Re: 2011 World Motorsports Discussion

by Professor Voodoo Sun 10 Jul 2011 - 6:05

Kiskaloo wrote:Grand Prix of Britain

Another one I'll have to watch via F1.com live timing & scoring. I think Webber (and by extension Alfisti?) will be looking to the sky for help today...rain could alleviate some of those Renault cooling problems and at least at this round he's been quicker than his team-mate whenever it gets wet.

Also thought it hilarious that the Racing for Jesus car wrecked in the Nationwide race last night. So much for Divine Intervention.

At least those clowns aren't sponsoring a car in any series I actually care about.

by Alfisti Sun 10 Jul 2011 - 6:21

Professor Voodoo wrote: I think Webber (and by extension Alfisti?) will be looking to the sky for help today...rain could alleviate some of those Renault cooling problems and at least at this round he's been quicker than his team-mate whenever it gets wet.

Yeah... a little. Sadly it's on a little late to watch... and get up in time for work tomorrow.

by Professor Voodoo Sun 10 Jul 2011 - 9:49

GP of GB is finit;

Spoiler:

by MP5 Sun 10 Jul 2011 - 14:13

Kara: Ahem... My petrol money, please?

Triela: (handing over €10 Euro)rassumfrassumFerrarigoatcheese... frigging Alonso!

Allison: (also handing over €10 Euro) This time, I actually don't feel so bad about forking over the money. Ferrari was due for a win, anyway. Ol' Lewis gave it the beans, but I guess it wasn't enough.

Kara: I have to admit, that was impressive, how he stole 4th from Massa in the very last second, if a bit aggressively.

Allison: I'm just happy that Vettel isn't hogging first place like usual.

by **Kiskaloo** Sun 10 Jul 2011 - 14:30

by Awinnell Sun 10 Jul 2011 - 16:11

Vettel was the star in a reasonably priced car on Top Gear this evening

by **Kiskaloo** Sun 10 Jul 2011 - 16:18

Awinnell wrote:Vettel was the star in a reasonably priced car on Top Gear this evening

Coolness. Folks are really good at getting the BBC HD rips out (usually within 60-90 minutes) so I'm keeping an eye on my usual download sites.

by MP5 Sun 24 Jul 2011 - 14:25

German Grand Prix results

Allison: These €10 Euro notes in my hand smell like... Victory.

Triela: What the hell, Vettel?! Seriously? fourth place?

Kara: At least Alonso finished on podium...

by Professor Voodoo Sun 24 Jul 2011 - 15:17

MP5 wrote:German Grand Prix results

Spoiler:

Marisa: (whacking her ear with an open palm) Damn...I think I need to go over to the hospital.

Allison: Why, what's wrong with you?

Marisa: I was sitting right next to Kara. She screamed at lap 33 when Hamilton passed Alonso...and again at 60 when Vettel got Massa in the pits. I didn't know artificial eardrums could get blown out.

Elio: Great...now she's got an excuse for her selective hearing.

by MP5 Sun 31 Jul 2011 - 11:19

Hungarian Grand Prix Results

Allison: Jenson Button has his 200th win, and I have enough petrol money for a full tank!

Triela: Sebastian, I am disappoint.

by **Kiskaloo** Sun 31 Jul 2011 - 12:11

Kara: "Another podium for Alonso and points for Massa. Still wish those pit guys were more polished."

by Professor Voodoo Sun 31 Jul 2011 - 22:04

MP5 wrote:Hungarian Grand Prix Results

Allison: Jenson Button has his 200th win,

Actually his 11th win in his 200th start.

I saw none of it...I had the machine set to record that and the two World Superbike Championship races from Silverstone. Instead of the races I got 5 hours of "SEARCHING FOR SATELLITE."

On a related note, my satellite TV provider got a call tonight informing them that my account is now terminated. Should have done it long ago.

Triela: Sebastian, I am disappoint.

Dish Network, I am disappoint no longer. You're history.

by **Kiskaloo** Sat 6 Aug 2011 - 15:21

Reports say that Danica Patrick is going to leave the IRL at the end of this season to join JR Motorsports (Dale Earnhardt, Jr's outfit) Nationwide Series team for a full season, with some Sprint Cup races for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Also, two mayors in New Jersey are looking to launch a second United States Formula One Grand Prix in the NYC area (the streets of Weehawken and West New York) as early as 2013.

And Yamaha is pulling out of World Super Bike (at least as a factory team).

by Officer_Charon Sat 6 Aug 2011 - 19:34

Danica Patrick in NASCAR? The mind boggles!

by **Kiskaloo** Sat 6 Aug 2011 - 20:07

Officer_Charon wrote:Danica Patrick in NASCAR? The mind boggles!

There is a lot more money for her there than in the IRL. She's also done pretty fair in most of the Nationwide Races she's run this year.

by Alfisti Mon 8 Aug 2011 - 4:39

Not entirely motorsport related, but I see Rowan Atkinson has written off his F1... again.

Apparently the first time was up the back of an Austin Metro, which raises the question: just how do you handle that? You get out of your somewhat crumpled Austin Metro, ready to give someone an earfull, only to find you've been rear-ended by Mr. Bean.

2011 World Motorsports Discussion - Page 3 Mr.Bean

2011 World Motorsports Discussion - Page 3 Mr.Bean

by Awinnell Mon 8 Aug 2011 - 6:22

apparently his F1 randomly spun out of control, hit a lampost and then caught fire ! so fairly normal for a F1 then ! Rowan walked away with only minor injuries

by Alfisti Mon 8 Aug 2011 - 6:27

Awinnell wrote:apparently his F1 randomly spun out of control, hit a lampost and then caught fire ! so fairly normal for a F1 then !

Hey, if you don't go through the Pearly Gates on fire and backwards you're not trying hard enough.

by **Kiskaloo** Mon 8 Aug 2011 - 12:53

Alfisti wrote:
Awinnell wrote:apparently his F1 randomly spun out of control, hit a lampost and then caught fire ! so fairly normal for a F1 then !

Hey, if you don't go through the Pearly Gates on fire and backwards you're not trying hard enough.

Marisa to Henrietta: "Mr. Michele has a McLaren F1, doesn't he?" Hmm...

by Professor Voodoo Mon 8 Aug 2011 - 13:55

Kiskaloo wrote:Marisa to Henrietta: "Mr. Michele has a McLaren F1, doesn't he?"

Henrietta: It's got three seats too, so nobody has to sit in the back.

Rico: I don't know, it doesn't look as comfortable as Jean's Mercedes...whenever I take a long ride in one of Mr. Pagani's fast cars my butt hurts.

Marisa: (reconsidering) Hmmm, now that I think about it, if we crash that thing all of our butts are gonna hurt.

Officer_Charon wrote:Danica Patrick in NASCAR? The mind boggles!

Patrick does this every year. She knows she's the biggest draw for the IRL so she dangles the threat of leaving and they have to kiss her butt. Eventually I'm sure she will move to NASCAR...+5G Indycars are a whole lot rougher on the body and she's not getting any younger. She'll be 30 next year...middle age for an Indy driver but in NASCAR she'd potentially have 20 more good years in her.

by **Kiskaloo** Mon 8 Aug 2011 - 18:34

I think what might be pushing Danica is the arrival of female drivers like Simona de Silvestro. Simona is not only attractive and telegenic, she often scores better than Patrick in not nearly as good equipment. There is also Ana "Bia" Beatriz Caselato Gomes de Figueiredo who won in IndyLights before moving up.

by Officer_Charon Mon 8 Aug 2011 - 18:50

Yeah... as glad as I was to see Danica when she first arrived, she proved to be sort of... lackluster in her finishing. Never quite "good enough"

by **Kiskaloo** Sat 27 Aug 2011 - 13:05

Because of the certification party yesterday, I decided to not attend the Grand Prix of Belgium this year.

2011 World Motorsports Discussion - Page 3 Minko_Facepalm

2011 World Motorsports Discussion - Page 3 Minko_Facepalm

What an epic qualifying session.

by **Kiskaloo** Sat 27 Aug 2011 - 15:05

Kiskaloo wrote:Reports say that Danica Patrick is going to leave the IRL at the end of this season to join JR Motorsports (Dale Earnhardt, Jr's outfit) Nationwide Series team for a full season, with some Sprint Cup races for Stewart-Haas Racing.

This is now official.

by Professor Voodoo Sun 28 Aug 2011 - 22:55

Remember pre-season testing when Nick Heidfeld was being mooted as a contender for race wins, possibly even the title? Now, at round 12/19 he's replaced by Bruno Senna.

Belgian GP results...

Spoiler:

Triela: (counting her winnings) And normal service is resumed.

Marisa: This is a disaster!

Allison: What are you going on about? You didn't lose any money to Triela.

Marisa: No...but I have my own bet with Elio. Whoever's team does better gets to pick the place we go to for lunch on our next trip off-compound. My Toro Rosso boys finished last and next to last...his Williams team scored a point! I'm doomed!

Kara: It can't be that bad.

Marisa: Last time he won we went to a place that had tofu & bean sprout quiche.

Allison: Brutal.

Marisa: Yeah, I could only choke down like...4 of them.

by Alfisti Mon 29 Aug 2011 - 3:58

Professor Voodoo wrote:Belgian GP results...

I only managed to catch the first half hour or so, but from what I saw all I can say is: dudes, that's not how you're supposed to tackle turn 01.

by Professor Voodoo Thu 1 Sep 2011 - 11:20

The 2012 Formula One calender is out...

crash.net wrote:March 18 Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne
March 25 Malaysian Grand Prix, Sepang
April 15 Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai
April 22 Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir
May 13 Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona
May 27 Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo
June 10 Canadian Grand Prix, Montreal
June 24 European Grand Prix, Valencia
July 8 British Grand Prix, Silverstone
July 22 German Grand Prix, Hockenheim
July 29 Hungarian Grand Prix, Hungaroring
September 02 Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps
September 09 Italian Grand Prix, Monza
September 23 Singapore Grand Prix, Marina Bay
October 07 Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka
October 14 Korean Grand Prix, Yeongam
October 28 Indian Grand Prix, Greater Noida
November 4 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina
November 18 United States Grand Prix, Austin
November 25 Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

Sadly, Turkey is gone. While it highlights the difficulty of promoting a race in a country with no strong "car culture" it's a shame to see one of the best tracks disappear from the schedule.

by **Kiskaloo** Thu 1 Sep 2011 - 13:28

Professor Voodoo wrote:Sadly, Turkey is gone. While it highlights the difficulty of promoting a race in a country with no strong "car culture" it's a shame to see one of the best tracks disappear from the schedule.

Turn 8 was indeed epic, but this is Bernie we're talking about and even though he manages the place, if the Turks weren't willing to ante-up the extra cash he wanted, he walked. This after he signed a supposed 15-year extension in 2007 (which would have guaranteed the race through 2021 instead of the current 2012) and said he'd lose money doing so.

Sure... Angry

by MP5 Sun 11 Sep 2011 - 12:55

Italian Grand Prix Results:

Triela: I can 'Make it rain' on myself, now!

Allison: Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to wear the Scuderia Ferrari shirt to Monza today.

Kara: Actually, you did the right thing. I don't think you'd have fared well in the middle of that crowd at the podium ceremony wearing McLaren colors. Triela, you were either brave, or stupider than usual today.

Triela: You can boo Vettel all you want; I still got the money in the end.

by **Kiskaloo** Sun 11 Sep 2011 - 14:23

What a fantastic race. Five World Champions driving like World Champions.

Michele had to defib Kara after the first corner of the first lap, though. Razz

And with all the Padania flags waving, I wonder if the girls needed to do some work on the side. Smile

by Professor Voodoo Mon 12 Sep 2011 - 3:10

Alonso certainly gave it a brave try over the first five laps...and Button was quietly brilliant as usual.

Allison: Looks like both your Toro Rosso boys got into the points, you're back on top in your bet with Mr. A.

Marisa: Yeah...I was sweating bullets too. Maldonado held onto 6th place for a while before falling back.

In other news; one of my favorite drivers will stay in the field for another year...Jarno Trulli is confirmed at Lotus for 2012.

by **Kiskaloo** Mon 12 Sep 2011 - 11:24

RBR also signed a five-year extension with Renault for engines.

As for Jarno, amazing how much better the power steering on the Caterham is after a week on the bench. Razz

by Professor Voodoo Thu 15 Sep 2011 - 20:22

Kiskaloo wrote:RBR also signed a five-year extension with Renault for engines.

Team principal Christan Horner now considers Red Bull the factory team for Renault...adding fuel to the rumors that the former Toleman→Benneton→Renault→Lotus team may sever ties with the engine manufacturer.

As for Jarno, amazing how much better the power steering on the Caterham is after a week on the bench.

Ironic that the track (Nurburgring) where he sat out was the site of his incredible second place in the Liger/Prost-Peugeot during the 1999 European GP.

And in other news...Ferrari has ended development on the F150° Italia to concentrate on their 2012 contender.

Kara: *sigh* There's always next year.

by Professor Voodoo Sun 18 Sep 2011 - 16:59

While it has nothing to do with the mainly F1 oriented conversation I just have to give a salute to my own home team;
2011 World Motorsports Discussion - Page 3 Dyson_11

2011 World Motorsports Discussion - Page 3 Dyson_11

Dyson Racing from Poughkeepsie, NY clinched the American Le Mans Series team & driver (Chris Dyson & Guy Smith) championships at Laguna Seca this weekend.

2011 World Motorsports Discussion - Page 3 Hybrid10

Also on track was the Porsche 911 GT3 Hybrid. As a non-points scoring guest entry Romain Dumas and Richard Lietz had to start from the tail end of the field but when all was said and done they'd finished ahead of every other GT car. During the 6 hour race they only made 3 pit stops versus 5-6 for the regular GT class Porsche, Ferrari, BMW & Corvette entries.

If this is an indication of the potential Porsche's hybrid technology holds then the Peugeot & Audi diesel teams will have something to worry about when Porsche shows up with its top class LMP car in 2014.

by **Kiskaloo** Wed 21 Sep 2011 - 21:49

So I'm watching the "Redneck Roundup" part of tonight's episode of Dumbest Stuff on Wheels...

Garden Tiller Racing?

Really?

Puzzled

And they actually hold a World Championship?

by Professor Voodoo Wed 21 Sep 2011 - 22:00

Kiskaloo wrote:
Garden Tiller Racing?

Really?

Mr. Ramsey: (SWA groundskeeper) Where has my garden tiller gone? I locked it in the shed just last night.

Michele: I don't know. Say, have you seen the engine from my MV Agusta? It's missing too.

by Awinnell Thu 22 Sep 2011 - 6:26

they need a seat on those,otherwise the guy who can run the fastest will always win

by Alfisti Thu 22 Sep 2011 - 7:05

Kiskaloo wrote:So I'm watching the "Redneck Roundup" part of tonight's episode of Dumbest Stuff on Wheels...

Garden Tiller Racing?

Really?

And they actually hold a World Championship?

This oddly doesn't suprise me much, possibly because the son of our former Alfa mechanic (before they stopped doing general mechanics work to concentrate on motorsport) used to race lawnmowers... professionally as a works driver for Greenfield Mowers.

The team moved from mowers to V8 super tourers (now defunct touring car class) and culminated with him driving with Dick Johnson racing in the Super V8s at the Bathurst 1000.

by MP5 Sun 25 Sep 2011 - 17:28

Singapore GP results...

Triela: (counting out 10-Euro notes) Nothing like betting on a sure thing... hey, where's Kara?

Allison: After she saw Vettel lap Massa, she handed me her 10 Euros and stormed off in a huff. Don't know where she went.

Laine: Guys? Kara's acting weird.

Allison: Weird how?

Laine: Well, when I was passing her in the corridor, she was headed in the direction of Q-branch with a desk fan in one hand and some teddy bear dressed like a race driver in the other, muttering something about the ability of a Corvette-powered electric fan to cut up a stuffed bear in a Nomex firesuit.

Triela: Oh my god! Sebastian, noooooo!

by **Kiskaloo** Sun 25 Sep 2011 - 22:29

Watching highlights of Rally Australia (held two weeks ago) is not going to improve her mood with both Citroens going out in the first day.

Ilaria/Gattonero : "Michele was nice enough to put me up at the Rome Cavalieri for the weekend."

by Professor Voodoo Sun 25 Sep 2011 - 23:01

Singapore GP

I know it's probably unwise to further mess with Kara's tenuous mental state but my nomintion for "Pass of the Race" has to go to Webber on about lap 35 (right after the Schumacher induced safety car period). Sneaking past Alonso on the brakes while in traffic is the kind of move that's only supposed to work in video games!

In the ongoing Elio/Williams vs. Marisa/Toro Rosso bet it's advantage Elio this weekend.

Marisa: Disastro! The last place Elio picked for lunch didn't even have gelato on the menu.

Allison: Brutal...that's just not civilized.

by Professor Voodoo Sat 8 Oct 2011 - 2:43

During the US broadcast of F1 Grand Prix of Japan qualifying Bob Varsha mused "Is Kaumi Kobayashi the kind of driver who can put it out of his mind that everyone is watching him?"

I think Varsha completely missed the point of Kobayashi's weekend.

Kaumi had over 100 guests at the track, people whose tickets he paid for...probably hotel & travel expenses too. He wasted a set of soft tires to take a meaningless top spot in Q1...just to give the Japanese crowd something to cheer for. Kobayashi is the type of driver who thrives on having all eyes upon him. He knows the significance of the weekend, in the wake of the earthquake & tsunami he is acutely aware that he stands as a hero of Japan right now. In my opinion he has not disappointed.

So where am I going with this? Apologies to Felipe Massa but; If Ferrari does not sign Kobayashi for 2013 they are complete fucking idiots.

Japan is a huge market for Ferrari.
Kobayashi is already on the de-facto Ferrari "Junior team."
The Scuderia does not want to partner Alonso with another superstar like Vettel or Hamilton. Kobayashi will serve as a popular yet non-threatening #2 until Fernando is ready to move on or retire.
Kamui is demonstrating that at a high pressure race (like Monza) he can dig deep and deliver...a historically important talent for Ferrari drivers.

Opinions?

by **Kiskaloo** Sat 8 Oct 2011 - 10:49

It makes sense, frankly. Though with McLaren cocking up again, I expect Hamilton is ready to walk (Button just signed a longer term contract).

And it's nice to see full stands at Suzuka again. I remember in the 1990's when they had to hold a national lottery for tickets because the demand was in the millions. When Senna died and Honda pulled out, interest in F1 plummeted and there were many years when you could just walk up to the track and get tickets.

by MP5 Sun 9 Oct 2011 - 17:09

Japanese Grand Prix Results

Allison: (counting out 30 Euros in her hands) Splendid job, Jenson!

Triela: (Holding her stitched-up Sebastian Vettel bear) Go ahead and gloat, we all know Sebby is the 2011 World champion.

Allison: Just let me have my moment, will you?
--------------

Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 Results:

Allison: Looks like it's not only in F1 that Team VodaFone is having trouble being first place.

Kyo: (wearing a Team VodaFone shirt for Triple 8 Racing) You're telling me. I can't believe Whincup and Thompson's car just failed on them like that.

Ryo: And with Lowndes coming in second place, that means we lost our bet with Jennifer. Dinner's on us next time we're off-compound.

Jennifer: (Wearing a Holden Racing Team shirt) You're cheering for mere defectors from the Ford side. I, meanwhile, have always been a Holden girl, ever since Peter Brock was racing. Down with the Blue Oval, I say! By the way, when I say that Dinner is on you two off-compound, I mean specifically a nice restaurant with good atmosphere, at least a steakhouse; not a fresh kill from you two roughing it in the bush.

Kyo and Ryo: (whispering) Damn it.

by Professor Voodoo Tue 11 Oct 2011 - 2:40

Well, Round 15 of the Marisa/Elio bet goes to Elio & Williams.

Marisa: Toro Rosso, why dost thou let me down so?

My long winded thoughts on Vettel's second World Title...try to read them in Sam Posey's voice, it'll sound better.

Spoiler:

by Professor Voodoo Fri 14 Oct 2011 - 8:19

Toyota has officially announced a return to LeMans in 2012, appropriately using a gasoline/electric hybrid powerplant.

by **Kiskaloo** Fri 14 Oct 2011 - 9:21

Excellent. Hope they make some ALMS races, as well.

by **ElfenMagix** Mon 17 Oct 2011 - 0:00

It is with great sadness that I announce the Death of Dan Wheldon. He was killed in a horrific 15 car pile up, with 3 airborne cars, including his, at the Las Vegas Indy Series 300 race at the 12th lap. Earlier this year he won at the opening season first race which was the100th anniversary of the Indy 500. It was his second win at the Indy 500. Today's race was shut down after the crash and the driver's decided to give Dan Weldon a 5 lap salute upon hearing of his death. It was a very fitting end.

Many racing fans, racing teams, and racers give their condolences and well wishes to his family.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/from_the_marbles/post/Dan-Wheldon-killed-in-horrible-IndyCar-crash-at-?urn=nascar-wp4538

I saw the pile up and crash of the cars on TV, live. Though all of the airborne cars all hit the safety steel catch net, his was the only car to hit it on its cockpit side, giving the driver the full brunt of the impact. His car then broke apart and then blew up in flames, just like many other cars that were involved. 9 other drivers were also sent to the hospital with serious injuries.

During clean up of the track of the wrecked cars and debris, only his car was covered with a yellow tarp. Having seen this before in many Indy races in the past, I knew then that a driver was killed in the race, until it was identified as Weldon's car after review of the crash on video tape by the announcers. At this point, the race had a somber mood to it.

He leaves a legacy of not only his family, but of also having a hand in the testing, and design approval of the new 2012+ Indy cars, which will have a rear body to it to prevent such airborne accidents. He said that despite the many safety features of the new car, it is better in sound and running of the vehicle.

by **Kiskaloo** Mon 17 Oct 2011 - 12:31

It was certainly the worst wreck I have seen in IRL/CART history in terms of the number of cars, but I didn't see anything that looked fatal in the replays.

However, when they didn't show Wheldon's in-car (which was the broadcast feed just as the accident started and they cut away to the panning shot), I started to think maybe it showed the violence of his wreck in a way that you knew he'd been fatally injured.

That being said, I figured when the drivers left the meeting and started hugging friends and family that they had been told Wheldon had passed and that was confirmed a few minutes later by IRL officials.

by **ElfenMagix** Mon 17 Oct 2011 - 21:40

If you can review it, there are several videos from various angles, including from inside the cars. As the accident happens, 2 cars go airborne before his, he manages to pass them unscathed but the car in front suddenly slows down and he catches its rear wheel, which sends him airborne. His car flips backwards and sideways in mid air, smacking the steel catch fence with the car's cockpit, where he was in. It flips on the catch fence a couple of times, shredding the car in pieces until the fuel tank rips open and explodes. It lands on the track and rolls a few yards and stops. Wheldon's camera, which is in a tiny pod above all the drivers' heads, catches the action up to when it makes impact with fence.

Its been verified by autopsy that he died from Blunt Force Trauma to the head.

His father released a a statement that his son died doing what he liked doing best: racing.

by Professor Voodoo Tue 18 Oct 2011 - 19:09

The British crash.net wesite has an informative step-by-step breakdown article on the incident. Apperantly the force of the impact against the catch fence was sufficient to rip the roll bar off the Dallara chassis.

by Professor Voodoo Mon 24 Oct 2011 - 8:18

More bad news unfortunately.

For the second week in a row the motorsports community has suffered a loss. In yesterday's MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix Italian Marco Simoncelli fell on the second lap. He became entangled on his bike, which remained upright and dragged him into the path of oncoming traffic. Simoncelli was struck by two bikes and never regained consciousness. The race was cancelled so that medical personnel could concentrate on the injured rider but at 1656 local time he was declared dead.

2011 World Motorsports Discussion - Page 3 Simonc10

2011 World Motorsports Discussion - Page 3 Simonc10

Marco was the 2008 250cc World Champion and had just last weekend posted his best ever finish in the top class with a second place at Phillip Island Australia. He was 24.

October 2011 is turning out to be a very difficult month to be a racing fan.

by Professor Voodoo Sun 30 Oct 2011 - 7:52

Grand Prix of India

Spoiler:

by **Kiskaloo** Sun 30 Oct 2011 - 8:37

Spoiler:

by Awinnell Tue 1 Nov 2011 - 19:39

not sure if this is the right place,but,

Lasting just four years, the Group B era of rallying was an adrenalin shot of blistering pace and fierce competition. In this short time, a handful of driver's lives were sadly cut short when some big crashes highlighted how the sheer speed of the cars could be too much. Sure enough, the category was soon abandoned.

These cars will be unleashed once again in a head-to-head clash as part of the Top Gear Live performances in November. The display will involve some of the most iconic Group B cars taking each other on in what promises to be a high octane tribute to when unbridled power was the very essence of rallying.

So what can you expect to see?

Audi Quattro

The 'King' of Group B, the Quattro was a shock to the system as it tore up the tracks with a stonking great turbo and healthy dose of sideways action. The Quattro managed to churn out more than 500bhp and was an instant hit, easily winning the seasons in 1980 and 1981. The potential of four wheel drive was unlocked when Audi shunned the nay-sayers and showed the world that 4WD could be much, much faster than anything RWD. The Quattro S1 is still considered to be the most powerful of the Group B cars and has a massive cult following. Visitors to Top Gear Live can expect the pops and bangs of the recirculating turbo to provide a thrilling aural assault.

Peugeot 205 T-16

After Audi's success, Peugeot were determined not to let their efforts go unnoticed. A beefier 205 Turbo 16 was unveiled, mid-engined and 4WD with over 400bhp. It was a formidable match for the Audi in the final years of Group B, ably matching the Quattro's brawn in a smaller and lighter package. Peugeot took home the Constructor's titles and Driver's titles in both 1985 and 1986 before Group B came to an abrupt end.

Metro 6R4

It was a Metro but not as we knew it. The end result of development by Williams GP Racing, the 6R4 was on steroids with massive arches and swooping spoilers. A mid-mounted 3 litre engine and permanent 4WD were wrapped in the tubular chassis and it looked formidable. Unfortunately, after initial success with third place in the Lombard RAC Rally 1985, it was not to be. The engine suffered a number of gremlins and bad timing resulted in a scarily powerful car that was shuffled into history before it had its heyday.

Lancia 037

Another mid-engined mentalist, the Lancia holds a very special accolade, being the last RWD car to win the WRC. Similar to the Metro, Lancia enjoyed initial success in 1983, winning the Constructors title. However, the almighty Audi was hot on its heels and proved that 4WD was the future. Despite an increase in power, Lancia lost out on the championships in the next two years. The deaths of Attilio Bettega and later Henri Toivenen at the wheels of their 037 and Lancia Delta S4 also signalled the demise of Group B.

Ford RS200

When the RS200 hit the scene, it was like nothing else out there. Common underpinnings were evident, with 4WD, an engine in the middle and a space frame. But it's buggish looks and unique features such as adjustable torque split and dual shocks for each corner could have made it one of the best. It was not to be. The RS200's history is plagued with the memories of two horrific crashes; one in Rally Portugal where Joaquim Santos' Ford ploughed into spectators, killing three and injuring dozens while in 1986, co-driver Michel Wyder was killed instantly when Marc Surer's RS200 hit a tree.

Other legendary rally cars set to battle it out will include the 1964 Mini-Cooper S, 1970s icons the Renault Alpine A110, Fiat 131 Abarth and Ford Escort RS1800 – plus the incredible Ferrari 308 GTB rally special.

As well as the Group B rivalry, a host of stars will hoon around in the reasonably priced car and Sabine Schmitz will be pushing a prototype Bowler to the limit!

Top Gear Live is at Birmingham NEC on 11-12 November and London's Excel on 24-27 November. For more information, or to buy tickets to the show, visit the Top Gear Live website.

by **Kiskaloo** Tue 1 Nov 2011 - 19:47

Sweetness.

by Professor Voodoo Thu 3 Nov 2011 - 21:46

These cars will be unleashed once again in a head-to-head clash as part of the Top Gear Live performances in November

Sounds very cool. Any word on whether the show will be broadcast?

Lancia holds a very special accolade, being the last RWD car to win the WRC.

Not 100% accurate.

While the Lancia 037 Monte Carlo was the last non-4WD Group B car to garner a win there were five 2-wheel drive winners during the first years of Group A. In 1987 a BMW M3 won in Corsica and a VW Golf (front wheel drive) took the Ivory Coast round.

In 1988 a Ford Sierra Cosworth won in Corsica, an Opel Kadett (FWD) got the Rally New Zealand and the real last RWD winner in WRC was Alain Ambrosino in a Nissan 200SX, at the Ivory Coast. It's worth noting that even though they were rounds on the World Championship calender, the main factory teams like Lancia, Ford & Audi did not attend the latter two rallies. If you're only counting rallies where all the top conternders showed up the honor goes to Didier Auriol at Corsica.

by Awinnell Fri 4 Nov 2011 - 7:38

i think its mostly just going to be a live show,but i expect hilights may end up on the tv show

by MP5 Sun 13 Nov 2011 - 20:31

Abu Dhabi GP Results

Watching lap 1...

Triela: What the--No...no, No! Noooooo! What happened, Sebby? Come on, nurse the car to the pit... What?! Retiring? Dammit, nooo!

Kara and Allison: Muh-m-muhahahaha!

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