mika
Still Wondering
TodayÔÇÖs Birthdays / Calendar
BMW in the News
motoring.co.za
BMW F800 ÔÇô itÔÇÖs the alternative twin
News:
prnewswire.com
New 5-year labor agreement reached at H-D facility in Kansas
If you are a vintage bike nut, and find yourself in Kentucky, this could be worth a look.
Kentucky.com
1906 Indian joins Embry's motorcycle collection
Vintage Motorcycle Days 2007 ÔÇô a event review by thekneeslider.com
Honda ST 1300 Streetfighter seen at VMD
thekneeslider.com
1000ps.at
Hyper and Supermotorrads.
The 2007 Iron Butt Rally will take off on Monday, August 20, 2007
from the St. Louis, Missouri area. Once again, it will be a challenge
not only to riding skills but also the riders ability to map a
successful route in order to maximize points and solve the
time/distance equation.
Iron Butt.org:
Website
Forum
SaddleSore Website
Contain the risks and you can contain your potential costs. This is simple business logic that can lead to a form of discrimination. Several articles have been published in the Morning Reads about this topic. Now womenridersnow.com looks at how the AMA is trying to do something about it.
Ed YoungbloodÔÇÖs Motohistory has been a busy place since There are over a dozen new interesting articles to read over coffee.
iht.com
With buyout, Dutch navigation company sees road to profit.
motorcycle-usa.com
MV Agusta Exhibit at Stamford Museum
visordown.com
Five things you should never do to your bike
Bike Reviews:
onewheeldrive.net
2007 Ducati Sport 100s ÔÇô The Paradox Machine
Formula 1
blogf1.co.uk:
Provisional 2008 Formula One Calendar
f1complete.com
Title race ÔÇÿtaintedÔÇÖ for Mclaren says Watson
f1complete.com
Formula 1 for Beginners ÔÇô Steering Wheel, Brakes, DriverÔÇÖs Seat and Tyres
Blog Update
Foriegn Language Blogs
Gear:
webbikeworld.com
Joe Rocket Phoenix 4.0 Jacket and Phoenix 2.0 pants review.
Over Heard in New York | Voice of the City
Photography / Video:
DPS.com
10 tips for a great photowalk
Crusader Rabbit: Episode 12
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jesGEVNlIH8"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jesGEVNlIH8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
TodayÔÇÖs RoadFood.com
Woot
Todays Woot
The Blog
xkcd A webcomic of Romance, Sarcasm, Math and Language
BMW Press: News and press releases from the official BMW sources
BMW Motorrad International
Simo speaks
World of BMW News
Summerfest and track success in Canada
BMW GroupPress Club:
Motorsports PressClub
Hungarian Grand Prix. - Preview
3rd -5th August 2007
11th of 17 World Championship rounds
Preview.
Munich/Hinwil, 27th July 2007. The recent drama-packed race on the N??rburgring sparked memories of the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix on a similarly wet track. Budapest is the next stopping-off point for Formula One: on 5th August, the 11th of 17 World Championship rounds will be held on the tight and twisty Hungaroring.
In terms of the technical demands this winding track makes on cars, it bears closest comparison with the Monaco circuit. In the past the Budapest race has made a name for itself as a hot contest in the most literal sense, yet last year the Hungarian capital turned out to be cool and rainy. Whereas back in Germany and Switzerland people were wondering whether they would see any more summer weather in 2007, the test team with Robert Kubica in Jerez were also able to prepare for potentially hot conditions in the high summer temperatures they encountered at the Spanish track.
Nick Heidfeld:
"Last year I came third in Budapest - it was the first podium place for our team. It was a chaotic race. Normally Budapest in August means very hot weather, but last year it was raining. The circuit was wet at the start of the race, and it remained cool throughout the weekend.
"I have a lot of fond memories of the Hungaroring. It was there that I also secured an early title win in Formula 3000 back in 1999 - and celebrated in style. The city is beautiful. I love the old buildings, the bridges across the Danube and the whole atmosphere. In summer there's always a lot going on; it's a great place for going out at night.
"The circuit itself is short, twisty and usually very dirty at the start of the weekend. The races there are often pretty exhausting as there are no long straights where you can catch your breath. But I enjoy driving there and hope we will be as strong again as in 2006."
Robert Kubica:
"It is good to be back in Hungary because I made my F1 debut there last year. I feel my first full season in Formula One will be completed. I am really looking forward to it, especially because it is close to my home country, so probably a lot of people will come. Last year I finished in the points, but we were disqualified.
"Honestly, I like the track. It is special because nearly all the time you have some steering angle, so you never have a break and the straights are very short. I think it is a difficult track, but we performed very well in Monaco so I hope our performance in Hungary will be at least as good or even better.
"If it is hot probably it will have been a good preparation for this at the Jerez test as I was driving there on all the days, so I will be well prepared and am not really worried. Of course it will make life harder and specially for tyre usage and degradation, but let's see. Last year we were testing for very hot conditions and it was under 20 degrees and raining, so anything can happen."
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
"In a similar scenario to the last race on the N??rburgring, the weather during the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix made for an extremely exciting race with lots of incidents. The miserable weather in Budapest at the height of summer was quite unusual, but we nevertheless have glowing memories of that Grand Prix as it was there that Nick claimed the first podium place for our new team, and Robert made his impressive racing debut in Formula One.
"In terms of its full-throttle percentage, the twisty Hungaroring is at the lower end of the scale. But with the high air temperatures there, we have often experienced extreme thermal conditions for the engines because the heat builds up in the valley and there are no long straights where the engines can cool down. Both our cars will be given fresh BMW P86/7 engines, according to schedule.
"BMW Hungary is a young and dynamic subsidiary of the BMW Group. It was only set up in May 2004, and in the first two years sales figures have grown by a total of 86 percent."
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
"After Monaco, the Hungaroring has the lowest average speed. There's one turn after another and the start/finish straight is fairly short. As a result, maximum downforce is the order of the day. There are hardly any passing opportunities, which makes it very important to get a good starting position The track picks up a lot of sand from day to day and the grip level is low, making good traction a crucial factor.
"The circuit's characteristics, in conjunction with frequently high air and track temperatures, demand maximum cooling. We have prepared for this race by developing a particularly efficient cooling system.
"When it comes to the car's set-up, the focus is primarily on the middle section with its various turn combinations, where a balanced set-up is crucial. As the BMW Sauber F1.07 proved to be fast on the last three high-downforce circuits, I expect we will be very competitive in Hungary as well."
Please find facts and figures attached.
After ten out of 17 World Championship rounds, the BMW Sauber F1 Team is in third place in the constructors' standings with 61 points.
History and background:
2007 marks the 22nd Hungarian Grand Prix. Since it hosted its first Formula One event in 1986, the circuit has been repeatedly modified, most recently for the 2003 GP. The track was then extended from 3.975 to 4.381 kilometres. Today's variant is the longest Hungaroring in history. Even the original track (1986 to 1988) covered just 4.014 kilometres. The Hungaroring is around 20 minutes' drive northeast of the city centre.
The population of Hungary's capital city Budapest currently stands at 1.61 million, but numbers are in decline: in 1990 it had more than two million inhabitants. It was largely the Danube as a trade route, along with numerous hot springs, that contributed to the city's prosperity. Budapest is Hungary's biggest city and the economic and cultural hub of the country.
In 1873 the previously independent cities of Buda, Pest and ?ôbuda were united. The chain bridge (constructed 1839-49) that links hilly Buda on the west bank of the river and the flat terrain of Pest on the eastern side is as much a trademark of the city as the baroque royal castle that towers above the city on the Buda side. The Castle District with its narrow streets and waterfront area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The splendid neoclassical architecture, green spaces and boulevards on the Pest plain make for a more open and spacious aspect. The first underground railway of the European mainland was opened in Budapest in 1896.
Schedule for group interviews at the weekend:
Thursday:
13.30-13.50 - Nick Heidfeld - print media
13.50-14.00 - Nick Heidfeld - TV
13.30-13.40 - Robert Kubica - TV
13.40-14.00 - Robert Kubica - print media
15.30-15.40 - Mario Theissen - TV
15.40-16.00 - Mario Theissen - print media
Friday:
16.45-16.55 - Nick Heidfeld - TV
16.45-16.55 - Robert Kubica - TV
Saturday:
16.45-16.55 - Nick Heidfeld - TV
16.55-17.15 - Nick Heidfeld - print media
16.45-17.05 - Robert Kubica - print media
17.05-17.15 - Robert Kubica - TV
17.30-17.40 - Mario Theissen - TV
17.40-18.00 - Mario Theissen - print media
Sunday:
Approx. 30 minutes after the end of the race the drivers along with Mario Theissen and Willy Rampf will be on hand at the BMW Sauber F1 Team Hospitality.
Involvement in the FIA press conference means the relevant group interviews will be cancelled on the respective day.
BMW Sauber F1: Website
BMW Motorsport
BMW Yachtsport
BMW Golfsport
BMW Oracle Racing
BMW Sport website
Bike Candy:
Breaking News
THE END
BMW in the News
motoring.co.za
BMW F800 ÔÇô itÔÇÖs the alternative twin
News:
prnewswire.com
New 5-year labor agreement reached at H-D facility in Kansas
If you are a vintage bike nut, and find yourself in Kentucky, this could be worth a look.
Kentucky.com
1906 Indian joins Embry's motorcycle collection
Vintage Motorcycle Days 2007 ÔÇô a event review by thekneeslider.com
Honda ST 1300 Streetfighter seen at VMD
thekneeslider.com
1000ps.at
Hyper and Supermotorrads.
The 2007 Iron Butt Rally will take off on Monday, August 20, 2007
from the St. Louis, Missouri area. Once again, it will be a challenge
not only to riding skills but also the riders ability to map a
successful route in order to maximize points and solve the
time/distance equation.
Iron Butt.org:
Website
Forum
SaddleSore Website
Contain the risks and you can contain your potential costs. This is simple business logic that can lead to a form of discrimination. Several articles have been published in the Morning Reads about this topic. Now womenridersnow.com looks at how the AMA is trying to do something about it.
Ed YoungbloodÔÇÖs Motohistory has been a busy place since There are over a dozen new interesting articles to read over coffee.
iht.com
With buyout, Dutch navigation company sees road to profit.
motorcycle-usa.com
MV Agusta Exhibit at Stamford Museum
visordown.com
Five things you should never do to your bike
Bike Reviews:
onewheeldrive.net
2007 Ducati Sport 100s ÔÇô The Paradox Machine
Formula 1
blogf1.co.uk:
Provisional 2008 Formula One Calendar
f1complete.com
Title race ÔÇÿtaintedÔÇÖ for Mclaren says Watson
f1complete.com
Formula 1 for Beginners ÔÇô Steering Wheel, Brakes, DriverÔÇÖs Seat and Tyres
Blog Update
Foriegn Language Blogs
Gear:
webbikeworld.com
Joe Rocket Phoenix 4.0 Jacket and Phoenix 2.0 pants review.
Over Heard in New York | Voice of the City
Photography / Video:
DPS.com
10 tips for a great photowalk
Crusader Rabbit: Episode 12
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jesGEVNlIH8"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jesGEVNlIH8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
TodayÔÇÖs RoadFood.com
Woot
Todays Woot
The Blog
xkcd A webcomic of Romance, Sarcasm, Math and Language
BMW Press: News and press releases from the official BMW sources
BMW Motorrad International
Simo speaks
World of BMW News
Summerfest and track success in Canada
BMW GroupPress Club:
Motorsports PressClub
Hungarian Grand Prix. - Preview
3rd -5th August 2007
11th of 17 World Championship rounds
Preview.
Munich/Hinwil, 27th July 2007. The recent drama-packed race on the N??rburgring sparked memories of the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix on a similarly wet track. Budapest is the next stopping-off point for Formula One: on 5th August, the 11th of 17 World Championship rounds will be held on the tight and twisty Hungaroring.
In terms of the technical demands this winding track makes on cars, it bears closest comparison with the Monaco circuit. In the past the Budapest race has made a name for itself as a hot contest in the most literal sense, yet last year the Hungarian capital turned out to be cool and rainy. Whereas back in Germany and Switzerland people were wondering whether they would see any more summer weather in 2007, the test team with Robert Kubica in Jerez were also able to prepare for potentially hot conditions in the high summer temperatures they encountered at the Spanish track.
Nick Heidfeld:
"Last year I came third in Budapest - it was the first podium place for our team. It was a chaotic race. Normally Budapest in August means very hot weather, but last year it was raining. The circuit was wet at the start of the race, and it remained cool throughout the weekend.
"I have a lot of fond memories of the Hungaroring. It was there that I also secured an early title win in Formula 3000 back in 1999 - and celebrated in style. The city is beautiful. I love the old buildings, the bridges across the Danube and the whole atmosphere. In summer there's always a lot going on; it's a great place for going out at night.
"The circuit itself is short, twisty and usually very dirty at the start of the weekend. The races there are often pretty exhausting as there are no long straights where you can catch your breath. But I enjoy driving there and hope we will be as strong again as in 2006."
Robert Kubica:
"It is good to be back in Hungary because I made my F1 debut there last year. I feel my first full season in Formula One will be completed. I am really looking forward to it, especially because it is close to my home country, so probably a lot of people will come. Last year I finished in the points, but we were disqualified.
"Honestly, I like the track. It is special because nearly all the time you have some steering angle, so you never have a break and the straights are very short. I think it is a difficult track, but we performed very well in Monaco so I hope our performance in Hungary will be at least as good or even better.
"If it is hot probably it will have been a good preparation for this at the Jerez test as I was driving there on all the days, so I will be well prepared and am not really worried. Of course it will make life harder and specially for tyre usage and degradation, but let's see. Last year we were testing for very hot conditions and it was under 20 degrees and raining, so anything can happen."
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
"In a similar scenario to the last race on the N??rburgring, the weather during the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix made for an extremely exciting race with lots of incidents. The miserable weather in Budapest at the height of summer was quite unusual, but we nevertheless have glowing memories of that Grand Prix as it was there that Nick claimed the first podium place for our new team, and Robert made his impressive racing debut in Formula One.
"In terms of its full-throttle percentage, the twisty Hungaroring is at the lower end of the scale. But with the high air temperatures there, we have often experienced extreme thermal conditions for the engines because the heat builds up in the valley and there are no long straights where the engines can cool down. Both our cars will be given fresh BMW P86/7 engines, according to schedule.
"BMW Hungary is a young and dynamic subsidiary of the BMW Group. It was only set up in May 2004, and in the first two years sales figures have grown by a total of 86 percent."
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
"After Monaco, the Hungaroring has the lowest average speed. There's one turn after another and the start/finish straight is fairly short. As a result, maximum downforce is the order of the day. There are hardly any passing opportunities, which makes it very important to get a good starting position The track picks up a lot of sand from day to day and the grip level is low, making good traction a crucial factor.
"The circuit's characteristics, in conjunction with frequently high air and track temperatures, demand maximum cooling. We have prepared for this race by developing a particularly efficient cooling system.
"When it comes to the car's set-up, the focus is primarily on the middle section with its various turn combinations, where a balanced set-up is crucial. As the BMW Sauber F1.07 proved to be fast on the last three high-downforce circuits, I expect we will be very competitive in Hungary as well."
Please find facts and figures attached.
After ten out of 17 World Championship rounds, the BMW Sauber F1 Team is in third place in the constructors' standings with 61 points.
History and background:
2007 marks the 22nd Hungarian Grand Prix. Since it hosted its first Formula One event in 1986, the circuit has been repeatedly modified, most recently for the 2003 GP. The track was then extended from 3.975 to 4.381 kilometres. Today's variant is the longest Hungaroring in history. Even the original track (1986 to 1988) covered just 4.014 kilometres. The Hungaroring is around 20 minutes' drive northeast of the city centre.
The population of Hungary's capital city Budapest currently stands at 1.61 million, but numbers are in decline: in 1990 it had more than two million inhabitants. It was largely the Danube as a trade route, along with numerous hot springs, that contributed to the city's prosperity. Budapest is Hungary's biggest city and the economic and cultural hub of the country.
In 1873 the previously independent cities of Buda, Pest and ?ôbuda were united. The chain bridge (constructed 1839-49) that links hilly Buda on the west bank of the river and the flat terrain of Pest on the eastern side is as much a trademark of the city as the baroque royal castle that towers above the city on the Buda side. The Castle District with its narrow streets and waterfront area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The splendid neoclassical architecture, green spaces and boulevards on the Pest plain make for a more open and spacious aspect. The first underground railway of the European mainland was opened in Budapest in 1896.
Schedule for group interviews at the weekend:
Thursday:
13.30-13.50 - Nick Heidfeld - print media
13.50-14.00 - Nick Heidfeld - TV
13.30-13.40 - Robert Kubica - TV
13.40-14.00 - Robert Kubica - print media
15.30-15.40 - Mario Theissen - TV
15.40-16.00 - Mario Theissen - print media
Friday:
16.45-16.55 - Nick Heidfeld - TV
16.45-16.55 - Robert Kubica - TV
Saturday:
16.45-16.55 - Nick Heidfeld - TV
16.55-17.15 - Nick Heidfeld - print media
16.45-17.05 - Robert Kubica - print media
17.05-17.15 - Robert Kubica - TV
17.30-17.40 - Mario Theissen - TV
17.40-18.00 - Mario Theissen - print media
Sunday:
Approx. 30 minutes after the end of the race the drivers along with Mario Theissen and Willy Rampf will be on hand at the BMW Sauber F1 Team Hospitality.
Involvement in the FIA press conference means the relevant group interviews will be cancelled on the respective day.
BMW Sauber F1: Website
BMW Motorsport
BMW Yachtsport
BMW Golfsport
BMW Oracle Racing
BMW Sport website
Bike Candy:
Breaking News
THE END