To celebrate Saab’s 60th anniversary in the industry, aficionados all over the world met in Trollhattan, a town in Sweden.
Let’s do a little retrospection…
Sixty years ago, Saab short for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget AB or Swedish Aircraft Company Limited, was known only as an airplane manufacturer. Four days of festivities culminated in a huge gathering of historic Saabs outside the Saab Car Museum.
The company’s first car, the Saab 92, looked like no other with its streamlined shape and innovative engineering. It’s no surprise; the car was conceived by a pool of aircraft engineers not bound by the traditional auto styling and know-how.
At present, after the manufacture of more than 4 million cars, the automaker has inked a reputation for premium cars sold in over 60 countries worldwide. Evident as it is, much has changed in the automotive realm. But since those post-war years, the innovative mind of Saab’s designers and engineers has the same spirit – but it continues to evolve.
Saab cars reflect its Scandinavian heritage mated to aviation roots. Additionally, it was the automaker that pioneered a bunch of technological advances, cutting-edge safety features, and superb auto ergonomics. And oh- don’t forget to mention the improved engine performance through turbocharging.
Turbocharging is typical of the 'less is more' Scandinavian mind-set and, in an era when the need to save energy and achieve improved efficiency has never been greater, it continues to be a cornerstone of Saab's future development, said Ancaster News.
All the innovative efforts are now flaunted by Saab Canada and other dealerships of the automaker around the globe. As you can see, while most manufacturers have followed Saab's lead in adopting turbocharging, the automaker has again upped the ante with its innovative BioPower technology.
Saab’s new technology unravels the potential of turbocharging to generate more performance, as well as greatly reduced fossil-based CO2 emissions, when using E85 fuel. It is technology that has propelled Saab to the vanguard of Europe's rising market for 'flex-fuel' vehicles.
Saab E85 “flex fuel”, or bioethanol, has been widely available in some areas of North America for several years now. Usually made from crops like corn, bioethanol is an alcohol-based fuel that is mixed with conventional petrol to form a fuel that is up to 85% ethanol and 15% petrol. The advantages of such a mixture is that the emissions from an engine burning this type of fuel are lower than that of a normal gasoline engine – up to 70% lower!
It remains to be seen whether car shoppers will respond positively to the new fuel and support Saab’s environmental initiative. It’s quite hard to change public opinion about what they feed their tank. But I think the price of the flex fuel would dramatically influence their point of view.
Earlier it was said that an all new 9-5 would be launched at the end of 2008, for the 2009 model year. Recent reports, however, said the present 9-5 will be replaced in 2009, for the 2010 model year. The new model is based on GM's Epsilon 2 platform, shared with its sibling - the next-gen 9-3.
Saab Celebrates Diamond Anniversary
Top 10 Features For A Convenient Holiday Road-Trip From Cars.com
The cool breeze in the air signifies the upcoming cold and exciting holiday this year. Yes, I can feel it right here on my cheeks! How about you? I hope you won’t get frostbites or lip burns. Anyway, there will be millions of Americans, that includes me and probably you, that is sure to take a road trip this holiday season maybe for a grand vacation or just to escape the freezing cold and enjoy the sun down south.Road trips mean only one thing - you’ll be spending a lot of time driving! Long travels are sure fun especially when you’re with your family. However, a long period of time behind the wheel can definitely stress you out. The good news is, having the best and the perfect features in your car can make a lot of difference in your road-trip. Minutes before you get to your point of destination, you’ll still look and feel fresh because of these car features. It doesn’t matter if your car came from Mercury Canada or any other model. The important thing is, they have the right features to accompany you and your family all through the long trip.
So here’s the top ten best features for a convenient holiday road-trip courtesy of www.cars.com featured at TheAutoChannel.com. Check it out now travelers!
1. Navigation system and trip computer
Navigation systems can produce a playful child out of the most complicated trips. Many of the modern systems provided instantaneous traffic reporting, and almost all have voice-guided instructions that can lead you back to the main highway if ever you get lost.
2. Music flexibility
Sun-visor CD jackets hold maybe a dozen albums which means you're out of tunes once you've passed three states. You need a back-up to maintain the fun inside the car with more music to stomp with the beat!
3. Cruise control
Consider cruise control your right foot's savior.
4. Multizone climate control
Separate climate settings for different passengers often go unused in daily driving, but they can really come in handy during long drives.
5. DVD entertainment systems
DVD players are the major grail of minivans and SUVs, meeting the expense of parents’ hours of peace while the kids watch The Powerpuff girls - in silence! Thanks to wireless headsets.
6. Smart cupholders
If your cupholder was intended to have room for a 44-ounce root beer, plugging in a 20-ounce Evian could create some spills and mess when you hit some humps on the road.
7. Heated and cooled storage units
8. Lane-departure warning systems
Lane-departure warnings precisely set off in the safety line.
9. Household power outlets
Anybody who's ever comprised portable electronics run out of power on the road will be grateful for the in-car two-pronged household power outlet.
10. Reclining rear seats
Here's betting no one really gets any sleep using a U-shaped neck pillow. With reclining rear seats, you can leave those at home.
Smoking Behind The Wheel: A Risky Driving Habit
Are you one of those cigarette-puffing motorists on the road? Are you familiar with the law set by the highway authorities? Don’t you know it’s a big risk smoking cigarettes when driving? If you feel guilty, you’re maybe one of these UK citizens… Listen up!UK has over 3 million UK motorists who have been involved in road accidents due to lapses or ‘near misses’ in attentiveness due to in-car smoking distractions. eSure car insurance brought in a study and revealed that an astounding 45 percent of motorists who are regular in-car smokers will disregard the new rules carried out in the revised Highway Code and they are eager to light up more cancer sticks while driving. When the results came in, it also revealed that 68 percent confessed that they’ve not even read the existing Highway Code ever since passing their driving tests. Remember, even if you have an awesome Saturn headlight, it doesn’t mean you’re cool enough when you smoke in a nice ride.
Smoking in the car is an action police may believe as ‘not allowing proper control of a car’ according to the new Highway Code. Research by eSure exposes a raft of prospected hazardous behaviors related to in-car smoking. Here are the dangerous habits presented by eSure car insurance at TheAutoChannel.com:
DANGEROUS HABITS
- An enormous 80 per cent of motorists confess to taking their hands off the wheel in order to light a cigarette
- 75 per cent of motorists assume that smoking at the same time driving on a motorway is tolerable and causes no danger although they are traveling at high speeds.
- 46 percent of people have accidentally dropped their cigarette in the car. Even more disturbing, over a quarter (26 per cent) have taken their eyes off the road in order to retrieve it
- 45 percent admit to eliminating of their cigarette butt by throwing it out of the car, which is highly dangerous if the cigarette is not correctly put out
- 88 percent of smokers admit that they are more likely to light up in the car when they are feeling stressed out
ATTITUDES
- 47 percent of people are pro-smoking in cars whilst 53 percent are against it – showing how divided opinions are on this issue
- 66 percent of non-smokers would like to see an official in-car smoking ban introduced, compared to only 11 per cent of smokers
- Almost a quarter (26 percent) of people who smoke in their car say they’ve been forced to because of the new laws banning smoking in public places offering them small choices.
- Nearly a quarter (27 percent) of people light up with children in the car, even though having a child passenger can be a key distraction in itself and therefore the safety of passengers in the car is also being put in danger
A New Volvo C30 Green Racing Car For STCC To Be Developed by Volvo Cars
It’s green racing time! The Volvo Car Corporation has taken vehicle technology to new heights by developing a totally new racing car and sustaining its efforts with bioethanol (E85) and the Green Racing in the Swedish Touring Car Championship (STCC) for the next three years!
"Our decision is based on the positive attention and the good results that the recently concluded STCC season has meant for Volvo's brand," says Derek Crabb, the head of Powertrain and Engine at Volvo Cars and the man recently appointed to lead Volvo's Racing department.
"It is now time to take the next step for the coming STCC seasons, and to meet the growing international interest in green racing," added Derek Crabb.
According to AutoSpectator.com, the car will be enhanced by developing a new and up to date green racing car based on the Volvo C30. The C30 is the basically the model that displays Volvo's environmental technology in the market such as the Flexifuel and the forthcoming 1.6D Efficiency. The Volvo 1.6D Efficiency has an average fuel consumption of 0.45 litres per 10 km (52 mpg-US/62 mpg-UK) and CO2 emissions under 120 grams per kilometer. Now that’s absolutely ground-breaking - so great that it can definitely shatter your Dodge bumper bracket!
"The decision to leave this year's racing car, a Volvo S60, was fairly simple. The Volvo C30 is a somewhat smaller and more agile car with excellent driving characteristics, even in the standard version," says Derek Crabb.
"Development of the new racing car will be done jointly by Volvo Cars and Polestar Racing, who has successfully handled our participation in STCC for several years. However, it is currently too soon to provide any detailed information about the construction of the new car. The objective, on the other hand, is crystal clear - we will develop a winning car," Crabb concludes.
Now check out a few of Volvo C30 E85 FIA Super 2000’s technical specifications:
- Body: A standard C30 body reinforced by a safety cage and side impact protection on the driver's side, developed in collaboration with Caran.
- Aerodynamics: Front splitter (the lower section of the bumper) and a rear spoiler wing developed by Polestar in Volvo's wind tunnel.
- Engine: A fully aluminium, transversely mounted, 5-cylinder, inline, four-valve, 1999 cc engine. / Only minor modifications are permitted on the cylinder block and cylinder heads, while valves, cam shafts, pistons, connecting rods, and the crankshaft have been replaced by racing-specific components.
- Oil: Castrol 5W-30
- Output/torque: 280+ hp at 8,750 rpm/Approx. 230 Nm at 7,300 rpm.
- Fuel: E85
- Exhaust system: Stainless steel with catalytic emission controls, specially manufactured by Ferrita.
- Driveline: 6-speed sequential gearbox with straight-cut gears, manufactured by Hewland. Front-wheel drive. / Mechanical differential with a torque controlled ramper and friction discs. / SACHS 184mm two-disc carbon fibre clutch.
- Oil: Castrol TWS 10W-60.
Front wheel suspension: Öhlin's McPherson struts developed together with Polestar. Racing-specific support arms and adjustable anti-roll bar.
Insurers Let Parents Monitor Teen Driving
Your kids are growing up. Sooner or later they will be entering the most chaotic phase of their life. As teens, they will be craving for action and adventure. They will be in search for new things – including road invasion. Driving is one thing they look forward to since they were kids.You’re no stranger to this. You’ve been in that situation ages ago. So you understand. What worries you is the fact that reckless driving is one of the most dominant causes of teen fatalities.
By far, traffic accidents are the No. 1 killer of U.S. teenagers, with a fatality rate 4 times higher than drivers aged 25-69. A total of 5,288 teens died in traffic accidents in 2005, and more than 7,000 were driving cars involved in fatal accidents.
Stay right there. We’ll wipe the worries for a short while.
I want to re-tell a story. Don’t react just yet. This is a no non-sense story. MSNBC writes:
Now you can relate.When 17-year-old Anna Kinderman takes a turn too fast in her parents’ sedan or jams the brakes too hard, she apologizes aloud even when no one else is in the car. “Sorry, Dad,” she says, looking up at the camera mounted on the rear-view mirror.
Mom and Dad will see the incident on video soon enough, after all.
Her mom, Bette Kinderman, views the system as a great tool for parents. “I’d rather be able to talk to her about an issue before there’s an accident,” she said.
She downplayed concerns about privacy: “To me, my kids haven’t earned their privacy in a car yet. Being in a car is so dangerous.”
As you observe, a number of automakers have started offering in-car cameras or GPS-supported equipment to help parents monitor their teenagers’ driving behavior, hoping to reduce the alarming number of crashes involving young new motorists.
Experts in the industry say it’s too soon to gauge the effectiveness of programs like American Family Insurance Co.’s Teen Safe Driver, used by the Kindermans in Madison, Wis. Undeniably, however, there is a need to improve highway safety for teens.
Insurance companies can benefit significantly if the initiatives catch on, according to Craig Weber, senior insurance analyst with research and consulting firm Celent. “It’s a unique opportunity for them to help change behavior, which will help them drive down rates, which will make customers happy,” said Weber. Even if rates don’t drop, he added, “it’s a huge win in building customer loyalty and generating positive PR.”
One of the most interesting programs is the Safeco Corp.’s Teensurance. Under the said program, a camera records audio and video images of both the road and the driver when motion sensors detect swerving, hard braking, sudden acceleration or a collision. The footage goes to an analysis center where it is graded for riskiness and sent on to parents with comments and coaching tips.
Teen drivers have mixed feelings about the technology; one in 20 even cover the camera after it is first installed, said the program officials.
Another new program is MobileTeen GPS, introduced in April by American International Group Inc.’s AIG Auto Insurance. The GPS program sends parents an e-mail or text message if the teen’s car exceeds pre-defined speed limits or strays too far from home or school.
The services are expected to go global. Infiniti Canada and other automakers have products that are friendly to such technology.
Sync Receives Praises
The turnaround plan of Dearborn automaker Ford is definitely working. Although the last month has seen Ford's sale drop, it is not an indication how consumers will respond to Ford's product in the very near future.
One of the newest features given by Ford to its new vehicles is the Ford Sync. Recently, Thom Cannell, the senior editor for the Detroit Bureau, sung the Ford Sync praises.
According to the article published by theautochannel.com, Cannell said: "What would you pay to have the coolest car on your block? A car with the best hands-free Bluetooth speakerphone and the best text-to-speech system for reading all those hundreds of messages from your thumb-pounding friends. How about owning a car where you could have an intimate conversation with your iPod - or other music player - like 'Play me those hot new Fergie songs,' or 'What have I got by Kanye West?,' even 'I want to hear Rockstar' and like magic the music would explode from four coaxial speakers and 8-inch subwoofer?"
The Ford Sync is offered by the automaker with the new Ford Focus for $395 as an optional feature. This is clearly much more than what a Dodge brake pad costs but the Sync definitely costs more to produce. The Sync technology which allows different devices to be connected to the car audio system comes as a standard feature for the Focus SES variant. The technology is developed by the automaker in partnership with Microsoft and available only with Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles through 2008.
Cannell highlights the capabilities of the Sync technology saying: "With Sync… you can load your music player (iPod, Zune, any Plays For Sure device,) a USB memory stick, or even your mobile phone’s extended memory with the latest podcasts and listen on the way to work." As for communications, Cannell writes: "Sync can recognize up to 20 different mobile phones and remembers all of your stored contacts for voice dialing, even your recently called numbers. While Sync will dial out on the 'master' mobile, it can allow any 'paired/bonded' phone to receive calls hands-free."
Another cool thing about the Ford Sync technology is that it can translate text messages into spoken messages. That way, drivers will not be forced to look away from the road just to read the message. A split second that a driver loses sight of the road ahead is what it takes for an accident to happen thus the Ford Sync technology is one great way to integrate traffic safety and consumer convenience features. With Ford looking to attract more consumers into its showrooms, we can surely expect to see more cutting edge automotive features coming from the Dearborn automaker.
One of the newest features given by Ford to its new vehicles is the Ford Sync. Recently, Thom Cannell, the senior editor for the Detroit Bureau, sung the Ford Sync praises.
According to the article published by theautochannel.com, Cannell said: "What would you pay to have the coolest car on your block? A car with the best hands-free Bluetooth speakerphone and the best text-to-speech system for reading all those hundreds of messages from your thumb-pounding friends. How about owning a car where you could have an intimate conversation with your iPod - or other music player - like 'Play me those hot new Fergie songs,' or 'What have I got by Kanye West?,' even 'I want to hear Rockstar' and like magic the music would explode from four coaxial speakers and 8-inch subwoofer?"
The Ford Sync is offered by the automaker with the new Ford Focus for $395 as an optional feature. This is clearly much more than what a Dodge brake pad costs but the Sync definitely costs more to produce. The Sync technology which allows different devices to be connected to the car audio system comes as a standard feature for the Focus SES variant. The technology is developed by the automaker in partnership with Microsoft and available only with Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles through 2008.
Cannell highlights the capabilities of the Sync technology saying: "With Sync… you can load your music player (iPod, Zune, any Plays For Sure device,) a USB memory stick, or even your mobile phone’s extended memory with the latest podcasts and listen on the way to work." As for communications, Cannell writes: "Sync can recognize up to 20 different mobile phones and remembers all of your stored contacts for voice dialing, even your recently called numbers. While Sync will dial out on the 'master' mobile, it can allow any 'paired/bonded' phone to receive calls hands-free."
Another cool thing about the Ford Sync technology is that it can translate text messages into spoken messages. That way, drivers will not be forced to look away from the road just to read the message. A split second that a driver loses sight of the road ahead is what it takes for an accident to happen thus the Ford Sync technology is one great way to integrate traffic safety and consumer convenience features. With Ford looking to attract more consumers into its showrooms, we can surely expect to see more cutting edge automotive features coming from the Dearborn automaker.
M&M's® Chocolate Candies to Sponsor Kyle Busch and the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR(R) Sprint Cup Series Team!
M&M’s milk chocolate! Melts in your mouth, not in your hand! These sweet colorful goodies are definitely one of the most popular brands in the chocolate industry. Sweet! And guess what’s more sweeter than these chocolates and your Dodge brake booster? Check this sugar-coated news from TheAutoChannel.com!
Yesterday, M&M’s® Brand Chocolate Candies will be the official sponsor of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team and driver Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a three-year partnership with Mars North America! The sponsorship will be effective at the start of 2008.
Kyle Busch eagerly stated, "I can't wait to climb behind the wheel of the M&M'S(R) car next season. M&M'S Racing has been a fan favorite for years in the sport and it's an honor to drive for one of the most recognized brands in the world. My focus is to win, and I know that everyone at Mars shares that vision as well. I want to thank the associates at Mars U.S. for this opportunity and look forward to a winning relationship."
Mars North America brands will stand as the main sponsor of JGR's No. 18 Sprint Cup Series team for an overall point race of 30 all through the 2008 season. Mars will showcase the world-renowned M&M'S(R) Brand colors starting on Feb. 17 with the 50th running of the Daytona 500. SNICKERS® and PEDIGREE® will serve as major product sponsors for a number of races as well. Furthermore, SKITTLES®, COMBOS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY® and STARBURST brands will give support as associate sponsors. On the other hand, Interstate Batteries will be the major sponsor of the No. 18 Sprint Cup team for six point races.
"We are excited to welcome Kyle Busch as the driver for M&M'S(R) Brand Chocolate Candies. The opportunity to partner with a championship-level organization in Joe Gibbs Racing, and a proven talent in Kyle Busch, sets the stage for an exciting year for M&M'S(R) consumers and fans. On behalf of our 40,000 associates worldwide, I welcome Kyle and Joe Gibbs Racing to the Mars, Incorporated family and look forward to seeing M&M'S(R) in victory lane with the No. 18 team," says William Clements, the director of sponsorships and sports marketing for Mars Snackfood U.S.
"Mars has had a longstanding commitment to the sport of NASCAR and we are extremely pleased to welcome them to our organization. Their interests mirror those of my family with their involvement in both motorsports and football. With their well-known brands, such as M&M'S(R) Chocolate Candies, I believe they are a natural fit for our team of corporate partners. We look forward to the new relationship between JGR, Kyle Busch and M&M'S(R) and believe it will be successful for all parties both on and off the track," says J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR.
The 2008 season will post its 15th year for Mars North America as a major sponsor in NASCAR's leading racing division. In 1990, the prominent candy manufacturer joined the series.
Car Features Your Family Will Love
Safety and comfort are the primary considerations in choosing the right car for our family. Wherever they go, whatever they do; we want our loved ones to be safe and comfy. That’s what being filial is all about.
But choosing the tender loving car could make you feel a bit headachy. To spare you the heady sensation but still ensuring the safety of your loved ones, bear in mind some important auto safety features. The next time you go shop, let the auto safety features guide your choice.
A recent study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that side airbags that provide torso protection reduced deaths by 26% in side-impact crashes. The same study also found that deaths were reduced by up to 37% when the vehicle was also equipped with side airbags that protect the head.
According to a report from J.D. Power and Associates, new-car buyers were most interested in two-stage “smart” airbags, which initially inflate with less pressure to better cushion passenger impact. After advanced airbags, consumers showed triggered considerable shoppers’ interest, rearview cameras that provide assistance while backing up, embraced the limelight.
MSNBC has compiled a list of ten features parents should consider when purchasing a new vehicle. It noted some cars are designed for comfort and convenience, like power doors and DVD systems, while others, such as advanced airbags and back-up cameras, enhance safety.
Back up cameras and sonar sensors that alert drivers of obstructions behind a vehicle add a measure of safety and convenience — especially with larger SUVs and minivans. Nearly half (49.5%) of children younger than 15 years old killed in the U.S. each year in non-traffic-related incidents with motor vehicles are backed over, often by a parent or family member, according to Kids and Cars, a non-profit that tracks incidents that occur on private property, as opposed to in traffic.
CNW Marketing Research of Bandon, Ore. added that besides safety features, spaciousness, load capacity, convenience features and comfort features are attributes that car buyers with three children per household consistently rank as most important for cars, minivans and SUVs.
Susan Morales, chief engineer of the GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave, designed GM’s “Smart Slide” feature, which allows second-row seats to fold and move forward for access to the third row. Saturn side marker is also an added safety benefit.
Becky Blanchard, brand manger for the Chrysler Town & Country minivan, which was dramatically redesigned for 2008, said power doors, dual-zone climate control and rear-seat DVD entertainment systems with wireless headphones are among the features that first appeared on minivans that are now found on other types of vehicles.
Volvo’s integrated child booster seat is also a big safety milestone. The system is a $495 option on the Volvo V70 and XC70. “Volvo believes a comfortable child, able to see outside above the beltline, results in less driver distraction and better child protection,” said Volvo spokesman Dan Johnston.
Careful with your auto choices; they could mean death.
Toyota Panasonic Update on the Japanese GP
The Panasonic Toyota Racing had a sort of a déjà vu when racers Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher both raced the home race today. Trulli was able to hit 13th while Schumacher did not have the chance to finish. The same thing happened back in the first World Championship Japanese Grand Prix at the track in 1976 and both racers experienced difficulty on the Fuji Speedway when they were attacked by rain making it difficult for them to race.Although the racing action was attacked by rain, Jarno Trulli who is wearing a specially designed helmet for the Panasonic Toyota Racing team managed to make it to the 13th leaving another racer Ralf Schumacher two places back than Trulli. Both drivers may not be wearing a Ford Mustang fuel pump as part of their racing car but both of them are using Bridgestone Potenza tires to take on the wet race track. Trulli was able to make the 19 laps when he made his stop for the fuel on the lap 18. Ralf stopped at the lap 28 but was able to continue the race on the wet race track. On lap 43, Ralf experienced an accident until the race resumed 5 laps later. Ralf finally made his decision to stop.
Ralf had to stop the race when the water on the cockpit called for repair on the 53rd lap. The auto experts that fixed Ralf's racing car did the quickest repair but as soon as he went back on the track, Ralf lost several laps and it ended his race to a slow puncture. He failed to make it to two more laps on the flag.
Both racers are heading to the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit for another race of the season.
Jarno Trulli was quoted by Motorsport saying, "It was a very difficult race from the beginning. Even behind the safety car the conditions were really bad - there was a lot of spray and it was hard to see anything on the straight. Behind the first safety car unfortunately I made a mistake in the hairpin. While I was warming up the tires I shifted down and this caused a shift down of one gear too much and the car spun."
"Because of that I lost several positions, then when the safety car came in the race was very wet and visibility was really, really poor. They were difficult conditions and I was suffering with lots of aquaplaning and poor grip. I think it was a tough afternoon for everyone out there and obviously I am disappointed with this result."
He was able to attain this record score:
Jarno Trulli
Chassis: Chassis TF107/04
Race Classification: 13th (+1 lap)
Ralf Schumacher also commented and said, "We've had a tough time all weekend and today that continued. Unfortunately my radio stopped working midway through the race but then with all the rain, water got into our electrics and that forced me to pit again. My crew fixed the problem but we had a puncture so that was that."
"It wasn't a very enjoyable race because of the rain, which made the track really slippery and meant there was pretty much zero visibility when we were running under safety car at the start. It was a real challenge to drive with all the spray but the conditions improved a bit as the race went on. There's not much more to say about this weekend - I just hope we can get a better result next week in China."
He also attains this score at the end of the game:
Ralf Schumacher
Chassis: TF107/05
Race Classification: DNF
The Team Principal Tadashi Yamashina was also quoted by Motorsport saying, "Today it was very difficult for us. Towards the end of the race, on Ralf's car, the main electronics box failed because of water in the cockpit but the team did well to fix the problem so Ralf could continue and race in front of our Japanese fans. Then we found the new set of tires had a slow puncture, we think this was because of debris. For Jarno, we still have to analyze what happened because obviously the car wasn't competitive."
"We need to focus our energy on improving mechanical grip and aerodynamics. We must push very hard to make improvements. Our car was not competitive in these conditions but now we will do our best for the Chinese Grand Prix. I would like to say congratulations to Fuji Speedway for hosting this race for the first time in 30 years. The facilities here are excellent and the race was well organized. It is a shame we could not get the result we wanted in this race."
Ralf had to stop the race when the water on the cockpit called for repair on the 53rd lap. The auto experts that fixed Ralf's racing car did the quickest repair but as soon as he went back on the track, Ralf lost several laps and it ended his race to a slow puncture. He failed to make it to two more laps on the flag.
Both racers are heading to the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit for another race of the season.
Jarno Trulli was quoted by Motorsport saying, "It was a very difficult race from the beginning. Even behind the safety car the conditions were really bad - there was a lot of spray and it was hard to see anything on the straight. Behind the first safety car unfortunately I made a mistake in the hairpin. While I was warming up the tires I shifted down and this caused a shift down of one gear too much and the car spun."
"Because of that I lost several positions, then when the safety car came in the race was very wet and visibility was really, really poor. They were difficult conditions and I was suffering with lots of aquaplaning and poor grip. I think it was a tough afternoon for everyone out there and obviously I am disappointed with this result."
He was able to attain this record score:
Jarno Trulli
Chassis: Chassis TF107/04
Race Classification: 13th (+1 lap)
Ralf Schumacher also commented and said, "We've had a tough time all weekend and today that continued. Unfortunately my radio stopped working midway through the race but then with all the rain, water got into our electrics and that forced me to pit again. My crew fixed the problem but we had a puncture so that was that."
"It wasn't a very enjoyable race because of the rain, which made the track really slippery and meant there was pretty much zero visibility when we were running under safety car at the start. It was a real challenge to drive with all the spray but the conditions improved a bit as the race went on. There's not much more to say about this weekend - I just hope we can get a better result next week in China."
He also attains this score at the end of the game:
Ralf Schumacher
Chassis: TF107/05
Race Classification: DNF
The Team Principal Tadashi Yamashina was also quoted by Motorsport saying, "Today it was very difficult for us. Towards the end of the race, on Ralf's car, the main electronics box failed because of water in the cockpit but the team did well to fix the problem so Ralf could continue and race in front of our Japanese fans. Then we found the new set of tires had a slow puncture, we think this was because of debris. For Jarno, we still have to analyze what happened because obviously the car wasn't competitive."
"We need to focus our energy on improving mechanical grip and aerodynamics. We must push very hard to make improvements. Our car was not competitive in these conditions but now we will do our best for the Chinese Grand Prix. I would like to say congratulations to Fuji Speedway for hosting this race for the first time in 30 years. The facilities here are excellent and the race was well organized. It is a shame we could not get the result we wanted in this race."
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