Austrian GP : Two Former World Champions escape catastrophic crash

Fernando Alonso described his rather early Austrian Grand Prix crash with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen as "scary" and "strange" after his McLaren Formula 1 car ended up perched on Kimi's Ferarri.

Raikkonen seems to have lost control under acceleration out of Turn 2 on the first lap of the Red Bull Ring race and collected Alonso, resulting both cars being pushed into the barriers.

"I was in the wrong place," said Alonso.

"It was a very strange incident because he lost the car in fifth gear or something like that.

"Obviously it was quite scary.

"Kimi started with the prime [soft] tyre and had a lot of wheelspin out of Turn 2.

"The car was moving left, right, left, right, with a lot of wheelspin.

"We were overtaking him left and right - all the cars - and then he lost the car on the left and I was on the left at that point and we crashed.

"I could not see anything because with the seat position I was looking only at the sky and then I looked in the mirror and when I stopped I saw the car under my car.

"I jumped quickly and checked that he was OK."

Both drivers escaped without injuries in the accident but paid precautionary visits to the medical centre. The incident will be investigated by the stewards.

Raikkonen was left puzzled by the crash."I got some wheelspin and then went left, which was unusual so it's hard to say [what happened]," he said.

Alonso's team-mate Jenson Button had been right behind the collision and said it was frightening to watch.

"It looked like Kimi tried to get on the power - there's very low grip there - lost the rear and went one way and tried to correct and went the other way," he said.

Apple discontinues selling the original ipad mini

Apple’s original iPad mini, the only non-Retina iPad still on sale, was quietly removed from Apple’s online store last night, as noted by 9to5Mac. Comparing the iPad section of the store between this morning and yesterday reveals that the first-gen iPad mini has been dropped from the comparison chart, too, leaving the iPad mini 2 and 3, as well as the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 as the current tablet options available to purchase new.

End-of-life for the original iPad mini doesn’t come as a surprise – the device was first released in 2012, and still used the original iPad resolution of 1024×768. It was the first 7.9-inch iPad created by Apple, and while it represented a denser display resolution than had been available on the 9.7-inch iPad with the same number of pixels, it didn’t qualify for Apple’s high-density ‘Retina’ display designation.

Sying on 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee “Trackhawk”

Rumours is spreading fast about a supposed 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee “Trackhawk” with the 707 horsepower Hellcat engine, AWD, and a ZF 8-speed automatic is really actually definitely on its way to production. 

An unnamed sources say it’s called “Project K” at Jeep HQ and its supercharged 6.2 Hemi V8 will get it from 0 to 60 in 3 seconds. Top speed is estimated at 200 MPH. Judging from the figure provided, it going to be one hell of an awesome truck.

It’s also reported that the 6.4 liter Hemi-powered Grand Cherokee SRT is not only sticking around too, but it’s getting an outboost boost to 490 horsepower.

Takata aibag issue claims new fatality

WASHINGTON-- Honda Motor Co. confirmed an eighth fatal victim of a ruptured Takata Corp. airbag inflator after completing the investigation of a September crash in Los Angeles.

Jewel Brangman was driving a 2001 Honda Civic she had rented in August when the accident occurred. Of the eight deaths in Honda vehicles, seven were in the U.S.

Eleven different manufacturers, under pressure from U.S. regulators, are recalling cars to fix Takata-made inflators.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been trying to speed the pace of repairs for a lingering defect that's now estimated to affect about 34 million airbag inflators.

Automakers and regulators have had trouble reaching every owner because the defect dates back years and many of the cars have changed hands.



Company records show the owners of the car Brangman was driving had never repaired its airbags, even though the vehicle had been recalled multiple times.

NHTSA investigators have also concluded the Los Angeles fatality was likely to have been caused by a Takata airbag inflator, the agency said Friday.

"This latest confirmed case underscores the necessity of NHTSA's actions to ensure that every American vehicle has safe air bags," Mark Rosekind, the agency's administrator, said in a statement. "The fact that this was a rental vehicle that had not been remedied is more evidence for why we are seeking authority to prohibit sale or rental of any vehicle with an open safety recall."

Eccentric Styling Updates for 2016 Corvette

Chevrolet is undergoing some major updates in the shape of the entire Corvette lineup with new color options, style elements and technology. Two new paint finishes, Corvette Racing Yellow Tintcoat and Long Beach Read Metallic have been added to the car’s palette, while a new graphics kit can be had that leaves a section of the hood unpainted to show off the carbon-fiber weave underneath. New standard wheels have been fitted to every Stingray, while the Z06 has a new Blade wheel design option.

The new eccentric design packages that outfit the entire car with a cohesive theme are now available on 3LZ Corvette models equipped with Magnetic Ride Control, which can now be had without ordering the entire Z51 performance package. Buyers can now get the Spice Red package, the Jet Black Suede package or the Twilight Blue design package.

On the technology side of things, a new front-facing parking camera can now be ordered on 2LZ or 3LZ trim cars. As well, a “power-cinching” hatch or trunk lid has been added to make sure the rear cargo hold closes tightly.

Moving inside, the Stingray receives a new flat-bottom steering wheel, new two-tone GT seats and your choice of red or yellow contrast stitching     (on 3LT models). Inside the Z06, a new Brownstone interior color is available on 3LZ models.


Pricing for the 2016 Corvette and its new options has not been released yet.

Ford Racing to offer Tuning Tools for EcoBoost

With Ford’s turbocharged EcoBoost engines now installed in their performance models like the Focus and Fiesta ST hot hatches and the new 2015 Mustang, there has been lots of talk about the performance tuning potential of these new four-cylinder powertrains. Ford Racing is getting in on the action by announcing its plans for factory tuning kits and engine calibrations for EcoBoost engines in 2015.

These Ford Racing performance modifications focus on recalibrating the engine computer for higher performance. Currently, a ProCal diagnostic tool is available for the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine in the Ford Focus ST and the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine in the Ford Fiesta ST. The programming device costs $595 and plugs into the car’s diagnostic connector to control things like throttle response, idle speed, turbo waste gate control, and spark timing.

The owners can program in their own settings and tunes to modulate these various factors for increased performance, going beyond the restrictions of the stock computer settings. Ford Racing does give owners recommended limits so that they don't exceed the capabilities of the engine. Ford also offers its own tuning programs, one of which is said to result in an increase of 90 lb-ft of torque for the Focus ST engine which makes 270 lb-ft when stock. Unlike other aftermarket tuning tools, the Ford Racing ProCal does not void the car’s factory warranty.



Ford Racing is also working on a similar product for the 2015 Ford Mustang’s available 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, which makes 310 hp and 320 lb-ft from the factory. Look for this diagnostic tool to be available sometime in 2015.

Stevie G Quitting Anfield.

Liverpool captain, and a living playing legend Steven Gerrard announced that he will leave the club he has played for throughout his career in a bid to move to a foreign team at the end of the season, the English Premier League club said on Friday.

Gerrard, 34, has made a total of 695 appearances and scored 180 goals for Liverpool after joining the club as an eight-year-old schoolboy.

"Although I can't confirm at this stage where that will be, I can say it will be somewhere that means I won't be playing for a competing club and will not therefore be lining up against Liverpool -- that is something I could never contemplate," he added.

Gerrard is out of contract at the end of the season and the English media speculated that he could move to North America to play in the Major League Soccer (MLS).

He has been at the heart of the Liverpool team for the past decade and showed his enduring value to the club when he scored both penalties in a 2-2 draw with Leicester City on Thursday.

His greatest moment in a Liverpool shirt was when he helped to inspire their dramatic comeback win over AC Milan in the Champions League final in 2005.

However, he suffered disappointment last May when Liverpool missed out on the Premier League title. They faltered late in the campaign when they appeared poised to become English champions for the first time since 1990.

"My decision is completely based on my wish to experience something different in my career and life and I also want to make sure that I have no regrets when my playing career is eventually over," added Gerrard.