Industry News
November 2007
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<< October 07
News for 9th November 2007
New F1 espionage scandal
Representatives of the Enstone, UK based Renault Sport Formula One team have been summoned to answer industrial espionage charges at a hearing during next months meeting FIA World Motor Sport Council.
A statement issued by the FIA said, "Representatives of the Renault F1 Team have been requested to appear before a hearing of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Monaco on Thursday, December 6, 2007.
"The team representatives have been called to answer a charge that between September 2006 and October 2007, in breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code, the Renault F1 Team had unauthorised possession of documents and confidential information belonging to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, including, but not limited to the layout and critical dimensions of the McLaren F1 car, together with details of the McLaren fuelling system, gear assembly, oil cooling system, hydraulic control system and a novel suspension component used by the 2006 and 2007 McLaren F1 cars."
FIA inspectors visit McLaren
The FIA has confirmed that a team of inspectors operating on its behalf have visited the Woking, UK headquarters of the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team to begin an examination of the design of the team’s 2008 F1 car.
In September the McLaren team was fined $100m (£47.5m) and forfeited their points in the F1 Constructors World Championship points after the were found guilty of being in possession of confidential information on the rival Ferraris team’s 2007 car. The FIA inspectors visit to McLaren was made to determine whether any Ferrari intellectual property had been incorporated into the 2008 McLaren design.
According to a BBC news report an FIA spokesman said It had initially been planned that any evidence found during the visit would be presented to the meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Monaco December 7 but it was not certain that a report would be ready by that date.
UK minister resigns to go motor racing
Lord Drayson, the UK government’s defence procurement minister responsible is taking a ‘leave of absence’ to race in the American Le Mans Series sports car racing championship in 2008.
In a letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown Lord Drayson said, “As you know I have a passion for motor racing and over the past year have competed in the British GT championship racing a unique bio-ethanol-fuelled race car, achieving a "historic first" win for a green-fuelled car and coming second overall in the championship.
“A number of special circumstances have now presented me with a once in a lifetime opportunity to take my racing to the next level. I have the opportunity to race next year in the American Le Mans series in the United States, a key step towards my eventual dream of success in the Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
“For the first time next year the American Le Mans Series will allow bio-ethanol cars to compete and so this is a wonderful opportunity to showcase British motorsport technology for environmentally friendly racing.
“It has also coincided with my development as a driver to the point where I am now able to compete at this level.
“Unfortunately, it cannot be combined with the challenge of full-time government office so, as we discussed, I am writing to inform you that I wish to take a leave of absence from the government to enable me to do this. Thank you for your support in understanding why I am so keen to pursue my racing ambition.”
Silverstone plans receive government backing but no funding
The UK’s Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has given his support to the recently unveiled plans for the redevelopment of the Silverstone race circuit near Northampton, which are aimed at securing the future of the Formula One British Grand Prix at the venue, but has ruled out any government funding for the project.
Speaking at Silverstone on Thursday Sutcliffe said, "We want to see a British Grand Prix here at Silverstone and will do everything that we can to support that happening.
“We've been asked to support sustainable development which has lots of vision in it and has the opportunity for the government to support in a variety of creative ways.
"We have talked about this fantastic decade of sport in Britain coming up with the Olympics, possibly the Commonwealth Games and the rugby and football World Cup bids.
"To lose the British Grand Prix would be a massive blow and we really don't want to do that."
Asked whether support would include financial assistance Sutcliffe said, "We can't do that and we've not been asked to do that at this stage."
Dallara appoints new MD
The Parma, Italy based commercial racecar manufacturer and consultancy Dallara Automobili has appointed Andrea Pontremoli as its new managing director.
Before joining Dallara Pontremoli was previously at IBM Italia for 27 years rising to the position of CEO and president of the company. At Dallara he will take over operational responsibility for company and will also take a minority share holding.
Pontremoli said, “Dallara is a company that I have always been interested in and long been impressed by and is today a world leader in the racecar automotive consultancy business. For me to become involved with them is like the realization of an ambition and I look forward to the challenges it brings and to continuing the Dallara traditions of engineering excellence and customer support world wide.
“Dallara is at present a small company but with a massive reputation, it will be my objective to further enhance this hard won reputation whilst taking the company boldly forward into the 21st century with some exciting new projects and expansion plans.”
Dallara founder and president Gian Paolo Dallara said, “We are pleased and honored that someone of Andre’s stature and ability is joining us. We are at a pivotal time in the history of Dallara and whilst I intend to remain very active in the company I believe now is the right time to start to hand over the day to day operational duties. In Andrea I am sure we have a strong capable leader and innovative thinker that will serve us well as we go forward in this ever increasingly global business.”
KERS wins award
A mechanical kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) currently under development by three British companies – Flybrid Systems, Torotrak and Xtrac – for future use in Formula One has won the ‘Engine Innovation of the Year’ award at the Professional MotorSport World Expo Awards ceremony held this week in Cologne, Germany.
Accepting the award Jon Hilton, managing partner of Flybrid Systems said, “We’re delighted to receive this award in recognition of our efforts this year, whereby we’ve already achieved a huge amount simply by turning an idea into reality. With the design, test and development of a system for F1 now well underway, our challenge for next year is to demonstrate the viability of the system for mainstream automotive applications.”
Nissan Sunderland expands wind farm
Nissan Motor Co.’s Sunderland plant in the UK will increase the size of its wind farm later in the year with the addition of two more turbines. Installation will begin in December, bringing the total number of turbines on the site to eight.
The new turbines will be located to the south of the site alongside the existing farm. Expected to be fully operational in January 2008, the expanded farm will generate around 6% of the plant’s annual energy requirement, up from 5% today. This will deliver a cost saving of nearly £1 million a year (depending on weather conditions) which will offset rising energy costs.
In addition, carbon dioxide emissions will be cut by up to 4,000 tonnes per year at power plants supplying the factory with electricity.
The site is also home to a protected species of great crested newts. Before installation can begin, Nissan will relocate the newts to a temporary home on the site, under the guidance of the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Once installation is completed the newts will be able to return to their habitat around the turbines.
Sunderland Plant’s wind farm is the first of its kind within Nissan globally and its expansion supports the ‘Nissan Green Program 2010’.