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New Zealand's Taupo circuit renamed after Bruce McLaren

New Zealand's most prominent racing circuit is being renamed after one of the country's most prominent racing drivers and constructors. That, of course, would be one Bruce McLaren, founder of the racing team and supercar manufacturer that bears his name, and an accomplished driver in his own right. Previously known as Taupo Motorsport Park (after the town where it's located), the Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park is the only circuit in New Zealand certified to FIA Grade 2. The complex started out as a shorter track of 0.87 miles, and was overhauled in 2006 to its current layout at the cost of over $8 million. It hosted A1GP races in 2007-09, and still brings in various touring car, GT, drifting, and superbike events. Current F1 driver and reigning Le Mans winner Nico Hulkenberg set the lap record around the circuit's 2.17 miles and 14 turns at 1:14.072 on his way to the checkered flag in 2007 A1GP race there and the championship title that season. The renaming of the circuit was undertaken with the blessing of Bruce's widow Patricia and daughter Amanda. Their late husband and father won four Formula One grands prix, the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968, and two Can-Am championships. And those are just his own personal achievements as a racing driver. The cars that bear his name have won 182 grands prix, eight F1 constructors' championships, and twelve drivers' championships, plus five consecutive Can-Am titles, three Indianapolis 500 victories, a Le Mans win in 1995, and a smattering of other accolades. Bruce McLaren sadly perished at the age of 32 in a Can-Am crash at Goodwood in 1970, but as you can plainly see, his name lives on as a veritable racing legend.

2015 Bahrain F1 Grand Prix puts a dark horse in the desert [spoilers]

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen had said after Malaysia that Ferrari can challenge Mercedes-AMG Petronas purely on pace, beyond the scope of tire wear, in the dry. We didn't see that in China, where Lewis Hamilton easily kept everyone behind and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel only got close to Mercedes' Nico Rosberg when Rosberg slowed down to conserve his tires. But the Iceman's words seemed prescient during qualifying for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. At the front, nothing has changed so far this year: four races, four pole positions for Lewis Hamilton. Instead of teammate Rosberg next to him, though, he'll look over to see the scarlet Ferrari of Vettel, who took advantage of Rosberg's cautiousness to snatch second place on the grid. In Q2, Rosberg tried to conserve the tires he'd start the race on and said he couldn't get into a groove in Q3, putting in a time 0.147 seconds slower than Vettel. The second Silver Arrows will share his row with the second Ferrari, Raikkonen – yet again – saying he might have left some time on the table during his hot lap but getting around just one tenth off Rosberg's time. Williams is established as the best of the rest behind two teams this year instead of just one last year, Valtteri Bottas claiming fifth ahead of Felipe Massa. Daniel Ricciardo of Infiniti Red Bull Racing said he wants to fight with the Williams', he'll be helped with a good start off the line for the first time this year. Nico Hulkenberg got Force India into Q3 for the first time since the Italian Grand Prix last year and into eighth on the grid, ahead of Carlos Sainz in the Toro Rosso and Romain Grosjean putting in another excellent day's work for Lotus. Come race time, it turned into Mercedes power against Ferrari strategy. When Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle talks about the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team he often mentions how their engine advantage leads to other advantages throughout the car. Not having to use aerodynamic changes to make up for power unit deficiencies, for instance, means they can run the aero setup they want, which optimizes speed and tire wear throughout a lap. It equates to advantage on top of advantage on top of advantage. That's where Lewis Hamilton is right now, so fundamentally dialed in to his car and his racing that he run the races he wants to run. From the front spot, the Brit ripped off another perfect start and led the field into Turn 1, relinquishing the lead only during pit stops.

McLaren-Honda drops the bling for stealth F1 livery

Watch a Formula One grand prix and you can instantly tell which are the McLarens, visible as they are from a mile away with their reflective chrome livery. But that's all about to change as the British team has dropped the chrome in favor of the more subdued livery you see here. Unveiled in time for this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, the new McLaren livery replaces the bling with a gray so dark that it borders on black. The red accents remain, albeit in a revised pattern. The new livery promises to be less reflective at sunset and flood-lit night races especially, while providing more of a visual break from the Mercedes era now that the team is powered once again by Honda. McLaren first adopted the silver and black livery in 1997 after Marlboro (with its white and red livery) left for Ferrari and the West tobacco brand was brought in instead. The team parted company with West after the ban on tobacco advertising in sports was instituted in Europe in 2005, inserted some red into the livery and replaced the flat silver with chrome. This weekend's race will mark the first time in a decade, then, that McLaren will be racing without the chrome. Featured Gallery 2015 McLaren-Honda MP4-30: Gray Livery News Source: McLaren via Facebook Motorsports Honda McLaren Racing Vehicles F1 livery mclaren-honda