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Month: May 2023

  • NASCAR Cup Kansas: Hamlin wins after clashing with Larson

    NASCAR Cup Kansas: Hamlin wins after clashing with Larson

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    With just under 25 of 267 laps remaining in Sunday’s NASCAR contest, Hamlin worked his way around William Byron and set his sights on leader Larson.

    With five laps to go, Hamlin got side-by-side with Larson for the lead but was forced to back off. On the final lap, Hamlin again got near Larson off Turn 2 and nudged Larson’s #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the left-rear, which knocked Larson into a hit against the wall.

    Larson was able to keep going but Hamlin cleared him by 1.307 seconds to claim his first win of the 2023 season.

    The win is the 49th of Hamlin’s NASCAR Cup career and ends a nearly year-long winless drought; his most recent victory coming last May in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.

    After doing a celebratory burnout on the front straight following his win, Hamlin was booed by the crowd as he exited his #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to do his victory interview.

    “I’m proud of this whole team. I got position on [Larson] there and I tried to side-draft him and clipped his left-rear,” Hamlin said. “I’m glad he was able to at least finish.”

    Byron, who fell two laps down at one point in the race, rallied back to finish third, ahead of Bubba Wallace in fourth as Ross Chastain completed the top five to take the overall points lead.

    Joey Logano took sixth ahead of Chase Elliott and winner last time out at Dover Martin Truex Jr, with Tyler Reddick and Austin Dillon rounding out the top 10.

    While Hamlin was celebrating his win, Noah Gragson grabbed Ross Chastain on pitroad and began pushing him repeatedly until Chastain struck Gragson in the face. The two were quickly separated by NASCAR officials.

    Christopher Bell, points leader going into the Kansas race, crashed hard at Turn 2 in Stage 2 of the race to end his running prematurely.

    NASCAR Cup – Kansas race results (267 laps)

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  • The latest numbers on the microchip shortage: Cuts continue but output improves

    The latest numbers on the microchip shortage: Cuts continue but output improves

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    Automakers cut 48,421 cars from their global production schedules because of microchip shortages last week, according to an estimate by AutoForecast Solutions. Europe led in factory schedule changes, with about 18,200 vehicles axed. North America lost about 17,000 vehicles, while China cut about 11,700. 

    Although automakers continue to point to the chip shortage as a cause, output is steadily improving, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions.

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  • Verstappen “annoyed with myself” after Miami F1 qualifying mistake

    Verstappen “annoyed with myself” after Miami F1 qualifying mistake

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    Having sailed through Q1 and Q2 at the head of the times, Verstappen made an error on his first run in Q3 and had to abort it.

    That left him in ninth and at risk of remaining in that position should a red flag interrupt his second attempt, which was exactly what happened after Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari.

    Despite his obvious frustration – exacerbated by the fact that Red Bull team-mate and title rival Sergio Perez earned pole position – Verstappen tried to remain upbeat, stating that he expected to recover to a “minimum P2.”

    “Of course, that is unfortunate,” he said when asked about how Q3 had unfolded. “But first of all, of course, we didn’t do a lap. And that was my fault. But yeah, it was extremely tricky.

    “I was a little bit offline out of six into seven, I felt a bit of understeer, and I just couldn’t get it back on the line. So I aborted my lap.

    “And then of course, you need a bit of luck, hoping that there won’t be a red flag. But of course, when you try to think like that, then it happens. So, it’s a bit upsetting.

    “I mean the whole weekend we have been really quick, my Q2 lap was fast enough even for pole in Q3.

    “So, I guess that already says that we have a very quick car. But you need to put it together, and where it matters, we didn’t. And that’s a bit frustrating for my part.”

    Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19

    Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

    He added: “I’m still annoyed with myself, but I also know that tomorrow is a new day, a lot of things can happen.

    “It’s not ideal, but there’s also no point now to be like super angry or upset about it. But you learn from it. You will do better again next time.”

    Asked if he could have attempted a second banker lap on his first set, or gone out earlier on his second, he admitted that the team could have done things differently.

    “We could have in hindsight, yeah, we could have also gone out a bit earlier,” he noted. “But at the end of the day, I make a mistake. We don’t plan of course on me making a mistake.

    “Then of course, you’re like, ‘Okay, let’s go a little bit early, so we might have a clean run.’ I was still quite ahead of the few cars. But then you also don’t anticipate that one car immediately goes off. That’s a street circuit, these things happen.”

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    Verstappen admitted that it was unfortunate that the red flag came in the one session in which he hadn’t logged a banker lap.

    “That’s why it’s just a bit upsetting. I know it’s easily done. I mean, we are all on the limit, a tiny mistake can immediately throw you out. And that’s what happened to me today. But still you always want to try and be perfect, right? And this was not good.”

    Verstappen stressed that he wasn’t going to let the qualifying disappointment get to him.

    “I know that the championship isn’t won tomorrow,” he said. “And I’ve been in this position before. You have sometimes a few setbacks, but that doesn’t mean that that carries on for the rest of the year or whatever.

    “I mean, it can’t all be perfect. You hope that it’s going to be perfect. I think last year, we had a tough start, but then you still need to nail a few bits yourself. Today was not perfect.”

    When asked what he expected to achieve in Sunday’s race, he stated replied: “Minimum P2.”

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  • Fast X 8-Bit Video Game Is A Good Way To Pass Time Waiting For The Movie

    Fast X 8-Bit Video Game Is A Good Way To Pass Time Waiting For The Movie

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    In addition to New Wave music, mainstream turbocharged cars, and deconstructed linen jackets worn over pastel t-shirts, the 1980s gave us 8-bit video games. A necessity to support the primitive but burgeoning home computer industry, it gave rise to classic racing games like Pole Position, Spyhunter, and Out Run. Capturing the spirit of that entertainment, the Fast and the Furious franchise has introduced an 8-bit game you can play called Fast X: The End of the Road Begins. 

    The simple gameplay involves dodging obstacles, including cars, explosives, and potholes, through the streets of Los Angles, Brazil, and Rome. Along the way, you can pick up NOS bottles, cash, and checkered flags to speed up your progress. The game includes vehicles like motorcycles and what are presumably Dom and Dante’s cars. However, it’s hard to tell which car is Dante’s Chevrolet Impala and which is Dom’s Dodge Charger by anything other than the purple and black colors. 

    Between levels, you can watch cut scenes from the Fast X movie trailers showing car chases and explosions. It’s a worthwhile diversion you can play on any web browser by visiting the Lets Race Fast X Movie site. The movie premiers Friday, May 19, and is the first of a two-part finale to the original Fast and the Furious franchise. 

    The movie itself centers on Dom and his “family”. It features an all-star cast of franchise characters played by Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, John Cena, Sun Kang, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jason Statham, Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, Brie Larson, and Rita Moreno. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will not make an appearance due to his longstanding friction with Vin Diesel.          

    While the central cast is not expected to return for other movies in the Fast franchise after Fast X, it is possible other standalone movies are in the works, like the return of Hobbes and Shaw or the creation of new characters similar to The Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift.  

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  • F1 Miami GP qualifying – Start time, how to watch & more

    F1 Miami GP qualifying – Start time, how to watch & more

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    The reigning F1 world champion returned to the top of the times after a Mercedes 1-2 in first practice, as Verstappen posted a best lap of 1m27.930s to lead the second session by 0.385s from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

    Charles Leclerc slotted into third place but crashed late on for Ferrari, clattering the barriers head-on at Turn 7, to trigger a brief red flag in FP2.

    Azerbaijan GP winner Sergio Perez could only manage fourth for Red Bull but kept ahead of Fernando Alonso in his Aston Martin and McLaren’s Lando Norris.

    Hamilton led the Mercedes’ charge in the second session with seventh, ahead of Lance Stroll in the other Aston Martin, as Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon in the Williams rounded out the top 10.

    What time does qualifying start for the F1 Miami Grand Prix?

    Qualifying for the Miami GP starts at 4pm local time (9pm BST), using the regular Q1, Q2 and Q3 knockout session format.

    Date: Saturday 6 May 2023

    Start time: 4pm local time – 9pm BST

    Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23

    Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

    How can I watch Formula 1?

    In the United Kingdom Formula 1 is broadcast live on Sky Sports, with highlights shown on Channel 4 several hours after the race has finished. Live streaming through NOW is also available in the UK.

    Sky Sports F1, which broadcasts the F1 races, can be added as part of the Sky Sports channels which costs £24 a month for new customers. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off day payment of £11.98p or a month membership of £34.99p per month.

    How can I watch F1 Miami GP qualifying?

    In the United Kingdom every F1 practice, qualifying and race is broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event, with Miami GP qualifying coverage starting at 8:00pm BST on Sky Sports F1 and 8:30pm BST on Sky Sports Main Event.

    • Channel: Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event
    • Start time: 8:00pm/8:30pm BST 6 May 2023

    Autosport will be running a live text coverage of qualifying here.

    When can I watch the highlights of F1 Miami GP qualifying?

    In the United Kingdom Channel 4 is broadcasting highlights of qualifying for the Miami GP at 08:30am BST on Sunday morning. The full programme will run for 60 minutes, covering both qualifying and wrapping up the major talking points of the race weekend so far.

    For the entire 2023 F1 season, Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of every qualifying and race of each event. The highlights will also be available on Channel 4’s on demand catch up services.

    • Channel: Channel 4
    • Start time: 08:30am BST 7 May 2023
    Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo C43

    Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo C43

    Photo by: Jake Grant / Motorsport Images

    Will F1 Miami GP qualifying be on the radio?

    Live radio coverage of every practice, qualifying and race for the 2023 F1 season will be available on the BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC 5 Live Sports Extra or via the BBC Sport website.

    Coverage of Miami GP qualifying will start at 9:00pm BST on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sounds app.

    What’s the weather forecast for qualifying in Miami?

    Hot and sunny weather conditions with a low chance of rain is forecast for Saturday’s qualifying session in Miami. The temperature is set to be 30 degrees Celsius at the start of qualifying.

    F1 Miami GP FP2 results

    F1 Miami GP FP1 results

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  • Auto industry evolution inspires new direction at seating supplier Adient

    Auto industry evolution inspires new direction at seating supplier Adient

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    “I think cultural competency counts a lot more over time for just doing any kind of business in America,” Hall said. “In recent years as there have been what I call copycats, more joint ventures set up by competitors, it’s been important for our long-term sustainability and growth that we do have a track record.”

    With sustainability in mind, Adient is also shifting how it thinks about EVs. The conventional wisdom was that all cars need seats no matter what is or isn’t under the hood, so the seating business is insulated from change. But Del Grosso has changed the way he thinks about that. A recent trip to the Shanghai Auto Show hammered home the magnitude of change in the industry.

    “What I saw in Shanghai was a tsunami of new products that are very different than the ICE (traditional internal combustion engine) vehicles that they’re replacing,” he said.

    “When you pack a vehicle full of batteries, there’s less interior space, so we have to basically condense seating systems to offset for that displaced space. They’re much more environmentally minded — significantly less leather interiors and more alternative seating materials …”

    The result will be a surge in research and development to keep up with the rapidly changing demands of legacy automakers and new entrants alike.

    Following is more from the interview with Del Grosso, which has been condensed and edited for clarity:

    • The supply chain volatility over the past two years and commercial negotiations over contract terms between OEMs and suppliers is well documented. How have those discussions progressed?

    It’s less of an issue, but it’s also a harder discussion to have with the customer because they don’t feel that they’re as accountable because it’s not occurring at the same level that it was, you know, a year ago. I think the issue from my perspective, at its worst, it was really creating an almost toxic work environment for us to operate in. We were having such high turnover. People literally did not want to work in the automotive sector because of just the volatility associated. I’m not sure that the OEs completely understood just how difficult a situation it was. Maybe they were seeing it in their own plant, but they didn’t understand how deep it was going into the supply chain.

    • What would you say is the biggest issue now?

    I think labor is the biggest challenge that we’re all experiencing right now, whether it’s labor cost, or just labor availability, particularly on the skilled trades side. I think it’s a real challenge just in the industrial base within the United States. I think when it comes to automotive, it’s a very disciplined work environment, traditionally… and we’re competing in other segments where it’s a less regimented labor environment. The Amazon warehouse, if you will. It’s a lot more flexibility.

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  • Geely’s London black cab unit unveils new large EV platform

    Geely’s London black cab unit unveils new large EV platform

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    ANSTY, England — Geely unit London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) on Friday unveiled a new, large electric-vehicle platform for vehicles ranging from minivans to commercial vans that it said could also be used by other units of the Chinese automaker.

    LEVC said the platform, dubbed Space Oriented Architecture (SOA), had been jointly developed over the last two-and-a-half years in China, Sweden, the U.K. and Germany, would provide EVs with longer range, fast-charging capabilities and advanced driver-assistance features.

    Speaking to reporters on Thursday at LEVC headquarters in Ansty, England, executives said the flexible platform could be used for a wide range of EVs, including pickup trucks, large SUVs or even mobile homes.

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  • Zeekr X Is A Chinese EV Crossover With Pet Mode And Minifridge

    Zeekr X Is A Chinese EV Crossover With Pet Mode And Minifridge

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    Geely was originally established in 1986 but it didn’t enter the automotive business until 1997. In recent years, the company has grown to become one of the world’s leading players in the electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid markets. It now owns several brands, including Volvo, Lotus, Smart, and Zeekr with the latter being a standalone division for premium electric vehicles. Its latest product is the X crossover, which made its official debut in China less than a month ago.

    Thanks to our pals at Wheelsboy, we now have an early review of the model, which was confirmed for a European debut towards the end of this year. The video attached at the top of this page is accompanied by an exclusive photo gallery for the Motor1.com audience, which is embedded just below.

    11 Photos

    For starters, the Zeekr X is a compact crossover with a somewhat polarizing design that shares many of its components with other products under the Geely umbrella. Based on the firm’s Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA), the EV has powertrain and battery components that can be also found under the skin of the Smart #1. It features its own distinctive design language though, and it may be a little too modernistic for some customers on the Old Continent.

    The interior, however, is beautiful from every angle, especially considering the vehicle’s price – the Zeekr X starts from just $27,600 (189,800 yuan) in base RWD trim and the optional dual-motor AWD model starts at $30,500 (209,800 yuan). This is pretty impressive for a car that has a standard 13-speaker Yamaha sound system, electrically operated front doors, and an adjustable center console.

    The optional features include a removable refrigerator at the back and a small display on the B-pillar that displays information about the vehicle’s status. You can choose from a few different modes while the machine is stationary, including a pet mode that keeps the car climatized if your pet is inside.

    Zeekr will have the new electric crossover on sale in China in June but it is already offering media drives in the country. A launch on selected European markets is “expected in due course” and Zeekr has promised to keep the EV in Europe quite affordable.

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  • Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Plays Fake Engine Sound In New Teaser Video

    Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Plays Fake Engine Sound In New Teaser Video

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    In the words of Dewey from the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle: “The future is now, old man.” Although EVs with artificial noises are not a novelty, Hyundai is trying to make them sound exciting for its first N model to do away with the combustion engine. A new teaser video of the Ioniq 5 N shows the high-performance electric crossover on the streets of Seoul as well as on the track at the company’s Namyang R&D center.

    We get a first taste of what Hyundai meant when it said the sporty EV would have a “virtual shift mode” by pulling both paddles located behind the steering wheel to artificially change gears. Executive Technical Advisor Albert Biermann previously mentioned the idea is to mimic the jolt and downshift vibrations you get from an i30 N equipped with a dual-clutch automatic transmission.

    8 Photos

    As for the noises you’re hearing, these are part of the N Sound Plus to imitate the raspy exhaust of an ICE-powered sports car. We even hear pops and bangs at one point but perhaps the most realistic noise is when the driver downshifts and the revs go higher. Artificially, of course. If these don’t tickle your fancy, Hyundai said future over-the-air updates will allow owners to upload their own fake noises.

    Beyond the gimmickry – which also includes a drift mode briefly demonstrated in this video – the Ioniq 5 N will get standard all-wheel drive with dual motors making a combined output of roughly 600 horsepower. It’s also getting an evolution of Hyundai’s battery tech with improved energy density without a physical increase in size for the pack. The new flagship version will also usher in a rear wiper that will be added to the lesser trim levels.

    Hyundai has already announced it will showcase the Ioniq 5 N at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in mid-July, with sales likely to start before the end of the year. As for price, prepare to fork out more money than the $61,600 Kia wants for the EV6 GT.

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  • Perez: Curing key weakness has unleashed F1 title bid

    Perez: Curing key weakness has unleashed F1 title bid

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    The Mexican’s victory in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has moved him to within six points of world championship leader Max Verstappen and confirmed him as a genuine challenger for the crown.

    Reflecting on the Baku performance, and especially on the way he controlled the pace at the front – like in Saudi Arabia – Perez has singled out work he did with his engineers over the winter in addressing tyre management problems as triggering a transformation in his fortunes.

    PLUS: How Perez’s “in the fight” claim for F1 2023 title glory really stacks up

    “I think one of my weaknesses last year was looking after the tyres,” said Perez, when asked by Autosport about the importance of the Baku result.

    “During the winter, I sat down with my engineers to go through it, because I was pretty disappointed [with last year] – I didn’t have good race pace.

    “I think we managed to understand a lot of things and we’ve been much better in that regard this year.”

    While Perez has a reputation as being one of the best drivers at looking after tyres in the past, he says those skills were not easily transferrable to the Red Bull car concept.

    Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, in the Press Conference

    Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

    “When I came to Red Bull, the way you look after the tyres around the teams is very different,” he said. “So I had to learn a lot on how to look after the tyres in a Red Bull car.

    “I think in my first year, I got better towards the end of the year. But, with the regulation change, I was not able to look after them properly.

    “I feel now that I’m much better at it. With the understanding of a Red Bull car, I feel much more like a Red Bull driver.”

    The progress he has made so far with unlocking what is needed for the Red Bull also leaves Perez confident there is plenty more room for improvement.

    “There is still more to come, more and more to come in that regard in becoming more of a Red Bull driver, and the way to drive the Red Bull car,” he said.

    “I think, once you are really established in a team, and you understand the concept of a car, you are able to extract the maximum. That only comes with time, and the more time you spend with a team, the better.

    “But I certainly believe that I made big steps compared to last year.”

    Perez says that running up against a team-mate like Verstappen has not been easy to deal with, which is why he chose to undertake a deep analysis of his driving over the winter.

    Asked how he got himself back on track for this year after a difficult 2022, he said: “I’m mentally very strong. That’s my biggest strength and that has always been.

    “It is not easy being Max’s team-mate because he’s delivering all the time and he’s winning all the time. We’ve seen it in the past that it’s not easy for a team-mate to survive.

    “I believed in myself but I had to go very deep into understanding the whole concept of the car and making sure that I put the right tools in place to be able to fight.”

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