Speaking of bull, is this what got Alguersauri canned?

From a Sant'Agata bull to an entirely different type of Bull.

I'm sure there was more than one reason why Red Bull decided to can Jaime Aguersauri from Scuderia Toro Rosso and replace him, along with Sebastian Buemi, with Daniel Ricciardo and Jean Eric Vergne but some are saying this episode was the final straw.

Red Bull is brilliant at marketing itself as the alternative, care free and rebellious upstart but reality may not exactly reflect the sunny image. At some point during free practice for the Korean GP, Jaime Alguersauri held up top Bull Sebastian Vettel for a lap or so. Mind you, this was not during the race or even qualifying, it was practice. At that point Vettel had already sealed his drivers championship but Red Bull had yet to mathematically win the constructor's trophy.

Vettel shows his displeasure on the track but that's nothing compared to the dressing down Alguersauri receives at the hands of Red Bull general Helmut Marko. Marko ends the tirade with a dry "we don't accept this" and the faces of others in the garage left little doubt as to what happens if you get in Vettel, Marko or Red Bull's way.



.

At 220 mph, you let the bull do the talking.

Thank you Sport Auto!.

First HIGH SPEED Test Aventador LP 700-4 and fast lap in Hockenheim. 370 km/h (230 mph) HIGH SPEED on speedo, GPS: 354 km/h (220 mph) TOP SPEED. Launch Control Start: 0-270 km/h acceleration.

More about the first high performance test of the new 2012 Lamborghini in sport auto 1/2012. www.sportauto-online.de

Erster Highspeed-Test, Rundenzeit Hockenheim und Beschleunigung mit Launch-Control-Start des Aventador LP 700-4. Vmax laut Tacho: 370 km/h, Höchstgeschwindigkeit laut GPS: 354 km/h.

Mehr über den ersten High-Performance-Test des neuen Lamborghini lesen Sie ab sofort in sport auto-Heft 1/2012. sport auto: Die schnellsten und sportlichsten Autos. www.sportauto-online.de

© copyright by sport auto Christian Gebhardt

Via Leh Keen



.

Step into my office...

By Frank Minieri .

The long history of an oddball Ferrari

Granted any race car from 1955 is bound to have had a colorful existence by now but the history of the Ferrari 857S chassis number 0588 is something else, I mean the car was owned by Andy Warhol for a time!

Towards the end of 1955 Ferrari was getting its butt kicked by Mercedes and their super advanced 300SL driven by Stirling Moss. Maranello's band aid solution was to bore out the 750 Monza's four cylinder from 3 to 3.4 liters upping horsepower to 280. Same chassis, same brakes, what could possibly go wrong?

The car was slated to enter the RAC Trophy in Ireland but Olivier Gendebien rolled it in practice, 0588 never raced and was shipped back to Italy while Ferrari's engineers went back to the drawing board.

What happens next is so typical of the period:

"Commendatore, what do we do with 0588, she's a big ball of tubes..."

"Send it to Scaglietti, have them put it back together and then we'll sell it"

"Commendatore, who's going to buy an obsolete race car that was crashed?"

"Sell it to the Americans"

And that's how 0588 was sold to a Mr. John Edgar as a brand new car in 1956. In the USA, 0588 had a successful career and was raced by the likes of Caroll Shelby.

From there it ended up stored for years, it had an American V8 put it and raced some more, it was painted yellow, it was repainted red, it had a Ferrari V12 installed, it was used as a street car, it was sold to Andy Warhol in the late 60s...colorful history, probably got parking tickets in New York City.

Eventually the car made it's way to Minnesota, then back to New York then to the UK then back to Italy until it was purchased by Ferrari experts DK Engineering and restored to original spec.

The car was back at the Goodwood Revival this past year shredding tires in classic four wheel drift form. Kudos to those who invest in preserving these automotive treasures and have the courage to keep them alive by thrashing them on the track once in while!



(DK Engineering)

.

Porsche 917 slot car track.

Painful photoshop fail aside, not a bad gift idea for the car guy who has everything....

"Born from our passion of vintage racing, Slot Mods is proud to offer limited-edition replicas of cars from one of the greatest eras of racing. Our first offering: the RCR 917 that Vic Elford and Gerald Larrousse drove to victory at the 1971 12 Hours of Sebring. With just a push of a button, the body opens to reveal the ultimate slot car racing experience!

The RCR 917 is a faithful reproduction with fiberglass body panels true to its original shape. Specifications: rolling aluminum 3-piece original-style center lock wheels, race-worn tires, working headlights and taillights, and inside…a beautiful 1/32 scale wooden slot car raceway, featuring handcrafted, period-correct signs, banners, aluminum Armco railing, trees and structures.

But we couldn’t stop there. Also available to test your endurance, we’re offering the RCR GT40, RCR P4, and RCR T70. Choose period livery, or your own design."

Via SlotMods.com

Like Ken Block's Gymkana... but with more bang and boobs

And less fancy editing... The driver is Italian Tarmac rally champion Luca Pedersoli, the girl is the very pneumatic Francesca Camisa .

Lap Fuji onboard a Ferrari 458 Challenge

Many of you will be quite familiar with the Fuji track from playing Gran Turismo 5. Here's the real thing, riding in our friend HFO's Ferrari 458 Challenge on a very chilly late december day.

Theat's about 180 mph on the long straight but, as you might expect, cold weather and slick tires tend to not mix all that well and HFO did have a pretty close call ending up only inches from the guard rail on an out lap!
Check it out after the jump

Warhol's other BMW Art car

Turns out the famous hand brushed BMW M1 was not his first try a decorating bavarian iron. In 1978 he tried his hand on a 320i DRM mock-up but the design was never realized, possibly because Roy Lichtenstein's 320 was so successful. The fiberglass and aluminum model still exists and would make for a pretty cool paperweight!
(Catherine Dail Fine Art)

Axis of Oversteer

Ferrari 246 S Dino photographed by Jurrie Vanhalle at the 2011 Six hours of Spa. Want to hear what it sounds like? bonus video after the jump!

NürburgFAIL

May I suggest an "Occupy the 'Ring" movement? Problem is you can't put the genie back in the bottle, they can't tear down the deserted mall and the non working roller coaster, stop sucking tourists dry and return to the simple days of steak on stone and easy rentals. I don't really see a viable solution, do you? .

Chill F1 Mashup

OK, here's something different: Alternative Chill Out and Late 1960s vintage Formula 1...

That short period in the late 60's when it went high wing mad reminds how Formula One never really changed, teams will try anything and everyone will copy everyone else until it reaches insanity and the whole thing gets banned. That's what we still love about it,  too bad it's become much harder now to have that crazy spark.

This video is taken from the Digital LP: Fresh Moods/ Exhale, written & produced by Peter Haubfleisch. It's available for download on iTunes

Another clip, illustrated using the awesome historic Schlegelmilch archive, after the jump.

On Vacation!

Once you do your Google image thingy on the car above you'll figure out where I will be for the next few days! Cheers!


start of post.

Awesome Hat!

Check out CG's awesome new Censport painted, Stilo lid, ready for the 24!
Guaranteed fast by the Axis logo of course! More pictures after the jump.

Cult of Stance

Shot by Sean Klingelhoefer for Super Street magazine.



.

Beetlejuice

You have to go to Norway to find some classic California look VW love?.

Fast standing still

It's called projection mapping...
by Media Merchants.

Stig drives the Corvette ZR1

And that's all the information I have, you can try asking Traqmate who posted the clip....

Epic Porsche 935 video

photo: Tracktoughts.com

Killed bugs faster than most: Johannes Van Overbeek rocketing around Laguna Seca in a 1983 Porsche 935 during the most recent Rennsport Reunion.

I don't really have to add anything more, turn it up and enjoy after the jump.
(thanks Andre'!)

Needs more wing..

First really cold day in New York and our thoughts turn to something to do in the cold...
Funny, I would have bet on the Mini, I guess the mongo wing helps!
(via Formula Photographic)
.

Nineseventeen

phtot by Danny Sullivan.

Smile!

photo by Ed Callow.

2013 Porsche 991 GT3

A 2013 GT3 with proper fixed wing and front spoiler caught testing by Auto Motor Und Sport. So far, I had only seen pictures of regular 991 bodied mules. 4 liter 500 hp+, lots of carbon fiber and Luddite angering PDK-R.

Ferrari SA Aperta test drive

(photo: Raphaël Belly)

EVO publisher Harry Metcalfe has a very cool video blog on picking up one of the only 80 Ferrari SA Aperta made.
Great review and good illustration of how you can customize bespoke every tiny detail on these cars.
...that sound... Check it out after the jump.

Axis Holiday Gift Guide

I know, I know, everyone does a gift guide. You've seen a million of them by now and let's be honest, what are the chances of you buying a big brake kit for your best buddy as a Christmas present?

Then again, you might be shopping for your tracktard kids or maybe plan on strategically leaving a browser open on this page on your significant other's computer...totally by accident of course. Or perhaps you might just want to buy yourself a much deserved present...

2011 Axis Gift Guide

Monza 1971

Peter Gethin passed away aged 71. In 1971 Gethin drove a V12 Yardley BRM to victory in what might still be the closest finish ever for a Formula One race: 5 cars in 6/10th at the flag.

It was at the pre- chicane Monza where an endless 5 car slip stream duel with Ronnie Peterson in a March 711 (in low downforce configuration), François Cevert in the Tyrrell 002, Mike Hailwood in a Surtees TS9 and New Zelander Howden Ganley in the other Yardley car, saw Gethin literally win it by inches in the final lap.
(photo: Motorsports Retro)



.

The comedy stylings of Sebastian Vettel

If you didn't like him before, you will after watching him at the Autosport Awards.
(via BadgerGP)
.

1% Drifter

Actually, not really. It's that classic video of a former BMW Performance School instructor hooning a Ghost through the "Man's Turn"at the South Carolina track.

Proof that, given enough momentum and power, you can drift anything!
(Via Freep) .

993 GT2

Is this still everyone's favorite GT2 or is it just another old car now?
.

3.5 CSL

In my book, squarely part of the top 10 badass GT race cars of history.
Photo by James Boone
.

Axis of Oversteer loves Norbert Haug

Why? Well. c'mon, hooning an SL 500 rally car at the Race of Champions... That was awesome Norbert!
Who knew? I'd like to see Luca Di Montezemolo pull that off.
.

2011 Macau Motorcycle GP

...because what else do you do while waiting for the Isle of Man TT?

Thing is, the TT is essentially a race against the clock, the Macau Motorcycle GP is actual wheel to wheel action. on the plus side, they can pass in the tight section!

Check out the video by Segio Perez after the jump

Team Axis News

Our own CG, Carlos Gomez will be testing with TRG at Daytona, December 6-7 in preparation for the 2012 Rolex 24. CG will be working with 2011 Viper Cup champion Ben Keating.

Check out the complete press release

(photo: James Kirkham)
.

Thank me later....

for now, just click the fullscreen button, turn the volume up and imagine the aroma of gas spilling into six Webers....

(DK Engineering via Grid Stars)
.