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Ferrari 812 Superfast: It looks like it sounds

Ferrari has been on a roll with its recent mid-cycle refreshes. Last year at the Geneva Motor Show, the prancing horse brand unveiled the significantly updated replacement for the FF and named it the GTC4 Lusso, reviving a name last used on the 1971-72 365 GTC4. Now, at this year's Geneva show, the Maranellites lifted the silk on a revised version of their omnipotent F12 Berlinetta and rechristened it the 812 Superfast, utilizing a suffixed moniker that originated in a proto-muscle car Enzo concocted back in 1957 when he stuffed a big V12 into a car originally meant for a smaller one and baptized it the 4.9 Superfast. At least the capitalization and compound wording in this honorific finally makes sense, giving respite to the Spell Check programs worldwide. "The name Superfast belongs to the Ferrari history," says Flavio Manzoni, head of the Ferrari Design Center. "When we finish a project, we always create a list of names and this one just seemed to fit." Ferraris have always, or almost always, been lovely objects to behold, but it still amazes us that a brand that so often nails its design language the first time around finds means and actualization for improvement when it comes time to spruce things up. We were obsessed with the appearance of the first FF, but the heart-stopping GTC4 Lusso wiped our memory of that hatchback like some process out of a Philip K. Dick story. Similarly, this 812 Superfast obviates our Total Recall of its predecessor, and not just because the slightly larger naturally-aspirated V12 in its aquiline front makes nearly 60 more horsepower. The design is less encumbered that of the F12, with smoother flow, fewer disruptive channels and voids, and additional streamlining that give the new car a more balanced profile and proportion. A thicker, and more sailing C-pillar in the back also raises the tail, providing an elegant and functional (Super)fastback design that echoes famed Ferraris of yore. "Compared to its predecessor, we have made huge steps in performance, so it is necessary to develop very strong aerodynamic solutions or the car wouldn't reach our objectives," says Manzoni. "The rear reminds us of the Daytona, not because of the shape but because of the form. The cut volume at the tail is typical of many Ferraris of the Sixties, like the 250 Lusso, the 275 GTB4, the 288 GTO.

F1 Race recap: 2016 Russian Grand Prix same as it ever was

The three-year-old Sochi Autodrom that hosts the Russian Grand Prix combines beautiful scenery with a hallmark turn 3, a tricky turn 13, and two long DRS zones. So far, however, those haven't added up to exciting races after the first lap. Despite an in-race issue with his car's MGU-K, Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver Nico Rosberg aced the weekend with his first career grand slam: pole position, fastest lap of the race, leading every lap, and victory. Behind him, not much happened on the leaderboard after an incident-filled opening lap. The drama started at turns 2 and 3. Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel lined up in seventh on the grid because of a five-place gearbox penalty, Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat sat next to him in eighth. Kvyat hit the back of Vettel's Ferrari in the braking zone for Turn 2, shoving Vettel into Daniel Ricciardo – Kvyat's teammate. Kyvat then clobbered the back of Vettel's car at the entry to Turn 3, spinning the German into the wall and out of the race. Kvyat probably regrets saying before the race that he would show Vettel "no mercy" on the first lap. At the back of the grid at Turn 2, Haas F1's Esteban Gutierrez hit Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and Manor's Rio Haryanto. Gutierrez continued, both the Force India and the Manor retired. A brief Virtual Safety Car period ensued, then the actual Safety Car emerged for three laps while marshals cleaned up the track. Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver Nico Rosberg nailed the restart and took off for the rest of the race. Teammate Lewis Hamilton battled his own gremlins all weekend but still finished second, 25 seconds behind Rosberg. During the final qualifying session on Saturday Hamilton's car suffered the same MGU-H failure as in China two weeks ago. The problem relegated him to tenth on the grid. In the race, Hamilton fought his way to second place by Lap 19 out of 53 laps and began closing the 13-second gap to Rosberg. On Lap 37, the gap now under eight seconds, Mercedes told Hamilton his car had a water pressure issue. The malfunction forced the Briton to manage his race and settle for second. Afterward, Hamilton said he was certain he could have won if not for the malfunction. The rest of the top ten barely changed throughout the contest. The first five positions on Lap 21 crossed the finish line in that order 32 laps later. Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen took the final podium position ahead of the Williams duo of Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa.

Race recap: 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is Germany rising as sun sets

Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver Nico Rosberg Rosberg doesn't attribute anything mystical to the form that got him ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. He said simply, "Before it was close in the other direction, now it's close in this direction." Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda went further, saying Rosberg's "brain has switched." Under the desert spotlights it switched so far ahead that Lewis Hamilton qualified nearly four tenths behind the German. Kimi Raikkonen flew the scarlet for Ferrari in third position. Being three spots ahead of Valtteri Bottas gave Raikkonen a huge advantage in locking up fourth position in the driver's championship. Even if he doesn't care about it, as he's publicly stated, Ferrari probably does. Teammate Sebastian Vettel was classified 16th after the German slowed down after making a mistake on his final hot lap, and neither he nor his engineer realized how quickly times were falling on a cooling track. He'd be promoted to 15th when Lotus driver Romain Grosjean was penalized for a gearbox change. Sergio Perez knocked it out of the park for Sahara Force India, claiming fourth ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in fifth for Infiniti Red Bull Racing. Williams driver Bottas was in sixth, in front of the second Force India of Nico Hulkenberg and the second Williams of Felipe Massa in eighth. Daniil Kvyat ensured both Red Bulls were in the top 10 with his ninth position, and Carlos Sainz got the upper hand in qualifying over his Toro Rosso teammate Max Verstappen for the final time this year, rounding out the top 10. Beyond Nico Rosberg's mind, one of his weaknesses was his slow starts. Those are stronger, too, the German tearing off away from the field when the lights went out. Hamilton bogged enough to have to defend from Perez behind, the Mexican trying to slide between Hamilton and Raikkonen on the run to the first corner. Rosberg held the lead into Turn 1 and likewise held it through Turn 21 on the last lap of the race, only ceding it during pit stops. Rosberg's 14th victory gets him level with Graham Hill on the wins list – on the anniversary of Hill's death in a plane crash – and marks the first time in his 10-year F1 career that he's won three races in a row. More proof of his strength: the last few races we haven't heard Rosberg ask for regular updates about what Hamilton's doing, he just drives. Hamilton gave it his best but that wasn't enough.