Industry News
News for 18th July 2008
KERS failure causes F1 team evacuation
A report on the autosport.com website says that the evacuation of the Milton Keynes, UK headquarters of the Red Bull Racing Formula One team on Wednesday was the result of the failure of a Kinetic Energy Recovery System which was being tested.
RBR team principal Christian Horner told autosport.com that a battery failure occurred in the team's new KERS and that the local fire brigade was called out.
Horner said, "For next year, we are introducing batteries to the cars, which are very high voltage, high technology pieces of equipment. Basically, in a controlled environment we had a battery that basically ran away with itself.
"It was contained within a chemical, as a safety precaution to keep it cool, that let off quite a lot of steam and unfortunately caused about two hours of disruption in the main factory as the smoke had to be dealt with by the fire brigade.
"It was not a major incident and never at any point dangerous, but one that we obviously had to take all precautions with."
BRDC members in revolt of British Grand Prix loss
The board of directors of the British Racing Drivers Club, which owns the UK’s Silverstone race circuit, is to face a vote of confidence from its membership following the loss of the contract to stage the Formula One British Grand Prix at the venue.
The UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper says that the BRDC membership were already split over the issue of the plans to restructure the circuit and its facilities but are now ‘mutinous’ and blaming the board for the losses already accrued in pursuing a scheme that now seems certain not to go ahead.
$63 million wind tunnel plan shelved
A group planning to build a state of the art $63 million motorsport wind tunnel in the USA has cited changes in the American economy and financing as reasons for the shelving of the project.
Building of the Wind Tunnel eXtreme facility in Toyota Racing Development's 89-acre Performance Technical Park in North Carolina was scheduled to start in 2008 but the project is now describe as ‘on hold indefinitely.’
Robert Van Geons, the executive director of the local Salisbury-Rowan Economic
Development Commission, said, "It's important to note that this project is not going somewhere else. Rowan County did everything it needed to do to win the facility. It's another example of the state of flux the economy is in."
Bioethanol Volvo to race at UK WTCC round
Volvo has confirmed that it will enter its bioethanol fuelled C30 racecar in the FIA World Touring Car Championship races in the UK at Brands Hatch next weekend.
The car will be entered on behalf of the manufacturer by the Polestar Racing team which is developing and running the same car in the Swedish Touring Car Championship.
Volvo motorsport director Derek Crabb said, "We're naturally excited. This race was on the to-do list from the start. We wanted this as a check point to see how far we've come against the best.
"We're climbing up the development curve of this car and we strongly believe the Volvo C30 may become a very competitive car in any FIA Super 2000 championship. However, it's important to stay pragmatic and do things in the right order."
CAMS seeking members for Alternative Energies Commission
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport Ltd (CAMS), the governing body of Australian motorsport is seeking members for its newly established Alternative Energies Committee (AEC).
CAMS says that the role of the AEC is to define and implement strategies to ensure that the development and management of alternative energies is viable in Australian motor sport.
AEC chairman Chris Selwood said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for motor sport to play an integral role in exploring technological advances in non-traditional energies, while at the same time ensuring that motor sport remains possible in a future constrained by rising oil costs.
“Reducing motor sport’s carbon footprint is important and it is pleasing to see that CAMS is not only conscious of its ecological obligations, but that it’s leading the way in establishing a more environmentally friendly motor sport.”
MIA founder sets up South African motorsport trade body
Brian Sims, who founded the UK’s Motorsport Industry Association in 1994 has set up a similar organisation in his native South Africa where he has now returned.
According to Sims the objectives of the South African Motorsport Industry Association (SAMIA) are the same as those of the MIA.
Sims said, "I find it unacceptable that South Africa is not a major player within the global motorsport industry," he says. "I am very aware of the high level of technical skills and innovation that exists here and there is no reason why we can't structure and develop an industry that SA can be proud of. This, in turn, can generate extensive career entry opportunities, business development, job creation and SMME start-ups, particularly among the previously disadvantaged communities."
"While SA has a global motorsport heritage, it does not have a structured or recognised motorsport industry. There are no specific industry standards or qualifications, nor are there any statistics available on the size of the industry. With the launch of the first trade association established to formalise, represent, structure and develop a South African motorsport industry, that situation is about to change."
