JustBritish

Amidst all of the bickering, wrangling and hand-wringing consuming the Formula One teams when they aren’t on the track comes word that Lotus could return to the sport next year. Yes, that would be the same Lotus founded by Colin Chapman, one of the greatest innovators racing ever saw. The same Lotus that revolutionized F1 on more than one occasion.

The retro-racing vibe goes deeper. Brabham, the outfit launched by “Black Jack” Brabham and once owned by F1 capo di tutti capi Bernie Ecclestone has its eyes on the grid. There’s also some mumbling about Lola and March fielding cars next year.

All of this is fueled by the civil war between the Formula One Teams Association and the Federation Internationale d’Automobile, which are at odds over the FIA’s plan for a budget cap to rein in the stratospheric cost of racing. With the FIA promising to bring down the cost of entry and the major teams threatening to bolt if that happens, smaller outfits see a chance to go racing.

For the rest of this story, check out Wired.

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In front of nearly 100,000 fans on a dark overcast day, Sebastian Vettel and his Red Bull RB5 stormed to an easy win at the historic Silverstone circuit for Formula One’s 2009 British Grand Prix. The race proved once and for all that mighty Brawn GP can be beaten, and that the F1 championship fight is likely to tighten before a winner is declared.

The British victory was Vettel’s second of the season – he also won the rainy Chinese Grand Prix – and third of his F1 career. It was also the German’s first career win under dry conditions. All three of his wins have come from Pole position. Vettel also scored the hat-trick: Pole, fastest lap, and the win.

For the Red Bull F1 team, it was their second win of the season, and their second in the team’s five year 80-race history. It was also the team’s second one-two finish of the season as Mark Webber got by Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello on the first round of pitstops, and easily pulled away once the Brazilian was behind. Both Red Bull drivers turned down the revs on the engines to save them. Had it been 2005 and one-race engines, the pair likely would have lapped the field.

They were that good.

“This is a dream come true, this is a dream come true,” Vettel said of his straightforward cruise to victory. “It’s never easy, you have to stay focused and keep your eyes open all of the time. I had to push during the first stint, I was able to push, push, push, more and more. “

See the full story at Paddock Talk!

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Just posted a quick video from The Mitty. More to come soon – and hopefully a steady camera. I took lots of videos and photos of the cars, I just need to get a chance to post them!

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April 30th through May 3rd, 2009, marks the return of The Mitty to Road Atlanta in Georgia. I first attended the event about 25 years ago when it was still called The Walter Mitty Challenge. At that time the vintage racing group SVRA was still knows as teh Southern Vintage Racing Association. Times have changed. The event is now just called “The Mitty”, the SVRA is now the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, and the event is now part of the HSR – Historic Sportscar Racing series. Oh, and I now am married, have kids, and am supposedly a responsible adult.

But best of all I am actually going back to enjoy the festivities!

With Classic Motorsports Magazine hosting the event, this year looks to be the best one ever. For 2009 Jaguar is the featured marque at The Mitty, dozens of legendary cats from the D-Type to the Group 44 IMSA GTP prototypes will be gathering. This could very well be the largest ever assembly of these machines.

In addition, and amazingly to me, they are planning the largest collection of Group 44 cars, drivers and crew members ever assembled. This is your chance to meet the men and see the cars that ruled the Runoffs and Road Atlanta throughout the ’70s.

Of course lots more will be going on including a swap meet, car corral, slot car racing and, oh yes, lots of vintage racing. From the Ferraris and Cobras of the ’50s and ’60s to the incredible IMSA GTP cars of the ’80s and ’90s, the Mitty allows you to relive the most thrilling battles in motorsports history. Plus, famous Formula 1 cars from the last five decades will take to the track for a rare appearance.

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