This concert series is one of the best we have seen in terms of branding. kudos to Naza and Harley-Davidson
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> Mercedes-Benz will be using high-performance Syntium engine oils supplied by PETRONAS during the 2011 DTM campaign
> The PETRONAS logo will feature on the racing overalls and helmets worn by all Mercedes-Benz DTM drivers and on the bodywork of all DTM AMG Mercedes C-Class cars
> The 2011 DTM season commences on 1st May in Hockenheim
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> Stuttgart - Mercedes-Benz today announced an extension of its motorsport partnership with PETRONAS from Formula One to the German Touring Car Masters (DTM). Already title sponsor of the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One team, the Malaysian national oil and gas corporation will now have a prominent profile in DTM as team sponsor of Mercedes-Benz when the new season begins on 1st May in Hockenheim.
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> All nine Mercedes-Benz DTM drivers will race this season with the PETRONAS logo on their racing overalls and helmets, as well as on their AMG Mercedes C-Class cars. The Mercedes-Benz Formula 3 partner teams Mücke Motorsport and Prema Powerteam will likewise feature PETRONAS branding on their Dallara Mercedes Formula 3 racing cars.
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> The partnership between PETRONAS and Mercedes-Benz now extends from discovering and nurturing young talent in Formula 3 to the senior categories of DTM and Formula One. In all three race series, Mercedes-Benz relies on high-performance motor oil and lubricants supplied by PETRONAS under the Syntium brand name.
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> As is the case for Formula One, PETRONAS motor oils have been specially formulated to meet the unique demands of DTM racing. With piston velocities of over 35m/s and valve pressures of over 9,000kg/cm², DTM engines are subject to immense physical forces. It is only when all moving parts, operating at gap sizes of a few micrometres, are optimally lubricated for these extreme conditions that the engine can deliver sustained peak performance. The specially formulated Syntium motor oil with its integrated additives ensures that the engine is able to perform consistently well throughout the season.
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> PETRONAS has been involved in motor racing since 1988, becoming a Formula One team sponsor in 1995. When the Malaysian Grand Prix made its debut at the Sepang International Circuit in 1999, PETRONAS secured the F1 Grand Prix title sponsorship rights to the event. Since the start of the 2010 season, PETRONAS has been title sponsor of the Silver Arrows team - MERCEDES GP PETRONAS - with its driver pairing of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher.
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> Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, Norbert Haug:
> "We are delighted to welcome PETRONAS as our new DTM partner. Our existing partnership in Formula One is characterised by a spirit of constructive cooperation, coupled with the ongoing desire to improve performance. The fact that PETRONAS has extended its involvement from Formula One, with our Silver Arrows team, to the DTM emphasises the growing importance of this series. Just as in Formula One, the research and development work done by our partners at PETRONAS makes an invaluable contribution to the competitiveness of our cars."
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> General Manager, PETRONAS Motorsports, Anita Azrina Abdul Aziz:
> "We are extremely proud to extend our partnership with Mercedes-Benz. Building on our partnership in Formula One, this new relationship takes us to yet another level with our involvement in arguably the most competitive touring car series, the DTM, as well as the important single-seater category, the Formula 3 Euro Series. More importantly, this is a significant step forward for PETRONAS as we continue to pursue our commercial business objectives particularly in growing our lubricant businesses and extending our technical involvement globally."
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Performance, style, practicality and safety, four words that embody the essence of the Monster 1100EVO.
As a result of its Desmodue Evoluzione engine, the Monster 1100EVO is the first twin-valve Ducati engine to achieve 100 hp. And that's not all, the 1100EVO is proof of Ducati's firm commitment to motorcycling safety.
The Monster 1100EVO comes, as standard, with the Ducati Safety Pack, which includes ABS and Ducati Traction Control (DTC): a concentrate of electronics that improves control and enhances safety whatever the situation.
With a new look to boot, the 1100EVO oozes personality like no other. Featuring a new exhaust system, which gives the bike an even feistier look, as well as new ergonomics, with a redesigned seat and 20 mm higher handlebars, riding pleasure is cranked up to the max.
Symbolic of a lifestyle like no other, the Monster 1100EVO is pure naked essence.
PRICES
Futures Markets Snapshots
last
Chg.
Crude Oil
ICE Brent ($/bbl)
124.50
-0.52
 
Nymex Lt. Sweet
112.47
-0.39
 
DME Oman
118.80
-0.35
Products
RBOB ($/gal.)
3.43
0.00
 
Heating Oil
3.23
0.00
 
ICE Gas Oil ($/ton)
1,026.25
-12.00
Natural Gas
Nymex HH ($/MMBtu)
4.57
0.00
 
ICE UK NBP (p/therm)
57.89
+0.16
Spot Markets Snapshots
last
Chg.
Crude Oil
Opec Basket ($/bbl)
119.34
+0.38
Natural Gas
New York
4.64
0.00
*($/MMBtu)
Henry, LA
4.39
+0.04
 
Katy, Texas
4.36
+0.02
 
AECO, Canada
3.90
+0.05
SCOTTISH ACE SHEDDEN SPEEDS
TO POLE POSITION AT THRUXTON
Gordon Shedden has qualified on pole position for tomorrow's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship round at the high speed Thruxton circuit in Hampshire.
Scotsman Shedden (pictured) set a best time of 1m17.004s to secure his second consecutive pole at Thruxton and also the third in a row this year for the Honda Racing Team. As a result, he will start at the front when the grid lines up for the first of tomorrow's three races – being shown live on the ITV4 and ITV4 HD channels.
Rising star Andrew Jordan was second fastest in his Pirtek Racing Vauxhall Vectra, just 0.062s behind. Third was Shedden's team-mate Matt Neal, currently second in the standings, but championship leader James Nash could only manage the tenth fastest time in his 888 Racing with Collins Contractors Vectra that is carrying the maximum success ballast of 45kgs.
Fife racer Shedden, currently seventh in the standings, said: "I'm really pleased with that performance as I needed to give it everything considering how tight it is at the top. The high speeds here always make tyre wear a real concern over a race distance, but from the runs we did this morning in practice our tyres looked mint so I think we're in good shape for tomorrow as well."
Lichfield youngster Jordan, fourth in the table after his win at Donington Park a fortnight ago, commented: "I'm very happy with that. I've got a little bit of success ballast in my car, plus it was the first time we'd put a qualifying set-up on the car because we'd concentrated only on race performance in practice. After all it's tomorrow when the points are scored and this has always been a happy hunting ground for the Vectra."
Nash, meanwhile, knows he needs to make up places tomorrow if he's to prevent the likes of Neal dislodging him from the championship lead. He added: "I made a mess of what would have been my best lap, but even if I'd made it count it might have only gained me a few places. On saying that, in race trim I think we'll be quite a bit stronger than some of those starting in front of us."
The top three qualified more than half a second clear of the rest of the field. Completing the top six were Tom Chilton's Team Aon Ford Focus, reigning Champion Jason Plato's Silverline Chevrolet Cruze, the highest placed of the normally aspirated runners, and Tom Onslow-Cole in his AmD Milltek Racing.com VW Golf – by far the car's best qualifying performance to date.
Local stars Robert Collard and Nick Foster, both from Hook, qualified 14th and 17th fastest in their WSR BMWs but some are tipping their cars to come on strong as tomorrow's three races progress.
All three races will be shown live tomorrow on the ITV4 and ITV4 HD television channels as well as www.itv.com during a seven-hour broadcast from 11.00am-6.00pm.
Leading BTCC qualifying times, Thruxton, Sat 30 Apr (provisional):
1. Gordon Shedden (GBR), Honda Racing Team/Honda Civic, 1m17.004s (110.14mph)
2. Andrew Jordan (GBR), Pirtek Racing/Vauxhall Vectra, +0.062s
3. Matt Neal (GBR), Honda Racing Team/Honda Civic, +0.213s
4. Tom Chilton (GBR), Team Aon/Ford Focus, +0.756s
5. Jason Plato (GBR), Silverline Chevrolet/Chevrolet Cruze, +0.962s
6. Tom Onslow-Cole (GBR), AmD Milltek Racing.com/VW Golf, +1.118s
7. Jeff Smith (GBR), Pirtek Racing/Vauxhall Vectra, +1.245s
8. Mat Jackson (GBR), Airwaves Racing/Ford Focus, +1.321s
9. Tom Boardman (GBR), Special Tuning Racing/SEAT Leon, +1.323s
10. James Nash (GBR), 888 Racing with Collins Contractors/Vauxhall Vectra, +1.337s
Picturedesks: photo shows Gordon Shedden's Honda Civic at speed en route to BTCC pole position at Thruxton. For a hi-res, copyright-free version of the image above click here.
Álvaro Bautista gave another courageous performance on his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R at Estoril today to not only finish the Portuguese Grand Prix, but to also score points and show that he had come to race and not just finish the 28-laps.
Bautista got a great start from 15th on the grid and by the end of the first lap had moved into 12th place, but he was forced to take avoiding action on the second lap as another rider fell in front of him. Karel Abraham crashed his Ducati and although Bautista tried to take a different line to miss him, the Suzuki star was forced out wide and into the gravel. Bautista stayed on-board and re-joined the race, but had lost valuable time and was too far behind the pack to continue his assault. As the race wore on Bautista produced consistent laps that would have seen him compete in the top-10, but because of the earlier incident he was forced to ride a lonely race with only the clock to compete against and his determination to finish the race. He eventually crossed the line in 13th place and, although he was suffering from the injury he sustained at Qatar, he was very pleased to finish his first Grand Prix of 2011.
Overnight rain again made this morning's warm-up quite difficult, but fortunately the storm clouds stayed away from the race and conditions improved in time for the start. Today's event was watched by just over 40,000 people at trackside and they saw Spaniard Dani Pedrosa on a Honda take his first victory of the season, with current championship leader Jorge Lorenzo second.
Rizla Suzuki and Bautista will now stay at Estoril for a day of testing, where they will be joined by Factory test rider Nobuatsu Aoki. The team will next be in race action at the historical Le Mans circuit in France on Sunday 15th May, where Bautista will certainly be looking to improve on this weekend's performance as his healing process continues and his race fitness returns.
Álvaro Bautista:
"I have some mixed emotions today. I am happy because I made the target of finishing the race, but after a decent start and getting in to a good position early on, I am really disappointed that I had to run off the track because Abraham crashed in front of me. I tried to take a different line, but I had to go into the gravel and I lost too much time from the main group. I did the rest of the race alone and ok, we finished, but I would have liked to have battled with other riders. I think it was possible to fight with Toni, Loris and Randy today - or maybe even better! The first target was to finish the race, so we have to be happy about that and now I have 14 days to improve the strength and power in my leg and go to Le Mans in a much better condition than I came here. My body and my mind are now more prepared for racing, so I am really looking forward to the next race.
"I want to say a big thank-you to all the team and to everyone that supported me during the last month. If I can make this effort to be here and finish this race, part of what I did was because all of them believed in me all the time. I also want to say a very Happy Mother's Day to all the Mums in Spain, especially my own!"
Paul Denning – Team Manager:
"Today is the same very positive story as the rest of the weekend. For Álvaro to complete race distance and at a far more competitive pace than we could have expected when we were in the hospital in Qatar six weeks ago, is just incredible! The race itself turned into a fitness test after he ran off the track because of Abraham's crash, but finally we also got a bit of luck as Álvaro was able to avoid all the carnage around him in the first lap as several other riders crashed.
"On behalf of the whole team, I'd like to thank everybody involved in Álvaro's recovery, both in Qatar and Spain. But the main plaudits have to go to Álvaro himself – his commitment to get back as quickly as he has done has been inspirational. Le Mans is the next step and when we arrive in Catalunya we will be pushing to the maximum again!"
bwin Grande Premio de Portugal Race Classification:
1. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 45'51.483: 2. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) +3.051: 3. Casey Stoner (Honda) +7.658: 4. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) +16.530: 5. Valentino Rossi (Ducati) +16.555: 13. ÁLVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1'24.370:
World Championship Classification:
1. Lorenzo 65: 2. Pedrosa 61: 3. Stoner 41: 4. Rossi 31: 5. Nicky Hayden (Ducati) 30: 18. ÁLVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) 3:
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