F1 News - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Sebastian Vettel crashes as Valtteri Bottas top
https://ift.tt/2XXCNlC Sebastian Vettel crashed his Ferrari late in first practice at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The German, who flew into Abu Dhabi late following the birth of his third child, spun at Turn 19 under the hotel circuit and hit the wall. It damaged his wheel and suspension but Ferrari should repair the left-rear corner of the for the second session. Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas set the pace in what was a low-key and inconclusive session. Vettel's crash, which brought the session to a close a couple of minutes early, was caused when he caught the inside kerb a little too hard as he turned into the left-hander under the bridge that joins the two parts of the distinctive W hotel at the Yas Marina circuit. The German was fourth fastest, 1.949 seconds slower than Bottas, whose best time was set on medium tyres at the start of a weekend at which the Finn knows he will start from the back because of a grid penalty for using too many engine parts following his failure at the last race in Brazil. Bottas was 0.535 seconds quicker than Red Bull's Max Verstappen in a session that was previously interrupted by a stoppage after Daniel Ricciardo's Renault suffered engine failure. The session was earlier red-flagged for 15 minutes while Ricciardo's car was recovered from the last-corner run-off. Lewis Hamilton was third fastest ahead of Red Bull's Alexander Albon. The first session in Abu Dhabi is often largely irrelevant in terms of giving a read on competitiveness because it is run in the early afternoon, whereas qualifying and race are at twilight and therefore have very different, much cooler, track conditions. And that was especially the case this time, with Albon nearly 0.5secs off Hamilton, who was 0.6secs behind his team-mate, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel a further 0.1secs behind and Haas driver Romain Grosjean sixth ahead of the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. A number of teams were trying out new parts that are part of their development programme for 2020 - which will continue at the post-season Pirelli tyre test on Tuesday and Wednesday. The second session, which starts at 17:00 local time (13:00 GMT), will be a much more accurate guide to how the teams shape up for this final race of the season. Ricciardo's engine failure - in a high-mileage power-unit that was due to be changed for Saturday anyway - further muddied the waters. The Renault deposited a lot of oil at the final corner - and on Pierre Gasly's closely following Toro Rosso - and cement dust was laid down to soak it up. That meant the track was in worse condition for the final laps, when in any case most teams would usually have switched to higher fuel loads for race preparation. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 November 29, 2019 at 04:45AM
MotoGP News - MotoGP champion Marquez needed surgery to avoid 2018 repeat problem
https://ift.tt/2DsJxi2 The doctor who operated on MotoGP champion Marc Marquez's shoulder says surgery was necessary to avoid the injury deteriorating to the severity of his 2018 shoulder issue... Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei November 29, 2019 at 03:46AM
Motorcycle News - ROOKie: A street scrambler with an 80s BMX vibe
https://ift.tt/2L5EKYa
This angular and curiously appealing light motorcycle comes from Belgians Yves Noël and Wouter Bollen, who have been running Rook motorcycles since 2013. The guys describe ‘ROOKie’ as a “minimalistic urban scrambler with an eighties BMX influence.”
It’s an odd but clever name, and you could probably describe Noël and Bollen in the same way. Bollen is a bird lover, moto freak and aggression expert—supporting social workers in his day job. Noël works for Jaguar Land Rover and loves enduro bikes.
Noël and Bollen have designed this bike the old school way, drawing a ton of sketches, and using a tube bender and a frame jig. They also got a present from a good friend: an old but very solid lathe. Then they bought a cheap SYM XS 125 for its wheels and forks. “It was a wreck that we got for 50 euros!” says Bollen.
“The greatest advantage of this engine is that we can spoon a variety of Honda clones into our frame,” says Bollen. “From a modest 50cc for a youngster to a 200cc 4-valve Takegawa for adrenalin junkies.” The exhaust header is custom made, and snakes discreetly between the swingarm and the rear wheel.
“We thought: let’s embrace asymmetry,” says Bollen. “So the cover of the dummy tank is painted in signal white, with a stripe in Volvo Rebel Blue and the ROOKie logo. The rest of the tank, headlight and front fender are painted in solid blue.” The paint is stunning and was done by CQ & S Carrosserir.
The rectangular headlight unit flows neatly into the triple clamp and two micro LED Indicators are mounted on either side. At the back are more micro LEDS handling blinker, rear light and stoplight duties. The front fender is a modified aftermarket item—as are the rearsets, which were originally designed to fit the Suzuki Bandit.
“The first step is done—we built a motorcycle that’s a wink to our youth: the mighty Honda PA50 Hobbit/Camino!”
We reckon Rook are onto a winner here. ROOK motorfietsen Facebook | Instagram | Images by De Motograaf Motorcycles via Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/2Mf9b0c November 28, 2019 at 11:13AM
F1 News - Formula 1: Charles Leclerc & Sebastian Vettel will be 'less aggressive'
https://ift.tt/2rA7bpY Charles Leclerc says he and Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel will be "less aggressive with each other" following their crash in Brazil. The two have spent time with the team discussing the incident in which they collided disputing fourth place at the last race at Interlagos two weeks ago. Leclerc said: "We will be able to race. We're both competitive and want to win. "We need to find the right compromise - we both race for the same team. We need to give each other a bit more space." Leclerc was speaking in the official news conference before the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Vettel was also due to attend but was allowed to arrive late at Yas Marina following the birth of his third child. Leclerc said that he and Vettel had spoken about the incident and agreed both could have done more to avoid it. The crash happened when Vettel was trying to re-take fourth place approaching Turn Four after Leclerc had passed him into Turn One with five laps to go. Vettel moved over on Leclerc and his left rear wheel hit Leclerc's front right, breaking his suspension and giving the German a puncture. Leclerc said: "We called with Seb and we tried to understand both our situations. "Seb probably shouldn't have gone to the left and he knows it, and I could have done a better job of avoiding him going to the left. What is important is everything is clear now and we move forward." He added: "We looked at it - and I particularly looked at it - to try to understand how we could have made things better. "The consequences were huge but the impact was very small, so that was a little bit unlucky. It was unfortunate but we will make sure it doesn't happen again." Pressure between the twoThe incident was the latest in a series of controversies between the two Ferrari drivers this season. Pressure has been building all year as Leclerc has emerged as a major force in F1 and threatened Vettel's primacy in the team and has more wins, poles and points than his four-time champion team-mate. In the early races of the season, there were a series of team orders calls, usually in Vettel's favour. These stopped happening as Leclerc established a general superiority through the mid-season and out-qualified Vettel for nine races in a row. But from September tension has grown between the two. At the Italian Grand Prix, Leclerc failed to carry out his side of an agreement in which each driver agreed to give the other a slipstream in qualifying, which angered Vettel. Ferrari then inadvertently managed to get Vettel ahead of Leclerc and into the lead in Singapore when simply trying to pass Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes, who was between the two Ferraris. And in the subsequent race in Russia, Vettel directly ignored a team order to let Leclerc back into the lead as part of a pre-arranged plan to ensure the two Ferraris were running one-two. Leclerc had qualified on pole, with Vettel third, and Leclerc agreed to give his team-mate a tow down to the first corner and let him past, to ensure he overtook Hamilton, who had qualified second. Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has told the drivers the incident in Brazil was "not acceptable" and said the team "know how to move forward". #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 November 28, 2019 at 07:51AM
F1 News - Formula 1: Charles Leclerc on beating Sebastian Vettel
https://ift.tt/34uI5rp Ferrari's Charles Leclerc talks to BBC Sport on winning, the dangers of racing and beating his illustrious team-mate and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 November 28, 2019 at 07:51AM
F1 News - Valtteri Bottas to start at back of Abu Dhabi grid
https://ift.tt/2ONSJCS Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas will start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from the back of the grid because of an engine-related penalty. The Finn will have a new engine for the 2019 finale after an oil leak brought an early end to his race in Brazil. Mercedes said his car would have a new internal combustion engine, turbo and MGU-H, the part of the hybrid system that recovers energy from the turbo. That takes him over the permitted number of engine parts for a season. Bottas faces a penalty amounting to 20 places on the grid - anything over 15 and the regulations dictate a start from the back. Elsewhere, Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel has been excused his media duties on Thursday at Yas Marina after staying in Europe for an extra day because his wife Hannah has given birth to their third child. The German four-time champion had been due to attend the official news conference alongside team-mate Charles Leclerc, where both had been expected to address the fall-out from their crash at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Both have been spoken to by team boss Mattia Binotto in the days between the two races and their responsibilities to Ferrari made clear. Binotto described the crash as "not acceptable" in a social media fans Q&A this week. He said the drivers "know how to move forward". Binotto has not yet expanded on exactly what instructions have been given to the drivers about on-track conduct following the incident. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 November 28, 2019 at 03:51AM
F1 News - Latifi to replace Kubica at Williams in 2020
https://ift.tt/2QZnHL8 Canadian Nicholas Latifi will replace Robert Kubica in the Williams driver line-up for 2020. Kubica's departure was announced in September and Latifi, 24, will partner Briton George Russell next year. Latifi has spent this season as the team's reserve driver and has taken part in a number of practice sessions. "We look forward to him stepping up into this new role, as we look to fight our way back to the midfield," said Claire Williams, deputy team principal. Latifi finished second in this year's Formula 2 championship. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 November 28, 2019 at 01:57AM
Motorcycle News - DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL: Yamaha XV750 by Purpose Built Moto
https://ift.tt/35HHN0w Written by Martin Hodgson They say the devil is in the detail, and it is this aspect that separates the best from the rest amongst the thousands of custom bikes built every year. The ability to incorporate form and function into every aspect of a bike and yet still stay true to a cohesive design is rare. It’s here that Tom Gilroy shines and combined with his customer friendly approach has lifted him to the upper echelons of Australian bike building. Now the Purpose Built Moto head honcho is leaving 2019 the way he started, with a flurry of exceptional builds rolling out of his workshop, and his latest is this stunning Yamaha XV750. The bike’s owner James had begun to modify the XV himself when along the way he decided to seek out Tom’s help to really do it justice. “He came into the garage with a tonne of ideas on how this bike could take shape. I simplified the ideas down to a very, very basic direction. I figured out from his description the bike needed to be sharp, lean and edgy. That’s about all I ever take to work with; the rest I leave up to the process,” Tom explains. The ultimate goal being a bike that performed brilliantly in the mountains and looked just as good parked up in the man cave. Now with the Yamaha in his shop, the philosophy behind the build started to take shape in Tom’s mind. Raw, a visceral, sensory overload. Slim, the Japanese v-twin lines maintained front to back. Manga style, bold, aggressive and a little cartoonish, just like the bad guys would ride. But none of that can be sacrificed for function and as the bike had already been fitted with the R6 front end, Tom wasn’t happy with the way it had changed the bikes geometry. So it’s been rebuilt and raised internally by 30mm to make sure the modern forks are just right for the XV. With the Yamaha sporting its unique, hidden in the frame, mono-shock design it was over to Ride Dynamics who built a custom unit just for this build. Back at the front, the benefit of the modern forks is their radial mounted calipers and the big discs have been replaced by a set from Yana Shiki for improved stopping power and reduced unsprung weight. For tyres a set of Pirelli MT-60s is selected in a 17” front for the R6 wheel and 16” at the back end that’s slung over the stock rear with a perfectly refurbished hub and brake assembly. “Having the bike sitting how I wanted it, the tank was re-mounted after some modification to the rear section. Then mounts welded onto the frame for the soon to be subframe,” Tom tells us. At the same time as he was crafting the XV he’d be playing around with solid bar. So using his oxy torch, a vice and some muscle, the 10mm round bar was shaped into the seat frame. Front fenders are usually just for function, but this piece with round bar struts is a work of art. With the number plate hanger just as impressive and keeping the under-seat space clean and uncluttered. The seat itself is wrapped in leather with a linear pattern upholstered in to accentuate the narrow lines and a military green panel to match the paint. The design for which came about through many of Tom’s ideas that were finally sketched up by a friend. Then it was time to lay down the colour with the graphics a stunning mix of a Samurai helmet, the shop logo and Yamaha’s Speedblocks. With the green also applied to areas of the bike like the top clamp and contrasted with nickel plating and hand brushed metal. The V-Twin engine is handled just as well as the rest of the build with the stock airbox ditched and a one off DNA X Purpose Built Moto pod filter doing the breathing. This feeds into a set of upgraded Mikuni round slide carburetors, but it’s that beautiful 2into1 stainless steel exhaust with perfect welds and internal baffles for an ultra-clean look that really steals the show! “The bulk of the electrics was built into a box under the swingarm, housing the battery, fuses and starter relay. Any remaining items were hidden between the tank and backbone of the frame.” The functionality of the bike retains smart thinking and brilliant looks throughout; a custom rear light enclosure using sheet metal, LED strips and stainless steel mesh is a brilliant touch. While at the front the Flashpoint headlight, Koso digital dash and indicators are mounted on an all in one piece. The clip-ons and rearsets ensure the controls are high end and trick parts like ISR clutch and brake levers and a set of premium 3 button switches mean there is nothing of low quality throughout the build. With such a brilliant bike done Tom could put his feet up for the year, but PBM has much more to come for 2019 and with no two bikes ever the same we can’t wait to see what they create next. [ Purpose Built Moto | Instagram | Youtube | Photography by Electric Bubble ] Motorcycles via Pipeburn.com https://ift.tt/2LY9tnG November 28, 2019 at 01:29AM
Motorcycle News - Ultimate Gifts for Motorcyclists Guide 2019
https://ift.tt/34CzoeN Every year my family struggles to find me the right Christmas gifts. They know I’m obsessed with motorcycles but have no idea what style of bikes I’m into, what riding gear I like to wear or even what motorcycles I actually own. So despite my obvious obsession with two wheels I usually end up with random, unrelated gifts. To help prevent other motorcyclists from suffering the same fate we’ve curated this special list of suggestions. If you’re shopping for a motorcyclist, our Ultimate Gifts for Motorcyclists Guide is here to help. Motorcycles via Return of the Cafe Racers https://ift.tt/2M9riRb November 27, 2019 at 09:42PM
F1 News - Vettel and Leclerc know crash was not acceptable - Ferrari boss Binotto
https://ift.tt/2QWzfyx Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc are aware their Brazilian Grand Prix collision was "not acceptable". The pair collided on the Interlagos circuit's back straight as they raced for fourth place on 17 November, with the team saying they have since "cleared the air". "We discussed together and I think that they understand what happened was not acceptable," Binotto said. "We know how to move forward." Both drivers were forced to retire from the race in Brazil as a result of the damage to their cars caused by the crash, as the impact of the collision broke Leclerc's front suspension and gave Vettel a rear puncture. Binotto, answering fans questions in a video question-and-answer session, added: "You could think that they are in conflict on the track, but that is not the case. "The truth is they have fun together, as they enjoy a good and harmonious relationship, which is maybe quite different to what you might read or think." The 2019 Formula 1 season finishes at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina track on 1 December. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 November 27, 2019 at 04:18PM |
Categories
All
Archives
November 2020
|
11/29/2019
0 Comments