Ferrari SF15-T revealed

Ferrari have officially unveiled the SF15-T, the car the Italian team hope will return them to winning ways in 2015. 

The new machine, which will be driven by Ferrari’s all-world champion line-up of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, is noticeably different in appearance to last year’s underwhelming F14 T, which became the first Ferrari since 1993 not to score a Grand Prix victory.

“Last year we had an unacceptably large gap in our performance,” technical director James Allison told Ferrari's website. “We’ve tried to make sure that the weaknesses that we felt were particularly noticeable on the ‘14 car were put right for the ‘15 car.”

Like other 2015 cars, the most obvious change from last year is at the front where a long flat nose has been introducued in response to recent rule changes. However, Allison says the rear of the SF15-T received similar attention: “The back of the car is something that is noticeably different from the 2014 car. We have been successful in pulling the bodywork much tighter to all the stuff underneath the skin. That’s been done from a lot of work, not just in the wind tunnel, but also in the design part of the company to try to find radiator designs that were fundamentally more efficient. 

“For every square centimetre of radiator we’re able to extract more cooling this year than last and therefore were able to close the car down at the back as a consequence.”

Another crucial area of development for the Scuderia over the winter was on their power unit, which struggled against the might of Mercedes in 2014.

“We had a number of issues with last year’s power unit,” explained Allison. “Early on in the season the power delivery was not particularly sophisticated so it was tough for the drivers to get the throttle response they wanted. That improved a lot during the season and we’ve taken it a step further for the SF15-T. 

“A definite weakness of last year’s car was that the amount of electrical energy we were able to recover from the turbo was not really good enough for producing competitive power levels during the race. That’s an area where we’ve tried to change the architecture of the engine to make it a better compromise between qualifying and racing performance. 

“And then plain simple horsepower. Enormous amounts of work has gone into all aspects of our combustion efficiency to try to make sure that in this fuel limited formula where every team is only allowed to burn the same amount of fuel, that every single compression stroke, every single ignition stroke is extracting the maximum amount of horsepower and putting it on the road.”

Maurizio Arrivabene, whose appointment as team principal in November was one of a number of key staffing changes at Ferrari over the winter, was full of praise for the new machine.

“Enzo Ferrari said a long time ago that the best car is the winning car. Last year we had an ugly car and it was a non-winning car. I like the car this year in terms of aesthetics. I don’t know about the performance (but) it’s really sexy."

Arrivabene had previously stated that Ferrari’s objective for 2015 should be to win at least two races, and the Italian sees no reason to change that goal.

“I am just realistic,” he said. “Nobody has the magic to change things when things are unchangeable. The car was ready in December and we applied certain modifications that in our opinion are quite interesting. I don’t want to say that we are going to win the world championship but for sure we are committed to win at least two races.

“The work to do is to enhance the team spirit, the passion that was a little bit lost in the past few years and to work together very hard with one objective: to win as much as possible.”

The SF15-T is expected to make its track debut at the start of pre-season testing in Spain this Sunday.

source: formula1.com

F1 : Sauber C34 revealed

The Sauber F1 Team will go into the 2015 FIA Formula One Championship with new drivers Marcus Ericsson (SE, 24) and Felipe Nasr (BR, 22). Raffaele Marciello (IT, 20) has signed as test and reserve driver. The roll-out of the new Sauber C34-Ferrari will take place at the first winter test in Jerez de la Frontera (Spain).

With regard to the 2015 season, team principal Monisha Kaltenborn said: “2014 was a very disappointing year. However, this is in the past, and we now focus on what comes next. We have learned our lessons and are confident for the new season.”

The team principal’s prediction for the new season is short and concise: “We have to improve, and be able to fight for championship points.” For the Sauber F1 Team 2015 is its 23rd season in Formula One; it is the fourth oldest of the current brands.

Monisha Kaltenborn is optimistic about the new driver line-up: “I am delighted about our two new drivers who bring a breath of fresh air. Both are young, talented and highly motivated. On their way to Formula 1 both stood out through victories in Formula BMW and Formula 3. Both then finished this career progression off in the GP2-Series. While Marcus looks back to one season in Formula 1, Felipe will have his rookie year in which he comes fully prepared due to his role as test and reserve driver at Williams last year. I feel confident with regard to our drivers.”

Marcus Ericsson also looks into the future with optimism: “I am pleased about being a member of the Sauber F1 Team. After a difficult season, we want to move forward and fight in the mid-field like the team previously did. From a driver’s point of view, I want to continue to learn and establish myself as a Formula One driver. I have the feeling of being in the perfect environment to do so. In Formula One it is difficult to have precise targets, as it depends on the overall package. It is clear that we want to be fighting for points.”

Felipe Nasr explains: “In my rookie season there is a lot to learn, and especially as I have not yet driven on some circuits yet. In general, I am ready to take on this challenge. In my role as test and reserve driver for Williams last year, I was involved in every race weekend. Furthermore, I also had the chance to drive the car a few times, so I think I have a certain understanding of Formula One. Now I am taking the next step in being a race driver, and I am looking forward to bringing my experience from 2014 as well as to supporting the Sauber F1 Team in getting back into the points.”

Test and reserve driver is Raffaele Marciello who, as well as other series, won the 2013 Formula 3 Championship in an outstanding way. Last year he had two podium finishes and won the main GP 2 race in Spa-Francorchamps.  Raffaele will also have the opportunity to participate in some Friday practice sessions during Grands Prix. Monisha Kaltenborn said: “Raffaele’s previous career is impressive. Therefore it is a logical step for us to give him the opportunity to become more familiar with Formula 1. As a team we are pleased to be there with him on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport.”

Raffaele Marciello explained: “I am really pleased to be a member of the Sauber F1 Team, which has a long tradition of building up excellent drivers. I really think that this is the best choice for my future career. I am also happy to compete for one more season in the GP2 Series, which, together with my new F1 role, will give me a very busy 2015 season. I want to thank the people at the Ferrari Driver Academy who are responsible for giving me this important opportunity, and now I really can’t wait to start delivering my best.”

source: sauberf1team.com

Mercedes W06 2015 F1 car completes shakedown at Silverstone

Mercedes has provided a glimpse of what its new Formula 1 car looks like, after a shakedown at Silverstone on Thursday and released the first proper images of the car

The team elected to run a systems check in Britain before sending it to the first test at Jerez in Spain this weekend, where it will be officially launched on Sunday.

Nico Rosberg was drafted in for driving duties.

Teaser videos posted by the team on Twitter offered the first look at the new car, and it later issued a side-on shot showing the revised livery.

Although the images are not entirely clear, it is possible to ascertain some initial details.

Toyota confirms WRC return in 2017

TOYOTA CONFIRMED TODAY THAT IT WILL RETURN TO THE FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP WITH A YARIS WORLD RALLY CAR IN 2017.

Toyota Motor Corporation president Akio Toyoda ended months of speculation when he made the announcement during a press conference in Tokyo, at which the Yaris WRC made its public debut in a launch livery.

The programme will be handled by Toyota Motorsport (TMG) in Cologne, Germany, which has already completed a preliminary test programme in Europe with the Yaris WRC on asphalt and gravel.

Frenchman Eric Camilli, who drove a Ford Fiesta R5 in WRC 2 at Rallye Monte-Carlo, has been selected as the first member of Toyota’s junior driver development scheme.

The 27-year-old will carry out the test programme alongside former Subaru driver Stéphane Sarrazin, now a racer in Toyota’s FIA World Endurance Championship squad, and eight-time Finnish champion Sebastian Lindholm.

Toyoda said his visit to last season’s Neste Oil Rally Finland impressed him.

“During my time there many rally fans asked me when Toyota would come back to WRC. People talked about Toyota’s history in WRC, and I was filled with surprise and gratitude that so many people remembered.

“Last time we competed was in 1999. That makes me think we are not announcing a return, but perhaps a start. We must begin again from scratch and carefully prepare both team and cars," he said.

The current Yaris WRC complies with existing regulations, but changes are expected when updated technical rules are introduced to WRC in 2017.

Toyota won four drivers’ and three manufacturers’ world titles in the 1990s with legendary drivers such as Carlos Sainz and Juha Kankkunen.

Toyota’s return was welcomed by WRC Promoter’s managing director, Oliver Ciesla.

“Toyota has a long and distinguished history in motorsport, particularly in world rallying, and we’re delighted to welcome one of the automobile industry’s giants back to WRC,” he said.

source: wrc.com

F1 : McLaren MP4-30 revealed

The McLaren MP4-30, the team’s first Honda-powered racing car since 1992, has been pictured for the first time ahead of the 2015 season.

The team are the only one on the grid to use Honda’s new RA615H power unit as the Japanese manufacturer returns to F1 for the first time since 2008.

Together McLaren and Honda won all four constructors’ championships and powered the four drivers’ champions between 1988 and 1991 – a success they intend to replicate.

“I was team principal all those years ago,” said group CEO Ron Dennis, “and while I don’t tend to like looking back to the past our previous record of sustained success was certainly instrumental in creating the confidence to make the decision to partner with Honda again”.

“Now, there’s real hunger to demonstrate the capabilities of the huge talent pool we share between us, and I’m totally committed to driving progress and achieving further success.”

Team principal Eric Boullier, who joined McLaren at the start of last season, said the team is “stronger than ever” following the restructuring which took place last year. “We acknowledge that our journey will require a huge amount of hard work, dedication and application from everyone involved, in both Woking and Sakura,” he said, “but we’re ready and committed to building on the foundations we’ve already established in order eventually to enjoy the results we crave”.

source: f1fanatic.co.uk

F1 : Lotus reveal the E23 hybrid

Lotus have provided a first glimpse of their 2015 challenger, the E23 Hybrid, and predicted it will trigger a vast improvement in their on-track fortunes this year.

The car is the first the team have produced since switching to Mercedes power after scoring just 10 points during the 2014 season when their engines were supplied by Renault.

In its most notable design feature, the E23 has been presented with a conventional nose - a clear departure from the split 'twin tusk' nose of its predecessor.

According to technical chief Nick Chester, the new car “represents a massive step forward for us. It’s no secret that we struggled with last year’s car so we’ve targeted every area that caused us an issue. We’ve made strong progress in the wind tunnel as well as in areas such as packaging and cooling. We expect the E23 to perform far, far better than its predecessor.”

Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado will continue to drive for the team in 2015, with Jolyon Palmer appointed the team's third driver following his GP2 championship win last year.

The Enstone-based team, which has been dogged by financial strife in recent years, are yet to confirm whether they will participate in the upcoming Jerez test, the first of three pre-season meetings this winter. They are, however, confident that they have fixed many of the flaws that bedevilled its predecessor, the under-performing E22.

“In terms of what’s new, obviously a massive change for us is a new Power Unit supplier," said Chester. "We made this change as it looked and looks to be the one area of the car which could bring us the greatest performance gain. It’s not just performance, but reliability and driveability as well as packaging and cooling too.

"We learnt a lot in many areas of the car over the course of 2014 so there are many lessons which have been applied. We know we’ve made a big step. We won’t know how our car will fare in relative terms until we’re out in action at a Grand Prix, but we certainly expect to be much more competitive than last year.”

Source: Sky Sports F1

1000 HP DELIVERY DODGE RAM TRUCK...Are you kiddin' me?

Most of the companies use their parts tucks as a tools. When we see a thread on the Cummins Forum documenting RevMax Performance Converters’ build up of their parts truck, we had to take a look.

They plan on building their parts truck and putting some serious horse power with it. This is not a work truck turned toy either. Choices were made many times during the build, because they planned on keeping the truck in service for deliveries.

Next time when they are late for some delivery, they really will have no excuses with over 1,000 HP under the hood.

The overhaul started in late June or early July and has progressed nicely over the past 6 months. This truck is a 2008 Ram 2500 that has under the hood a 6.7 liter Cummins. Because the truck is a delivery truck type, it is 2WD, sports a long bed, has a regular cab, but has only 140k on the odometer.

Thanks to RevMax’s 68RFE program getting a substantial makeover, this all started. The main goal is to become the fastest delivery truck in the United States. The plan is to utilize the help of RevMax for the tranny, Hamilton Diesel for the engine, and then source everything else locally in Charlotte, NC. When they finish the truck, they hope it will be in the 10 second range and have more than 1000 HP under the hood.

         Engine:

• Fire ringed block and head
• Carrillo rods
• Dynomite Diesel injectors
• Fleece Performance Piping kit
• ARP 625’s
• Hamilton Springs and Pushrods
• 24V girdle with 12mm studs
• 465/480 billet comp wheel and custom housing that are mounted to a Steed Speed manifold
• H&S Performance tuner with Custom MCC tuning
• Hamilton Cams 188/200 cam
• aFe Power Intake Horn
• FASS 200GPH pump
• Custom 5” exhaust
• PPE Dual CP3 pumps
  
  
  
  Transmission:
  
• Customer Revmax Stage 5 triple disc billet converter
• Revmax Signature 1000 68RFE w Manual Lockup
• Billet input hub
• Billet flexplate
• Billet input shaft

Why a 1,000 HP and not the 850 HP? The 1,000 runs different overall line pressure and line pressure settings. This built vehicle is about having fun and it looks that RevMax is having fun.

The major problem that they have now is the traction. While getting sideways is always interesting, that maybe is not the best idea for a delivery truck. With this kind of power, major rear suspension changes will be made, but they are limited for suspension and tire because this will still be their delivery truck.

They are running CalTracs and QA1 adjustable shows from Calvert Racing. The truck has a full roll cage, but it looks to be about it for safety/traction modification.

There was installed an SRT10 hood. The grill, bumpers and other parts were painted white. Even white Rigid Industries LED light bar and fog lights were installed. There is a rumor of adding a wrap down the road, but for now, all is white.

The interior audio system is being replaced. In, the front doors are mounted a set of 6.5” Polk Audio components, and 5.25” parts are mounted behind the seats. Two 10” JL Audio W1’s subs are being mounted in a custom box and it is being made to work around the roll cage. The power of everything is a JL700/5V2 amp.

source: www.netcarzone.com

WRC Rallye Monte Carlo Shakedown

SÉBASTIEN LOEB RETURNED TO THE FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE BEST POSSIBLE STYLE WHEN HE WAS FASTEST IN THIS EVENING’S SHAKEDOWN AT RALLYE MONTE-CARLO.

Loeb is the ‘Monte master’ with seven wins to his name over the unpredictable Alpine roads. Despite almost 15 months away from the WRC, the 40-year-old Frenchman was quickly back in the groove through the 3.52km Chateauvieux stage.

His first of five runs through the twisty, hairpin-lined test in a Citroen DS 3 was 0.4sec faster than team-mate Kris Meeke, and 1.1sec quicker than arch-rival Sébastien Ogier.

“It’s not a bad way to come back to WRC!” he said. “I immediately felt comfortable in the car but this won’t be an easy rally. The weather forecast looks tricky and so my low position in the road order could be an advantage or a disadvantage,” said Loeb.

Meeke also completed five passes through the test while Ogier restricted himself to the minimum three.

Fourth was Andreas Mikkelsen, the Norwegian just a tenth of a second behind Volkswagen team-mate Ogier’s Polo R. The Ford Fiesta RS cars of Robert Kubica and Elfyn Evans completed the top six.

The top 10 times were:

1.Sébastien Loeb 2min 21.0sec

2.Kris Meeke + 0.4sec

3.Sébastien Ogier + 1.1sec

4.Andreas Mikkelsen + 1.2sec

5.Robert Kubica + 1.3sec

6.Elfyn Evans + 1.4sec 

7.Mads Østberg + 1.8sec

8.Sebastien Chardonnet + 3.7sec

9=Thierry Neuville + 3.9sec

9=Dani Sordo+ 3.9sec



source: www.wrc.com

Force India pulls the wraps off its new-look livery

Sahara Force India has unveiled its striking new livery for the 2015 F1 World Championship season during a ceremony in Mexico City. 

Force India didn't use the event to officially reveal its definitive 2015 F1 contender, the VJM08, the Indian team pulled the wraps off a new design, which will see the familiar black and orange livery interspersed with a silver colour scheme that replaces former white and green appearance. 

The updated look is in contrast to an otherwise familiar team, which will retain the driving services of Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez for the 2015 season. 

“It's another evolution of the contemporary look we introduced last year, which reflects the growth of the team and the global brands with which we are working" said team manager Vijay Mallya. 

"I love the addition of silver, which makes the car appear more sleek and aggressive and I'm sure it's something that will appeal to the fans as well. Our traditional team colours remain integrated in the livery, but we've given it a very modern twist.” 

The livery was revealed at Mexico City's Museo Soumaya to help promote the revived Mexican Grand Prix, which will be held at the updated Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit on November 1st. New backers for the team include NEC, which moves over from Sauber, as well as existing deals with Telcel, Claro, Smirnoff and Kingfisher.

However, despite being one of the first to launch its 2015 F1 campaign, Force India will be one of the last to run its car having announced its new Mercedes-powered VJM08 won't get its track debut until the second F1 test in Barcelona in February. 

An upgraded version of the existing VJM07 will instead run at the Jerez test, which begins on 1st February. 

Force India finished the 2014 F1 World Championship with sixth place in the constructors' standings after losing out in a season-long battle with McLaren.

source: www.crash.net

Williams Martini Racing launches first images of 2015 car

WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING has revealed the first images of its 2015 car, the Williams Mercedes FW37 on the front cover of Haymarket’s F1 Racing Magazine. Following on from a successful season in 2014 Williams hopes the FW37 can continue the positive momentum into another competitive season of racing.

‘The notion for the FW37 was to look closely at the FW36 and its performances,’ says WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds. ‘We then went about recognising what had worked well and identifying and resolving the areas that we felt needed to be improved. Although the aerodynamics of the car were impressive there is always room for improvement particularly as we handle the new 2015 nose regulations ’

The design of the FW37 has stemmed from the performance of the FW36 but the conceptual ideas came long before the 2014 successes.

‘The first conceptual stage of the FW37 came before the FW36 had turned a wheel. The main element to this is understanding the rule changes and how they will affect the design of the car, from here we can start see if our ideas will fit within the regulations.’

The performance of the FW36 in 2014 saw the team move forward from ninth in the Constructors’ Championship to third, obtaining nine podiums throughout the season and a front row lockout at the Austrian Grand Prix.

‘The desire to beat Ferrari to third place in the Constructors’ in 2014 meant we pushed our development through to late autumn, but the size of the team is now at a point where it was able to sustain this development whilst still working on the FW37.’

With the regulations relatively stable from 2014 the team went about developing the FW36 with the additional changes necessary to meet the 2015 rules.

‘We felt we came up against design barriers in the FW36 and so took the opportunity to remove those barriers for the benefit of the performance. The FW36 carried a reasonable amount of ballast, so we were able to make alterations to the design for added performance without the fear of adding excessive mass.’ 

The layout phase of the car was completed by the summer break in August, with work on the new front bulkhead a main priority for the designers and aerodynamicists as the changes to the regulations had their effects on the car.

‘The change in regulations offered us a slight headache. The new front bulkhead and nose geometry had much more of an impact than we had initially anticipated and the effect on the aero was profound. The team have worked hard on pulling back the deficit these regulations have made for us.’

After a strong 2014 the team has aims to continue improving in pursuit of podium finishes throughout the 2015 season.

‘The more rule stability there is, the closer the field gets. I hope as a team we are more capable of maintaining the forward momentum to catch Mercedes, than the teams behind us are of catching us. It’s not just about stable regulations but also about the team and every individual that works here moving forward and improving.’

Frank Williams, Team Principal concluded ‘The team had a fantastic season last year, we are aiming to replicate this development over the winter and to start the 2015 season in a strong position. We have an enormously talented group of people here at Williams who want nothing more than the team to do well. This passion produced a great turn around in fortunes for the team in 2014 and everybody has worked tirelessly to continue that climb up the grid.’

‘We have added a few more high profile names to accompany the incredibly supportive group of partners we have,’ Frank Williams added. ‘After a very strong first year with Mercedes we are looking to further develop the relationship as we look for more podiums in 2015. I feel this year will be equally as exciting as the last and look forward to seeing the car on the grid at the first race.’

Source : www.williamsf1.com

F1 : First picture of a 2015 F1 car appears

A rendering of the Williams FW37 is to be published on the cover of a magazine.

The FW37, which was fired up for the first time today by the team at their factory, appears on the front cover of the new issue of F1 Racing magazine. An image of the cover appeared on Twitter ahead of its publication.

The radically shortened nose tip, designed to comply with the revised 2015 regulations on nose shape is among a few notable changes to the FW37.

The car also features the logos of new Williams sponsors Rexona and Hackett.

Tesla P85D destroys Dodge Challenger Hellcat on a dragstrip...Watch the video here!!

Say "P85D" to Tesla owners and fans, and you will see the drooling and twitching and heavy breathing and lustful stares--and more drooling--that Tesla's fastest, highest-performance electric car brings.

The same happens with the word "Hellcat" for fans of high-powered Hemi V-8 performance.

Now, courtesy of two owners--each convinced that their car is the fastest, baddest beast on the road--we know what happens when the two cars face off on the drag strip.

Two days ago at Palm Beach International Raceway, a Tesla Model S P85D and a 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat competed in the traditional quarter-mile drag race.

As Street Car Drags notes, the Tesla P85D set a new world record for the fastest-accelerating electric car, with a quarter-mile time of 11.6 seconds and a speed through the finish of 114.6 mph.

The two cars aren't exactly comparable; the Tesla is a five-seat luxury sedan with four doors and a hatchback, while the Challenger is a traditional muscle-car coupe with only two doors and a trunk.

The Charger Hellcat sedan might have been a more direct comparison. But they're fairly evenly matched on horsepower, with the Hemi-engined Hellcat coming in at a stated 707 hp (some suggest the actual rating may be higher).

The P85D, meanwhile, has a combined output of 691 from its front and rear electric motors.

That may indicate one reason why the electric luxury car thrashed the old-style gasoline muscle car so decisively: All four wheels are powered.

Not only that, but its drive-control software adjusts the power delivered to each wheel to ensure that front and rear both have equal traction--maximizing the total torque delivered to each wheel without any loss of traction.

The Hellcat, as you'll see, is all about rear-wheel burnout. Fans of tire smoke will like its practice burnout (starting around 0:41).

But the appeal of raw electric power is amply demonstrated in the video.

Source: www.greencarreports.com

F1 : Force India will not test 2015 car at Jerez

Force India will be the first team to launch the 2015 F1 car VJM08, but the car will be the last one to hit the test tracks. The VJM08 will be make its track debut in the second test at Barcelona.

Force India will instead test a 2014 car at Jerez.

The new Mercedes-powered VJM08 will not actually be up-and-running when the other eight teams kick off the official winter test period at Jerez on 1 February. Force India will therefore reportedly delay the track debut of the 2015 car until the second test later in February, in Barcelona.

F1 : Mercedes to unveil 2015 car at Jerez

Mercedes will reveal their 2015 Formula One car on the first day of pre-season testing at Jerez on February 1.

The 2014 drivers' and constructors' double winners, will unveil the F1 W06 Hybrid before track action commences at the Spanish circuit. 

Nico Rosberg will test the F1 W06 Hybrid on the first and third day of the test, while 2014 champion Lewis Hamilton will take care of the driving duties on the second and fourth days.

Mercedes had a very successful 2014 season with their F1 W05 Hybrid. The F1 W05 Hybrid proved to be one of the most dominant machines in F1 history, racking up a record 16 victories and 11 one-two finishes over the course of the season.

Hyundai Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept

Hyundai is aiming hard to capture the small truck/pick-up truck market with their trucklet, the Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept.

This four-door five-passenger “urban adventure” concept is powered by a 2-litre turbodiesel producing 190 horsepower, 300 lb-ft of torque, and a fuel efficiency figure north of 30 mpg. The Santa Cruz’s HTRAC AWD system puts the power to the ground, though the transmission used to direct said power wasn’t mentioned.

Other features include: expandable bed, integrated tonneau cover, Brembo brake calipers, LED fog lamps, lens-free honeycomb headlamp projectors, tie-down cleats on the roof, wheel arches and bed rails, and a footprint comparable to a small crossover.

Hyundai states that the concept is not aimed at traditional truck buyers, instead choosing to pursue crossover and sedan buyers looking for a vehicle that’s truck-like, but better suited to city life.

WRC : New Polo unveiled

VOLKSWAGEN TODAY (THURSDAY) LAUNCHED A SPORTY-LOOKING SECOND GENERATION OF ITS POLO R WRC WITH WHICH IT WILL CHALLENGE FOR A HAT-TRICK OF DRIVERS’ AND MANUFACTURERS’ TITLES IN THE 2015 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP.

The German squad is the last of the major teams to unveil the car with which it will launch its campaign at Rallye Monte-Carlo (22 - 25 January).

The most noticeable aspect is its revised livery. The front half has changed from white to dark blue, while white and light blue stripes merge into a white rear, which sports a new wing.

The biggest technical innovation is the hydraulic gearbox, which new regulations mean can be operated by a paddle shift on the steering column.

Many of the carryover components from the 2014 car have been fine-tuned with the aim of making the package simpler, lighter and stronger.

Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala completed their final testing for Monte-Carlo this week and double world champion Ogier is confident the new Polo R will be as successful as its predecessor.

“We have done a lot of testing and we drivers have worked very closely with the engineers,” he said. “We put a lot of effort into developing the new paddle shift, which represents real progress.

“It will be exciting to see how we fare against other teams. The tests have gone well so far, our engineers have done a good job,” said Ogier.

Andreas Mikkelsen will remain in the 2014 car for the first four rounds. His first appearance in the 2015 version will be at Vodafone Rally de Portugal (21 - 21 May).

Source - www.wrc.com