final drive - Mundo Motorizado

The M-Sport Fiestas must
deliver in the 2013 WRC
work out and the car’s vast potential
will remain unfulfilled.
sam birD anD JuLes biancHi
Bird and Bianchi ran at the sharp end
in Formula Renault 3.5 as expected
last year, but both were beaten to
the crown by rookie sensation Robin
Frijns. Bird never quite had the car to
handle the Dutchman, while Bianchi
was in reach of the title when he was
bifed of the road by Frijns in the
season finale in Barcelona.
Juan PabLo montoya
Twenty-second in points – light years
away from the Chase – and just two
xxxerg: win
remains elusive
No-excuse time for
Mercedes this year
Mercedes (F1)
Big budget? Check. State of the art facilities? Check.
One of the world’s top three drivers? Check. On paper
everything seems to be in place for Mercedes to fight at
the front of the F1 field, yet for three seasons this has
only happened sporadically. Cue a managerial overhaul
and the obvious need for improved results.
top-10 finishes. For Montoya, 2012
was a write-of. Big changes were
made behind the scenes at Ganassi,
and they didn’t work. Another year
like that and perhaps the changes
will be made behind the wheel…
kyLe buscH
For 2013 Joe Gibbs has assembled a
“superteam” of Denny Hamlin, Matt
Kenseth and Kyle Busch. Kyle needs
to rediscover his consistency to avoid
becoming the junior partner in this
equation – just as he did when he
drove for Hendrick. He’s supremely
talented, so it’s time those skills
delivered results every weekend.
kurt buscH
Controversy follows Kurt Busch like
seagulls follow a trawler, and one
suspects the 2004 champ would
find afnity with troubled ex-football
Things went
awry for Kurt
ace Eric Cantona. His short-lived
tenure at Phoenix promised much
but delivered little more than a
series of bent cars. Needs results at
Childress-supported Furniture Row.
analysis
UNDER PRESSURE
Jamie Green and Andy Priaulx
(DTM)
Jamie Green’s move from Mercedes to
Audi was the big DTM switch of the
winter, and the Briton needs to hit the
ground running with his new employer
if his dream of winning the title is to be
realised in 2013. A re-energised Mattias
Ekstrom and Timo Scheider, plus the
emergence of Edoardo Mortara as a
title contender, means Green will have
to be on top form.
Andy Priaulx has a similar task
ahead of him. BMW’s top finisher in
its return race, he failed to match the
results of Bruno Spengler, Augusto
Farfus and co late-season. One
strong result will undoubtedly lift
his confidence and from that point,
anything is possible.
The pressure’s on
Motorbase squad
Can Green make
Audi move pay?
Motorbase (BTCC)
David Bartrum’s squad gave up on
its 2012 campaign to develop its first
self-built racer, the NGTC Focus. The
car showed promise, but Motorbase
and lead driver Mat Jackson have to
step up this year to challenge Honda
and MG. If the British GT titlewinning
team can add a BTCC crown,
it can rightly be considered one of
the country’s best tin-top outfits.
ranDy bernarD/inDycar
The IndyCar boss listened, learned and
brought new ideas. But he got sacked.
Bernard now works for a countrified
American TV channel, whose output
includes live cattle auctions and the
must-see Classic Tractor Fever. Really.
wtcc
The commitment of factory campaigns
from Honda and Lada in 2012 was
ofset by Chevrolet’s announcement to
withdraw. On the plus side, calendar
instability issues were resolved, but
the series is unlikely to gain real
momentum until the anticipated arrival
of Citroen and revised rules in 2014.
Xxxxxruary January 31 2 2012 autosport.com 53
pic: www.mcklein.de, ebrey, dunbar/lat, Harrelson/Getty