He's at it again....

So Charlie Sheen,

 he who leads a spotless lifestyle !.

Is calling his ex all kinds of foul names.

He's probabaly right.....

But it's not going to help him and his relationship to the rest of his family.

I feel that he's so close to a breakdown.

If he doesn't get proper help, by the end of the year.

It could well be the end of him...

Brazilian GT: Pole position and a front row start for Ebrahim Motors in Argentina

By Johan Laubscher

The Brazilian GT Championship (South American GT Championship) is in Argentina this weekend. The seventh round of the series is being held at Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez. Ebrahim Motors have once again entered their Audi R8 LMS ultra with good results so far at this event.

Ebrahim Motors have been full season competitors with their R8 LMS ultra, which is driven by the Ebrahim brothers: Fabio and Wagner. Their driver line-up was however different for the event in Argentina. The #20 Audi R8 LMS ultra is being driven by Wagner Ebrahim and Felipe Tozzo.

They showed good pace during practice and again proved to be very fast in qualifying. Wagner Ebrahim was able to claim second on the grid for the first race set for Saturday. His teammate, Felipe Tozzo, was able to go one better, as he claimed pole position for race two on Sunday.

The first race is set for later on Saturday afternoon, followed by the second race on Sunday. We wish the best of luck to Ebrahim Motors to continue their good form. 

Photo credit: Pablo Vaz | Photography /  Ebrahim Motors

BPCC: Another Audi S4 podium ends off a very exciting third race at Kyalami

By Johan Laubscher

The third and final race of the South African Bridgestone Production Cars Championship has concluded at Kyalami. Michael Stephen was crowned as the new champion after the first two races and the third race had further good results for the Audi teams.

The grid for race three saw Etienne van der Linde on pole in his BMW, followed by Gennaro Bonafede’s Audi S4 in second and Michael Stephen’s S4 in third. The remaining two Audis, the cars of Tschops Sipuka and Melvill Priest, lined up sixth and seventh respectively.

Michael Stephen again used his teammate’s car in race three, as was the case in race two, following his issues in the first race. Sipuka lined up on the grid with Stephen’s repaired Audi S4.

The final race of the season, race three on the day, got underway with the BMW leading from the front. There was a tremendous battle for second behind the BMW of van der Linde. Hennie Groenewald in the Subaru was battling hard with Gennaro Bonafede in second and Priest in fourth. The battle continued for the bulk of the race before both Priest and Bonafede dropped back. Stephen had remained in touch with the leading group and pounced during the final few laps. He moved up to second, finishing ahead of Groenewald in third. Gennaro Bonafede finished fourth with continuing fuel pressure issues and Melvill Priest nursed his car across the line for sixth ahead of Sipuka in seventh. 

This concluded the final round of the 2013 Bridgestone Production Cars Championship. It was a great season which saw many Audi S4 victories and podiums, and most importantly, Michael Stephen clinched his third consecutive Class A drivers’ title.

Photo credit: Audi Motorsport in South Africa on Facebook

BPCC: Audi S4 podiums and Michael Stephen crowned as champion during races one and two at Kyalami

By Johan Laubscher

The South African Bridgestone Production Cars are at Kyalami for the ninth and final round of the season. The first two races were held this afternoon with great success for the Audi squad.

Melvill Priest had taken pole position for the first race in his VMP Motorsport Audi S4. He was followed by two BMWs and a Subaru. The remaining three Audi S4 drivers lined up in positions five through seven, with Gennaro Bonafede ahead of Tschops Sipuka and Michael Stephen, the current championship leader. Stephen lined up last within Class A, as he had brake issues during qualifying and did not set a time. However, both Bonafede and Sipuka were penalised for a breach in Parc Ferme regulations and they were dropped to the back of Class A.

The first race got underway with Melvill Priest leading from the front. He was closely perused and passed by Johan Fourie in his BMW, the eventual race one winner. He was followed across the line by Hennie Groenewald’s Subaru and Melvill Priest in the first of the Audis. Gennaro Bonafede finished fourth. Sipuka had gone into the pits before the race ended. Michael Stephan had been running well, but he suffered radiator damage when he touched the Subaru from behind and he then circulated slowly at the back of the field to collect points.

The teams had a short break to prepare the cars before the second race. Bonafede lined up second ahead of Priest in third. Michael Stephen had switched to Sipuka’s Audi S4 and lined up in sixth place. Stephen was supposed to start from pole, thanks to the reverse grid, but he was moved to the rear of the Class A due to the car-swap.

Race two saw Etienne van der Linde leading from the front with his BMW. Behind him there was a tremendous battle for second position. Bonafede dropped back from the fight for second due to technical issues, whilst Melvill Priest was battling hard with Hennie Groenewald for second. The race concluded with a victory for van der Linde in his BMW, ahead of Michael Stephen in third and Melvill Priest in fourth. Bonafede finished sixth. Sipuka had joined the tail of the field in Stephen's repaired S4 during the first lap of race two and he was classified in seventh by the finish.

These results were enough to crown Michael Stephen as the 2013 Class A champion, his third consecutive title.

The third race will be taking place later in the afternoon. We wish the best of luck to the Audi teams and drivers. 

Photo credit: Audi Motorsport in South Africa on Facebook

Super GT: Improving Hitotsuyama Racing Audi in Motegi qualifying

By Tarek Ramchani

The Super GT is at Motegi this weekend, the season finale of the most prestigious Japanese motorsport series. A single Audi R8 LMS ultra is taking part in the event from Hitotsuyama Racing.

The qualifying session held today gave Hitotsuyama Racing some satisfactions. The #21 Audi R8 LMS ultra shared by Richard Lyons and Akihiro Tsuzuki ended in fifteenth place within the demanding GT300 class. Unlike the previous events, the ZENT backed Audi was not outpaced and was a second slower to the pole setting Subaru. With an improving car, Hitotsuyama Racing is aiming to conclude the 2013 season with strong performances and results in tomorrow's 250 km sprint event. Richard Lyons and Akihiro Tsuzuki will have to fight really hard against a top quality field from FIA GT3 cars and JAF GT300 cars.

Pole position in GT300 class went to the #61 Subaru BRZ from Subaru R&D Sport. Second the #11 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 from GAINER DIXCEL. Third the #16 Honda CR-Z from team Mugen. Qualifying results can be seen here.

Photo credit: Hitotsuyama Racing

BPCC: Melvill Priest VMP Audi S4 on pole for his Swansong at Kyalami

By Johan Laubscher

The South African Bridgestone Production Cars are at Kyalami for the ninth and final round of the season. Qualifying yielded another Audi S4 pole position.

The four regular Audi S4 cars are present at Kyalami, two each from Terry Moss Racing and VMP Motorsport. Michael Stephen arrived at Kyalami as the clear leader in the Class A championship points standings. Stephen is aiming to clinch his third consecutive Class A drivers’ title and Terry Moss Racing’s fourth since 2007.

The Terry Moss Racing squad were once again represented by Michael Stephen in the #1 Audi S4 and his teammate, Tschops Sipuka, in the #2 Audi. VMP Motorsport also had their regular two car team, with Melvill Priest in the #7 VMP Audi S4 and the #32 Ferodo Audi S4 of Gennaro Bonafede, who was aiming to take third in the points today.

Very close times were seen during the three practice sessions on Friday. Qualifying kicked off the day’s proceedings on Saturday. The battle for pole position was won by Melvill Priest in his VMP Audi S4. He took pole ahead of Johan Fourie’s BMW and Hennie Groenewald’s Subaru. Etienne van der Linde took fourth in his BMW, followed by Gennaro Bonafede in fifth and Tschops Sipuka in sixth. Michael Stephen had issues during qualifying and did not set a time, thus he will be lining up seventh on the Class A grid, last in the class.

The first of three races is scheduled for 12h00 local time. We wish the best of luck to the Audi teams and drivers.

Photo credit: Audi Motorsport in South Africa on Facebook

Highlands 101: V8 Supercars star Jason Bright with an Audi R8 LMS ultra in New Zealand

By Tarek Ramchani

Exciting news coming from Down Under and Rod Salmon. The team added Jason Bright for their effort in New Zealand at the brand new Highlands Motorsport Park.

Jason Bright was already announced for the 2014 Bathurst 12 Hours race. In New Zealand he will have the chance to get an early taste of the Audi R8 LMS ultra. The race is the Highlands 101, a 101-lap endurance event that is a non-championship event combining Australian GT regulars and local teams. The #6 Audi R8 LMS ultra will have a three-driver lineup, Jason Bright joined by car owner Rod Salmon and Liam Talbot. The Equity-One Motorsport R8 LMS of Dean Koutsoumdis and Andrew McInnes is also entered for the 101. Both cars will be supported by the talented team from Melbourne Performance Centre. A very healthy grid is expected with many V8 Supercars stars joining the field such as Fabian Coulthard, Greg Murphy and Dean Canto.

Highlands Motorsport Park will also host the season finale of the 2013 Australian GT Championship, wherein both Audis will be competing during the same weekend. Rod Salmon and Liam Talbot will drive the "Orange" R8 LMS ultra in the two 40-minute races.

Photo credit: Australian GT

November 1 is Stop Violence Against Men Day

Here we go again! Every first day of the month is Stop Violence Against Men day.

So we take this occasion to share a few words that are fitting, in the hope that some will reflect upon them and pass the idea along to others who will pass it along again.

In our feminist culture, we hear plenty of talk about "violence against women", and everywhere you turn, it seems like there is a campaign of some kind to "raise awareness" of this.

And yet, hardly anybody talks about violence against men. Hardly anybody seems to think it is important to raise any awareness of that issue, do they?

Well this certainly shoots a hole in the feminist ideas of "patriarchy", and "male privilege" and "misogyny", wouldn't you say?

Women are oppressed, as the feminists never tire of repeating, and yet. . . . we live in a society which is full to the brim with special perks and programs for women! I'd call that ironic at the very least, and when you consider that our society is NOT full to the brim with perks and programs for men, the irony is twofold.

Mind you, we are not complaining about this. It is not so much the double standard which perturbs us, but rather the unmitigated gall of declaring that women are "oppressed", and then blaming men for it!

That, yes THAT. . .  is what makes us boil!

We shall see you again on December 1, a month from now. On that date, we'll have something to say about the White Ribbon Campaign. Until then, take care, and spread the meme.

NEW article by “Pornland” author Gail Dines on the harms of “Fifty Shades of Grey”

Please check out and share this excellent new article by Gail Dines![The Guardian] — Someone in Hollywood has a keen sense of irony. The celebrity blogs are buzzing with the big news that the long-awaited film version of Fifty Shades of Grey will star Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey. Ever since Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) made the announcement that he had changed his mind about accepting

"Equality" is Bullshit!

I share the following short quote because it is, well . . . awesome:

"We heuristically compare politically salient attributes and call two people "equal" when we should be using the word "congruent under the context I flat out made up." One who seeks "equality" without sharing what the hell he means has no idea what he wants, but feels that people will like him if he squawks "Equality! Equality!"
"This abuse of language makes conversation with feminist zealots nearly impossible, but you know that. I'm preaching to the choir at this point".

Ahhhh yes! Here is somebody who says exactly what I am saying, and have been saying for years - that the entire notion of so-called "equality" is BULLSHIT. It is impossible to be either for OR against "equality", because there is literally nothing to BE for or against.  Anywhere outside the realm of mathematics, it is a null concept and a non-thing! That's right, I will say it again, but louder:

"Equality" is a null concept and and a non-thing.

The quote which I shared above is from a non-feminist chap who answers to the name of Victor Zen. At last I have met my match! Victor is more intellectual than I am, and uses more big words than I do, as the quote illustrates!

Oh..but I know precisely what he is talking about! ;-)

More on-the-money thoughts about "equality", HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfMisSDfPwg

A smash HIT.......

Actor Ewan McGregor, 

will make his Broadway debut.

In October 2014.

In the revival of the play.

"The Real Thing"

A massive hit.

YOu heard it here first.

Told Ya another UK celebrity sex arrest....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2483673/LAX-terminal-evacuated-following-shots-fired-airport.html

Christian Dion 

The Seer’s 

2013 Predictions

(Completed Dec 19^th 2012)

45                  Jimmy Saville sex case, well if you think it’s been bad so far, just wait as we go through 2013 month by month more and more Celebrities will be dragged into it, you will be really shocked at some of the names, great fodder for the tabloids.

 

Told Ya shooting now at LAX

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2483673/LAX-terminal-evacuated-following-shots-fired-airport.html

Christian Dion 

The Seer’s 

2013 Predictions

Completed Dec 19^th 2012

22                  Shootings 2012 saw the horror in Sandy Hook. I am sad to say that there will be more of these terrible events in 2013 and beyond. They won't stop till the powers that be come to their senses and change the law. It will take for one of their own loved ones to be amongst the victims, to trigger the change, I'm afraid.

Gulf 12 Hours: DragonSpeed Audi R8 LMS ultra on the provisional entry list

By Johan Laubscher

DragonSpeed has entered their Audi R8 LMS ultra for yet another endurance race this year. They have been included on the Gulf 12 Hours provisional entry list.

The latest Gulf 12 Hours entry list was published on 31 October and the DragonSpeed Audi R8 LMS ultra has now been included. This will be the team’s fourth event with their Audi this year, as they also took part in the 2013 Dubai 24 Hours, the Bathurst 12 Hours and the Pirelli World Challenge round at Sonoma. The team has also been seen testing at the Circuit of The Americas recently.

United Autosports were on the original Gulf 12 Hours provisional entry list, however both of their entries (their Audi and one McLaren) are no longer on the latest entry list. Thus only one Audi is currently entered for the event.

Also of note is the debut entry of the new Bentley Continental GT3 race car, which will be run by M-Sport, who competed with an Audi R8 LMS ultra during most of the 2013 British GT season.

The latest provisional entry list (as of 31 October 2013) can be seen HERE. 

The 2013 Gulf 12 Hours is scheduled for 11-13 December at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Photo credit: DragonSpeed

FIA GT: Belgian Audi Club Team WRT testing at Zolder ended with a crash for Demoustier

By Johan Laubscher

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT are busy preparing for their last events of the season and they were seen testing at Zolder yesterday.

The Belgian team is currently preparing for the finale of the FIA GT Series, where they will be fielding four cars. Their regular three car team will be joined by a fourth car, which will be driven by Filipe Albuquerque and Grégoire Demoustier. WRT will also be taking part in the International GT Open finale at Barcelona, where they will be entering one Audi R8 LMS ultra for Filipe Albuquerque and Yves Weerts.

The Zolder test day on 31 October saw the participation of WRT and one of their Audi R8 LMS ultra cars, which was driven by Grégoire Demoustier. The day ended prematurely for WRT, as Demoustier suffered a crash with the car due to an issue with the brakes. He is luckily unharmed, but the car did sustain frontal damage.

More information about the test day and photos of the damaged WRT Audi can be seen at autosport.be HERE. 

We have included an embedded YouTube video featuring the WRT Audi at the test day - from ThomasCarracing.

Photo credit: Screenshots from ThomasCarracing on Youtube

Superstars: Audi Sport Italia 2013 season review

By Tarek Ramchani and Johan Laubscher

Title successfully defended in the International and Italian Superstars Series. The Audi RS 5 quattro, which was victorious with Johan Kristoffersson last year, was again the series champion in the Italian based touring car series.Gianni Morbidelli and Audi Sport Italia took two great championship titles after battling with arch rivals from Mercedes-Benz AMG and BMW all season long.

The Italian ace, Gianni Morbidelli, was able to beat all of his rivals, despite the fact that the car was extremely penalized with extra weight and smaller air restrictors. Morbidelli was strong and Audi Sport Italia was very well prepared this season. The quattro system also made a big difference in some very wet races throughout the season.

The season review has been compiled from the 2013 Audi Motorsport Blog Weekend Round Up posts. Each round has been added as was seen in the individual Weekend Round Up posts during 2013, which can be accessed via the links throughout the review below:

Round 1: Monza

Monza hosted the opening round of the Superstars championship. Audi Sport Italia entered two RS 5 race cars. Monza is traditionally a difficult track for the Audis, due to the very high end top speeds, however the team worked well this weekend. A top four qualifying position and finish was achieved by Gianni Morbidelli in both races. His teammate, Ferdinando Geri, finished in the lower half of the field at Monza, and retired from race two.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (6-7/04/2013)

Round 2: Brno

Superstars headed to the Czech Republic this weekend, for round two at Brno. Audi Sport Italia arrived with their two Audi RS 5 quattro cars. The Audis suffered at Monza, round one, but the team was confident that Brno would better suit the four wheel drive cars. Gianni Morbidelli topped the first wet free practice session and qualified fifth, but unfortunately he retired from race one. His teammate Ferdinando Geri finished within the top ten. Race two saw Morbidelli perform very well, taking second place.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (18-20/05/2013)

Round 3: Slovakia Ring

The Superstars Series returned to Central Europe for the second round in succession, as they headed to the Slovakia Ring following Brno in the Czech Republic last time out. The Slovakia Ring hosted the third round of the series. Audi Sport Italia arrived with their two RS 5 quattro cars and qualified seventh and thirteenth for race one. The first race proved to be very difficult as both RS 5 cars retired. The second race saw Morbidelli improving up to third place, salvaging a good result from a difficult weekend.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (8-9/06/2013)

Round 4: Zolder

The Superstars headed to Zolder this weekend for round four of the championship. Audi Sport Italia arrived full of confidence, expecting the tighter Belgian track to suit their RS 5 quattro race cars. The team was joined by local Audi racing star, Laurens Vanthoor, in the silver #46 car. Vanthoor impressed during the free practice sessions. He was unable to take part in qualifying but his teammate and Audi Sport Italia regular, Gianni Morbidelli, was able to take pole position for the races on Sunday. During race one Morbidelli dominated at the front whilst Vanthoor came from behind and stormed through the field to finish second, completing an Audi Sport Italia 1-2. Race two saw a reverse grid and Vanthoor once again stormed through the field, this time taking the lead and dominating the race. Eventually Morbidelli was able to move up into the lead followed by Vanthoor, ensuring another Audi 1-2 finish.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (22-23/06/2013)

Round 5: Portimao

The Superstars Championship headed to Portugal, hosting round five at Algarve in Portimão. Audi Sport Italia was competing on two fronts this weekend, the Superstars in Portugal and the Italian GT at Imola, thus they decided to only enter one Audi RS 5 at Algarve. The car was driven by their lead driver, Gianni Morbidelli. He qualified on the front row and dominated both races, taking four straight wins now in the series following the double win at Zolder. Two Audi RS 4 cars were also entered by the Adria Raceway team.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (20-21/07/2013)

Round 6: Donington Park

The Superstars Series was also at Donginton, but only one Audi was entered. With Audi Sport Italia being split between Imola and Donington they again decided to only enter one Audi RS 5 quattro, the #45 with Gianni Morbidelli. He qualified fourth and battle at the front during race one, despite the severe performance penalties. He was battling for third and second when the leading group all slipped on oil dropped by a Lexus. Morbidelli unfortunately spun, but recovered to finish fourth, right behind his title rival. Race two saw Gianni Morbidelli battling for the lead with his title rival, Thomas Biagi. He finally passed Biagi for the lead during the second half of the race and held it to take victory, despite the performance penalties.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (31/08-1/09/2013)

Round 7: Imola

The Superstars Series headed to round seven at Imola. Audi Sport Italia arrived with a full set of three Audi RS 5 quattro race cars. Championship points leader and lead Audi Sport Italia driver, Gianni Morbidelli, was joined by Davide Di Benedetto and Giuseppe Cipriani. During qualifying the Audis struggled and Gianni Morbidelli was the highest Audi on the grid in eighth. Race one saw the Audis improving in the wet conditions, as Gianni Morbidelli moved up to second ahead of Di Benedetto in fourth and Cipriani in ninth. Race two again saw the Audi drivers capitalizing with quattro in the wet weather. Gianni Morbidelli won the second race, extending his championship lead even further. His teammates, Di Benedetto and Cipriani, finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (28-29/09/2013)

Round 8: Vallelunga

The Superstars Series finale was also held at Vallelunga this weekend. Gianni Morbidelli arrived at the finale as the championship points leader in his #45 Audi Sport Italia RS 5 quattro. He was joined by Andrea Larini in a second Audi RS 5 quattro from Audi Sport Italia for this event. Both drivers showed excellent pace by topping both free practice sessions. Morbidelli qualified on the front row, but most importantly, he was ahead of his championship rivals. Larini qualified sixth. The first race concluded with Morbidelli finishing third, ahead of Larini in fourth. These results were enough to crown Gianni Morbidelli as the 2013 International Superstars champion, his third title with Audi Sport Italia, his fifth in total. The second race of the day marked the final 2013 Superstars race. The season closed with another victory for Audi Sport Italia during the second race, as Larini won ahead of Morbidelli in seventh.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (12-13/10/2013)

Round 9: Franciacorta - Italian Series finale

The Superstars Series was at Franciacorta this weekend. The International Superstars Series, featured on tracks in various European countries, concluded at Vallelunga two weekends ago, when Gianni Morbidelli was crowned as the champion. There is also an Italian Superstars Series, which is comprised of all the Italian venues visited by the Series. This Italian series component of the Superstars hosted its final round at Franciacorta this weekend. Gianni Morbidelli was once again in the think of the title fight, as he arrived lying second in the points, trailing Vitantonio Liuzzi by only four points. Audi Sport Italia entered two cars this weekend, Gianni Morbidelli was joined by Ermanno Dionisio, who was making his return to the Audi Sport Italia team. Morbidelli dominated practice, setting the fastest time during both sessions, followed by Dionisio in second and fourth in the two sessions respectively. Gianni Morbidelli continued his good pace by taking pole position, backed up by Dionisio on the second row. Race one saw Morbidelli taking victory and the points lead. Dionisio finished third in race one, ensuring that both Audis were on the podium. The weekend was concluded by Morbidell taking the second race win as well, leading an Audi 1-2 with Dionisio in second. These results meant that Morbidell added the 2013 Italian Superstars crown to his International crown as well.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (26-27/10/2013)

Photo credit: Superstars Series

FIA WEC: Audi drivers battle for World Championship in China

Audi Press Release

• Seventh WEC round in largest single market of AUDI AG
• Drivers’ World Championship may be decided at Shanghai
• Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich: “We’re facing a challenging race.”

Ingolstadt, November 1, 2013 – The twelfth Le Mans triumph, the early win of the manufacturers’ title* in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), plus five victories and five best times in qualifying at the first six events: Audi presents itself in top form in the WEC. The seventh round of the season at Shanghai (China) on November 9 may even produce the decision in the drivers’ World Championship.

Since the race at Fuji (Japan), it has been clear that the World Endurance Champions are again driving an Audi this year. Loïc Duval/Tom Kristensen/Allan McNish (F/DK/GB) in the Audi R18 e-tron quattro will have the chance to secure the World Champion’s title in China even before the finale. Their only remaining opponents are their team-mates Marcel Fässler/André Lotterer/Benoît Tréluyer (CH/D/F). 40.75 points separate the two Audi driver teams. 52 points are yet to be awarded.

Three factors make the seventh round of the WEC a big challenge for Audi. At the premiere at Shanghai a year ago, Audi saw that the cornering radii of the modern Grand Prix circuit have a particularly disadvantageous effect on the R18 e-tron quattro. In six of the narrow turns, the hybrid race car is slower than 120 km/h. But only above this speed, the e-tron quattro hybrid system is allowed to use the recovered energy for acceleration again – as prescribed by the regulations.

The second factor: The event was shortened to two days. Only 33 hours pass between the first practice session and the checkered flag. This challenges the engineers and the drivers to work with particularly high concentration on the set-up and preparation for the race.

A third factor adds further spice to the battle for the podium positions. As most recently at Fuji, challenger and last year’s winner Toyota, like Audi, is fielding two cars.

Therefore Audi and its many racing fans are thus in for a challenging ‘home round.’ China has long become a second home to the brand with the four rings. The country is the largest single market and a strong growth engine for the company. In the first three quarters of the current year, sales in China increased by 20.6 percent to 358,213 automobiles. Furthermore, the brand is celebrating an anniversary this year, as its success story in China started exactly 25 years ago on the signing of a licensing agreement between Audi and First Automotive Works (FAW). Today, a joint venture in Changchun manufactures Audi models and another plant will be launched in Foshan at the end of 2013. The topic of hybrid technology that has been embodied in motorsport by the R18 e-tron quattro since 2012 is gaining momentum in China as well. In July, Audi and FAW announced the planned launch of a joint plug-in-hybrid project specifically for the Chinese market.

Fans can watch the race in China on the internet. Audi is broadcasting the action by live streaming on www.audi-motorsport.com. Additional background information is made available on the Audi Sport App, Twitter and Facebook.

* Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA.

Topics of the weekend

-Can Audi win the WEC round in China for the first time?
-Will Loïc Duval/Tom Kristensen/Allan McNish secure the title in China or will Marcel Fässler/André Lotterer/Benoît Tréluyer postpone the decision to the finale in Bahrain?
-How close will the duel for victory be between the two hybrid competitors?

Quotes by the officials

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “We’d like to deliver a good sporting performance in Audi’s largest single market. We’re going to leave no stone unturned to clinch our sixth WEC win of the season and our first success on the Shanghai circuit with the R18 e-tron quattro. We’re facing a challenging race. At the same time, we’re in for the next World Championship decision. Loïc Duval, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish have the chance to succeed Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer as World Champions at the seventh round of the season. I think this will provide the crowd with a real treat.”

Chris Reinke (Head of LMP): “Looking at the sales figures, Shanghai is our home race. This is another reason why it’s a very important race in which we’ve got to settle some unfinished business. We didn’t win last year, so we’re particularly motivated now. The track characteristics pose a great challenge because, due to the regulations, we can’t use our hybrid system in the narrow turns.”

Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest): “At Shanghai, a year ago, it wasn’t so easy to perfectly set up our car. The track is known as very demanding. Toyota won the race last year; this year, we want to be in front. We’re traveling to Shanghai with the data gathered last year and have got two improved race cars on the grid. This season, we’ve consistently been very competitive. That’s why there can only be one aim in China, too: victory.”

Facts and quotes by the Audi drivers

Marcel Fässler (37/CH), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Is traveling to China with his team-mates as last year’s World Champions
“Shanghai is a very special track with good overtaking opportunities. I really like the track layout. The first long turn immediately requires great skill because we can’t see the apex. Last year, the race wasn’t so easy for us but I’m convinced that this year we can be optimistic thanks to the very good preparation.”

André Lotterer (31/D), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Together with Benoît Tréluyer set the fastest time in qualifying most recently in Japan
“Shanghai is a typical, modern Grand Prix track. To be honest, my heart doesn’t really belong to such circuits with their very special turns. But that’s neither here nor there – we’re aiming to achieve the best for Audi. Last year, we weren’t able to make really good use of the tires. I’m optimistic because this year we’ve clearly made some progress that’ll again show in China.”

Benoît Tréluyer (36/F), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-With his team-mates has won the WEC rounds at Spa and São Paulo plus the Sebring 12 Hours this year
“I think Shanghai will be the most difficult race of the year. We’ve clearly seen that our engineers managed to make a big step with the car. But the track with its corners does not suit our car at all. Unfortunately, we’re not allowed to use our hybrid energy as freely as our competitor. Winning in China won’t be easy.”

Loïc Duval (31/F), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-After São Paulo and Austin, at Shanghai, gets to run on a third track previously unknown to him
“I’ll get to know another new track and country. We realize how important China is as an automobile market for Audi. Naturally, we’d like to be in contention for victory. That’s important for Audi and for us, the three drivers of car number ‘2.’”

Tom Kristensen (46/DK), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Together with Allan McNish was the best Audi driver team at Shanghai last year
“For us, the race in China is a nice task. We’d like to clinch the first WEC victory of the brand in the largest market. And we all know that the race will be about a possible early decision in the drivers’ World Championship after Audi has already won the title in the manufacturers’ classification.”

Allan McNish (43/GB), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Together with his team-mates is leading the WEC standings
-Qualified in the best R18 e-tron quattro for the front row at Shanghai a year ago
“In the battle with Toyota, we’ve been more competitive this year than in the past season, especially on the tracks with tighter turns like the one in Brazil. Shanghai has such characteristics as well. I’m expecting a very close battle between the two manufacturers. Now, in the second year of the R18 e-tron quattro, we’ve got a very good feel for our car but the race won’t be easy.”

The Audi drivers at Shanghai

Loïc Duval (F): * June 12, 1982 in Chartres (F); residence: Geneva (CH); married to Gaëlle, one son (Hugo); height: 1.78 m; weight: 70 kg; Audi driver since 2012; Le Mans victories: 1; WEC races: 9; WEC victories: 4; WEC pole positions: 2; fastest WEC laps: 1; best result WEC Shanghai: –

Marcel Fässler (CH): * May 27, 1976 in Einsiedeln (CH); residence: Gross (CH); married to Isabel, four daughters (Shana, Elin, Yael and Delia); height: 1.78 m; weight: 78 kg; Audi driver since 2008; Le Mans victories: 2; WEC races: 14; WEC victories: 5; WEC pole positions: 2; fastest WEC laps: 1; best result WEC Shanghai: 3

Tom Kristensen (DK): * July 07, 1967 in Hobro (DK); residence: Hobro (DK); single (partner: Hanne), two sons (Oliver and Oswald) and one daughter (Carla Marlou); height: 1.74 m; weight: 72 kg; Audi driver since 2000, Le Mans victories: 9; WEC races: 14; WEC victories: 4; WEC pole positions: 0; fastest WEC laps: 2; best result WEC Shanghai: 2

André Lotterer (D): * November 19, 1981 in Duisburg (D); residence: Tokyo (J); single; height: 1.84 m; weight: 74 kg; Audi driver since 2010; Le Mans victories: 2; WEC races: 14; WEC victories: 5; WEC pole positions: 4; fastest WEC laps: 3; best result WEC Shanghai: 3

Allan McNish (GB): * December 29, 1969 in Dumfries (GB); residence: Monaco (MC); married to Kelly, one son (Finlay), one daughter (Charlotte Amelie); height: 1.65 m; weight: 60 kg; Audi driver in 2000, since 2004; Le Mans victories: 3; WEC races: 14; WEC victories: 4; WEC pole positions: 3; fastest WEC laps: 1; best result WEC Shanghai: 2

Benoît Tréluyer (F): * December 07, 1976 in Alençon (F); residence: Gordes (F); married to Melanie, one son (Jules); height: 1.78 m; weight: 68 kg; Audi driver since 2010; Le Mans victories: 2; WEC races: 14; WEC victories: 5; WEC pole positions: 3; fastest WEC laps: 1; best result WEC Shanghai: 3

Track info

Track length: 5.451 km
Race duration: 6 hours
Qualifying record on this track: Alexander Wurz, Toyota, 1m 48.273s = 181.242 km/h (Oct 27, 2012)
Race record on this track: Nicolas Lapierre, Toyota, 1m 48.815s = 180.339 km/h (Oct 28, 2012)
Pole position 2012: Alexander Wurz, Toyota, 1m 48.273s = 181.242 km/h (Oct 27, 2012)
Fastest lap 2012: Nicolas Lapierre, Toyota, 1m 48.815s = 180.339 km/h (Oct 28, 2012)

Tom Kristensen about the track at Shanghai

“In China, we’re competing in a market that’s particularly important for Audi. The turns at Shanghai differ quite a bit from each other. Two bends drastically change their radii – the first turn becomes increasingly tight while the snail shell corner in front of the long straight in the third section of the circuit widens. We’ve got to downshift all the way into first gear several times on each lap. By contrast, the second part of the track has very fluid sequences with corners we take at speeds above 200 km/h. And last but not least, there are two long straights which are part of this young GP circuit. At the end of these straights, we downshift from sixth into the lowest gear. Obviously, all this requires a lot of compromises in the set-up. Due to its changing rhythm this track is a great challenge for us drivers.”

Timetable (local times, CET +7 hours)

Friday, November 8
08:00–10:00 Free practice 1
12:00–14:00 Free practice 2
16:35–17:00 Qualifying

Saturday, November 9
11:00–17:00 6-hour race

Photo credit: Audi Media

Rape is Under-Reported? Meh!

I have always wondered why in hell the feminists never tire of reminding us that “rape is under-reported”.

So what??

What difference would that make, when a jury was hearing the arguments in a particular rape trial or deliberating on the verdict in that trial? All that counts is whether the man is guilty or innocent, and his fate balances on a sober and perspicacious judgment in this matter. Therefore, only relevant factors ought to be taken under consideration - wouldn't you say?

So do the feminists want those jurors to somehow factor the alleged under-reporting into their final decision? How is that circumstance relevant when a particular man's guilt or innocence are in question? Are the jurors expected to throw more weight on the “guilty” side of the probability scale in order to compensate, somehow, for all the rapes that never get reported?

And so even if the guy was probably innocent, they should more likely be inclined to convict him anyway? In some mysterious way, is that what the feminists would like us to conclude?

Something Very Basic that you should Remember

If you uphold the right of women to form a "women's rights movement", you have no moral high ground from which to attack the concept of a "men's rights movement". 

If you attack the concept of a "men's rights movement", you have no moral high ground from which to uphold the right of women to form a "women's right movement". 

DEMAND for Child Sex Trafficking in the U.S. – Johns must be held accountable for their crimes

Here’s a great article on DEMAND by JOHNS for child sex trafficking (that is fueled by PORN), and why it must be the focus in stopping sex trafficking.[Huff Post - Excerpt] — Tami was kidnapped by a pimp, while walking home from school. He kept her captive for six months, raping, beating, and starving her. And selling her for sex with men every night. Tami thought she could escape her hell by

Fabulous...........

The "TRUE" Kardashians

Fitness Friday | It takes 21 days to create a habit

 

Yesterday was a big day for me; yes it was Halloween, but it was also the first time I ate chocolate in 30 days! I took a mini challenge at the beginning on October to give up chocolate for the month, my only day to eat chocolate in October was Halloween. So last night I bought my stash of chocolate with the intension of having a big night of chocolate indulgence. I eagerly opened the bar of Dairy Milk and took my first bite, and found not a feeling of overwhelming chocolate bliss, but a tasty yet underwhelming feeling. I obviously ate a bit more chocolate to see if my mood improved, but alas I still found the usual feelings of joy that I tie to chocolate were not present.

I was obviously a little disappointed as I have been having a couple of chocolate shaped dreams and am pretty sure I had a few chocolate hallucinations during my 30 days of chocolate fasting, however I am also wondering if I have kicked my chocolate habit? Have I managed to disassociate the feeling of joy that I relate to chocolate? After all they do say it takes 21 days to create a habit, so surely after 30 day I should be “cured”?

I am hoping that I have managed to get rid of the chocoholic monster that lived inside me, the one that would crave it and not stop thinking about it until I had scoffed a whole bar. So after having a night of chocolate indulgence (which wasn’t as great as I thought it would be) I am now pledging to continue to not eat chocolate for the whole of November. Surely after pretty much 2 months of withholding from chocolate I should have kicked my chocoholic habit, and don’t worry I’m not punishing myself! I found that I did not miss chocolate as much as I thought I would. There was only one day in the whole 30 days that I would of stolen chocolate from a small child and gobbled it all up if I knew I wasn’t letting myself down.

So this is where this blog post comes in. It supposedly takes 21 days to create a habit. So what do you want to change? What would you want to be a habit of yours in three weeks time? Do you want to be able to go for a run with ease? Do you want to give up smoking? Do you want to have breakfast every morning? Do you want to give up your crisps addiction? Do you want to get 8 hours sleep a night? What ever you want to do have a serious word with yourself and make it happen! If you think you can make it for a month challenge yourself! Think about how much better you will feel afterwards!

For November I am giving up chocolate again and I am also giving up takeaways. That mean no chocolate, no chocolate flavoured snacks, and no Indian takeaways, no pizzas, no hungover McDonalds!

Go on challenge yourself! it’s only 3 weeks! Are you going to join me? What are you going to challenge yourself to do for 21 days? Let me know!

Go check out Kim’s lovely blog full of beauty, fashion and lifestyle – PeachyPowderPuff.co.uk I love her frequent and great mix of posts.

Help Wanted NOW........

David Arquette,

 is very close to falling off the cliff.

Someone needs to step in and get him help.

But I doubt it.

SAD.

Forza Motorsport 5: Audi Le Mans drivers and the R18 e-tron quattro stars of the game

By Tarek Ramchani

A brilliant new video from Microsoft and the talented team from Turn 10 Studio. Audi Le Mans and WEC stars Benoit Treluyer, André Lotterer, Tom Kristensen and Lucas di Grassi presenting the Audi R18 e-tron quattro.

The Audi R18 e-tron quattro looks great with some in-game footage at the Circuit de La Sarthe. Forza Motorsport is coming soon and exclusively for the new Xbox One console.

Rolex Series: Audi teams 2013 season review

By Tarek Ramchani and Johan Laubscher

The Audi brand had a very mixed season in the demanding Rolex Series GT class this year. The American "R16" won the prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona with a terrific 1-2 result.

Five teams represented the Four Rings in the 2013 Grand-Am season, but none of them competed at all of the rounds as full season entrants. Alex Job Racing and Rum Bum Racing only took part in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. APR Motorsport had two cars at Daytona and then a single car at Austin, before they withdrew from the series. Fall-Line Motorsports debuted their Audi at Watkins Glen and they entered all of the remaining races and performed very well. Audi also entered two rounds with a factory effort from quattro GmbH/Audi Sport customer racing, competing in the two endurance events at Watkins Glen and Indianapolis.

The season review has been compiled from the 2013 Audi Motorsport Blog Weekend Round Up posts. Each round has been added as was seen in the individual Weekend Round Up posts during 2013, which can be accessed via the links throughout the review below:

Round 1: Rolex 24 at Daytona

The 2013 Grand-Am season got under way this weekend with the Daytona 24 Hours. Four Audi R8 GRAND-AM cars were entered by three teams, APR Motorsport, Alex Job Racing and Rum Bum Racing. The teams showed good pace at the Daytona tests days and continued that form during the practice and qualifying sessions. The top Audi qualifier was the #24 AJR entry which originally qualified in sixth and was then upped to fifth place after another competitor was disqualified. The teams were ready for the race which started at 15:30 local time. The race got under way with the Audi teams maintaining their front running pace. All three teams ran at the front end during the afternoon and during the night. Audi held a 1-2-3 during the early evening until various problems, including penalties, dropped them back slightly, but all three remained in the top ten. As the race pasted half way the AJR Audi remained the highest placed Audi followed by the Rum Bum entry. The #52 APR suffered a crippling time penalty during the night. As the sun rose over Daytona both the AJR and Rum Bum cars were penalized and they dropped back. The #52 completed a tremendous comeback and was running in the leading group as the race headed into the afternoon followed by both the AJR and Rum Bum cars who were also completing great recovery drives. The race developed into a huge fight in the last thirty minutes as multiple cars stood a chance of winning. AJR managed to hold the lead after a splash and dash and lead a Audi 1-2-3 on the final lap. Tragedy struck as the Rum Bum car ran out of fuel on the last lap leaving the other two Audis to complete an Audi 1-2 with the #24 AJR winning ahead of the #52 APR. More details regarding the race can be read HERE.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (26-27/01/2013)

Round 2: Circuit of the Americas

Following the Daytona 24 Hours the second Grand Am round was held at the new Circuit of the Americas in Austin. Four Audis took part at Daytona, however only one Audi was entered for round two. APR entered the black #52 Audi R8 GRAND-AM which was driven by Ian Baas and Matt Bell. They qualified seventh. During the race the team ran very well. Within the last half an hour they were battling in the top five until an incident with a Ferrari put the APR Audi out of the race.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (2-3/03/2013)

Rounds 3-6: 

APR Motorsport withdrew their Audi R8 GRAND-AM entry after round two at COTA. There were no Audi entries at Barber Motorsports Park, Road Atlanta, Belle Isle Park and Mid-Ohio, rounds 3-6 of the series. However, this was not the end of the Audi R8 GRAND-AM in the 2013 Rolex Series, as Audi R8 GRAND-AM cars returned to the grid for the Six Hours of Watkins Glen, round seven of the season.

Round 7: Six Hours of the Glen

The Six Hours of the Glen was held this weekend. This event was round seven of the Rolex Grand-Am Series, but it was also round two of the North American Endurance Championship. The latter series consists of the endurance Grand-Am events, namely: the Daytona 24 Hours, the Six Hours of the Glen and the three hour race at Indianapolis. For the first time since round two of the Grand-Am series Audi cars again took part. Two cars were entered this weekend. Fall-Line Motorsports debuted their R8 GRAND-AM in the series for the first time, whilst the second car was entered by Audi Sport customer racing. The #24 Audi Sport entry will be entered for the remaining two endurance events. Their drivers: Felipe Albuquerque, Eduardo Mortara and Dion von Moltke, are leading the standings following their victory at the Daytona 24 Hours. The two Audis showed well during the weekend with the #24 car qualifying in fourth and the Fall-Line entry in twelfth. It was an up and down race for the two Audis. The Fall-Line Motorsports Audi R8 GRAND-AM lead the race for five laps during the pit stop sequences, but they eventually dropped back and finished fourteenth. The #24 Audi Sport customer racing entry also fell back during the event and ultimately finished within the top ten, placing in ninth.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (29-30/06/2013)

Round 8: Indianapolis

The Grand-Am Rolex Series headed to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend, for the Brickyard Grand Prix. This event was the eighth round of the Rolex Series, and more importantly, it was the third and final round of the North American Endurance Championship. Two Audi R8 GRAND-AM cars were entered, the factory #24 Audi and the Fall-Line Motorsports car. The factory Audi squad showed excellent pace all weekend, and qualified in third for the three hour event, followed by the Fall-Line Motorsports entry in ninth. Filipe Albuquerque took the green flag in the #24 Audi R8 GRAND-AM and remained within the front battle for the first hour. He was running as high as second for the majority of his stint and things were looking good. Unfortunately tragedy struck within the second hour. The #94 BMW M3 lost control in the in-field section and collected Albuquerque from behind. The resulting damage ended the #24 Audi’s race and their bid for the NAEC title. Further back the Fall-Line Motorsports Audi R8 GRAND-AM soldiered on well and came home for a top ten result, finishing ninth within the GT class.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (27-28/07/2013)

Round 9: Road America

Road America hosted round nine of the Grand-Am Rolex Series this weekend. Fall-Line Motorsports was the only Audi entry at the event, with their #46 Audi R8 GRAND-Am driven by Charles Espenlaub and Charles Putman. The team took part in the opening three practice sessions, but ultimately they made the decision to withdraw the Audi from the Road America weekend. The reason behind the decision was that the team has not had sufficient time to test and develop their new Audi R8 GRAND-AM. They have completed two races with the Audi, but hardly any testing. They will now focus on testing with the Audi and getting up to speed to challenge effectively in the Grand-Am Rolex Series. The team’s official press release regarding the withdrawal can be seen HERE.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (10-11/08/2013)

Round 10: Kansas Speedway

Fall-Line Motorsports was back in the Grand-Am this weekend, taking part in round ten at Kansas Speedway. A week ago they withdrew their Audi entry at Road America due to lack of testing time since acquiring the car, but they were back this week, and with two new drivers in the Audi: Mark Boden and Bryan Sellers. They qualified tenth for the two hour forty-five minute race and finished fifth within the GT class.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (17-18/08/2013)

Round 11: Laguna Seca

The eleventh and penultimate Grand-Am race weekend headed to Laguna Seca. The Fall-Line Motorsports Audi R8 GRAND-AM was entered, driven by Al Carter and Bryan Sellers. The team was also allowed to use the original 2013 specification Audi R8 LMS ultra rear diffuser, after it was cleared by the series organisers, but the car had to be fitted with penalty weight due to the change. They qualified sixth and finished the race in ninth place within the GT class.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (7-8/09/2013)

Round 12: Lime Rock

Lime Rock Park played host to the twelfth and final round of the Rolex Grand-Am Series. Fall-Line Motorsports was again the lone Audi entrant with their #46 Audi R8 GRAND-AM, driven by Al Carter and Eric Lux this weekend. They qualified in twelfth and finished the 2 hour forty-five minute race in twelfth place as well.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (28-29/09/2013)

Special thanks to our friend Dion von Moltke. The South African rising sportscar star raced twice with Audi in the Rolex Series this year. The Daytona 24 Hours GT victory was certainly a tremendous highlight. You can read our interview with Dion von Moltke right HERE.

More about Dion von Moltke at his official website www.dionvm.com, his Facebook page www.facebook.com/Dionvm and Twitter www.twitter.com/Dionvmracing.

Photo credit:
Grand-Am
APR Motorsport
Audi Media
Fall-Line Motorsports / Wes Duenkel Motorsport Photography

Happy Halloween

My one " NORMAL " day of the year......

Download IDM 6.18 Build 5 Full Version + Crack

Haramain software - IDM atau internet download manager memang sangat rajin dalam mengupdate versinya. bayangkan saja dalam 1 minggu ini IDM atau internet download manager sudah 3 kali mengupdate versinya dari IDM 6.18 build 3 kemudian IDM 6.18 build 4 dan yang sekarang sudah keluar yang terbaru yaitu IDM atau Internet download manager 6.18 build 5.

IDM atau internet download manager memang sa:ngat ampuh dalam hal mendownload karena memang terbukti mampu meningkatkan kecepatan download menjadi berlipat-lipat.

Screenshot :

Link Download :

Download IDM 6.18 build 5 ( Direct Link 5 Mb )

Download Patch ( Sharebeast 327 Kb )

Download Patch ( Link Alternatif 327 Kb )

Cara Install :

1. Setelah download, jalankan idman618build5.exe kemudian install sampai selesai
2. Setelah selesai jangan langsung dijalankan programnya, Kalau sudah terlanjur jalan, matikan lewat task manager ( untuk yang sebelumnya sudah menggunakan IDM, kemudian setelah install versi terbarunya ini diminta registrasi, langsung tutup saja permintaan registrasi tersebut )
3. Jalankan Patch dengan cara klik kanan kemudian run as administrator
4. kemudian klik patch
5. Isikan nama terserah sobat ( ada 2 kali pengisian nama yaitu nama depan dan nama belakang )
6. Kemudian klik OK
7. Selesai. Sekarang jalankan IDM sobat dan lihat hasilnya.

Selamat Mendownload dan semoga bermanfaat untuk sahabat haramain software. Jangan lupa bergabung dengan haramain software.

Australian GT: McLaughlan prepares to defend Australian GT crown with Audi

Melbourne Performance Centre Press Release

McLaughlan prepares to defend Australian GT crown with Audi
Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 LMS
October 31

Soon to be crowned Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli Trophy Class champion Steve McLaughlan has unveiled his mount for his title defence ahead of the 2014 season, the Victorian revealing recently that he had purchased the ex-John Briggs Audi R8 LMS.

The Victorian state series regular who had started the 2013 season with Greg Crick’s former Dodge Viper Competition Coupé admitted that whilst he loves the Viper, he wanted something that would be competitive against the expected influx of new Trophy class entrants next year.

During the 2013 season he has worked closely with the team at Melbourne Performance Centre, and after a recent test in the idle Briggs car, he was convinced that was the car he needed to have to mount a defence to his forthcoming Trophy Class title.

“I’d seen it sitting in the workshop each time I’d been in there, and I thought it would be nice to try, so we arranged a test session at Phillip Island,” McLaughlan explained.

“I set what I thought was a pretty competitive lap time, and told the MPC boys jokingly that I’d buy the car if I could crack that number, and in 15 laps I did.

“Look I love the Viper, but it’s a very different car to the R8. The Audi is a full aero car, more refined and balanced than the Viper, and it’s nicer to drive.

“The Viper might have more torque, but it’s limited in aero compared to the Audi which feels more precise.”

McLaughlan’s decision to take on the Audi too was timely after the Viper was shipped off to New Zealand for the final round of the 2013 championship ahead of the final round of the Victorian State Series.

“That really made my decision for me. I knew I wanted the Audi for next season, but with the Viper on the water to New Zealand, I didn’t have a car for the final round of state series at Phillip Island and I was right in the title chase, so we wheeled the Audi out for its first event.”

The result, victory, and the state series Sports Car crown.

“It was a pretty tough day with some big accidents in the field, but the Audi was faultless, and typically consistent. It was quick enough to grab the win in the final full-length race, but I know after the weekend that I can still find a second to a second and a half, and that would put me within reach of some of the top guys.

“That said, it’s still a 2011 car, and I have no current plans to upgrade to the 2013 spec like Rod Salmon and Mark Eddy, I’ll keep it in full LMS spec, as is, and battle Dean Koutsoumidis and the rest of the Trophy Class field for GT honours next year.

“I’m really looking forward to the 2014 season, it’s a great calendar, especially for the Victorian brigade with three events down here, but the mix of longer and shorter races really appeals, I’m looking forward to it.”

For McLaughlan and the Melbourne Performance Centre team, focus now turns to the final round of the Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli at Highlands Motorsport Park in New Zealand on November 8-10 where McLaughlan will be joined by the Viper’s former owner Greg Crick, to do battle with the MPC Audi’s of Rod Salmon and Dean Koutsoumidis. 

Melbourne Performance Centre is proudly supported by Skwirk.com.au, One World Bar, Equity-One, Primus Australia, Companion Brands, The Audi Race Experience, PH Motorsport Trailers - supplier of the new Audi Sports Customer racing transporter, BluFi Wireless Australia, Questek Australia, Top Gun Restorations and Wrap my Ride.

The Audi Race Experience
Get behind the wheel yourself to discover a new level of excitement with the Audi Driving Experience. Refine your technique, develop more skilled control at higher speeds and pursue the ultimate in performance.

From advanced programs, right through to the Audi race experience, there is a program to suit every kind of driver.

The Audi Driving Experience makes use of a range of Audi’s vehicles, from sports road cars right through to their Bathurst winning race vehicles. From Audi’s advanced driving courses, you can move through to the Audi sportscar experience and finally, the Audi race experience where you can slip behind the wheel of the Audi R8 LMS GT3 racecar that holds the mantel of Australian GT and Bathurst 12-Hour Champion.

To find out more, call Melbourne Performance Centre today.

Melbourne Performance Centre
521 Mountain Highway,
Bayswater VIC 3153
Phone: 03 9738 2294
Fax: 03 9738 2296
info@melbourneperformance.com
www.melbourneperformance.com

www.facebook.com/MelbournePerformance

Photo credit: Melbourne Performance Centre