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Haas Chief Guenther Steiner believes F1 budget cap will cut jobs #HaasF1

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“There are a lot of people knocking on the door for these jobs” – Haas F1 boss Guenther Steiner believes the F1 budget cap will cut jobs and the ones that get it should consider themselves privileged.

Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner suggests everyone who still earns out of F1 is lucky to do so. After the F1 budget cap sets in this season, a trimming of the workforce is expected, which will impact the teams and the economy in a major way.

“When you are racing, you are on the back foot so, but, I don’t think people realize they are also lucky to have a good, paid job in Formula 1 because with the budget cap coming, there will be fewer people in Formula 1 and everyone who has got a job here is privileged. “For sure, they need to work hard because there are a lot of people knocking on the door for these jobs at the moment because there are going to be less.”

When asked about his team’s performance, the chief said: “I think in 2019, the car was not at its best, and I think we recovered quite a bit of that by the end of the year ahead of last year.

“But last year, the car we had out was not the car we wanted to run for the whole season but then in the pandemic, there was the lockdown and at some stage, we just had to do the survival game.”

“Then we didn’t develop and once we knew and defined what we wanted to do in the future, it was too late to do development. It slipped away in 2019 but we just had a bad year, which happens. We were working hard to get out of that bad year but then the pandemic happened and knocked us back another step.”

Do you agree with Gunther’s views? Let us know in the comments below.

Renault Kiger subcompact SUV teased ahead of launch #RenaultKiger

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The upcoming Renault Kiger subcompact SUV has been officially teased once again ahead of its official world premiere on January 28. The car’s concept was showcased back last year in November and as per the French carmaker, the final production version will be closely based on the concept.

For those unaware, the Renault Kiger will be built on the same CMF-A+ platform which is found on the Nissan Magnite. In fact, both the model will be so closely related that apart from the platform, they will also share the powertrain and features to some extent, making the cars cousins pitted against each other on the battlefield.

The Kiger is going to be locally produced in the country at the Renault-Nissan Alliance plant which is located in Oragadam, Tamil Nadu. In terms of the competition, the Kiger is Renault’s reply to subcompact SUVs such as the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300.

“Renault Kiger has already made a strong impression for its distinctive styling, which is sporty, masculine and modern. It will come loaded with several smart attributes and features which will include some best-in-class offerings that will complement the design and styling of the car. The Kiger will be powered by an all-new turbo engine and will offer an exciting drive,” the company said in a press release sent in the past.

Under the hood, it will use the same 1-litre petrol engine as the Magnite. It may also come with a 1.0-litre naturally-aspirated motor which delivers 71 bhp and 96 Nm of peak torque. The transmission options may include a 5-speed manual as well as an AMT unit.

What are your thoughts regarding the Kiger? Are you excited regarding the same? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Union Minister says Fuel Price hike due to lower production

Giovinazzi says Learning from Raikkonen Key to his F1 development #Giovinazzi

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Alfa Romeo Formula 1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi is ecstatic to continue having Kimi Raikkonen as his teammate in 2021, believing that the Finn’s vast experience will be key to his own development. This comes following a mid-season speculation regarding Alfa Romeo. wherein the team could change one or more of its drivers, the Swiss team, however, confirmed late October that both Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi would stay on for the 2021 F1 season.

Giovinazzi, who is preparing for his third full F1 season with Alfa Romeo believes Raikkonen’s presence at the team will continue to help him develop as a driver.

“[With] Kimi again beside me next season I think I can still do another step,” Giovinazzi told Autosport. “It will be really important to watch him because I think, like I’ve said many times, he’s still one of the best on the grid, especially on the race pace and managing the race. I’m happy to continue with him.”

“When I came here [in 2019] I tried to focus more on Kimi’s side,” Giovinazzi explained. “To see what he was doing and why he was doing [it]. And in the end I always followed him I would say.

“But [in 2020] I’d got more experience and I know what they want and what I like more – especially in the different tracks and different conditions. “Experience makes a lot of difference in every category, maybe more in Formula 1. “I think I will feel more ready as well next season, after two years, and after a lot more races.

“I just want to feel more comfortable with everything with the car, with the team. “It was again a good step this season, but I think next year I will feel again a lot more confident.”

For those unaware, Alfa Romeo team boss Fred Vasseur said some time ago that he was pleased with Giovinazzi’s progress during his second season.

What are your thoughts regarding Giovinazzi’s comments? Do you feel Kimi will be able to help him? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Lando Norris keen on learning from Ricciardo

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says Hike in fuel prices due to lower production amid Covid-19 #FuelPriceHikes

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Stating that fuel prices had gone up because of lower production in oil-producing nations, because of the vicious Covid-19 pandemic, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said that the lower production had caused an imbalance in terms of the demand and supply.

“Our main challenge is, we have to import 80 per cent of crude oil of our requirement. Due to coronavirus, many oil-producing countries stopped production or reduced it. There is a pressure on fuel price due to imbalance in demand and supply,” Pradhan said while speaking to media in Betul. “Consumption has been increasing. India is third as far as energy consumption is concerned,” he said.

The Union Minister also stated that the government was focusing on electric vehicles (EVs), solar energy, production of ethanol etc to become self-reliant in the energy sector, reducing the need for gasoline.

On Monday, the Union Minister also flagged off two welfare projects of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to increase the use of renewable energy and making India Atmanirbhar, two projects supported by Energy Maharatna ONGC for the welfare of people here were launched by Pradhan.

For those unaware, Petrol prices all over the country touched yet another record high on Monday, thanks to Indian oil marketing companies increasing fuel prices yet again.

On Monday, the OMCs in the country hiked fuel prices in India by 25 paise per litre each, making both petrol and diesel expensive by 25 paise/litre. In the national capital, this increase meant that petrol would be retailing at ₹84.95 per litre, while diesel is being sold at ₹75.13 per litre.

What are your thoughts regarding the petroleum price hikes? Are you upset with the same? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki to hike Car Prices due to increased costs of production

Maruti to Hike Car Prices due to Increased Costs #PriceHike

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Maruti Suzuki India Ltd will be raising prices for some car models to cope with the impact of rising costs, the country’s largest automaker by market value said on Monday. This move comes after rival Mahindra and Mahindra increased the prices of both it’s personal as well as commercial vehicles by 1.9% this month due to higher commodity prices and input costs.

Indian automakers were already under pressure due to costs and weak demand when the pandemic occurred last March, with sales slumping to zero for some time, since the lockdown meant showrooms too had to be closed. Since then, carmakers have resumed operations and seen demand return during India’s festive season in October-November, but have warned of demand and production-related issues for the future.

Maruti’s price hikes of up to 34,000 rupees will take effect from Monday, it said, without specifying the planned increases for individual models. We do hope for some clearance in regards to the same soon.

Back in January of 2019, Maruti increased prices on some car models by up to 4.7%. Strong demand for gaming rigs, personal computers and other electronics by people who are stuck indoors has sucked up supplies of semiconductors, forcing carmakers around the world to cope with less stock and scramble for the chips that have become as essential to mobility as is gasoline.

While stocks are not supposedly going to be back for a while, Carmakers in India keep rising the prices in a few months so as to cope with rising demand. We hope that this issue is sorted out soon so that both automakers and consumers do not have to suffer.

What are your thoughts regarding the price hike? Are you content with the same? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Mercedes indicates contract extension with Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes AMG Petronas Indicates Lewis Hamilton Contract Extension with recent Tweet #LewisHamilton

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Mercedes AMG Petronas has indicated towards the possibility of Lewis hamilton’s contract extension with a recent cryptic social media post, complete with a caption that made it obvious. For most of the off-season, Mercedes and Hamilton’s contract extension issues have been reported extensively, but no development was made until now.

The recent tweet by Mercedes AMG Petronas F1’s official Twitter handle clearly hints that Lewis Hamilton will sign a contract extension. The tweet posted an image of a Mercedes pen and captioned: “You never know when one of these might come in handy…”

Since the post was made, multiple people said that this is a tease before the confirmation is made about Hamilton signing the new contract which will allow him to battle for the 8th championship title, making a world record.

Even with high demand for cash, Mercedes AMG Petronas will probably try to find a solution to Hamilton’s contract extension talks’ stalemate. Letting Hamilton go wouldn’t be a wise decision, considering that even if they see a viable replacement in George Russell, one isn’t sure whether the Williams’ driver is ready to be the primary driver of the team, risking the team’s championship streak.

For those of you unaware, Mercedes offered Lewis a contract, only to be declined by the recently knighted driver. Since then, the only driver on the grid out of contract remains to be Lewis, with the team not indicating any fear about the same. Team Chief Toto Wolff during an interview said he respected Lewis’ decision and would understand if he chose to retire. It seems, however, that this will not be the case.

If Hamilton does end up signing with the team,  considering the budget caps and aerodynamics freeze, the team will now make it more about the driver’s ability.

What are your thoughts regarding this? Do you think Lewis will return? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Honda Grazia 125 Sports Edition launched

Honda launches Grazia 125 Sports Edition In India Prices Start At Rs 82,564 #Grazia125Sports

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Honda India has introduced the new Sports Edition of its popular Grazia 125 scooter in the Indian market. The new Honda Grazia 125 Sports Edition is offered with a price tag of Rs 82,564, ex-showroom (Gurugram).

The new Grazia Sports Edition scooter is available in two new paint schemes with fresh body graphics, which includes Pearl Nightstar Black and Sports Red. Apart from the new cosmetic update, the scooter remains identical to the standard model in other aspects.

The new Honda Grazia 125 Sports Edition is powered by the same 124cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine as the regular scooter. It produces 8.14bhp at 6000rpm and 10.3Nm of peak torque at 5000rpm, paired with a CVT automatic gearbox. It also comes with Honda’s HET (Honda Eco Technology, eSP (Enhanced Smart Power) and ACG (Alternate Current Generator) as standard, improving the scooter’s refinement whilst ensuring a silent start.

The scooter also comes packed with a host of other features, including a multi-function ignition switch, full-digital instrument cluster, alloy wheels, external fuel filler cap and an idle start-stop system amongst other features.

Talking about the launch, Atsushi Ogata, Managing Director, President & CEO, HMSI Pvt. Ltd. said, “Honda re-invented the scooter market in the last 20 years which has only grown with time. Adding more excitement to the premium scooter segment, we are happy to launch the new sports edition of Grazia – the most advanced scooter in its category.”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Director  Sales & Marketing, HMSI Pvt. Ltd. added, “Honda Grazia is an advanced 125cc urban scooter tailor-made for those riders who prefer to make an impact reflecting their youthful & Fun Persona. The all-new Grazia Sports Edition is sure to turn heads around. As the educational institutes start opening their campus, Grazia Sports Edition will be the new choice for many looking for their personal mobility on two wheels.”

What are your thoughts regarding the scooter? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Lexus Launches LS 500h special edition

Lando Norris Keen on Learning from new Teammate Daniel Ricciardo #LandoNorris

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Formula One driver Lando Norris lost more than a teammate when Carlos Sainz moved to Ferrari this season, marking the end of a fan favourite bromance. Today, during an interview, Norris talked about his relationship with future teammate Daneil Ricciardo. The Brit says he is eager to learn from the seven-time grand prix winner.

“It’s a little bit into the unknown because I’ve only had one team-mate in Formula 1, so it’s hard to know what to expect from somebody different,” Norris said to The Race. “But I rate Carlos extremely highly, as do Ferrari. I don’t feel like I wasn’t going up against anybody competitive and Daniel is going to do something incredible.

“I’ve seen Carlos do many things better than Daniel, but there’s also a lot of things that Daniel probably does better than Carlos. “He’s a different driver, but he’s not going to be tenths faster than Carlos.

Norris does mention that he will not defer to Ricciardo in case he has a different opinion. “I’ve been able to lead my own conversations a lot more, lead in decisions and future projects,” he explained.“Not just thinking about how to maximise that car in the race, but what to look ahead to and prepare for in the next races and next year and in the future. “Almost one of the biggest things, apart from the on-track stuff, it’s the off-track confidence and being able to say what I want from the car, what I need from the car to do a good job for myself.

“In 2019 and even 2020, I was very critical of myself and saying I’m not doing a good enough job, but there comes a point when I have to be – not selfish – but have got to say I want this from the car and I’m blaming the car for not giving me that confidence.

“I’ve learned how to just say ‘I will be doing a better job if you can make this better on the car’, because it will give me better confidence. Maybe it’s not better on the car, but mentally for myself, for my own performance.

“Things like that improve performance and improve consistency. That’s almost one of the biggest things that has changed.”

What are your thoughts regarding what Norris had to say? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Ex-Jordan Boss says choosing Vettel a mistake

Lexus launches LS 500h Nishijin Edition in India, priced at 2.22 Crores #LexusLS500h

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Lexus has decided to enter 2021 with a storm in India with the launch of LS 500h Nishijin edition at ₹2.22 crore (ex-showroom). A special edition model of Japanese luxury carmaker’s flagship sedan, a point to note regarding this special edition is the fact that the car is ₹30.77 lakh costlier than the standard LS 500h.

For this price, the luxury sedan gets a special handcrafted interior design with the use of exquisite material. Featuring Nishijin and Haku ornamentation inspired by the ‘path of moonlight on the sea’, it is a natural phenomenon only visible for a limited number of days around the full moon.

Speaking about this launch, P.B. Venugopal, President, Lexus India, said, “Following the positive response of the LS 500h in India, we are delighted to unveil the new Nishijin variant and improvements to the flagship model.”

“These upgrades keep in line with the sophistication and craftsmanship of the Lexus LS 500h flagship luxury model and will deliver optimum performance with cutting-edge technologies while keeping in mind the environmental benefits and the sought-after comfort of our guests. We are excited to see the response to this new and luxurious variant in the Indian market.”

Besides a more luxurious interior layout, the Lexus LS 500h Nishijin variant is equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. To add to this the carmaker has also improved the controls on the steering wheel and centre console. The car also sports a new front bumper.

As for the engine, the Nishijin edition relies on power from a 3,456 cc, V6 engine that makes 292 bhp and 350 Nm of peak torque. When combined with an electric motor the car generates a peak power of 178 bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. The sedan can go from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds.

Also Read: Alpine names Brivio as Racing Director

Alpine Names Davide Brivio as new Racing Director, Days after Abiteboul’s Departure #DavideBrivio

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Alpine has announced that former Suzuki MotoGP team manager Davide Brivio will join its Formula 1 team this year as the racing director. As was first revealed by Autosport, Brivio has chosen to end a lengthy career in motorcycle racing to switch to F1.

Brivio will become Alpine’s racing director and will report directly to the sportscar manufacturer’s newly-appointed CEO Laurent Rossi. The new position comes as part of a management reshuffle at the Alpine F1 team following Cyril Abiteboul’s departure from the team. Alpine has not yet announced who will replace Abiteboul, but it is expected that the executive director Marcin Budkowski will take the role.

Brivio’s move to Alpine has been planned by Renault CEO Luca de Meo, who is pushing hard to change up the French car manufacturer’s many sub-brands. De Meo and Brivio got to know each other at the Yamaha MotoGP team, where Brivio was team manager from 2002 until 2010.

Speaking about his decision to move to F1 earlier this month, Brivio said that it had not been an easy call to make. He said: “A new professional challenge and opportunity suddenly came to me and in the end, I decided to take it,” he said. “It has been a difficult decision. The hardest part will be to leave this fabulous group of people, whom I started this project with when Suzuki rejoined the championship.

“And it’s hard to say goodbye also to all the people who have arrived over the years to create this great team.”I feel sad from this point of view, but at the same time I feel a lot of motivation for this new challenge – which was the key when I had to decide between renewing my contract with Suzuki or starting a completely new experience.”

What are your thoughts regarding Brivio’s appointment? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Renault Chief Cyril Abiteboul leaves F1

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