Tag: circuit

Report: Circuit of Wales gets key go-ahead vote by local government

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Government/Legal, UK

Circuit of Wales proposal

A development company called Heads of the Valleys, led by Michael Carrick, is working through the steps to build a 250-million-pound ($378M US) motorsports facility in Blaenau Gwent, Wales, about 33 miles due north of Cardiff. After more than a year of work so far, the latest success is that the Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council has given approval to the outline plan of the circuit.

Called the Circuit of Wales, the 830-acre site will be a “low carbon automotive center of excellence” that will comprise a 3.5-mile car track, motocross, karting and off-roading tracks, hotel and commercial and retail complexes. To fulfill the low-carbon bit, the facilities will also include an R&D park for entities exploring “the boundaries in environmental technology and energy solutions.”

The plan is ultimately to host World Touring Car, MotoGP, World Superbikes and World Motocross. All of the facilities will be available to locals, a motorsports academy will assist new talent, and Welsh universities are expected to be able to tie their expertise in with the stakeholders in the technology park. The next step is for Heads of the Valleys to draw up and get approval for the detailed plan of the circuit.

Circuit of Wales gets key go-ahead vote by local government originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Jul 2013 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buddh International Circuit gears up for inaugural Indian Grand Prix

Filed under: Motorsports, India

Buddh International Circuit
A few years ago, India wasn’t a place one would naturally associate with Formula 1 racing. Now, however, the country has its own F1 team (Force India), a couple of F1 drivers (Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok) and will soon host its first grand prix.

The race is scheduled to take place on October 30, 2011, on the new Hermann Tilke-designed Buddh International Circuit. named for the region in which it resides. The circuit was designed to be one of the fastest on the calendar, with lap times for a contemporary F1 car set to come in around 1 minute, 20 seconds, with projected speeds topping 320 km/h (just under 200 mph). With 5.14 kilometers (3.19 miles) of track and sixteen turns, the facility is being constructed as part of a $400 million project that the FIA is expected to sign off on this July.

[Source: JPSI Sports]

Buddh International Circuit gears up for inaugural Indian Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 30 Apr 2011 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sebastian Vettel takes Infiniti for a spin at the Shanghai International Circuit [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, China, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Infiniti, Celebrities, Luxury

Sebastian Vettel in the Infiniti G37

Sebastian Vettel drives the Infiniti G37 – Click above for high-res image gallery, click here to watch video

What’s the point in an automaker pouring millions into an F1 team if it can’t leverage a little star power? In Infiniti’s case, it’s not even running its own F1 team or even supplying engines. Instead, it’s sponsoring the Red Bull Racing outfit that’s out there defending both its titles. (That said, we wouldn’t be surprised if Infiniti’s involvement turned into an engine rebranding initiative for next season.)

As any marketing whiz could tell you, sponsorship is only worth as much as you promote it. So while Red Bull’s world champion Sebastian Vettel was in Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix, he took a couple of Infiniti’s finest for a spin.

Vettel being Vettel, he didn’t just drive around the block: he took to the Shanghai International Circuit. (Or, at least an Autocross setup on the circuit’s back lot.) And while he wasn’t about to set any lap records behind the wheel of the G37 sedan or FX50 crossover, he seemed to enjoy the experience, hanging the G37’s tail out making some smoke for the crowd. Follow the jump to watch the video footage and check out the still shots in the gallery below.

Gallery: Sebastian Vettel and Infiniti at the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix

[Source: Infiniti]

Continue reading Sebastian Vettel takes Infiniti for a spin at the Shanghai International Circuit [w/video]

Sebastian Vettel takes Infiniti for a spin at the Shanghai International Circuit [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Austin U.S. F1 track to officially be called Circuit of the Americas, also play host to MotoGP

Filed under: Motorsports

circuit of the americas

We’ve all known that Formula One racing is coming to Austin, Texas. Now we know what to call the track that will play host to the 2012 U.S. Grand Prix. Called the Circuit of the Americas, this 3.4-mile racetrack features 20 turns, 133 feet of elevation change and a 10-year F1 contract.

Circuit of the Americas won’t simply play host to four-wheeled machines, though. The two-wheeled action of MotoGP will also be coming to the Texas track. Beginning in 2013, CotA starts a 10-year contract with the motorcycle racing series.

[Source: Autoweek]

Austin U.S. F1 track to officially be called Circuit of the Americas, also play host to MotoGP originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Chevrolet Volt is out there on the test drive circuit, too

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, Event Alert

Chevrolet Volt

Chevy Volt Tour hits L.A. Fashion Weekend – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Nissan Leaf is on a nationwide tour to spread the electric gospel, and it turns out the Chevrolet Volt is also making a national round to pitch its “More Car than Electric” mantra. We swung by its L.A. stop more interested in the L.A. Fashion Weekend show that was going on behind the test drives. This particular blogger had never been in the Volt and hadn’t thought much of it beyond the three years of headlines it’s been making – especially because our tastes tend more toward words like Gumpert Apollo and Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport and Aston Martin DBS Carbon Black and Lamborghini Murciélago.. and Fisker Karma.

But then we drove it. Twice. Once with the engine juicing the battery, once on battery power alone. They were short drives, just around a few blocks. And, um, we hate to go all Volt homer with this, but we have no choice: it was fantastic. As coincidence would have it, we rocked up to the event in a Honda Insight and discovered that the Volt is at the opposite, highly enjoyable pole of hybrid driving. We characterized it as “the best hybrid experience we’ve ever had.”

Of course, we can’t pass judgment on the car as a complete proposition because we had just a moment of seat time. Yet it was long enough to know that we’re going to get in one again as soon as we get the chance. And it was long enough for us to recommend that if the Volt tour comes your way and you’re into cars at all, then take our advice: drive it. For dates and cities, have a look at the info after the jump.

Gallery: Chevy Volt tour in LA

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading The Chevrolet Volt is out there on the test drive circuit, too

The Chevrolet Volt is out there on the test drive circuit, too originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Oct 2010 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Korean International Circuit lapped ahead of October F1 race

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, South Korea

Karun Chandhok does laps of the Korean GP circuit – Click above to watch video after the jump

Just six weeks remain until the Korean Grand Prix takes place on October 24. The track itself is only barely ready and the surrounding infrastructure is nowhere near ready, but that didn’t stop Karun Chandhok from running a few fast laps. On leave from HRT F1 for a few races, Chandhok piloted a Red Bull on grooved tires through the dusty 3.49-mile circuit. It looks a lot more exciting on paper than it does behind the wheel – save for the massive straight – but hopefully the championship battle will provide enough excitement on its own. Follow the jump for the video.

[Source: ESPN F1]

Continue reading Video: Korean International Circuit lapped ahead of October F1 race

Video: Korean International Circuit lapped ahead of October F1 race originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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