There are many grands prix in Europe, but there is only one European Grand Pix. Although the title was originally awarded as a badge of prestige to one race on the continent each year, over the last quarter century the name has allowed a second round in the Formula One World Championship to be held in a country that already hosts a race under its own name. With the 2008 Spanish Grand Prix already behind us, this year's European Grand Prix was held at the new street course in Valencia, Spain. Not to be confused with the Circuit de Valencia that is often used as an F1 test track, the new Circuito Urbano Valencia was designed by prolific track architect Hermann Tilke and is lauded for combining a highly challenging set of 25 turns with a Monaco-like atmosphere – complete with views of the Mediterranean and a marina – and a unique bridge straight. The new location made for a an exciting setting for this past weekend's race, jam packed with race action to throw this year's championship further into flux. Follow the jump to see how it unfolded.
There seems to be a new trend in custom bike building, and it's one we're happy to see. The best designers are creating machines meant to be ridden and to perform better than anything else available, and this year's winner of the Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building proves this. Roger Goldammer creates stunning designs, yet he doesn't let his creations sit in a corner collecting dust. Rather, his winning bike is a world record holder, averaging over 160 miles per hour last year at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
This year, official voting took place at the Sturgis Rally and was broken down into four separate categories. Goldammer won in the Freestyle class, the most prestigious award available, with his machine known as Goldmember. Equipped with a custom 960cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine using modified Harley-Davidson cases, a supercharger and nitrous in addition to its streamlined bodywork, Goldmember is simply amazing.
It always seems a bit presumptuous when a "world champion" is declared for a sporting event played in America. After all, other countries have leagues for baseball, basketball, football, etc. Formula Drift, the most well known drifting association in the United States, isn't about to declare world superiority in the art of maneuvering a car sideways through a course, but it does want to find out who's the best. Partnering with Red Bull Energy Drink, Formula Drift will be bringing together the best drifters from around the world to compete head to head in one single event. The competition will be held in November on the docks in Long Beach, CA and will feature a purpose-built course that will test the limits of each driver's skills. With a few of us located in Los Angeles, you can be sure that Autoblog will be bringing you live coverage of the event.
Michael Schumacher will retire from race driving at the end of the 2006 World Championship. Whatever the final result of this year’s championship, he leaves Formula 1 holding almost all the records. To date, he has taken seven Drivers’ world titles and has contributed to the same number of team wins in the Constructors’ Championship. He has taken part in 247 Formula 1 Grands Prix (178 of them at the wheel of a Ferrari,) won 90 (71,) been on pole 68 (58) times, setting 75 (52) fastest race laps. He has amassed a total of 1354 points, 1051 of them in a Maranello car. No one in the world of motor racing has done better.
Following his decision, the only record that will elude him is the one for the number of race starts. He will be able to reach the 250 mark, just six short of the record held by Riccardo Patrese. Schumacher has been with Scuderia Ferrari for eleven seasons, a demonstration of loyalty without equal in Formula 1, to date securing five of his Drivers’ titles here and contributing to six of the team’s Constructors’ titles. No other driver has ever won as much with the Scuderia.
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Felipe Massa scored a great debut victory in winning the Turkish Grand Prix on the outskirts of Istanbul on Sunday. He led almost throughout the 58 lap race, held in 36 degree heat to establish himself in third place in the championship, and move Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro to within two points of the championship lead. But teammate Michael Schumacher was beaten into third place by championship rival Fernando Alonso, the pair finishing just 0.081s apart as Michael made a late lunge for the finishing line. The seven time World Championship had been overtaken by Alonso when the leading cars all pitted for fuel and tyres when the safety car came out after 14 laps. Massa came in first, requiring Michael to wait for service which allowed Alonso to overtake. His deficit to the Spaniard in the championship grew by two points to 12.
At the start, Michael’s fears of the dirtier inside line were realised in the charge down to the first corner, allowing Massa to lead although Michael just grabbed second from Alonso who was pincered by the Ferraris. He backed off which surprised teammate Giancarlo Fisichella who spun causing chaos. The Renault driver, Ralf Schumacher, Nick Heidfeld and Kimi Raikkonen were among those who had to pit at the end of the lap for damage, which allowed Webber up to fourth from ninth on the grid, Jenson Button up one place to fifth, Nico Rosberg up from 14th to sixth, Tonio Liuzzi up from 18th to seventh and Robert Kubica who remained eighth.
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The latest in the string of car launches ahead of the 2008 Formula One World Championship is the Red Bull-Renault RB4, which was quietly unveiled – rather contrary to typical Red Bull glitz – while undergoing testing at the Jerez track in Spain.
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