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  • Formula One to race in Saudi Arabia in 2021

    Formula One organizers confirmed last week plans to host a race in Saudi Arabia in 2021.

    The future Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be a night race to be held in the commercial hub of Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast, and will take place in the month of November. A street circuit will initially host the race but there are plans to build a permanent racetrack in nearby Qiddiya at some point.

    The news doesn’t come as a surprise as Saudi Arabia, despite its decades-long human rights abuses and war on neighboring Yemen, had been under consideration for hosting of a race for some time. Aramco, the country’s national oil company, also became a key sponsor of F1 in 2020, with the company’s logo featured prominently at each round.

    The new location is part of F1’s plans to add more rounds to the calendar. Prior to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 calendar was already set to host a record 22 rounds, with the Dutch Grand Prix due to make a return and a new Vietnamese Grand Prix also added.

    Saudi Arabia will be the 33rd country to host an F1 race. The country has already hosted other international motorsport events such as the Dakar Rally, Formula E and Race of Champions.

    “We are excited to welcome Saudi Arabia to Formula One for the 2021 season and welcome their announcement following speculation in recent days,” Chase Carey, CEO of F1, said in a statement. “Saudi Arabia is a country that is rapidly becoming a hub for sports and entertainment with many major events taking place there in recent years, and we are very pleased that Formula One will be racing there from next season.”

    A provisional calendar for 2021 will be revealed in the coming weeks.

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  • How to pull off the perfect lap around the Nürburgring

    The Nürburgring Nordschleife is one of the world’s most challenging racetracks but, because it’s also technically a public toll road, it’s also one of the easiest to get access to. If you’re planning a trip to the ‘Ring, you won’t find a more comprehensive guide than this video.

    Over a run time of nearly three hours, driving coach Scott Mansell (no relation to Formula One champion Nigel Mansell), and Nürburgring 24 Hours winner Adam Christo break down the track in excruciating detail. There’s plenty of in-car footage, and timestamps for specific corners and sections—right down to pit entry.

    Learning a new track always requires a detailed breakdown of things like the correct line and braking points, but with the Nordschleife, there’s a lot more information to take in. The circuit is 12.9 miles long, with dozens of corners. The official total is 73, but other sources claims there are up to 100.

    2021 Mini John Cooper Works GP prototype at the Nürburgring

    2021 Mini John Cooper Works GP prototype at the Nürburgring

    Real-world conditions can also impact a lap. On a circuit this long, weather conditions can vary from one spot to another. Traffic is another consideration. A smattering of cars lapping at different speeds (with drivers of varying skill levels) will be on track at any given time.

    Your results may vary, but the quickest drivers can lap the ‘Ring in well under 10 minutes. The current overall lap record of 5:19.55 was set in 2018 by racing driver Timo Bernhard in the Porsche 919 Evo, a modified version of the automaker’s Le Mans-winning race car. The current lap record for production cars is 6:44.97, set by the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ in 2018.

    If you want to experience the ‘Ring without getting behind the wheel, it’s also possible to hitch a ride in a “taxi” with a professional driver. Jaguar has been providing vehicles for this service for the past few years, including the XE SV Project 8 sedan and I-Pace EV.

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  • Kia unveils military-grade all-terrain vehicles

    A few days ago, GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, made its first delivery to the U.S. Army of the new Infantry Squad Vehicle, an all-terrain transport that can carry 9 soldiers and their equipment.

    But GM isn’t the only automaker making news with its military vehicles. A day or so later, Kia unveiled the design for its 2.5- and 5-ton military vehicles, an open-top all-terrain vehicle based on the Mohave sport utility chassis. It said it plans to deliver field-test results to the Korean government in 2021, with military deployment in 2024.

    Kia also said it will apply electric powertrain, autonomous driving and hydrogen fuel-cell technologies to its military vehicle development.

    As for the new 2.5- and 5-ton vehicles, they will be powered by a 7.0-liter diesel engine, will have automatic transmissions, anti-lock brakes, vehicle stability control, rear parking assist, around-view monitors, satellite navigation and heated seats. A bullet-proof 5-ton vehicle also is being planned.

    Kia said it also plans versions of the all-terrain vehicle for commercial and recreational sectors.

    Kia previously has produced 140,000 military vehicles in nine models.

    This article, written by Larry Edsall, was originally published on ClassicCars.com, an editorial partner of Motor Authority.

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