Motorsport

Confident Damon Leitch ready for world's best

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Young Southland driver Damon Leitch has signalled his intention to return for a third season in the Toyota Racing Series next year.

Cassidy wins title as Evans forced to withdraw

PETER LAMPP - © Fairfax NZ News

When Mitch Evans put his foot down on the throttle entering the seventh-last lap of the 57th New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild yesterday, there was nothing there.

Latvala wins in Sweden despite late scare

Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala has overcome a late puncture to win the Rally of Sweden.

Hayden Paddon finishes fourth in Sweden

Kiwi driver Hayden Paddon has finished Rally Sweden – his first event on snow – with a solid fourth place.

Superbike champion dies after race crash

A champion superbike rider has died as a result of injuries from a crash last month.

Fortune smiles on winner of NZ Grand Prix

Auckland motor racing driver Nick Cassidy maintained the Kiwi domination of the New Zealand Grand Prix with his win at Manfeild.

Snow joke as weather catches Hayden Paddon

Getting stuck in a snow bank cost Hayden Paddon any chance of a win in the Super 2000 World Rally Championship.

Nick Cassidy claims NZ Grand Prix title

Auckland motor racing driver Nick Cassidy has won the New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild this afternoon.

Thousands flock to V8 Supercars launch day

Thousands of fans thronged to Sandown Raceway in Melbourne for today's official V8 Supercars Test and Launch Day.

Evans' win secures favourite tag for Grand Prix

PETER LAMPP - © Fairfax NZ News

Mitch Evans reaffirmed his favouritism to defend his NZ Grand Prix laurels tomorrow with a runaway win at Manfeild.

Alonso ends final day of Jerez F1 test on top

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso ended the final day of Formula One's first pre-season test at Jerez on with a flourish.

Coton brings Hamilton closer to 'happy bubble'

ALAN BALDWIN - Reuters

Lewis Hamilton identified Mika Hakkinen's former manager Didier Coton as a key man in possibly creating a 'happy bubble' around him at race weekends this season.

HRT say new car will not test until March

ALAN BALDWIN - Reuters

Spanish Formula One team HRT, who this month signed Indian Narain Karthikeyan as one of their drivers, will not be able to try out their new car until next month's final pre-season test after it failed two crash tests.

Kiwi teens racing for top at NZ Grand Prix

PETER LAMPP - © Fairfax NZ News

Two young New Zealanders could provide the battle royal at the New Zealand Grand Prix weekend at Manfeild.

Darryll King on target to keep motocross crown

ANDY MCGECHAN - © Fairfax NZ News

They say it is harder to defend a national title than to win it in the first place, and Hamilton's Darryll King should know.

Nissan to join V8 Supercars from next year

A fourth V8 Supercar manufacturer is expected to be confirmed soon after Nissan revealed it would break the sport's Holden-Ford duopoly.

Mixed bag first up for Vettel and Alonso

ALAN BALDWIN - Reuters

Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel drove his new Red Bull for the first time with the team saying they were on course to tick all the right boxes in pre-season testing at Jerez.

Hayden Paddon steps up to new rally level

BENJAMIN CARRELL - © Fairfax NZ News

Hayden Paddon is back in action this weekend at the first round of the Super 2000 World Rally Championship.

Nissan to join V8 Supercars in 2013

ED JACKSON - AAP

V8 Supercar drivers and Holden's boss have welcomed the news Japanese manufacturer Nissan will be joining the championship in 2013.

Son smashes dad's loaned classic car into sea

Son crashes father's prized car into sea

A young race car driver has had a moment he will never forget in crashing his father's treasured classic car into the sea during a rally in Tasmania.

Bruno Senna follows late uncle Ayrton into F1

ALAN BALDWIN - Reuters

Bruno Senna's late great uncle Ayrton once told reporters 'if you think I'm fast, just wait until you see my nephew'.

MX nationals attract top talent

It is champion versus champion, mate versus mate and brand versus brand like never before in this season's New Zealand Motocross Championships.

Raikkonen in storming Formula One return

ALAN BALDWIN - Reuters

Kimi Raikkonen rolled back the years with the fastest lap for Lotus on the first day of Formula One testing.

Williams declare fresh start after grim 2011

Former world champions Williams presented their new car on Tuesday and declared a fresh start after enduring their worst season in Formula One.

Hayden Paddon buckled up for Sweden rally

STU PIDDINGTON - © Fairfax NZ News

Hayden Paddon's preparation for his first outing in a Super World Rally Championship car in Sweden are on track.

V8 star Craig Lowndes happy with Skaife sub

He's a hard act to follow but V8 Supercar star Craig Lowndes is confident Warren Luff has what it takes to replace Mark Skaife as his endurance race co-driver.

Vettel predicts closer Formula One title race

Rule changes level the playing field

Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel has dismissed the prospect of running away with a third straight driver's title.

Waitangi Day memorial for Jason Richards

Jason Richards lived his life the way he drove on the racetrack. It was the only was he knew how - full throttle.

Leitch pins hopes on success at Manfeild

Invercargill driver Damon Leitch endured his toughest weekend yet in the highly competitive Toyota Racing Series at Hampton Downs in north Waikato at the weekend.

American drivers dominate sprints

GAVIN SEARLE - © Fairfax NZ News

American drivers dominated the New Zealand sprintcar championship raced over two nights at Ruapuna Speedway.

Sponsor-less World Rally Champs under threat

ALAN BALDWIN - Reuters

Rallying's flagship world championship sank deeper into trouble when the governing body said it had been unable to find either a global promoter or broadcaster for the series.

Ferrari unveil overhauled F1 car

Ferrari unveiled its completely overhauled Formula One car in a low-key Internet presentation Friday after the full launch was canceled due to a snowstorm.

Karthikeyan completes HRT line-up for F1 season

Indian Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan will join Pedro de la Rosa to complete the HRT line-up for the 2012 Formula One World Championship.

Sato signs with IndyCar team

Japanese driver Takuma Sato has signed a deal with IndyCar team Rahal-Letterman Racing.

Stoner fastest in Sepang MotoGP practice

ALAN BALDWIN - Reuters

MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner threw down the gauntlet with a lap half a second faster than his rivals on the final day of the first pre-season test at Malaysia's Sepang circuit.

Hayden Paddon eager for rally in Sweden's snow

Top Kiwi rally driver Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard are looking forward to tackling the challenges of rallying on snow for the first time.

Lewis Hamilton evades 'coward' accusation

ALAN BALDWIN - Reuters

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton obeyed team orders and swerved around the wreckage of a once firm Formula One friendship after being accused of cowardice by former grand prix rival Adrian Sutil.

F1's Sutil convicted over brawl

Former Force India Formula One driver Adrian Sutil has been given an 18-month suspended sentence and fined €200,000 over a night club brawl last year.

Two tours for Paddon's fans

STU PIDDINGTON - © Fairfax NZ News

Hayden Paddon's New Zealand World Rally Team (NZWRT) have announced they will host two official rally tours for fans to see the star Kiwi driver.

Chrysler negotiating with V8 team

ED JACKSON - AAP

Chrysler could on the 2013 V8 Supercar grid after team boss Garry Rogers confirmed he's in talks with the American manufacturer.

Chrysler interested in joining V8 Supercars

BRUCE NEWTON

American car manufacturer Chrysler has become the first brand to declare an interest in joining Holden and Ford in the V8 Supercars.

Raikkonen back behind Formula One wheel

ALAN BALDWIN - Reuters

Kimi Raikkonen's Formula One comeback picked up speed when the Finn got back behind the wheel of a two-year-old Renault grand prix car at the Valencia circuit in eastern Spain.

Angus Fogg always in charge at Timaru

Kiwis were at the front of both the V8 and Toyota Racing Series as the MotorSport New Zealand Summer Race Championships hit the Timaru International Motor Raceway over the weekend.

Sebastien Loeb too good in Monte Carlo Rally

ALAN BALDWIN - AP

Citroen's Sebastien Loeb started his hunt for a ninth successive world championship with a commanding victory in the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally.

Phone hurled as teams row over pits parking

A parking row between two racing teams at the Levels Raceway will result in one man being issued with a police pre-charge warning.

Hot Cole fires up despite wild Teretonga weather

The form book was thrown out the window in round three of the New Zealand Superbike Championships at Teretonga Park yesterday as the elements conspired to upset the main players.

Angus Fogg dominates NZ V8 round in Timaru

Auckland's Angus Fogg was totally dominant in the New Zealand V8s today with two wins and a second in the reverse-grid race in Timaru.

Kiwi drivers dominate in Toyota Racing Series

Kiwi teenagers Nick Cassidy and Damon Leitch dominated a field including 15 overseas drivers at Timaru's second round of the Toyota Racing Series today.

Low key Loeb keeps sizeable Monte Carlo lead

World champion Sebastien Loeb kept a low profile in the fourth leg of the Monte Carlo Rally but is still out in front and should easily wrap up victory in the final stage.