Races and Competitions

The Lotus F1 Team has teamed up with Warner Bros Pictures to produce a one-off Mad Max Hybrid. Described as an F1 car "reimagined for a post-apocalyptic future," the Mad Max Hybrid features spikes, flame throwers and five-spoke alloy wheels with off-road tires.  The model also has skulls mounted on the front wing.   In a statement, Lotus F1 Team CEO Matthew Carter said “[The] Lotus F1 Team is always viewed as a challenger team, so this was a fantastic opportunity to work with Warner Bros...

Audi appears to have taken a step closer to formula one.   Mere days ago, constant rumours that the Volkswagen brand is considering a grand prix foray were given a boost by former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.   "A mutual friend told me that (Red Bull owner Dietrich) Mateschitz is thinking of selling and is trying to convince Audi to come in," said the Italian.   Auto Express, a British weekly, went straight to Audi chairman Rupert Stadler to ask him for a "yes or no" answer...

Eyebrows were being raised on Thursday as Fernando Alonso refused to take his dark sunglasses off during the official FIA press conference.   Earlier this week, on social media, the McLaren driver showed photographs of a stye in his eye, and then his trip to McLaren's driver simulator in Woking -- wearing dark glasses inside.   "I have to keep them on," the Spaniard said as he prepared for Thursday's media activities ahead of his home grand prix.   A source explained that an eye...

Susie Wolff has admitted she still feels "very far away" from the formula one grid.   Actually, the 32-year-old is much closer than others, as she will take over Valtteri Bottas' Williams on Friday morning ahead of the Spanish grand prix.   It will mark the "40th anniversary of the last time a female driver scored a world championship point in formula one," the British team said in a statement.   Wolff said: "I do feel very, very close but in the same respect very far...

The Lewis Hamilton contract saga looks set to continue throughout yet another race weekend or two.   The reigning world champion's repeatedly delayed new Mercedes deal has triggered rumours he might be considering a switch to Ferrari.   But in the last days, German reports indicated a new three-year agreement has finally been signed by both sides, with team chairman Niki Lauda declaring recently: "Everything will be fixed by the Spanish grand prix".   The Austrian and F1 legend,...

Fernando Alonso will this week reunite with the medical team that nursed him back to health after his winter testing crash.   Spain's El Mundo newspaper reports that the McLaren-Honda driver has invited members of the Hospital General de Catalunya out for dinner ahead of this weekend's Spanish grand prix at the Barcelona circuit.   Friday practice will then be the 33-year-old's first laps of the Circuit de Catalunya since he was taken to hospital after mysteriously crashing in the fast...

Sauber has backed former FIA president Max Mosley's renewed call for a budget cap in formula one.   Earlier this week, ahead of the Strategy Group's crunch meeting on May 14 about the future, Mosley told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport that teams should revisit the idea of limiting their budgets to $100 million per year.   Under Mosley's plan, those who sign up to the budget cap would get much more technical rules freedom, while teams who want to spend more would be limited to the...

Mercedes was caught by surprise by Ferrari's 2015 resurgence, according to 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve.   In Australia, the reigning world champion team appeared to have maintained or even extended its dominance of 2014 by easily driving to a one-two.   But then in Malaysia, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel won on merit.   "It seems that, having achieved success, the team (Mercedes) relaxed a little bit," Villeneuve told France's Auto Hebdo.   "I think Mercedes did not believe...

Last year, it seemed clear that Fernando Alonso would be joining Mark Webber and Nico Hulkenberg in a F1 super-team lineup for Porsche at the 2015 Le Mans 24 hours.The reasons Spaniard Alonso ultimately did not join in have this week been the subject of media speculation.Finland's Ilta Sanomat claims Alonso, 33, was banned from participating due to a clause in his new McLaren-Honda contract.The report said McLaren decided to trigger the ban on the grounds of safety, following the horror...

 Codemasters has taken gamers by surprise this week, announcing and launching a new rally game called DiRT Rally that’s significantly different to previous titles in the DiRT series.   DiRT Rally has been made available to buy via Steam’s Early Access program. What you get with the Early Access program is a decent-sized chunk of finished game, and you can offer your feedback/suggestions to Codemasters in order to better develop the game before its full official launch.   The new game...