This year the two main Mercedes-McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen will race with two very special helmets sporting a Forevermark diamond encrusted Steinmetz logo and the drivers signature on top of the helmet are lined with hundreds of handcrafted diamonds.

*****CLICK HERE for ALL PHOTOS and VIDEO *****

Lewis Hamilton has been promised a $4 million McLaren supercar for free - if he wins the world titles this year. The 23-year-old British driver told The Sun newspaper that he first clapped eyes on the ultra-rare McLaren LM in the team’s F1 factory ten years ago.

“When I first went to McLaren it was there and I fell in love with it,” he said of the orange LM, one of only five such cars in the world. Dennis, 60, says Hamilton can have the car if he wins the 2008 title, and McLaren is crowned constructors’ champion.

“Fortunately, our deal gives me a bit of time to save up!” Dennis joked.

Hamilton currently leads the drivers’ title from Kimi Raikkonen by three points, while McLaren sits five points ahead of BMW-Sauber in the teams’ standings. (GMM)

CLICK HERE to read the REST of this McLaren F1 LM article

At the recent 2008 Geneva Auto Show, Mercedes unveiled the 2 AMG models to be used as safety cars for the upcoming F1 season. This is the 8th generation of safety car since 1996 when AMG started being the official F1 supplier.

Two different cars are used, each with a distinct purpose. One is usually a coupe that sits (idling the whole time, with driver Bernd Maylander inside in full race gear, air conditioning blasting) on the side of the race track waiting to storm out anytime there is a yellow flag and all the race cars have to be speed-limited and coast around behind it for a couple of laps. The other car is a station wagon that drives behind the cars for lap 1, and comes out like an ambulance when there is a severe crash.

This year, instead of a traditional coupe, the safety car is based on a convertible - an AMG SL63 replaces the CLK 63 used in 2006-07. This SL is a good 480 lbs lighter, thanks to a fixed roof and generous helpings of carbon fiber. Other significant upgrades include big carbon ceramic brakes, better cooling, a roll bar, racing seats, four-point harnesses, as well as redesigned front and rear fascias.

The medical car is a C63 AMG Estate, kitted with a bunch of sophisticated emergency safety equipment. It is always occupied by the same driver, and co-driver (both physicians) for every race. There are 2 additional medical personnel that ride in the back.

Both cars feature the venerable 6.2L AMG V8 - the SL coupe with 525 horsepower, and
the wagon with 457 hp. Both cars also feature dash mounted tv screens, so occupants can watch the race closely (without commercials) while parked trackside.

Another exciting season of Formula 1 kicks off in Australia next weekend.

In 2008, two-time world champion cry baby Fernando Alonso is going back to Renault! Alonso has signed a 2 year, $50m per season deal to once again drive for managing director Flavio Briatore (Heidi Klum’s baby’s papa), with whom he won the Drivers Championship in 2005 and 2006.

Fernando is leaving McLaren, the team he joined in 2007 after a very turbulent season. Alonso and the team principal Ron Dennis are parting on bad terms, to put it mildly.

Alonso will also get all the requisite perks he no doubt demanded, including minimal sponsor work, an easy exit clause, and number one driver status within the team. His team-mate will be another 22 year old rookie that started racing while in diapers; Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr (Piquet Sr is a 3-Time World Champion) who was a test driver for the Renault F1 team in 2007.

This new twist to the F1 soap opera is especially interesting, as Renault was the top team when they had Fernando. They won the championship 2 years back to back. But as soon as Fernando was gone, the Renault team became crap… usually running mid-field, and having a disappointing 2007 season If Fernando’s return to Renault brings Renault back to the front of the pack, it will really show how much effect the driver can have on the car.

Flavio Briatore:
“We are delighted to be welcoming Fernando back home to the team where he enjoyed his greatest success. His abilities as a driver and a team leader are well known, and we look forward to forging another strong partnership. What’s more, he knows the team well and how we operate; he will feel comfortable straight away in this environment.”

Nelson Piquet Jr:
“First of all, I want to thank Flavio and Renault for putting their confidence in me for 2008,” said Piquet. “It is a fantastic opportunity to make my Formula One debut with one of the top teams on the grid, and alongside one of the very best drivers in the sport. This drive is something I have been working towards since the end of 2006, and I am proud that my performances as test driver have earned me this position. I am looking forward to teaming up with Fernando, and learning from him. As a rookie, there is no better way to start your career than to have a double world champion as your reference point.”

Fernando Alonso:
“I am delighted to be returning to Renault,” said Alonso. “This is the team where I grew up as a driver in Formula One. Now it is time for us to begin a new chapter together. I am very excited about working with this great team once more, and confident that together we can move back to the front of the field. Renault had a difficult year in 2007, but I know that the team has real strength in depth. I am confident they can produce a fast and competitive car and be back at the top in 2008.”

This is rediculous. I don’t understand “we didn’t reach an agreement”. What the hell is there to agree on? F1 comes to the USA and everyone is happy in the make glorious benefit country of the world. F1 gets American love, America gets F1 love, and everyone makes shit loads of money. I guess the trend of making as much money as possible using one of the largest events in the world as your vehicle is starting to reverse itself, sorta like the poles of our planet.

“After several discussions, Bernie Ecclestone and I were unable to agree how to keep Formula One in Indianapolis for the near term,” said IMS chief executive Tony George in a statement.

So seeing that there was no agreement reached after several discussions it’s most likely because someone is being a greedy bastard. UN-REAL. These guys obviously both need to enroll in a negotiating course because no deal is not a good deal for anyone when it comes to F1 destinations.

Ecclestone explained to Reuters “We didn’t reach an agreement… Let’s see if we miss America,” adding that no other U.S. venue was lined up to replace Indianapolis on the 2008 calendar.

This will most likely mean that my trip to Montreal next year for the Canadian Grand Prix will be that much crazier because of all the folks in the USA coming up north to my igloo laden country to get a taste of F1 next year. GREAT as if we need to deal with Montreal being that much crazier than it already is during that weekend.

“However, we have agreed to leave the door open for a potential future date. “It has been a pleasure having the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis, and I hope that as we approach our Centennial Era at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, an opportunity might present itself that would allow its return,” Ecclestone further explained.

“We most definitely should have a race here and if you ask me, maybe two or even more in the United States,” said Mercedes motorsport vice-president Norbert Haug after this year’s race at Indianapolis last month.

This story woke me up pretty fast today, a feat usually reserved for my morning coffee!

Click here for the full REUTERS ARTICLE.

Since Rookie Superstar Lewis Hamilton has been DOMINATING (see the ‘Race Pos’ column) 2007 Formula1 season, interest in the sport has been rising across the planet.
One place where interest is sky-high is in the United Kingdom. The British Grand Prix takes place at the Silverstone racetrack on July 8th. Until then the English get treated to F1 Team testing currently going on at Silverstone, as well as the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place this weekend.

All 4 current British F1 drivers (Lewis Hamilton, David Coulthard, Jenson Button, and Anthony Davidson) have confirmed participation at this year’s festival. In addition to the current stars, several familiar British F1 faces such as Sir Jackie Stewart, Damon Hill, Martin Brundle, Mark Blundell, Sir Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Patrick Head, Ross Brawn, David Richards, Christian Horner and Adrian Newey have attended the Festival in recent years and may be present once again this year. Along with McLaren, Honda, and Red Bull Racing, Toyota and Ferrari will be on hand demonstrating their latest F1 packages.

If you have never stood on the side of a track and experienced the sound and fury of a formula 1 car passing you at full-throttle, I would highly recommend you add that to your list of things to do while you are still alive. To get you in the mood, crank up that volume and check out this short video taken yesterday during testing at Silverstone. Thanks to Maddogmadox for the video.

It is always particularly interesting to see what race car drivers drive when off the track. CART racer Alex Tagliani and his super hot model wife Bronte Tagliani have two cars - a Lincoln Navigator and a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS sedan. The silver CLS is kitted out with Brabus rims, wheels and suspension.

The Globe and Mail article also talks about his first car (VW GTi), his next car (Maserati Quattroporte) and his reasons for not driving something more racecar driver worthy (911 GT3?) The reporter however fails to mention whether it’s a CLS 550 or a CLS 55 - Quite the oversight if you ask me! You cannot even tell from the single picture of the CLS as he is standing right in front of where the AMG fender logo would be.

Source: [Globeauto.com]

What a way to start off the morning!!! The sun is out in full force for the 1st time in 3 weeks, so life is automatically great. Then I get to work and what is waiting for me in my inbox? A killer video link from my friend Jesse @ Whynatte.com that will turbo charge even your most sleepy morning at the office. So crank up the volume, fire up a Whynatte and enjoy the sweet ass sound of the Honda V10 F1 Engine being tested on a dyno.

Its so Freaking Super Sweet I can guarantee you will watch it more than once!

What is even more exciting is that Vinay and I will be at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal (June 8-10) for our 3rd year in a row, and I can guarantee you stories and coverage like no other site out there!

With the second race of the 17 race series about to start in two hours, this year’s Formula 1 Championship is shaping up to be the most interesting and dramatic season in ages. This is a direct result of last year’s departure of the winningest driver in F1 history.

At the end of the 2006 season, King Schumacher stepped out of his Ferrari with 91 race wins, SEVEN World Championships and over $800 Million in earnings. His retirement is analogous to removing the largest planet in a stable solar system, resulting in an immense rebalancing before any equilibrium returns. When the dust settled, we are left with a captivating reality-tv show featuring 3 fascinating characters, all starting brand new jobs this year:

The Champion

Fernando Alonso is one of the most famous athletes on Earth. A national treasure in Spain, Fernando is arguably the best driver on the grid. Along with TWO World Championships, he also holds the distinction of being the youngest driver to win a race, and the youngest World Champion ever, winning his first title just shy of his 24th birthday.

Known as a polite and friendly celebrity, the dedicated, hard working and hyper-disciplined sportsman has been driving since the age of three. On the track, Fernando almost never makes a mistake. Snagging Alonso in 2007 was a giant win for McLaren, giving them a real chance to beat the all powerful Ferrari team.

The Rock Star

Kimi Raikkonen is the coolest dude in F1 today . The IceMan’s new office is the cockpit of the fastest car on the track - a shiny red Ferrari. He is also the highest paid driver on the track, earning a reported base salary of $51 million a year. That’s more than $1 million per hour when he’s racing!

Ian of SuitcaseOfCourage.com described him cleverly and aptly as the “driver that scores the most off-track” because “the Dude drives for Ferrari, likes to get absolutely hammered, and shows his trouser snake at strip clubs.”

When Ferrari forbade him from entering a dangerous endurance snow-mobile race way up near the north pole, he entered anyways, under a different name (and won.) After winning the first Grand Prix three weeks ago in Australia, he got a giant heavy metal themed tattoo on his forearm. No idea if he intends to continue wallpapering his frame as he racks up the trophys. 2007 could be the year Kimi gets his first World Championship!

The Rookie

Lewis Hamilton is the most heralded rookie to enter the sport in over a decade. At the age of eleven, Lewis, already an accomplished racer, approached Ron Dennis, owner of McLaren, and boldly stated that he intended to race in the McLaren F1 team one day. Three years later, Ron Dennis formally signed him up. He has been groomed by McLaren for the last eight years.

Lewis has kicked serious ass in every race series he’s been in while working his way up towards his F1 seat. He represents the highest level in Top Gun fighter pilot style training. This year he starts besides Fernando Alonso in the other McLaren car, as the first black driver in F1.

Along with trying to keep up with a teammate who is a two time world champion, this future household name also has to fight the two Ferraris. While a first or second place for the season may be unrealistic, a third place would be an awesome start to what will surely be a super illustrious F1 career.

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At the end of the first race, this is how the podium looked:
1. Kimi Raikkonen
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Lewis Hamilton.

The question is, how will the final results look at the end of the season (Oct 21, Brazil.) We can safely speculate that the 2007 World Champion will be driving either a Ferrari or a McLaren but then again, reality television is notorious for its unscripted surprises.