - which provides drivers with an extra boost of power for 6.7 seconds per lap - would also be in place at the start of 2010.

The power - 80bhp - was also due to be increased next year, meaning all teams would have had to have had it in order to remain competitive.

But that will no longer be the case.

BBC Sport understands that Ferrari are desperate to drop their system because it has been so unreliable for them, while McLaren's package developed by Mercedes has proved more successful.

Though McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh is a fan of Kers, for a variety of reasons, he accepts that dropping it may be the only way forward.

"F1 has to demonstrate it has some green credentials," he told BBC Sport. "But, at the same time, in this economic climate everybody is looking to save costs.

"It has been a huge effort talking about new entrants and making sure these smaller teams stay in F1.

"McLaren's position is we would like to see Kers retained - but we also accept that we have to be responsible members of the F1 community and if the majority don't want to have Kers, or can't afford Kers at the moment, then we have to be realistic."

BMW Sauber and Renault both ran with Kers, which adds extra weight to the car, at the start of the season but both teams stopped experimenting with it after little success.

Championship pacesetters Brawn GP have no plans to introduce Kers to their cars.

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

Suzuki Access 125

Specifications
Dimensions And Dry Mass
Overall length : 1780 mm
Overall width : 650 mm
Overall height : 1125 mm
Wheelbase : 1250 mm
Ground clearance : 160 mm
Seat height : 780 mm
Dry mass : 109 kgs
Engine
Type : Four-stroke, Air-cooled,OHC
Number of cylinders : 1
Displacement : 124 cm3 (cc)
Max Power : 6.4 Kw@7000rpm (8.58hp@7000rpm)
Max Torque : 9.8Nm@5000rpm (1.0kg-m@5500rpm)
Air cleaner : Non-woven fabric element
Transmission : CVT
Starter system : Self & Kick
Suspension
Front : Telescopic
Rear : Swing-arm
Brake :
Front : Drum brake (130 mm)
Rear : Drum brake (130 mm)
Tyre Size :
Front : 90/100-10
Rear : 90/100-10
Electrical :
Spark plug : CHAMPION P-RZ9HC
Battery : 12V, 5Ah
Headlamp : 12V 35/35W
Fuel Tank :
Tank capacity : 6.4 L
Underseat space : 20 L

Source:
http://bikezgallery.blogspot.com

Le Mans ready to accept F1 refugees

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, which runs the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Le Mans Series and provides regulations for the American Le Mans Series, says that it would welcome manufacturers from Formula 1 if they no longer want to take part in Grand Prix racing.

General Manager Remy Brouard refused to say who he has talked to up to this point but told European media that "there is no ideal number. The more, the merrier. They are welcome here. If they make suggestions, we will listen".

Sport car racing was big news in the 1960s and 1970s when Ferrari, Ford, Porsche, Lotus, Alfa Romeo and Matra competed at Le Mans. The era was the highpoint of interest in sports car racing, with the technology and performance of the cars comfortably in excess of what was seen in Formula 1 at the time. In 1972, however, the FIA changed the rules in an effort to cut costs and sport car racing went into decline. CanAm, which was similarly unlimited, was reined back after the oil crisis of 1973.

All of the F1 manufacturers have competed at Le Mans, often as a warm-up for an entry into F1.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo will be the official starter of this year's race tomorrow afternoon and there is talk that Fernando Alonso will attend the race as well.

Source: http://www.grandprix.com

Lewis flummoxed by change of fortune

Lewis Hamilton admits even he does not entirely understand his dramatic change in fortune over the past twelve months, but the McLaren driver insists he has not fallen out of love with Silverstone as he prepares to return to the scene of one of his greatest triumphs next weekend.

Hamilton got his tilt for the Formula One title back on track last season with a glorious victory that moved him back to the top of the drivers championship he would go on to win.

A year down the line, in the last British Grand Prix to held at the track before it is moved to Donnington Park, Hamilton would have been hoping for a repeat performance to bolster the defence of his crown.

Instead, his title has already been all but relinquished in a season where he has had to be content with scraps as fellow Briton Jenson Button takes the glory and the publicity.

Button will be looking to continue his relentless march to the 2009 championship with a seventh Grand Prix win of the season in his Brawn GP next Sunday, while Hamilton - in a vastly inferior McLaren - will simply be happy to get in the points places at all.

The turnaround has left many bewildered, not least Hamilton himself, but the 24-year-old is determined to enjoy the Silverstone send-off and retains the hope that he will be a contender again next season.

"I don't feel this year I've had more pressure than I've had before but it's definitely been a different situation," Hamilton said.

"If I had the opportunity to defend, I would be defending but clearly I haven't had the car to be able to do that.

"I think this year I have to just keep learning and enjoying the year, but hopefully next year we can go back for another win.

"I don't think people necessarily always understand what's going on in the sport, they don't understand why these things happen.

"I don't understand how we've come to where we are now but they (the media) have got a job to do, and you have to respect that, everyone has their own opinions.

"I love the Silverstone Grand Prix and its going to be a very special one because its the last Silverstone Grand Prix that we are going to have for some time.

"Being in my home country, being around my people, having the support - last year especially was incredible - and bringing the world championship back to the UK, it makes me very proud.

"It doesn't matter how young you are or how old you are, they're all there supporting and waving the British flag for myself and Jenson so I really hope they enjoy it and I'm looking forward to it too."

Source: http://www.planetf1.com

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