Marquez continues to surge in MotoGP

(CNN) -- Jorge Lorenzo thought he had done enough to nab pole position at the British MotoGP. But that was before rookie Marc Marquez's final qualifying lap.

Marquez is the hottest racer on the circuit and put himself in a good position to claim a fifth straight race when he edged the reigning world champion Saturday in a sizzling session.

They took turns breaking Casey Stoner's 2011 qualifying lap record and it was Marquez who came out on top at Silverstone.

Honda's Marquez clocked a time of two minutes, 691 seconds, which was just over one-tenth quicker than Yamaha's Lorenzo. Lorenzo's teammate, Britain's Cal Crutchlow, finished third on home soil despite crashing twice earlier Saturday in practice and damaging his arms.

"If I'm honest, I didn't expect that lap time," Marquez told MotoGP's official website.

Marquez became the first rookie to win five races in a season in motorcycling's elite class when he conquered the Czech Grand Prix on Sunday.

Read: Marquez makes history in Brno

Lorenzo, meanwhile, sits a distant 44 points behind his fellow Spaniard following a season blighted by a shoulder injury.

"I thought I had pole position but when I saw the classification I again saw that Marc was in front of me, so I was a bit disappointed because I had done one of the best laps of my whole career," Lorenzo told MotoGP's official website.

"I tried my best but again it wasn't possible. Anyway, it is only qualifying, so second place is a good position and the important thing is tomorrow. It is going to be a long race, so let's hope to have good pace to fight for victory."

Marquez's teammate Dani Pedrosa, also hampered by injuries this season, came fifth in qualifying, one spot better than motorcycling icon Valentino Rossi.

Pedrosa is Marquez's closest rival in the standings, 26 points adrift. He has never won the MotoGP title, settling for second three times.

Via: Marquez continues to surge in MotoGP

Domenicali: No rift with Alonso

(CNN) -- Ferrari team principal Stefano Demenicali has rejected suggestions a power struggle between him and driver Fernando Alonso is the reason behind the Italian team's faltering Formula One season.

Alonso, a two-time world champion, picked up two grands prix wins in the first five races of the season, but he has struggled to match the blistering pace set by Red Bull's three-time drivers' champion Sebastian Vettel.

The Spaniard is second in the drivers' standings and trails the leader Vettel by 46 points after finishing runner up to the German at Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

Domenicali, who has been team principal of F1's most successful team since 2008, denied a rift with Alonso and also dismissed suggestions he is too soft for one of motorsport's most demanding jobs.

Read: McLaren chief admits "big mistakes"

"No, no, this is something that I totally reject," Domenicali told the sport's official website. "We want to win together.

"It is a super-competitive environment where you are a hero when you win and a zero when you lose -- there is not really something in between for us. Be sure that we are united to win -- because that's what we are here for."

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has not been shy in expressing his dissatisfaction with the team.

He "tweaked" Alonso's ear last month when the driver sarcastically remarked he would like "someone else's car" for his birthday.

"He is our chairman and he is very passionate about this part of his job, this side of the business," Domenicali said of Di Montezemolo.

"It is normal that he is very pushy with us because we had a really difficult July. It was a sign of attention from him -- I read it this way, that's it.

"We know we need to be focused -- and he reminded us of that -- and that we have to be united to pass this difficult moment."

Read: Lotus chief -- "Raikkonen wants to stay"

Domenicali was also coy on rumors Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen could be in line for a return to the team he won the world championship with in 2007 -- Ferrari's last drivers' title.

"Kimi is a very fast driver and everybody knows how I rate him. But if I make a comment now it will be taken as a direct answer.

"As I said, there is no rush and we will make the right decision in the right moment."

Meanwhile David Ward has announced he intends to stand in the FIA's presidential elections later this year.

Ward has resigned from his post as director general of world motorsport's governing body's charitable foundation to run for the post currently held by former Ferrari chief Jean Todt.

"After much careful thought I have decided to stand," Ward said in a statement. "The election period begins in September and it will be necessary for me to approach FIA members to secure nominations.

"In these circumstances I think that the correct course of action is to resign.

"Election processes inevitably involve robust and lively debate, and whilst the foundation is independent and there is no legal requirement for me to resign, I believe that it is in the best interests of the charity that I stand down now."

Frenchman Todt, who has been president of the FIA since 2009, has yet to announce whether or not he intends to run for reelection.

Via: Domenicali: No rift with Alonso

Back to school for Loeb

CNN's Human to Hero celebrates inspiration and achievement in sport. Click here for showtimes, latest videos and features.

(CNN) -- For the son of a math teacher, rallying legend Sebastien Loeb is not too concerned by numbers.

Age was no barrier when the Frenchman decided to pursue his motor racing career at 22 years old. The "late starter" went on to win a record nine world rally titles.

Now, after conquering the ice-packed slopes, desert dunes and rocky roads in the globetrotting world of elite rally driving, Loeb says he feels like a kid again as he moves from rally's all-terrain adventures to the uncharted territory of the smooth asphalt of the racetrack.

"Rally driving is the most fun driving you can have, because you slide, you drive on every surface, you jump," Loeb told CNN's Human to Hero series, with a twinkle in his cool, blue eyes.

"But I needed to see something else. I needed to change.

"I'm like a young boy, even if I'm 39! I'm like a young driver again coming into a series and trying to improve."

After a decade of dominating the rally circuit, Loeb has now set his sights on winning the 2014 World Touring Car Championship with his longtime team Citroen.

This championship for racing road cars is the third elite series, in addition to Formula One and the World Rally Championship, which is rubber-stamped by motorsport's governing body the FIA.

Read: Pamela Anderson to front GT Series team

It will test Loeb on classic circuits from Sonoma in the United States to Suzuka in Japan, and he has already been tuning up for his new driving challenge by racing a McLaren sports car in the 2013 GT Series, where his team is second overall ahead of this weekend's race in Slovakia.

"There are different types of racetracks: some are really fast, some are really twisty, some have more or less grip, so you always have to adapt," explains Loeb, who has also tested a Red Bull Formula One car but failed to get a race license with feeder team Toro Rosso in late 2009 and later said he was "too old" to start an F1 career.

"It's not easy to get used to the tracks, to get used to a different car, to another driving style, but I enjoy it.

"It's not like when I'm in the rallies and everyone is waiting for me to win and if I don't win they say, 'Oh it's terrible, he didn't win!' "

Loeb retired from fulltime rallying at the end of the 2012 season -- the championship already in the bag, of course -- while still at the top of his game.

He chose to compete in just four rounds of the WRC this year, saying he had no interest in reaching a "perfect 10" of world titles.

"A lot of people ask me, 'Why not 10?' " said Loeb, who won consecutive titles between 2004 and 2012. "The answer is because I don't count!

"When I won my first championship it was the achievement of something, a realization. After that I said, 'OK, the rest is a bonus.'

"It became less about pressure and just driving for passion. It's not a question of numbers."

Loeb was something of a late starter when he began plotting his career growing up in the Alsace region of France on the border with Germany.

Read: Rally champion rules out F1 switch

He first flexed his muscles as a champion gymnast. At three years old he was following in the gym shoes of his late father Guy Loeb, himself a champion athlete as well as a gymnastics instructor.

One year later, the junior Loeb was the proud owner of a red racing bike and soon showed signs of a competitive instinct, never missing any opportunity to go riding on the streets with his school friends.

But Loeb did not get behind the wheel of a car until, like any other teenager in France, he began driving lessons.

"In my family there was no links to motorsport or even being fans of motorsport," he explained.

"So it was only when I had my driving license that I got to enjoy driving a car. Then I started car racing when I was 22 -- not so young."

At that time Loeb was earning his living as an electrician, a pursuit he describes as "not my passion, just my job."

On the side, he twice entered the Youth Rally, an event for up-and-coming drivers organized by the French Motor Racing Federation.

Read: Motorcycling champion dances with danger

Although he narrowly missed out on the title, his performances attracted the attention of former amateur racer Dominique Heintz, who, in 1996, decided to help Loeb turn rallying from a hobby into a profession.

"The person that helped me most in my career is Dominique," said Loeb, who now runs his eponymous race team with Heintz. "He gave me the opportunity to start in rallies and is someone who is now my friend."

If Loeb came to motorsport a little later -- most racing success stories are built on a junior karting career -- he soon recognized that he had a natural talent for driving.

"Since the start I was just natural," said Loeb, who now flies a helicopter as a hobby. "For me, it's been more about talent than work.

"The first thing you need is to get a feeling with the car. You need to feel when you have to brake and what speed to enter the corner.

"In rally you need to try to be as close as possible to 100% without knowing the roads really well, so you need a lot of improvisation in your driving.

"The feeling in the car when you reach your limits, when you pull everything together to be the fastest, to beat the others, to be first, this is mainly the feeling I have driving the car and this was just my passion. I love it."

Read: Japan's tennis 'rock star'

The combination of passion and raw talent attracted interest from French car manufacturer Citroen, and in 2001 Loeb stormed to the junior WRC title.

Two years later, he competed in a full season of the senior WRC for Citroen, losing out on the title by a single point.

Loeb had made his mark, and his unprecedented era of dominance began the following year.

Numbers may not matter to the rallying superstar but, after nearly a decade at the top of the tree, Loeb concedes this time age did play a part in his decision to quit while he was ahead.

"I have other things to do in my life," said Loeb. "It's not like when you start and you're 24 or 25 and you just want to do your passion.

"Now I have a daughter (Valentine) and a wife (Severine). I have a good life, I have everything I need. It's time to enjoy it and rest a bit.

"I never have a fear when I drive but I know it's dangerous, it's one of the reasons I decided to stop rallies.

"When you are in Finland, jumping at 200 kph (125 mph) in the middle of the trees, it's dangerous!"

Read: The most brutal water sport?

Loeb may be happy to settle for nine WRC titles, but his driving ambition remains undimmed.

Talk of retirement is for a distant time in the future -- a date to which Loeb has no intention of counting down.

"I don't know, (I'll keep driving) as long as I feel able to go fast, to fight for the win and as long as I enjoy it," he said. "It will be a few years.

"I think I will retire from all rallies soon. I've really tried to prepare for the future to find something to do as a driver -- and now I think I've found it.

"Rallying is difficult but racing (on the track) needs other skills and I still have a lot to improve and a lot to learn."

For now, the son of a math teacher and gymnastics instructor is going back to racing school.

Via: Back to school for Loeb

Lotus chief: Raikkonen wants to stay

(CNN) -- Kimi Raikkonen wants to stay with Lotus, the Formula One team's boss said amid claims the former world champion is targeting a return to Ferrari.

The Finn's future has been a hot topic of discussion during the mid-season break, which comes to an end with this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

Raikkonen has also been linked with a move to Red Bull, although reports suggest Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo is set to become reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel's No. 2 when Mark Webber leaves at the end of this season.

Read: Red Bull trying to land Raikkonen

Raikkonen sits second in the individual standings in 2013, behind Vettel.

"Kimi wants to stay with us," Lotus team principal Eric Boullier told CNN. "We want to keep Kimi. There are a lot of teams who (would) like to have Kimi on board now.

"It's up to him to choose what he wants to do. We know what he wants. We will do everything that we can to get what he wants. We need to make him just happy to stay. So far he wants to stay so we'll see."

Boullier's comments appeared to be echoed by the 33-year-old's manager Steve Robertson.

He told Autosport that Lotus was in pole position and would hang on to Raikkonen -- provided he has a car that can compete for a world title.

It contradicted another report Monday that stated Raikkonen was seeking a return to Ferrari, where he won his lone world championship in 2007.

"Lotus holds the key to Raikkonen's future," Robertson told Autosport. "If the team can provide him with the answers he is seeking, which will ensure he has a car that can fight for race wins and the championship, then he will stay."

Raikkonen didn't answer any questions about his future Thursday because he was ill and missed his media briefing ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Lotus said.

Read: Button wins 2012 Belgian Grand Prix

He is seeking a fifth victory at the famed Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

"I bet every driver likes Spa and I have so many good memories there," Raikkonen told Lotus' official website Wednesday. "For me it's the greatest circuit in the world and it has been my favorite place since my first ever visit there in 2000 with Formula Renault.

"It's great to go racing with a modern car at a proper circuit which has such a great tradition. You can't get the same feeling anywhere else."

Via: Lotus chief: Raikkonen wants to stay

McLaren team principal admits 'big mistakes'

(CNN) -- Honesty is often a rare virtue at the highest level of sport, especially when it comes to admitting mistakes, so McLaren fans may give Martin Whitmarsh some begrudging respect after the team principal accepted responsibility for a catalog of errors this season.

The United Kingdom-based constructor may have won twelve drivers' championships since its creation in 1963 but none will be added in the year of McLaren's 50th anniversary.

Neither Jenson Button nor Sergio Perez have managed to stand on the podium all season, with the Briton's fifth place in the third race in China the best finish so far.

Mexican Perez, 23, has won 18 points in his first season with McLaren while Button, who won the 2009 title with Brawn, can only muster 47, trailing leader Sebastian Vettel by 150 points -- or the equivalent of six race victories with just eight rounds left.

Read: Activists protest as Vettel wins Belgian GP

The problem is that McLaren are currently on course for their first season without a grand prix win in seven years.

A number of hasty changes to the car have made racing this year both "painful and difficult" for Whitmarsh as he revealed in an open interview with Formula One's official website.

"This year we have made some big mistakes -- that is very obvious, and difficult to rectify," the Briton said. "I don't like it, but there is no point in hiding from it."

The 55-year-old traces the roots of the problems back to the middle of last season, when McLaren dropped off the pace after a bright start.

At this point, the car was redesigned, with significant changes to the height of the nose, the configuration of both the front and rear suspensions, as well as the bodywork and exhaust layout.

"In a word, we did too many things which were deviating from a car which was the fastest car about nine or ten months ago," the McLaren official said.

"The start of the 2012 was good, but then in mid-season we were falling behind and it is about that time that you make these decisions -- and then last year's car became quicker and quicker.

"It was bad timing, it was misjudgment, and it was ambition. It is very clear in hindsight that we've got it wrong. But let's also be fair: this car is now quicker than last year's car."

Nonetheless, it is still struggling to make any impact in the constructors' standings, with 11 races of the 19-round season having already gone.

McLaren's tally of 65 points is almost tripled by the team immediately above them in the standings, fourth-placed Lotus, while the Woking outfit's total is dwarfed by the 312 boasted by Red Bull, who lead the way.

When asked who should carry the can for the failed redesign of the car, Whitmarsh resisted any temptation to seek out scapegoats.

"Ultimately I take the blame for it," he said. "I am happy to name names when we are successful and give them the opportunity to stand on the podium, but it is my job when things haven't gone so well to take the responsibility."

Critics of Whitmarsh, who has been with McLaren for a quarter of a century, will point to the team's inability to win a championship since he replaced the retiring Ron Dennis in 2009, a year after the team's last championship title.

The closest McLaren came to a championship under his control was in 2010 when Lewis Hamilton had a chance of winning the title on the final day of the season, only for Vettel to take the glory.

There has been some good news for Whitmarsh this week though.

At Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, Button felt the car performed the best it had all season with the Briton, 33, also publicly stating in recent days how he hopes to sign a new three-year contract with the team.

Whitmarsh had considered trying to lure Kimi Raikkonen, who has been in great form this year, back to McLaren for next season, revealing that talks last year to the same effect failed "for various reasons".

Read: Raikonnen wants to stay with Lotus

However, he also feels he owes the current stable a car that will enable them to challenge far higher up the table.

"We haven't given our drivers the car we should have done this year. But they've been fantastic ambassadors and I think they deserve another go with us next year.

"If we give them a car that is good enough, they both can win. We know that."

And having had a front row seat for more than 100 of McLaren's 182 grand prix wins, Whitmarsh is confident that the team can turn itself around ahead of the 2014 season.

"Looking over the last 20 years, we are pretty consistent," he rallied. "Yes, this is a bad year but usually we come back strong -- and that is what we will do next year."

Via: McLaren team principal admits 'big mistakes'

McLaren team principal admits "big mistakes"

(CNN) -- Honesty is often a rare virtue at the highest level of sport, especially when it comes to admitting mistakes, so McLaren fans may give Martin Whitmarsh some begrudging respect after the team principal accepted responsibility for a catalog of errors this season.

The United Kingdom-based constructor may have won twelve drivers' championships since its creation in 1963 but none will be added in the year of McLaren's 50th anniversary.

Neither Jenson Button nor Sergio Perez have managed to stand on the podium all season, with the Briton's fifth place in the third race in China the best finish so far.

Mexican Perez, 23, has won 18 points in his first season with McLaren while Button, who won the 2009 title with Brawn, can only muster 47, trailing leader Sebastian Vettel by 150 points -- or the equivalent of six race victories with just eight rounds left.

Read: Activists protest as Vettel wins Belgian GP

The problem is that McLaren are currently on course for their first season without a grand prix win in seven years.

A number of hasty changes to the car have made racing this year both "painful and difficult" for Whitmarsh as he revealed in an open interview with Formula One's official website.

"This year we have made some big mistakes -- that is very obvious, and difficult to rectify," the Briton said. "I don't like it, but there is no point in hiding from it."

The 55-year-old traces the roots of the problems back to the middle of last season, when McLaren dropped off the pace after a bright start.

At this point, the car was redesigned, with significant changes to the height of the nose, the configuration of both the front and rear suspensions, as well as the bodywork and exhaust layout.

"In a word, we did too many things which were deviating from a car which was the fastest car about nine or ten months ago," the McLaren official said.

"The start of the 2012 was good, but then in mid-season we were falling behind and it is about that time that you make these decisions -- and then last year's car became quicker and quicker.

"It was bad timing, it was misjudgment, and it was ambition. It is very clear in hindsight that we've got it wrong. But let's also be fair: this car is now quicker than last year's car."

Nonetheless, it is still struggling to make any impact in the constructors' standings, with 11 races of the 19-round season having already gone.

McLaren's tally of 65 points is almost tripled by the team immediately above them in the standings, fourth-placed Lotus, while the Woking outfit's total is dwarfed by the 312 boasted by Red Bull, who lead the way.

When asked who should carry the can for the failed redesign of the car, Whitmarsh resisted any temptation to seek out scapegoats.

"Ultimately I take the blame for it," he said. "I am happy to name names when we are successful and give them the opportunity to stand on the podium, but it is my job when things haven't gone so well to take the responsibility."

Critics of Whitmarsh, who has been with McLaren for a quarter of a century, will point to the team's inability to win a championship since he replaced the retiring Ron Dennis in 2009, a year after the team's last championship title.

The closest McLaren came to a championship under his control was in 2010 when Lewis Hamilton had a chance of winning the title on the final day of the season, only for Vettel to take the glory.

There has been some good news for Whitmarsh this week though.

At Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, Button felt the car performed the best it had all season with the Briton, 33, also publicly stating in recent days how he hopes to sign a new three-year contract with the team.

Whitmarsh had considered trying to lure Kimi Raikkonen, who has been in great form this year, back to McLaren for next season, revealing that talks last year to the same effect failed "for various reasons".

Read: Raikonnen wants to stay with Lotus

However, he also feels he owes the current stable a car that will enable them to challenge far higher up the table.

"We haven't given our drivers the car we should have done this year. But they've been fantastic ambassadors and I think they deserve another go with us next year.

"If we give them a car that is good enough, they both can win. We know that."

And having had a front row seat for more than 100 of McLaren's 182 grand prix wins, Whitmarsh is confident that the team can turn itself around ahead of the 2014 season.

"Looking over the last 20 years, we are pretty consistent," he rallied. "Yes, this is a bad year but usually we come back strong -- and that is what we will do next year."

Via: McLaren team principal admits "big mistakes"

Rookie Marquez makes MotoGP history

(CNN) -- Marc Marquez continued his stunning debut season in motorcycling's elite class when he became the first MotoGP rookie to win five races with victory in Sunday's Czech Grand Prix.

The 20-year-old notched his fourth successive triumph as he extended his world championship lead to 26 points with seven races remaining.

He pegged back world champion Jorge Lorenzo, who had surged into the lead despite starting from fifth on the grid but had to settle for third behind Marquez's Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa.

Marquez equaled Valentino Rossi's record of 10 podium placings in his rookie season, set back in 2000, and became the first rider since the Italian in 2008 to win four successive races.

"Before we came here I didn't expect win, because Jorge and Valentino had both tested at Brno recently and Dani is always so fast here and won the race last year," Marquez told the MotoGP website.

Read: Stoner comes out of retirement

"It is a completely different track to those at which we have raced before, and these 25 points feel different to Indianapolis.

"This was a very hard-fought win and I enjoyed myself a lot. The battle with Jorge was really good and we are pleased with the victory."

Compatriot Pedrosa earned the 78th podium of his career, putting him equal fourth in the all-time standings with four-time world champion Eddie Lawson.

"I am very happy with the result, because after all the problems with my injury and the doubts we've had at the last few races, we took a big step forward with my mental preparation today," he said.

Rossi tops that table with 145 podiums, but this time he had to settle for fourth -- the same result as his previous outing at Indianapolis.

Read: Marquez takes lead in standings

"Today was better than Indy, especially because my gap to the front is half what it was there," the Yamaha rider said. "The first three guys are impressive, very strong; I want to stay closer to them.

"Unfortunately I was 10 seconds back, another fourth place but I want to be closer, so we have to work."

His teammate Lorenzo was left third in the standings, 18 points behind Marquez.

"The championship is not lost yet but it's now getting very difficult. We need just a few tenths to win the race so we have to pray for that at Silverstone," the Spaniard said.

"I think I had my best start in all my career in MotoGP, I took four positions and in the first laps I was really quick. Eventually though I couldn't keep the same distance to second place so little by little they caught me. Especially under braking and on the straights they were faster than me so I couldn't do much more."

Pole-sitter Cal Crutchlow of Britain crashed on lap eight when in fourth position, and finished 17th after returning to the track.

Via: Rookie Marquez makes MotoGP history

Activists infiltrate Belgian F1 race

(CNN) -- Activists protesting against Arctic oil drilling infiltrated a Formula One race in Belgium Sunday, but the off-track incident did not stop Sebastian Vettel's march towards a fourth successive world title.

Two paragliders from the environmental group Greenpeace flew over the circuit at Spa-Francorchamps, displaying a banner criticizing the operations of Belgian Grand Prix sponsor Shell.

Then a second group of men managed to climb the main grandstand overlooking the starting grid and hung down a banner emblazoned "Arctic oil? Shell no!"

They then hung on ropes watching the race, which was effectively decided when Vettel overtook pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton on the first lap and motored clear in his Red Bull to win by almost 17 seconds from Fernando Alonso and extend his championship lead to 46 points.

However, the protests were not over -- the Greenpeace activists managed to unveil another banner above the winner's podium, and triumphantly posted the proof on the international group's Twitter page.

It posted a series of messages Sunday asking followers to demand that Shell backs down in its plans to drill in the Arctic, which it says will increase melting of the ice sheet and destabilize the global climate.

Greenpeace also reported that the grandstand climbers had been arrested.

Read: Hamilton counts Spa 'blessing'

Shell signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with the Belgian race in 2011, and has been involved in F1 since its inception in 1950 -- working mainly with Ferrari, the most successful team in the elite motorsport.

Its website says the Arctic "holds around 30% of the world's undiscovered natural gas and 13% of its yet-to-find oil. This amounts to around 400 billion barrels of oil equivalent, 10 times the total oil and gas produced to date in the North Sea.

"Developing the Arctic could be essential to securing energy supplies for the future, but it will mean balancing economic, environmental and social challenges."

In July, Greenpeace activists scaled one of Europe's tallest buildings -- London's Shard -- to protest Shell's Arctic drilling. The multinational company's main UK offices are near the Shard.

In February Shell announced it had suspended its Alaskan offshore drilling for the rest of 2013 but planned to resume "in the future." In previous months, two of its drilling vessels were damaged in the area and had to be towed to Asia for repairs.

Read: Is Greenpeace prank on Shell 'a scam?'

Meanwhile, Vettel shrugged off the protests to celebrate his fifth victory in 11 races this season, and his second at Spa following his 2011 success.

"It was a fantastic race for us from start to finish," the German told reporters. "It helped on the first lap getting a tow off Lewis through Eau Rouge. Once I passed him we could control the race.

"So a great result, with the car better than we expected going into the race which I really enjoyed a lot.

"Fortunately there was no rain, so no need for any critical calls to be made, and a comfortable afternoon for us."

Vettel's teammate Mark Webber finished fifth, giving Red Bull a 77-point lead in the constructors' standings.

The veteran Australian will leave F1 at the end of this season to drive for Porche in sportscar racing, and he is expected to be replaced by compatriot Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull's feeder team Toro Rosso.

Vettel appeared to confirm as much, saying: "It would make sense for Ricciardo as he has been at Red Bull for a long time. People will argue that he might not be ready, but was I ready when I joined?"

Read: F1's 'Mr. Consistency'

Alonso moved up to second in the drivers' standings above Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen, who did not finish for the first time in 39 races -- a run stretching back to 2009 when he was still at Ferrari.

The Finn retired due to a brake problem on the 26th lap, ending his record-breaking stretch of earning points in 27 races.

Two-time world champion Alonso was pleased with his efforts after starting from ninth on the grid.

"We had to recover some places because we were not okay yesterday," he said. "We were then okay from the start, but the race was a little boring once we had second place."

Hamilton, who won from pole in Hungary in the last race before the mid-season break in July, had to settle for third place.

"We had a tough race, these guys were faster than us, but I'm happy with the result," the 2008 world champion said.

"When we started we felt we didn't have as good a package as Red Bull and Ferrari. We'll try and do what we can in Monza, but from Singapore I hope we can be strong from there."

His teammate Nico Rosberg was fourth, giving second-placed Mercedes a 17-point advantage over nearest rival Ferrari.

Hamilton's former McLaren teammate Jenson Button was sixth -- the 2009 world champion won the race last year -- and Ferrari's Felipe Massa seventh.

Lotus' Romain Grosjean took eighth and Adrian Sutil was ninth in a consolation for Force India, whose other driver Paul Di Resta had to retire after being hit by Williams' Pastor Maldonado.

Ricciardo completed the top 10, giving the 24-year-old his fourth points-scoring race this season to be 14th overall in the standings.

Via: Activists infiltrate Belgian F1 race

F1 chief: Grand Prix of America is off

Editor's note: Christian Sylt is the co-author of Formula Money, an annual report examining all aspects of F1's finances with detailed data on teams, drivers, sponsors and races.

(CNN) -- Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has revealed that the inaugural Grand Prix of America in New Jersey will not take place as planned next year, saying the organizers have not raised enough money to fund it.

Raced at 19 circuits around the world, F1 generates more than $4bn in revenues annually.

The final 2014 calendar will be approved by motorsport's governing body, the FIA, in December but new races need to have financing in place by now to ensure their plans are on track.

It was recently revealed that the Grand Prix of America organizers appointed investment bank UBS in June to raise $100 million which is required for the race to go ahead.

But Ecclestone told CNN that they have run out of time.

"It's not on the cards for next year," he said, adding that the problem is "they haven't got any money."

Read: F1 car 'sings' U.S. national anthem

However, Grand Prix of America spokesman Alex Howe insisted they expected the race would go ahead.

"We don't comment on financial matters but we are on track for 2014 and will have a statement following the announcement of the official 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship schedule," said the spokesman.

The race was planned to take place on 3.2 miles of public roads in Port Imperial, a district in the New Jersey towns of West New York and Weehawken. It snakes alongside the Hudson river and would give the race a spectacular backdrop of Manhattan's historic skyline.

It has already been postponed once, having been initially scheduled for June this year. The wheels started to come off in August 2012 when Tom Cotter, the president of the race, unexpectedly resigned.

Ecclestone put the brakes on it later that month when the organizers missed payment deadlines in their contract with the F1 Group. The Grand Prix of America is the only new F1 race for over 15 years to be dropped from its slot on the calendar.

It is also a rare example of a race which was given an F1 contract without having the required funding in place. The most well-known previous example was that of English circuit Donington, which had a 17-year contract to host the British Grand Prix from 2010. Instead, the race stayed at Silverstone after Citigroup failed to raise the 135 million ($210 million) required to fund necessary improvements to Donington.

Read: F1 revs up for thrilling end to season

Ecclestone said the situation in New Jersey "is like Donington all over again" and added that "it is such a muddle and a mess that it is not worth doing."

He said he originally signed the deal because he believed that the race's promoter -- Leo Hindery Junior, managing partner of private equity fund InterMedia Partners -- would be able to raise the required funds.

"The guy is a multibillionaire and is well-known in New York," Ecclestone said.

Grand Prix of America spokesman Howe declined to comment when asked for a specific response to Ecclestone's view that the situation in New Jersey was in disarray.

Construction on the New Jersey site is well under way, and last year three-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and former F1 driver David Coulthard drove demonstration runs on the circuit for the Red Bull team. However, a lot of the work has focused on the pit building in a new block of garages which was already planned to be built.

The plans are close to Ecclestone's heart as he has been trying to hold a Grand Prix in the New York area since the 1980s. He has already provided more support to the New Jersey race organizers than their rivals usually receive.

Read: F1 perfects formula for financial success

After tearing up the original contract last year, Ecclestone signed a new 15-year agreement in May when the organizers agreed to hire Chris Pook, one of his close confidantes and former chief executive of F1's American motorsport rival IndyCar. Pook works alongside Hindery, who was the first investor in the race.

In 2011 Hindery provided the initial $10.3 million investment in race organizing company Port Imperial Racing Associates (PIRA) and obtained an additional $10.1 million loan.

In April this year the F1 Group itself provided the company with a credit facility personally guaranteed by Hindery, but it still needs $100 million to get the green light.

F1 races require a high-octane level of investment. Tracks typically cost over $250 million to build, but using public roads avoids this expense.

The downside is that there is no asset for investment to be secured on, so the budget for street races is usually supplemented with state funding. However, Hindery has confirmed that no public money will be used in the project.

The race is part of F1's strategy to break into the lucrative United States market, which is dominated by local rivals NASCAR and IndyCar.

Gaining a foothold there is understood to be an important part of revving up the stalled plans to float F1 on the Singapore stock exchange.

Read: F1 reborn in the USA

Stateside television coverage of F1 moved this year to the sports division of NBC, the oldest major broadcast network in the U.S., and the U.S. Grand Prix returned to the calendar in 2012 after a five-year hiatus.

It takes place in Austin, Texas, and a further race in California is also under consideration.

Losing the New Jersey race could cost F1 more than $375 million across the duration of its contract, as the annual fee has been estimated at $25 million with a small escalation every year.

However, the investment opportunity overview produced by UBS in June states that the Grand Prix of America contract gives the organizers "exclusivity for all F1 races across the northeast corridor" so the vacant calendar slot could be filled by another new race in the area.

Ecclestone is also known to be in discussion about a Grand Prix in Mexico City, which would also plug the gap left by New Jersey.

Meanwhile, in other F1 news Friday, world champion Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time in practice for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.

Vettel recorded a time of one minute 49.331 seconds, just edging Red Bull teammate Mark Webber by 0.059 seconds.

Romain Grosjean, in third for Lotus, was almost a second slower in the afternoon session, while Britain's Lewis Hamilton, who won the previous round in Hungary for Mercedes was only 12th quickest.

Vettel achieved his time despite missing the last 20 minutes of the session with a rear puncture which left the tire shredded.

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Spain was quickest in the morning runs for Ferrari in wet conditions.

Saturday sees final qualifying for Sunday's race, with three-time defending champion Vettel defending a 38 point lead over Grosjean's teammate Kimi Raikkonen of Finland in the title race.

Via: F1 chief: Grand Prix of America is off

Hamilton counts 'blessing' at Spa

(CNN) -- Lewis Hamilton couldn't believe his luck after snatching a fourth successive pole position at a rain-affected qualifying session for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver, who won the last race in Hungary before Formula One's four-week mid-season break, gave himself a great chance of reducing Sebastian Vettel's championship lead after his last-minute heroics at Spa on Saturday.

Force India's Paul Di Resta had been poised for the first pole position of his career after making a bold tire gamble, but as the rain eased and the track dried his best time was beaten by Mark Webber.

Vettel looked to have edged out his Red Bull teammate as he set the quickest time of two minutes 1.2 seconds, only for Hamilton to charge through right at the end with 2:1.012.

F1 interactive: Explore Spa circuit

"When I started that last lap I thought, 'Oh my God!' as I was seventh or eighth and about three seconds down," the 2008 world champion said after claiming the 31st pole of his career -- putting him seventh on the all-time list.

"I ran slightly wide at the first corner and I dropped to five, six seconds back, so I didn't know what was going on," Hamilton, who won at Spa in 2010, told reporters.

"But I kept pushing. It's a blessing I am up here. Generally I feel comfortable in changing conditions when I can find the limit.

"I pushed through the middle sector and really caned it. I feel so fortunate to get pole."

Vettel, who leads fourth-placed Hamilton by 48 points, expects similar entertainment during the race with mixed weather again forecast.

Read: GP of America 'is off'

"We all went out on slicks -- which was entertaining when it started to rain heavily," the German said.

"Then it stopped raining and the circuit came back quickly, but I saw Lewis catching me up in the last lap, so I could have gone quicker.

"I was quite close to pole, but all in all it was a good day for the team. Let's now see what happens tomorrow when we expect similar conditions."

Di Resta had to settle for fifth -- behind Mercedes' Nico Rosberg but ahead of Hamilton's former McLaren teammate Jenson Button, who won the race last year.

Romain Grosjean qualified seventh ahead of Lotus teammate Kimi Raikkonen, second in the championship and a four-time winner at Spa.

Fernando Alonso, a point behind the Finn in the standings, was another place back in qualifying as the Spaniard took ninth ahead of Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa.

Meanwhile, Pirelli's investigation into punctures suffered by Vettel and Alonso during Friday's practice revealed that the cause was a piece of metal that had fallen off a car -- not the tires.

Drivers had been concerned after earlier problems with the rubber compounds at July's British Grand Prix and were worried there may be a repeat at the high-speed Belgian track.

"There are certainly no tire-related issues," Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery said.

"We've seen no signs of fatigue. From our point of view there is no reason to be concerned."

Hembery did express concern at reports Michelin may return to F1 as a tire supplier, despite Pirelli having a deal in place with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

For Michelin to be involved for the first time since 2006, governing body the FIA would have to announce a tender at next month's World Motor Sport Council in Croatia.

"We've contracts in place and we'd hope people would respect them," Hembery told the UK Press Association.

"Quite frankly, a tender in September, when we will be running in January, would be farcical.

"If you wanted to do that then it should have been done in September of last year. Everybody will look ridiculous in that scenario."

Via: Hamilton counts 'blessing' at Spa

Raikkonen wants to stay with Lotus

(CNN) -- Kimi Raikkonen wants to stay with Lotus, the Formula One team's boss said amid claims the former world champion is targeting a return to Ferrari.

The Finn's future has been a hot topic of discussion during the mid-season break, which comes to an end with this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

Raikkonen has also been linked with a move to Red Bull, although reports suggest Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo is set to become reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel's No. 2 when Mark Webber leaves at the end of this season.

Read: Red Bull trying to land Raikkonen

Raikkonen sits second in the individual standings in 2013, behind Vettel.

"Kimi wants to stay with us," Lotus team principal Eric Boullier told CNN. "We want to keep Kimi. There are a lot of teams who (would) like to have Kimi on board now.

"It's up to him to choose what he wants to do. We know what he wants. We will do everything that we can to get what he wants. We need to make him just happy to stay. So far he wants to stay so we'll see."

Boullier's comments appeared to be echoed by the 33-year-old's manager Steve Robertson.

He told Autosport that Lotus was in pole position and would hang on to Raikkonen -- provided he has a car that can compete for a world title.

It contradicted another report Monday that stated Raikkonen was seeking a return to Ferrari, where he won his lone world championship in 2007.

"Lotus holds the key to Raikkonen's future," Robertson told Autosport. "If the team can provide him with the answers he is seeking, which will ensure he has a car that can fight for race wins and the championship, then he will stay."

Raikkonen didn't answer any questions about his future Thursday because he was ill and missed his media briefing ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Lotus said.

Read: Button wins 2012 Belgian Grand Prix

He is seeking a fifth victory at the famed Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

"I bet every driver likes Spa and I have so many good memories there," Raikkonen told Lotus' official website Wednesday. "For me it's the greatest circuit in the world and it has been my favorite place since my first ever visit there in 2000 with Formula Renault.

"It's great to go racing with a modern car at a proper circuit which has such a great tradition. You can't get the same feeling anywhere else."

Via: Raikkonen wants to stay with Lotus

Domenicali challenges Ferrari

(CNN) -- Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali wants total commitment from his charges as the Formula One season clicks back into gear this weekend.

The Italian team had a stuttering start to the 2013 campaign, the mid-season break allowing them time to regroup, recharge and refocus.

Fernando Alonso currently lies 39 points behind the championship leader -- Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel -- who is going for his fourth straight title.

And with Ferrari also a distance behind Red Bull in the constructors' championship, Domenicali wants a positive approach once the final act gets underway in Belgium.

Read: Raikkonen to continue fine F1 run?

"I don't want to see any of you not believing in our fight back," Domenicali said on Ferrari's official website.

"Each one of you must be the link in a chain of positivity that must drive the team along in what is a key moment in the season. We are Ferrari and history teaches us that we must never accept we are beaten.

"There is much talk outside the company regarding the future, but we must concentrate only on the present, on the fight for the championship.

"The words of our president before the summer break must serve as a stimulus, because they were meant as the words of a good family father, who, first and foremost really roots for our team.

"Keep those words in mind and let's all pull together, starting in Spa."

Alonso has two grand prix victories under his belt this season, in Spain and China, but Ferrari dropped off the pace immediately prior to the hiatus.

Now Domenicali wants Alonso and teammate Felipe Massa, from Brazil, to roar back into contention. "Our task is very simple: namely to give Fernando and Felipe the quickest car possible," he added.

"Now, their contribution will be even more essential than ever. We have spelled it out many times before: the driver topic is definitely not a priority.

Interactive: CNN F1 circuit guide

"What counts is to give them the best possible chance of finishing ahead of everyone and, in order to succeed, each and every one of us must do our job to the best of our ability on all levels.

"If they have a winning car in their hands, then I am convinced they will know how to win with it. If we all believe, then we can do it!"

Kimi Raikkonen was the last person to deliver Ferrari a drivers' title, in 2007, and there has been speculation he will return to Ferrari in time for next season.

But for now Domenicali insists Ferrari, who haven't won the constructors' crown for four years, can still achieve their goals for 2013.

"There is still everything to play for and we have gone through this before, as recently as last year," said Domenicali.

"Nine races means that a total of 225 driver points are available and rest assured that the goals we set ourselves at the start of the season are still perfectly attainable.

"It's true we've gone through a difficult period, especially in July and now is the time to react in the way that Ferrari people know well."

Via: Domenicali challenges Ferrari

Meet F1's 'Mr. Consistency'

(CNN) -- He may hate the attention off the track, but it's hard to avoid the media glare when you've been driving as well as Kimi Raikkonen this season.

The Finn is currently Sebastian Vettel's nearest rival in the Formula One drivers' championship, trailing Red Bull's triple world champion by 38 points thanks to a succession of star turns for his team Lotus.

With a win in Melbourne and five second-place finishes so far this year, Raikkonen will be seeking more podiums as F1 returns to action after a four-week summer break.

This weekend, the 33-year-old will be hunting down a fifth career win at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa -- a track he told Formula1.com was his "favorite place" and "the greatest racing circuit in the world."

Since returning to the sport in 2012, Raikkonen has been a model of consistency finishing in the points a record 27 times in succession -- he overtook Michael Schumacher's mark of 24 at the British Grand Prix in June.

"He's driving better than he ever has," Ed Foster, associate editor of Motor Sport magazine, told CNN.

"That run of finishes is amazing because even if you are driving brilliantly, to have the luck as well, to have nothing break on the car. It's a testament to Lotus for building a car that is so reliable."

It's a view which was recently echoed by Raikkonen's team boss Eric Boullier.

"I would have to give Kimi 10 out of 10," Boullier told Formula1.com.

Interactive: CNN F1 circuit guide

"He's done a terrific job right from the beginning of the season and his remarkable run of 27 consecutive points finishes speaks for itself. No matter what happens he's always there, as we saw in the final few laps at Monaco."

Raikkonen scrapped his way to tenth place on the French Riviera and battled his way to ninth two weeks later in Montreal.

But two podiums in the last three races before F1's summer break have set him and Lotus up nicely for the remaining nine races of the season.

"He is playing a big part in pushing the team forwards, and of course having such a popular character in the seat has its advantages too," Boullier told Formula1.com.

Infographic: Billion-dollar deals on wheels

Boullier is optimistic that he can keep hold of his star man despite other teams warming to the task of signing the "Iceman" when his Lotus contract expires later this year.

Red Bull was considering Raikkonen as replacement for F1 retiree Mark Webber, but the Finn's manager Steve Robertson said Monday that a deal couldn't be reached.

"The negotiations with Red Bull were not successful and ended some time ago," Robertson said, according to the Finnish newspaper, Turun Sanomat. Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo is now widely tipped to take his Webber' s place.

Read: Pamela Anderson fronts racing team

Raikkonen has also been linked with a return to Ferrari in recent days, according to another Finnish newspaper, Ilta-Sanomat. But the claim has been denied by Ferrari and Foster thinks a move to Italy unlikely.

"I just can't see him going back there after the way they parted last time," Foster said.

Raikkonen, who won the world championship with Ferrari in 2007, was released from his contract a year early in 2009 to make way for Fernando Alonso.

Of course, it may be that Raikkonen opts to stay put.

"The Lotus team has one thing going for it in terms of PR and the media side of things. They don't overwork Raikkonen and he's obviously very happy there," Foster said.

"There are all these things bubbling around about Lotus' financial situation and whether or not they can afford him.

"But one thing Raikkonen isn't really that motivated by is money. Everyone is motivated by money to a certain extent but he's not as bad as some of the other drivers."

The famously reticent Raikkonen will no doubt be relieved to find the spotlight on Lewis Hamilton in Belgium following his victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix at the end of July.

The Briton's maiden win for Mercedes has set up a potentially thrilling battle in the second half of the season.

"It's quite nicely poised. Vettel pretty much looked on the way to his fourth world championship this year but now with Hamilton's win in Hungary it's suddenly up for grabs between the two," Foster said.

Twelve months ago, Ferrari was providing the resistance, but Foster doesn't see that happening this year.

"They have lost quite a lot of ground with the front runners and I can't see them making that up. With the massive rules changes next year, unless you're definitely in the title hunt most teams are going to switch their focus to 2014 much sooner than usual," Foster said.

"It's still too early but you have to say it's between Hamilton and Vettel, I would have thought."

Hamilton currently lies fourth in the standings, 48 points behind championship leader Vettel and will be hoping for a repeat run of 2010 when he took the checkered flag for his old team McLaren.

"I wonder whether Mercedes has turned the corner?" Foster asks.

"You can't tell off the back of one race, but Hamilton was just untouchable. If they are very strong in Spa as well then you have to say that Hamilton has got every chance to catch Vettel in the championship."

Via: Meet F1's 'Mr. Consistency'

Back to racing school for rally star Loeb

CNN's Human to Hero celebrates inspiration and achievement in sport. Click here for showtimes, latest videos and features.

(CNN) -- For the son of a math teacher, rallying legend Sebastien Loeb is not too concerned by numbers.

Age was no barrier when the Frenchman decided to pursue his motor racing career at 22 years old. The "late starter" went on to win a record nine world rally titles.

Now, after conquering the ice-packed slopes, desert dunes and rocky roads in the globetrotting world of elite rally driving, Loeb says he feels like a kid again as he moves from rally's all-terrain adventures to the uncharted territory of the smooth asphalt of the racetrack.

"Rally driving is the most fun driving you can have, because you slide, you drive on every surface, you jump," Loeb told CNN's Human to Hero series, with a twinkle in his cool, blue eyes.

"But I needed to see something else. I needed to change.

"I'm like a young boy, even if I'm 39! I'm like a young driver again coming into a series and trying to improve."

After a decade of dominating the rally circuit, Loeb has now set his sights on winning the 2014 World Touring Car Championship with his longtime team Citroen.

This championship for racing road cars is the third elite series, in addition to Formula One and the World Rally Championship, which is rubber-stamped by motorsport's governing body the FIA.

Read: Pamela Anderson to front GT Series team

It will test Loeb on classic circuits from Sonoma in the United States to Suzuka in Japan, and he has already been tuning up for his new driving challenge by racing a McLaren sports car in the 2013 GT Series, where his team is second overall ahead of this weekend's race in Slovakia.

"There are different types of racetracks: some are really fast, some are really twisty, some have more or less grip, so you always have to adapt," explains Loeb, who has also tested a Red Bull Formula One car but failed to get a race license with feeder team Toro Rosso in late 2009 and later said he was "too old" to start an F1 career.

"It's not easy to get used to the tracks, to get used to a different car, to another driving style, but I enjoy it.

"It's not like when I'm in the rallies and everyone is waiting for me to win and if I don't win they say, 'Oh it's terrible, he didn't win!' "

Loeb retired from fulltime rallying at the end of the 2012 season -- the championship already in the bag, of course -- while still at the top of his game.

He chose to compete in just four rounds of the WRC this year, saying he had no interest in reaching a "perfect 10" of world titles.

"A lot of people ask me, 'Why not 10?' " said Loeb, who won consecutive titles between 2004 and 2012. "The answer is because I don't count!

"When I won my first championship it was the achievement of something, a realization. After that I said, 'OK, the rest is a bonus.'

"It became less about pressure and just driving for passion. It's not a question of numbers."

Loeb was something of a late starter when he began plotting his career growing up in the Alsace region of France on the border with Germany.

Read: Rally champion rules out F1 switch

He first flexed his muscles as a champion gymnast. At three years old he was following in the gym shoes of his late father Guy Loeb, himself a champion athlete as well as a gymnastics instructor.

One year later, the junior Loeb was the proud owner of a red racing bike and soon showed signs of a competitive instinct, never missing any opportunity to go riding on the streets with his school friends.

But Loeb did not get behind the wheel of a car until, like any other teenager in France, he began driving lessons.

"In my family there was no links to motorsport or even being fans of motorsport," he explained.

"So it was only when I had my driving license that I got to enjoy driving a car. Then I started car racing when I was 22 -- not so young."

At that time Loeb was earning his living as an electrician, a pursuit he describes as "not my passion, just my job."

On the side, he twice entered the Youth Rally, an event for up-and-coming drivers organized by the French Motor Racing Federation.

Read: Motorcycling champion dances with danger

Although he narrowly missed out on the title, his performances attracted the attention of former amateur racer Dominique Heintz, who, in 1996, decided to help Loeb turn rallying from a hobby into a profession.

"The person that helped me most in my career is Dominique," said Loeb, who now runs his eponymous race team with Heintz. "He gave me the opportunity to start in rallies and is someone who is now my friend."

If Loeb came to motorsport a little later -- most racing success stories are built on a junior karting career -- he soon recognized that he had a natural talent for driving.

"Since the start I was just natural," said Loeb, who now flies a helicopter as a hobby. "For me, it's been more about talent than work.

"The first thing you need is to get a feeling with the car. You need to feel when you have to brake and what speed to enter the corner.

"In rally you need to try to be as close as possible to 100% without knowing the roads really well, so you need a lot of improvisation in your driving.

"The feeling in the car when you reach your limits, when you pull everything together to be the fastest, to beat the others, to be first, this is mainly the feeling I have driving the car and this was just my passion. I love it."

Read: Japan's tennis 'rock star'

The combination of passion and raw talent attracted interest from French car manufacturer Citroen, and in 2001 Loeb stormed to the junior WRC title.

Two years later, he competed in a full season of the senior WRC for Citroen, losing out on the title by a single point.

Loeb had made his mark, and his unprecedented era of dominance began the following year.

Numbers may not matter to the rallying superstar but, after nearly a decade at the top of the tree, Loeb concedes this time age did play a part in his decision to quit while he was ahead.

"I have other things to do in my life," said Loeb. "It's not like when you start and you're 24 or 25 and you just want to do your passion.

"Now I have a daughter (Valentine) and a wife (Severine). I have a good life, I have everything I need. It's time to enjoy it and rest a bit.

"I never have a fear when I drive but I know it's dangerous, it's one of the reasons I decided to stop rallies.

"When you are in Finland, jumping at 200 kph (125 mph) in the middle of the trees, it's dangerous!"

Read: The most brutal water sport?

Loeb may be happy to settle for nine WRC titles, but his driving ambition remains undimmed.

Talk of retirement is for a distant time in the future -- a date to which Loeb has no intention of counting down.

"I don't know, (I'll keep driving) as long as I feel able to go fast, to fight for the win and as long as I enjoy it," he said. "It will be a few years.

"I think I will retire from all rallies soon. I've really tried to prepare for the future to find something to do as a driver -- and now I think I've found it.

"Rallying is difficult but racing (on the track) needs other skills and I still have a lot to improve and a lot to learn."

For now, the son of a math teacher and gymnastics instructor is going back to racing school.

Via: Back to racing school for rally star Loeb

Home race for Red Bull?

(CNN) -- Red Bull, whose Formula One team has won the drivers' and constructors' titles for the past three years, could have a home race in Austria from 2014.

Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone have struck a deal to return the race to the sport's global calendar after an 11-year absence.

A statement from Red Bull's headquarters in Austria said: "Dietrich Mateschitz and Bernie Ecclestone have reached an agreement which will see Formula 1 return to Styria [a state in south-east Austria] as early as next year.

Read: Red Bull pushing to land Raikkonen

"The race [is] to be staged at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.

"Pending all of the necessary official authorizations for the Red Bull Ring, the race is scheduled for July 6, 2014. We are thrilled."

The agreement and date is provisional until the sport's governing body, the FIA, ratify the calendar later this year.

New circuits added to the F1 calendar also have to be pass the FIA's safety tests.

The Red Bull Ring staged the Austrian Grand Prix between 1970 and 1987 in its former guise as the Osterreichring.

The fast, narrow circuit was dropped from the calendar because of safety concerns before reappearing as a shortened A-Ring in 1997.

Ferrari's Michael Schumacher won the last race held at the circuit in 2003 before it again lost its place on the calendar because further planned redevelopment of the track had stalled.

Mateschitz bought and rebuilt the circuit, branding it the Red Bull Ring, and now his long held hope of bringing F1 back to his homeland could be about to be fulfilled.

Via: Home race for Red Bull?

Pamela Anderson fronts racing team

(CNN) -- Pamela Anderson is set to bring a little Hollywood glamor to motorsport after becoming part owner of a sports car racing team.

The former Baywatch star has linked up with the Race Alliance team, which is competing in the inaugural FIA GT Series.

The Playboy pin-up ventured into motorsport in March 2012 when her and occasional racing driver Markus Fux fronted the Downforce1 European Le Mans teams.

Following the failure of that venture Fux and Anderson have teamed up with the Race Alliance team for the final three races of the GT Series' 2013 season.

Read: The sci-fi future of Formula One

"We want to make Race Alliance a recognizable name and have looked for the best drivers possible," a spokesman for the team told Autosport.com.

"The plan is to contest the full FIA GT Series next year, as well as the Nurburgring 24 Hours, and then look to NASCAR after that."

In Vitantonio Liuzzi and Mathias Lauda the Austrian team boasts two drivers of considerable pedigree.

F1 Inforgraphic: Deals on wheels

Liuzzi spent six years in Formula One, including one season with Red Bull, while his teammate Lauda is the son of Austria's triple F1 world champion Niki Lauda.

Liuzzi and Lauda will be behind the wheel of a Ferrari 458 Italia when the team debuts in Slovakia this weekend.

Three dates remain on the GT Series' 2013 calendar, with Spain and Azerbaijan hosting races after Slovakia.

Competing against Anderson's team will be one led by rally driving legend Sebastian Loeb.

The Frenchman won a record nine World Rally Championships in a row between 2004 and 2012 and now heads the Sebastian Loeb Racing team.

Via: Pamela Anderson fronts racing team

Return of F1's turbo-charged 'teapot'

Editor's note: Art of Movement is CNN's monthly show exploring the latest innovations in art, culture, science and technology, through movement.

(CNN) -- The year is 1977 and the moment of truth is here. The high-tech car that will revolutionize Formula One racing is about to be revealed. Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your hats and behold ... the "Yellow Teapot?"

When Renault revealed the first turbo-charged car -- called RS01 -- at the British Grand Prix in the 1970s, it instantly became the biggest laughing stock in the business.

The much-hyped design, years in the making, was the same garish yellow as the Beatles' famous submarine. It was unreliable and heavy. And to top it off, the vehicle appeared to be encased in a cloud of steam -- all of which earned it a decidedly un-speedy nickname.

"When Renault introduced the first turbo engine everybody was laughing -- especially in England," Alain Prost, four-time F1 champion and Renault driver throughout the early 1980s, told CNN.

"They were calling the car the 'yellow teapot' and nobody could believe that this was possible."

Return of turbo

Yet fast forward more than 35 years, and it will be French car manufacturer Renault having the last laugh, as the pioneering turbo engine makes a return to the international circuit.

From next year, all F1 cars will be required to have turbo engines, in a bid to be more environmentally friendly.

Read this: Formula E, the electrifying future of motorsport

While a standard engine is powered by a belt connected to the crankshaft, a turbo engine runs on its own exhaust steam, making it more energy efficient.

Turbo engines also tend to be slower taking off -- not ideal for F1 racing. But once in full flight, they maintain speed well, and today you'll often find turbo engines used in trains, trucks and construction equipment.

"The turbo engine was very different to other engines. You had more power -- more top-end power. But the weight of the car was much bigger," explained Prost.

"We were learning all the time. The team was getting more and more experienced and being very curious, working very close with the engineers, I really loved it."

A golden era

Much like the yellow teapot itself, turbo technology was slow to take off, but once it did, paved the way for an exciting new era in F1 racing.

It wasn't until 1979 -- two years after its launch -- that Renault's turbo-charged car finally won the French Grand Prix, driven by Jean-Pierre Jabouille.

Other F1 teams -- such as Ferrari, Honda and BMW -- followed suit. And as turbo development increased, the circuit was transformed into a rev-head's heaven, with showers of sparks and shredded tires from the gutsy new cars.

In the space of just five years, Renault had almost doubled its engine's horse power.

"As much as I loved experimenting with the new design, it was a very frustrating time too," said Prost. "We very often blew up the turbo, blew up the engine, but it was part of the time and I think everyone has accepted it.

"But the evolution you could see from 1981 to the end of the turbo in the late 1980s was huge."

Watch this: F1 design pushes the limits

Taming the turbo

Indeed, throughout the 1980s, the powerful turbo was the F1 engine of choice, able to perform at high altitudes and grip onto steep angles.

But along with the impressive new flame-spitting exhausts, came safety concerns. The turbo engine was unreliable, and increased temperatures also increased the risk of fire.

After a raft of restrictions, the Formula One governing body, FIA, eventually banned the turbo engine in 1988 due to safety concerns.

21st century design

Almost four decades after Renault's turbo revved for the first time, engineers have revealed their new engine for the 21st century.

No longer will F1 circuits roar with the sound of standard 2.4-liter V8 engines -- referring to their eight cylinders. Instead, they'll be fitted with 1.6-liter V6 turbo-charged units, in line with the new F1 rules.

Each engine will also be restricted to 100 kilograms of fuel, in an effort to cut consumption by 35%.

Renault's new turbo engine, dubbed "Energy F1-2014, may have evolved since the early days of turbo technology, " but it still owes a debt to the engineers who revolutionized racing with the world's fastest "teapot."

Via: Return of F1's turbo-charged 'teapot'

Woman makes full F1 test debut

(CNN) -- Susie Wolff says she will keep fighting to win a place on the Formula One grid -- but she won't rely on her sexuality to get there.

Wolff took a big step forward as she spent a full day testing a Williams F1 car at Silverstone. It was the first meaningful running by a female driver in 20 years.

"Some say I seem very reluctant to play the female card but ultimately a race team is only going to put the best driver they can in a race car," said Wolff.

"It was important to show that I have the performance. I'm really pleased.

"I'm not going to say 'give me the [seat] right now because I'm a girl and I was fast enough.' I've got to keep fighting hard."

The 30-year-old Scot, who started karting at the age of eight, completed 89 laps of the challenging British Grand Prix circuit.

Read: Leading woman Susie Wolff

Wolff was the ninth fastest of 16 drivers running at Silverstone Friday.

Her best lap of one minute 35.093 seconds was 2.199 seconds slower than the fastest time set over the three-day test by Red Bull's world champion Sebastian Vettel.

It is difficult to read into testing but to put Wolff's time into context the leading Williams car was also just over two seconds slower than Vettel during qualifying at the last race in Germany.

Wolff was watched late on in the test by her husband Toto Wolff, who is a minority shareholder in the Williams team and director of the Mercedes F1 team.

Experienced Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, who was on track at the same time as Wolff, praised her impressive full track debut.

"She was pretty quick," said the Brazilian. "I was very happy for her when I saw her lap times.

"It would be good for a team to push Susie in driving at the races and it would be very interesting for everybody to have her in Formula 1."

Read: Ecclestone wants Patrick to lead F1 revolution

Wolff, who ended her career in the German Touring Car Championships [DTM) to join the Williams team as a development driver in 2012, said her main aim was to earn the right to drive again for the team, not to earn acceptance in the male-dominated sport.

"For me it's not about getting praise, it's not about caring what the other drivers think," she said.

"It's most important that the team are happy because if they're happy I'm going to get more chances.

"Many people said they were crazy and why would they waste a day on me but they took that chance and I was happy that I could do a good job.

"I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think this was possible and I believe in myself.

"After a tough end to my DTM career many people assumed I was always at the back and just wasn't quick enough but I have showed that was possibly an unfair judgment."

F1 experts at Silverstone were impressed with Wolff's debut and were pleased to see a positive performance by a female racer.

Spaniard Maria de Villota, who was signed as a development driver by the Marussia team in 2012, lost her right eye in an accident on her first run in the team's race car.

Of the five women to join F1 before Wolff and De Villota, only two have ever qualified to start a race. The most prolific of these was Italian Lella Lombardi, who started 12 grands prix in the 1970s.

Lombardi made history while driving with March at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, becoming the only woman to register a point-scoring finish in a grand prix.

Tire test

The Silverstone test doubled up as an opportunity to evaluate new drivers and for many of the regular race drivers to trial the new Pirelli tires which will be introduced at the next grand prix in Hungary.

F1's sole tire supplier had been under pressure to find a safer solution after a series of tire blowouts wreaked havoc during June's British round of the world championship.

Read: F1 drivers threaten boycott over driver safety

The new tires blend 2012's more solid construction with this season's softer compounds and, after three days of testing, both Pirelli and the drivers believe a safe compromise has been found.

"The consistency and safety of the tires is better," said Massa. "Nothing has happened here in terms of the punctures that we have seen and that is the most important thing."

Vettel added: "We have had three days with different drivers in different cars and no failures. That's good."

Pirelli expect the new tires will provide an "interesting mix of race strategies" although many of the drivers at the Silverstone test are predicting the new rubber will mean fewer pit-stops are made during the race.

Via: Woman makes full F1 test debut

The sci-fi future of motorsport?

Art of Movement is CNN's monthly show exploring the latest innovations in art, culture, science and technology.

(CNN) -- It's an unnerving realization: the futuristic films of your youth have become reality.

The lasers that terrified a generation in HG Wells's War of the Worlds are now used in everything from DVD players to the operating table. While Star Trek's farfetched "language translator" is as simple as downloading an app to your smart phone.

Now the slick electric cars that battled against each other in 1980s sci-fi thriller "Tron" have leaped from the movies to our front doors.

Introducing the world's first Formula E motor race, an international competition where high-tech electric cars speed around some of the world's major cities -- all without a drop of gasoline in sight.

"These motors are something no one has ever done before -- it's pretty science fiction," said Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag.

"If you think of movies like Tron or Star Wars and the noise those cars make, Formula E will sound a lot like that. The sound of the electric engine is quite interesting -- it's much lower, very futuristic, a bit like a jet fighter."

Brave new world

The future, it seems, is much closer than you think. From September next year these battery-powered beasts will be zipping around 10 of the biggest cities in the world, as part of a year-long competition that could revolutionize not just the sport -- but the future of transportation.

Much like traditional Formula One racing, the competition will feature 10 teams, each with two drivers, who will go head-to-head in 60-minute races.

Beijing -- one of the most polluted cities in the world -- is expected to be the first to host the radical competition showcasing green technology. Other cities will include London, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro.

Already, major motorsport teams have signed up to the ambitious plan -- including U.S. team Andretti Autosport, Britain's Drayson Racing, and China Racing -- each expected to spend between $5 million and $10 million developing their high-tech engines.

Watch this: The aerodynamics of F1

"We're not trying to compete with Formula One -- we're positioning ourselves in a completely different way," said Agag.

"FE will be much more focused on new technology," he added. "The lower level of sound also means we can race in the heart of major cities without the same level of disruption."

Battery beasts

As the name suggests, Formula E is all about electric power -- and that means big battery engines.

Each battery weighs 200 kilograms, producing around 200 kilowatts of power. Depending on the speed, an electric engine can last anywhere from a few hours to just 25 minutes.

And if you thought they lacked the grunt of traditional engines, think again. These battery beasts can hit speeds of 220 kilometers per hour.

The gas pump is also a thing of the past in the brave new world of zero-emission racing. Once the battery is used, it can be charged again as many times as you like.

Read: Interactive -- F1's billion dollar business

"From the outside they look just like other racing cars," said Agag. "They're slightly smaller with more weight towards the back where the battery is.

"At the moment the electricity is from batteries but in the future it could run on different sources of energy. We're already working on a hydrogen prototype."

Green machines

Driving this new technology isn't just an era of Tron-like expansion. It's a racing industry grappling with increased environmental concerns.

For more than 60 years, Formula One has raced gas-guzzling cars across a planet which is now facing not just the threat of climate change, but limited and expensive oil supplies.

Two years ago motorsport's international governing body, the Federation International de l'Automobile (FIA), announced an ambitious plan for an electric car race that would mimic the hugely popular F1 series. Now as the deadline for Formula E looms, it could have a big impact on the future of car manufacturing.

"If you look in the past, a lot of development in the car industry has come from racing," said Agag. "The transfer of technology is potentially very big.

"It's important because people are not buying electric cars at the moment -- they think they're too slow, with limited range, and ugly. But if you show that they can go faster, longer, you'll change people's minds -- they'll be more likely to buy electric."

When Formula E waves its chequered flag for the first time in September next year, it will be a momentous moment in the history of motor racing -- and a step towards the sci-fi future.

Via: The sci-fi future of motorsport?

$30M for Fangio classic car

(CNN) -- A Mercedes more than a half-century old and driven by one of Formula One's most famous racers, Juan Manuel Fangio, became the most expensive car ever sold at an auction, according to the auctioneer.

The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R fetched $29.65 million Friday at the auction in southern England, said Bonhams, with the identity of the buyer not disclosed.

That figure beat the previous record -- a 1957 Ferrari was purchased in 2011 -- by about $13 million, added Bonhams.

"I have handled some of the world's most desirable and important motor cars during a motoring auction career spanning five decades, but I have reached a peak with this legendary grand prix car," Robert Brooks, the Bonhams chairman, said.

"It was a personal privilege to preside over the sale of this vehicle, which is not only one of the most significant motor cars of the 20th century but also the most important historic grand prix racing car ever offered for sale," he added.

Argentina's Fangio used the car en route to winning the second of his five world titles. Soon after it was placed in a museum.

Read: Was Fangio the greatest Formula One driver?

Fangio won a record 45 percent of the grand prix he entered and started nearly 60 percent of his races from pole position -- reigning Formula One king Sebastian Vettel doesn't come close to matching that.

He won the championship with four different teams -- the only man to achieve the feat -- and is also the oldest Formula One champion, claiming the title in 1957 at the age of 46.

"If he were here today Fangio would shake his head and smile his slow smile," Doug Nye, a racing historian, told Bonhams' website. "He was a humble man, originally a mechanic from a potato town in Argentina and never forgot his roots.

"As a driver he was simply a genius."

Via: $30M for Fangio classic car

Setback for F1 chief in legal case

(Financial Times) -- Bernie Ecclestone's legal problems deepened after Formula One Group and owners CVC were ordered by a London court to release hundreds of documents relating to the sale of the motor racing series seven years ago, amid claims it was undervalued.

The F1 chief executive and other defendants face a claim from German media group Constantin Medien for damages of at least $171m. The German company claims that a 47 per cent stake held by BayernLB, the bank, in F1 was undervalued when it was sold to CVC in 2006. Constantin Medien had a contractual right to receive a contribution from the sale of BayernLB's stake in F1.

Ecclestone's lawyers are already having to spend the summer on his response to the indictment served on him by German prosecutors in Munich involving allegations of aiding and abetting breach of trust and of bribery.

But another Ecclestone legal team must now prepare for the Constantin Medien court case, which has been set for October 28 and is scheduled to last six weeks.

Ecclestone is expected to be called as a witness, along with F1 chief financial officer Duncan Llowarch.

The judge also ruled it was appropriate for Duncan MacKenzie, CVC's co-chairman, to be cross-examined even though CVC is not a party to the proceedings.

At a disclosure hearing in London last month, Justice Vos told lawyers for FOG and CVC their clients must release a number of documents to Constantin Medien.

Lawyers for all parties received transcripts of the proceedings last week and are awaiting the judge's final written judgment about what has to be disclosed.

The stake was sold for $820m when CVC completed the purchase of F1 in April 2006. But CVC's refinancing of F1 a year later implied a valuation of the stake of $2.8bn.

In the disclosure hearing before Justice Vos, Peters and Peters, Constantin Medien's lawyers, argued there was no proper valuation and marketing of the BayernLB stake before the sale.

The lawyers claimed the undervaluation was the result of the $44m payment made by Mr Ecclestone and Bambino, the Ecclestone family trust, to Gerhard Gribkowsky, the ex-BayernLB banker jailed last year for eight and a half years on corruption charges.

Among the documents the judge ordered CVC to disclose are due diligence reports on F1 at the time of the sale and the refinancing; appendages to the disclosure letter from Ecclestone to CVC at the time of the transaction relating to F1 revenue streams; CVC's loan application to RBS relating to its purchase; investment committee minutes; financial models it relied upon for its offer; and a Deloitte tax report prepared for CVC at the time of refinancing.

Lawyers for Ecclestone claimed the BayernLB stake sale represented fair value and that the value implied at refinancing was justified because of improvements to F1's revenues projections that had arisen.

The judge said FOG had to disclose in-house financial models projecting revenues and costs, a memorandum of understanding signed by F1 teams that committed them to F1 until 2012, documents relating to the purchase of sponsorship and hospitality businesses; and documents relating to the addition of a race in Abu Dhabi to the F1 calendar.

The other defendants in the case are Bambino, Gribkowsky and Stephen Mullens, former lawyer for F1 and Ecclestone.

The Financial Times Limited 2013

Via: Setback for F1 chief in legal case

Hamilton's first Mercedes win

(CNN) -- Lewis Hamilton claimed his first victory since switching to Mercedes and revived his world title hopes with a storming drive at the Hungarian Grand Prix Sunday.

The 28-year-old Briton made full use of his pole position to finish ahead of Kimi Raikkonen for Lotus and triple world champion Sebastian Vettel.

Red Bull's Vettel increases his lead in the title race to 38 points after Fernando Alonso could only claim fifth in his Ferrari.

The ever-consistent Raikkonen has moved into second spot, one point ahead of Alonso with Hamilton in fourth, still 48 points adrift of leader Vettel.

Read: F1 interactive guide to Hungary GP

But he will be heartened by a famous victory, with the Mercedes at last being able to capitalize on their qualifying superiority.

Fearing hot conditions and tire wear, Hamilton had expressed the opinion it would be a "miracle" if he was able to take the checkered flag, but in the reality his 22nd career win was almost untroubled, finishing 11 seconds ahead of Raikkonen.

"Brilliant job Lewis, fantastic drive," Hamilton's team told him over his race radio after the 2008 world champion ended a ten race winless streak.

It was his fourth win at the Hungaroring near Budapest, repeating his 2012 triumph with McLaren.

Hamilton acknowledged how crucial the victory was at the halfway stage of a season to date largely dominated by Vettel in his Red Bull.

Read: Hamilton snatches pole in Hungary

"I think this is probably one of the most important Grand Prix wins of my career," he said.

"We have got to work hard but if we can come here and make our tires last we should be able to do it anywhere," he added.

Australia's Mark Webber took fourth in the second Red Bull ahead of two-time champion Alonso, with Romain Grosjean sixth for Lotus after another incident packed drive by the Frenchman.

Britain's Jenson Button was seventh for the improving McLaren team with Brazilian Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari taking eighth.

Mexican Sergio Perez in the second McLaren and Pastor Maldonado of Venezuela rounded out the points scoring.

Hamilton's teammate Nico Rosberg went off near the finish while in ninth place so Red Bull increase their advantage in the race for the constructors' title.

Via: Hamilton's first Mercedes win