REMEMBERING JAMES HUNT

James Hunt has become, in the twenty years since his passing on June 15, 1993, a cultural phenomenon again.    Hunt was the antithesis of today's bland, media trained, corporate sponsored athletes, his spirit best represented but not equalled in today's  Formula One by Kimi Raikkonen.
This fall, the release of Ron Howard's "Rush" will place "Hunt the Shunt" in the spotlight for new generations who never knew his story.

Below is a 40 minute BBC documentary on Hunt's life tracing much of the story path fictionalized in Rush.

For more salacious details of Hunt's epic pre race rituals, don't miss " 33 Stewardesses in 13 Days".

WATCH HOW THE ALFA ROMEO 4C IS BEING BUILT

The built process recalls Pagani or Mclaren, will the driving experience live up to it?

This clip may be  best pitch yet from Alfa Romeo with the enthusiast community.  Construction techniques for the Alfa Romeo 4c  are those you would expect to see from Mclaren or, up the road in Modena, at Pagani yet this will be a sports car within reach of many.

The basic carbon tub is produced by Amber Composites in the UK, a leader in composite materials with expertise in motorsport,  automotive and marine applications.

From there the tub is finished and "baked" at the Maserati factory and the car largely hand assembled by specialized technicians.

It's a long way from the current image of Alfa Romeo, certainly in North America, and while certainly a "halo" product for the FIAT group, it's an exciting preview of  a future of lightweight high performance cars at affordable prices.

If you want to learn more, the full Alfa Romeo press release is after the break.

Crazier than the Isle of Man TT: Irish Road Racing

Imagine the Isle of Man TT but with everyone starting together.   Can't?  Have a look a these videos.

Guy Martin Southern 100 by Alan McKibbin/Flickr

The Isle of Man TT is generally regarded as the peak of motorsport insanity,  riders hurling themselves at 200 mph between trees and stone walls.  But for as crazy as that is, it still essentially a time trial.

Irish National Road Racing is  wheel to wheel combat on narrow country roads, often lined with sidewalks or barbed wire.   It is beyond insane and perpetually on the cusp of being banned.   An almost unknown sport outside of its relatively small fan base, amateur racers with  a complete disdain for runoff area and safety barriers have gathered for years in places like Skerries, Tandragee, Killalane, to race on narrow roads and over big jumps.

"Road racing's dangerous, yeah but it shouldn't be stopped" said Carl Fogarty" if you don't want to do it, don't do it"

Guy Martin  has no time for race tracks "It's all tire walls and safety barriers, I'm not interested,  I like a bit of danger"

Now that's understatement.

The Dilemma: Chris Harris Takes On The Porsche 991 GT3

Everything you wanted to know about the new Porsche GT3,  PistonHead Chris Harris puts a GT3 through its paces.

The nail in tthe manual transmission's coffin?  Harris has an existential moment,  decides best cure is hooning the GT3.  We agree with that.
(PistonHeads)

Commitment.

com·mit·ment [kuh-mit-muhnt]  noun
1. the act of committing.
2.the state of being committed to a mental institution

Both apply.

Alfa Romeo 4C: 895 Kilos Of Italian Carbon Fiber Goodness

Alfa Romeo releases more details of the 4C, the car that will bring the historic marque back to the American market.

895 Kilos, just 1973 pounds,  the Alfa Romeo 4C is probably the one car we are most interested in driving.    It will weigh as much as an Lotus Elise but with a proper interior and a better power to weight ratio.

The cars are being produced at the Maserati factory in Modena,  human hands rather than robots assembling the lightweight Sheet Moulding Compound body panels around its PrePreg carbon fiber tub weighing only 65 kg (143lb).   The carbon chassis is produced with techniques derived from Formula 1 and it's the first time anything like it has been available in a car in the 4C projected price range.

The quest to "add lightness"  extends to the glass,  just 4mm thick for the windshield, the use of PUR-RIM injected polyurethane for bumpers and quarter panels and aluminum, made with a process called Cobapress which gives  advantages of both casting and forging.

Alfa Romeo expects to produce 3500 4C per year,  deliveries in Europe will begin in September while November will see the US introduction at the LA Auto show.

It's a bold move for Alfa Romeo, a very exciting car we hope to drive one one day.

Sebastien Loeb Fastest in Pikes Peak Practice

The Peugeot 208 T16 is a monster right out of the box!

Photos: Red Bull

This past week end saw the first practice session for the Pikes Peak hill climb and, much to nobody's surprise, Sebastien Loeb set the fastest times in both upper and lower sections.     Practice at Pikes Peak is not run over the full course, climbing up to 14,111 feet above sea level, but on two separate sections, shorter than the complete run.

Loeb spent time going over the 156 turns with his regular WRC co-driver Daniel Elena but will be alone for the race.   He then proceeded to set times miles ahead of those set in the same session
by current unlimited class record holder Rhys Millen, driving a Hyundai Genesis badged car.

“I feel very confident with the car,” confirmed Sebastien Loeb. “That’s a reassuring start, if only because of the speeds we get up to here. We are already getting close to the limit in many places. All we need to do now is make some detail changes and we will be ready
for the Big Day!”

Unlimited Class Top Times
Lower section
3:29.24 Loeb
3:55.03 Millen

Top Section
3:42.10 Loeb
4:26.98 Millen

208 T18 was covered with GoPros....lucky us!

Vettel Gives The Finger In Canada

Sebastian Vettel dominates the 2013 Canadian GP in true old school Schumacher style.

RedBull Photo

Vettel lapping everyone up to sixth position did not make for the most entertaining race,  it was a real crushing performance from the first corner for Red Bull in Canada.