• Christmas Presents, Good, Bad and unlikely to receive
• GR Yaris (Again! Yes, we do like it!!)
• How Brexit will effect our access to mainland Europe’s roads
• Our “Cars of 2020”
• What we’re looking forward to in 2021

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Useful Links:

• Bridges Vehicle Recycling – http://gwbridges.co.uk/
• UK Government – Insurance and driving abroad – https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/driving-abroad
• Adrian Chiles – “Living British” on BBC Sounds – https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000q9g6
• Petrol Passion – https://petrolpassion.eu/
• Car Phoney on Ebay US – https://ebay.us/SwUq8I

Visit Strictly Vintage Auto‘s Ebay Shop for more

The post Podcast – Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas 2020 first appeared on UKMotorTalk.

• The many highs and low of Bahrain’s two F1 races including the Perez win, the Russell ‘what might have been’, the Grosjean ‘thankfully it wasn’t’, and Lewis’ absence.
• The GR Yaris
• Driving in Europe from 2021. No, we don’t have the answers… Yet!

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The post Podcast – Bad Luck George, Well Done Checo, Romain Relief, and the GR Yaris first appeared on UKMotorTalk.

Within moments of the start, Romain Grosjean’s Haas crossed the pack from left to right, was clipped by Kvyat’s AlphaTauri and speared off the track and into the barrier on the right at undiminished speed.

Within an instant the car was a raging inferno, the total fuel load exploding in a massive fireball.

Everyone watching, both in Bahrain and those of us at home watching live on the television, held their breath. It was hard to think in the shock of the moment that anyone could survive such an intense crash and fire.

Around 20 seconds later, a collective sigh of relief was heard as Romain had found a way out of the shattered car and was being lifted over the barrier and helped away by the doctor and the medical car driver, aided by the fire marshals forcing back the flames and dousing their smouldering race suits with extinguishers, all of whom arrived on the scene almost immediately.

As the fire was brought under control it became apparent that the car had split in half. The ‘front’ half including the safety cell with the all important ‘Halo’ roll cage had pierced the Armco barrier, separating the horizontal layers and coming to rest on its side halfway through. The remaining ‘rear’ of the car, was still alight on the trackside, debris scattered far and wide.

The ‘flight or fight’ adrenalin rush is a powerful force within all of us, but it takes a rare human being to survive a 137mph, 53 g impact with the presence of mind to get out of the harness, to assess the means of escape, and get out of a massive fire in under 20 seconds.

Doubtless the actions of those few moments saved Romain Grosjean’s life. They allowed him to literally walk away with only minor burns to his hands.

Those few seconds tested not only the integrity of the car, but neared the design limits of all of the safety equipment, the helmet, suit, boots and gloves. It had got so hot that even the visor of his helmet had started to melt.

Only introduced in F1 in 2018, the Halo device very clearly protected Romain from a very nasty impact with the barrier. Its titanium and carbon fibre structure easily exceeded its stated 50 g design limit.

It now seems slightly bizarre that, prior to its introduction by the FIA, many of the drivers, Romain included, were against the halo. They thought that it would diminish the show, the ‘open wheel open cockpit’ show. Judging by the looks on drivers’ faces as they crowded into the pitlane to await the restart, there are no doubters now.

A full and thorough investigation has already commenced and doubtless more safety features and procedures will come from it, but for now we salute the bravery of the doctor, the medical car driver and the marshals who excelled in every way.

We’re very very glad that the sport we love has not claimed another victim. Motor Sport IS dangerous …. it says so on every ticket.

Graham Benge

The post Fireball in Bahrain first appeared on UKMotorTalk.

• Road Safety Week
• Lewis Hamilton becomes a 7 times Champion
• Getting trapped in the car sales site’s web
• Electric Cars again!
• Taking the leap for that “Dream Car”
• An update on Mike’s SEAT Ateca

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Delorean Image by Dave Tavres from Pixabay

Useful Websites:

Road Safety Week – https://www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/

Peugeot 205 GTi – https://laventurepeugeotcitroends.fr/

Jankel – “Vehicle and Occupant Protection Systems” – https://jankel.com/

Bring a Trailer – https://bringatrailer.com/

cars & bids – https://carsandbids.com/

Collecting Cars – https://collectingcars.com/

SAS Range Rover on eBay – https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAS-22nd-SPECIAL-AIR-SERVICE-REGIMENT-Range-Rover-Classic/233314936376

The post Podcast – Congrats to Lewis, Road Safety Week, and the Car Sales Web of Temptation first appeared on UKMotorTalk.

We also look at the Italian Grand Prix and (spoiler alert!) congratulate Pierre Gasly on an unusual win.

Also on the podcast today, F1 associated road cars, what is the future of motor sport (including Lewis Hamilton’s new ‘Extreme E’ team, X44), and we look forward to hearing more about the Maserati MC20 which has just been revealed.

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A bit more about Lewis Hamilton’s X44 team and Extreme E.

A few of the people we’ve interviewed over the years….:

… @ Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018

… @ Goodwood Festival of Speed 2012

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Pierre Gasly – Red Bull Racing Reserve Driver

Ken Block – Rally driver, Motocross driver, stunt driver, and, er, chauffeur…?

Tim Harvey – Touring Car legend!

John Rhodes and Steve Neal on racing Minis

Stirling Moss in his own words

Paul Stewart – Alzheimer's Research UK

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Photo: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

The post Podcast – A fond farewell to Frank and Claire, congrats to Pierre, and racing of the future first appeared on UKMotorTalk.

Also on the agenda are the sale of Williams, the death of Mitsubishi in the UK, and even more tech in YOUR car.

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The post Podcast – The sale of Williams, the T50 from Gordon Murray, and even more tech your car MUST have! first appeared on UKMotorTalk.

We also catch up with Mike’s ongoing car buying issues, and discuss some of the tech we can’t live without, and some we can (quite easily)!

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Photo by Andrew Boyers / Pool via Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

The post Podcast – The Two Weekends of Silverstone first appeared on UKMotorTalk.

Also in the news, another Classics for Carers ( https://www.classicsforcarers.com/ ) event, the results of the Bonhams Blue Auction, the opportunity to get some refunds from your car insurance, and Robert Kubica’s odd comments about Lewis Hamilton.

We also mark the 50th Anniversary of the death of Bruce McLaren, and look forward to the possibilities of road trips, rallies, and overland journeys when international restrictions are lifted. With a whole world to choose from, where would you like to go? We look to Bespoke Rallies ( https://www.bespokerallies.com/ ) and Overland Site ( https://overlandsite.com/ ) for ideas and tips.

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02062020 Amanda McLaren with Bruce McLaren statuea

02062020 Bruce McLaren commemorationa

02062020 Bruce McLaren statue 01a

02062020 Bruce McLaren statue 02a

1966 Monaco Bruce McLaren McLaren M2B Ford

1968 Race of Champions.

Formula One World Championship

Bruce McLaren with daughter Amanda at the Muriwai House, Walton on Thames UK in 1969

McLaren M8D

Photo: Matthias Heschl/Red Bull Content Pool

The post Podcast – The Return of “Real” Motorsport and the Joy of Rallies first appeared on UKMotorTalk.

• Morgan’s 70th Anniversary Plus 4
• The constant activity of an F1 engineer’s mind – including an archive interview with Adrian Newey
• Keeping your car usable, even if you’re not using it
• And the first in a new series of “The Makes That Time Forgot” starts with Borgward

Follow the UKMotorTalk Podcast at http://feeds.feedburner.com/ukmotortalk

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Forecourt Fixes - Introduction

Forecourt Fixes - Under The Bonnet - How complicated is it really?

Forecourt Fixes - Maintenance Safety

Forecourt Fixes - Looking After Your Tyres - Checking pressures, tread and condition

Forecourt Fixes - Using Emergency Puncture Repair / Tyre Inflators

Forecourt Fixes - Filling the Windscreen Washer bottle

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The post Podcast – Stay At Home and Service Your Car! first appeared on UKMotorTalk.

Topics naturally include:

• Buying used cars in the current climate
• How will big names in the motor industry will cope with shut downs?
• How many of the events on our calendars a week ago will happen in 2020?
• When will the F1 2020 season start?

Don’t forget to subscribe to the UKMotorTalk podcast feed to not miss a thing….
http://feeds.feedburner.com/ukmotortalk

The post Podcast – A view of the world from a chair in the sun first appeared on UKMotorTalk.