Racing Towards A Green Future
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Ricardo.
This is the first paragraph.
While Formula E and its sibling electric race series, Extreme E and RX2e, are burnishing battery-powered vehicles credentials, motorsport from Formula 1 down is actively pursuing how traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) race and rally cars can be made more environmentally acceptable.
The article, which is a must-read, then describes the various routes and options, that motorsport is taking towards zero-carbon.
The article finishes with this paragraph.
While motorsport technology can, and does, transfer to production cars, especially in the higher echelons, whether the path it is beating on AS fuels will convince legislators that battery electric vehicles are only an answer rather than the answer remains to be seen.
I believe that when an affordable small hatchback powered by hydrogen hits the road as it inevitably will, it will have Ricardo’s fingerprints all over it.
Ruby Wax, Melanie Brown and Emily Atack Climb Pikes Peak
I have just watched these three ladies climb Pikes Peak in Colorado.
Around the age of 18, I used to regularly read the American car magazine; Road & Track and was fascinated to read about the annual hill climb, that took place on the 14,000 foot Pikes Peak.
I am surprised that the hill climb up Pikes Peak was not mentioned in the program.
I have only driven at anywhere near that height once, although, I flew my Cessna 340 at 24,000 ft several times.
When C and I had a memorable holiday in Ecuador, we took a small Chevrolet Metro, up to about 12,000 feet in the Andes.
Cars cough badly at that altitude!
AVL RACETECH Builds Hydrogen Combustion Engine For Motorsport
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on Hydrogen Central.
This is the opening paragraph.
AVL RACETECH, the motorsport department of AVL, presents the prototype of an innovative H2 internal combustion engine. The power unit is a compact, hydrogen-powered 2-liter turbo engine, with intelligent water injection that enables it to achieve a totally new performance level. The prototype is the first racing engine that AVL RACETECH is developing and building in-house.
Note.
- The engine has a size of two litres.
- It generates about 150 kW/litre.
- It features water injection.
- It appears to be very interesting technically and has been designed with extensive computer simulation.
AVL RACETECH has a web site, which gives more information.
Ryze Hydrogen – The Future of Motorsport Is Hydrogen; Will Consumers Follow It In Its Wake?
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Hydrogen Central.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Internal combustion engines running on hydrogen produce just as much torque as their petrol-powered cousins, with all the associated noise and excitement.
Toyota put this theory to the test this month in the ninth round of the 2022 World Rally Championship (WRC) where it debuted the Toyota GR Yaris H2 concept car outside of Japan.
This is a must-read article, which makes some interesting points about the future of motorsport.
INEOS To Spearhead Formula 1 Hydrogen Fuel Technology Initiative With Mercedes
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Hydrogen Fuel News.
It’s an interesting concept to promote hydrogen-powered cars, trucks and specialist vehicles.
On the plus side, there would be all the environmental benefits.
But on the negative side there would be no noise and probably no smell.
If trials avowed it could be as exciting as Formula One today on a good day, I do feel it could be a way for the sport to progress.
It Was Once Called The Only Rear-Engined Front-Wheel-Drive Car In Captivity!
A friend has just moved to Ainsdale and I once went to see cars racing on the flat sandy beach.
One of the cars I saw was the Cooper-Buick, which was a 1964 Mini-Cooper with a 3.5-litre Buick V8 engine in the boot, driving the front wheels, through the back axle of an E-type Jaguar.
This page on the Road and Track web site gives more details.
It certainly threw a lot of sand about!
At Least The Second Greatest Driver Of All Time
Sadly,Sir Stirling Moss died today.
Strangely, he is one of the few celebrities, with whom, I have shaken hands. Most of the others were probably jockeys before or after a race.
It was at Olympia, where I went with my family to see the Christmas equestrian event. Sir Stirling was one of the celebrities running round the crowd collecting money for charity in a bucket.
How many of today’s celebrities would do that?
My greatest memory of Sir Stirling was watching on the TV, as he won the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix.
He was driving an underpowered Lotus 18 and throughout the race he fought off three Ferraris to win by a few seconds.
My Greatest TV Sporting Moments
On BBC Radio 5 last night, they were asking what listeners most important memories of televised sport were, after Andy Murray’s win at Wimbledon yesterday on the seventh of the seventh to end seventy-seven years of disappointment.
Here’s mine.
Laker’s Match in 1956
I remember watching this and especially the screen the BBC showed when the match had ended early because of England’s victory. Read more.
Stirling Moss winning the 1957 British Grand Prix
In fact it was a shared win, as his car broke down and he took over that of Tony Brooks. Read more.
Stiring Moss winning the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix
This must rank as one of the greatest ever Formula One wins by a British driver, as Moss held off three much more powerful Ferraris in his Lotus-Climax. Read more.
Tottenham winning the FA Cup in 1961
This of course gave them the first Football League/FA Cup double since the 19th century.
Mandarin winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1962
Why I was watching this on an afternoon in March, I don’t know, but it was probably because I was off sick from school with the affliction from which I still suffer. It was a masterful ride by that old fox Fred Winter, who kept one of the cleverest steeplechasers to the inside, all round the course at Cheltenham.
Bruce Tulloh Winning Gold in Belgrade in 1962
Few others would include this, as he was not a great runner, but using supreme tactics and going from 800 metres out, he won the European Championships with ease. He showed that if you want something enough, you can get it. Read more.
England winning the World Cup in 1966
I was with my parents in Felixstowe and as we didn’t have a television, I saw it at our next door neighbours.
David Hemery winning Gold in Mexico in 1968
This was an amazing performance and I can still hear David Coleman’s commentary. Read more.
Mary Peters winning Gold in Munich in 1972
This was another amazing win and I’ve written about it before.
Red Rum’s third victory in the Grand National in 1977
Although, I remember the 1973 race, this one is more poignant as I can remember C screaming her head off at the television, as she cheered him home. Strangely, this memory was at the same venue as Moss’s victory in 1957.
Mo Farah’s Double Gold in London in 2012
This can’t be left out, as I’ll never see anything like this again. I did try very hard to get tickets to go, but when the ballot was held, I didn’t have any money, as my house hadn’t been sold.
If I write this list again, Murray’s win yesterday will definitely be included. Although it’s quite likely, that he could exclude this memory by perhaps winning Wimbledon a few more times.
You Can’t Take The Competition Away From The Sportsman
I’m just listening to the pre-qualifying chat on Radio 5 for the Australian Grand Prix and they’ve just talked to Sir Chris Hoy. He was talking about competing in the celebrity race tomorrow and sounded very enthusiastic. As they finished the chat, someone said the title of this post, about Sir Chris.
It’s very true, even when they’re doing something for fun.
I bet David Beckham, Bradley Wiggins or Sally Gunnell never lose to their children at tiddlywinks!
A More Than Standard 8
It’s funny how names or phrases trigger things in your memory. The name on this picture for a start.
Sandilands Tram Stop
Sandilands was the driver of a Standard 8, that used to race in the 1960s or 1970s against the best racing saloon cars of his day. The car was referred to a couple of times as a More Than Standard 8. I can’t find any reference to it on the Internet.
The Anonymous Widower 