AUTO MANIA: by Dr. Iain Corness [email protected]

Brazil GP this weekend

The Autodromo Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo Brazil plays host to the F1 circus in this their last race for the season. However, with the Constructors championship already sealed, and the Driver’s Championship all but sealed, there will be no nail biting down to the wire racing at this meeting.
The Brazilian GP has been famous over the years for the unruly crowd and circuit signs that fall down. With the time difference between that side of the world and us, I believe the event will begin at 11 p.m. on Sunday November 9. Being the world’s great optimist, we watch the big screen at Jameson’s Irish Pub, and the dedicated F1 channel which has no adverts when the race is on. Come and join us for a few ales before the start. I will be sitting on my usual perch in front of the big screen in Jameson’s, so come and keep me company. We’ll have a couple of ales and rubbish the commentary, unless it is a nail-biting race.
Interlagos Circuit History:
The name Interlagos comes from the Portuguese for ‘between the lakes’ because the circuit was built in a natural bowl which had two small lakes in it. Their position dictated the layout of the 7.2 km track which was built in 1954 close to Sao Paolo (Ayrton Senna’s home city).
Interlagos hosted the Brazilian GP from the first non-championship race in 1972 through to 1980, with the exception of 1978 when it was held in Rio de Janeiro. After 1980, it went to Rio again, until 1989 when it returned to Interlagos, where it has remained.
This coincided with a new layout which retained the old section on both sides of the start/finish line. The infield kept the character of the original, but lap distance was shortened from 7.2 km to 4.3 km. One of the new corners was named after Ayrton Senna.
The official name of the circuit is the Autodromo Carlos Pace in memory of Pace, the Brazilian who scored the only Grand Prix win of his brief career at Interlagos in 1975.

Mazda BT 50 gets great rap in Oz

Mazda BT-50

An extended road test was done by one of the car magazines in Australia of the Thai-built Mazda BT 50. It was one of the most glowing reports I have ever read!
The tester ventured off the beaten track and reported that “the BT-50 is downright brilliant. Hub-deep ruts are navigated without resorting to 4WD low range and only on one treacherous uphill slop are we required to stop and shift into the more extreme mode.”
“It’s a similar story - still without low range - on a tight, cambered sand course we carved out later … the 3.2-liter turbo diesel just keeps on torquing its way through the ever-loosening sand.”
After the Sand course, the tester reported that the BT-50 is just as capable on uphill rocky slopes.
Their verdict: “The price (in Australia) makes the BT-50 the 4WD to have as a family four-wheel drive. The interior features of a car, the ruggedness of a genuine off-roader and all-round value for money keep me smiling on terrain that would terrify many.”
That will certainly assist Mazda in consolidating its position in the Australian market, especially with Holden and Ford pulling out of Australian manufacture by 2017.

Rare 1957 Mercedes-Benz 220 SL

Mercedes-Benz 220 SL

The Motorclassica Concours d’Elegance held in Melbourne had an ultra-rare Mercedes-Benz 220 SL roadster prototype from 1957, one of just four experimental W127 cars built and this one was the only known example left in the world. Celebrating 60 years since the 300 SL ‘gullwing’ coupe and 190 SL convertible were unveiled at the 1954 International Motor Sports Show in New York, Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific arranged for the 220 SL classic prototype to be displayed alongside a special 60th anniversary edition of the latest SL-Class coupe-convertible.
The SL prototype on display was the only version of the six-cylinder roadster ever built in right-hand drive and belongs to an Australian collection.
Its rarity is recognized by the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, which confirmed the model never went into series production and that only four experimental cars were built.
The whereabouts of the other three W127 220 SLs built - all left-hand drive - remains unknown.

What did we learn from the US GP?

Well we learned that it was held at a very unsociable hour in Thailand - 3 a.m. if you please!
Well, the US GP started with 18 cars, instead of 22, with Bernie, the golden dwarf predicting that there could be as few as 14 cars next year. Not quite what you could call “talking it up”.
Mercedes 1-2 again with the stronger of their two drivers top step on the podium. Despite being faster than Hamilton in Qualifying, and then getting a two second buffer behind him, Nico Rosberg was eventually just worn down by the British driver. There won’t be a German World Champion this year. Rosberg even admitting in the post race interviews that he took too long to find his race rhythm. “It kind of sucks for me today, but that’s the way it is. It took too long for me to find my rhythm. Once Lewis was by I found it, but it was too late,” Rosberg said. He also claimed that he mixed up his power boost switch with his power boost button. Sorry, Nico, but that is not the attention to detail one would expect from a world champion. I am sure he will end up bridesmaid and never the bride. However, even if Hamilton wins the next race in Brazil and Rosberg fails to score any points, the double points finale means the title showdown will only be settled in Abu Dhabi. Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff admitted that Rosberg “was probably a bit too defensive on the tyre. It was a matter of managing tyres too much,” he said.
Many drivers running short of engines and having to take grid penalties, including the current champion, who used to be known as “The Finger” being bested by his Red Bull team mate young Aussie Daniel Ricciardo who took the final step on the podium, after another flawless drive, other than his woeful start. “I’ll put my hand up for that one,” he admitted.
With Alonso leaving Ferrari, having had a win-less time there, will Vettel fare any better? At this stage you would have to say, “Very doubtful.” However, he should feature better than his forthcoming team mate Kimi Raikkonen who will just be stocking up on vodka and ice creams over the December to March break. Really, Raikkonen has been a huge disappointment this year.
The Williams duo of Bottas and Massa reversed places to come in fourth and fifth, showing that Felipe has still “got it” and deserves another year at motor sport’s top table, while Bottas has been one of the ‘finds’ of the 2014 season.
Sixth, after another dogged race was Alonso, who has shown all year that he has always been a championship contender, provided he gets given a car which is even half competitive.
Down in the boonies were Hulkenberg’s Force India, Sutil’s Sauber and Jenson Button’s McLaren. Hulkenberg deserves a competitive car for 2015, but he always seems to be in the wrong pit. Sutil has been hanging on by the skin of his teeth, but he has had far too many crashes and not enough points to be considered for next year. I can also see Jenson being out of his comfortable seat at Woking. Ron Dennis only wants winners, not those who used to win.
Brazil GP at 11 p.m. Thai time Sunday November 9.

Mazda releases the first diesel eco-car

The new Mazda2 variants will be sold as eco-cars in 2015, with a 1.5 liter diesel engine being one of the alternative engines.
The engine size for the diesel eco-car has been raised from 1.4 liters to 1.5 liters. That meant that Mazda’s SkyActiv diesel became an appropriate engine and still eligible for the eco-car incentives.
The official consumption figures for the Mazda diesel are 26.4 km per liter, well above the 23.3 cut-off for the eco-car consumption figures.
It is expected that the diesel will also be fitted to the Mazda CX-3, an SUV/crossover, but it is not known if that variant on the Mazda2 architecture will be eligible for the eco-car category.

Nitto 3K at Bira this weekend

With all the publicity going to the new circuit in Buriram, we should not forget that there are some cracking races at the local Bira circuit, and this weekend 8 and 9 November should see a host of races each day, with around 20 plus events.
The categories of cars include the 1.5 liter sedans as well as Club races and the Retro (pre-1985) sedans which has many BMW E30’s and my TBX Mk 1 Ford Escort, plus the biff and bash pick-up group which always has full grids, though not as many finish, as started the race.
Racing on the Sunday begins around 9 a.m. and my races are around 3 p.m. (though they often run behind schedule). Feel free to come and visit us in the pits during the day.

Natter Nosh and Noggin

The Pattaya car club meets at Jameson’s Irish Pub on Soi AR next to Nova Park. The next meeting is on Monday November 10 at Jameson’s at 7 p.m. A totally informal meeting of like-minded souls to discuss their pet motoring (and motorcycling) loves and hates (plus lies and outright exaggerations). Come along and meet the guys who have a common interest in cars and bikes, and enjoy the Jameson’s specials, washed down with a few beers. A couple of the members were scrutineers at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, so they may have some scuttlebutt about the F1 scene, and one is just back from driving around Australia towing a caravan! Always a fun night. Be prepared to laugh a lot at some of the antics of the members (when they were younger)! The Car Club nights are only on the second Monday of the month (not every second Monday)!

Autotrivia Quiz

Last week I asked why should we remember Herbert Frood when we pull up at the traffic lights? The answer was brake materials, with Herbert Frood using his name to become Ferodo.
So to this week. What is the significance of XOO 349 F? Hint: Ford.
For the Automania free beer this week, be the first correct answer to email [email protected].