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Recap: 2013 Australian Formula One Grand Prix is all about the rubber [w/spoilers]

A pre-season full of talking points was swapped for a brand-new set of talking points after the running of the opening grand prix of the 2013 Formula One season. The consistency of the regulations from last year to this year and the triplicate dominance of Infiniti Red Bull Racing meant that no one would have been that surprised if the relative order of things remained the same. But teams found so many ways to switch things up that, in typical pre-season fashion, no one was ready to make any bets on in-season performance, and a couple of surprising players suffered the ignominy of getting it really wrong: McLaren knew it was in trouble from the very first test, while Williams drivers applauded their car as the best in years, only to have Pastor Maldonado call it "undriveable" on the very first day of practice in Melbourne.
And then there were those Pirellis, the Italian company talking up the fact that its super soft tires would only go off so quickly that it would force teams to pit at least twice during the race.
Even then, no one could have seen the first round of pit stops beginning on Lap 5.

Lotus Evora Sport 410 will come to North America this year

Just a year after debuting the 400-horsepower Evora 400, Lotus now reveals the Evora Sport 410, which sharpens the coupe even more. As the name suggests, power creeps up to 410 hp, but the more impressive change is the 154-pound drop in weight. Like the 400, the new model is even on the way to the US. "A specific North American version of the Evora Sport 410 will be announced later in 2016 along with the price," Alastair Florance, Lotus Group PR Manager, told Autoblog. We hope it's as light here as in the rest of the world. The Evora Sport 410's extra power and fewer pounds translate to improved performance. The run to 60 miles per hour now takes 3.9 seconds, versus 4.1 seconds for the Evora 400. The top speed remains the same at 186 mph. The latest model is also three seconds per lap faster around Lotus' Hethel test track compared to the 400. Lots of new carbon fiber parts are the key to the significant weight loss, which takes the coupe down to 2,921 pounds. The front splitter, roof, tailgate, rear diffuser, sport seats, and front access panel are now made from the lightweight material. Inside, there are single-piece door panels, which no longer have armrests or stowage pockets. Lotus plans to build 150 Evora Sport 410s a year, but it's not clear whether that figure includes the North American specific model. Prices in the UK start at the equivalent 79,900 pounds ($112,000 at current exchange rates). We don't yet know US numbers, but the Evora 400 sells for $89,900 here. You can assume a higher cost for this model's greater performance. Lightening strikes again: The Lotus Evora Sport 410 • 0-60 mph in 3.9 secs and a top speed of 186 mph • 70 kg slashed from the weight of the Evora 400 • Comprehensive carbon fibre package as standard • Increased power, reduced mass, sharper handling • Total production limited to one-hundred and fifty vehicles per year In a move that should surprise no one, Lotus has raised the bar once again by lightening the Evora in order to develop the sensational Evora Sport 410. Following on from the recently announced Elise Cup 250, and the Exige Sport 350, Lotus' famous Lightweight Laboratory has been hard at work cutting the weight of the Evora 400 by a massive 70kg. With a host of high-performance carbon fibre components as standard, and sharing the 410 hp supercharged engine with the track-bred 3-Eleven, the Lotus Evora Sport 410 clocks 0-60 in 3.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 186mph.

Renault considers fielding its own F1 team again

Renault has a long history in Formula One, but while it successfully ran its own team until 2010, these days it participates only as an engine supplier – and just to the two Red Bull teams. That could be changing in the near future, though, as the latest reports indicate that the French automaker is considering fielding its own team once again. According to Autosport, the company has ruled out starting its own team again from scratch, but it is weighing the possibility of buying an existing team. The last time it competed was when it took over the championship-winning Benetton team in 2002, building it back up to win back-to-back world titles in 2005 and 2006. It subsequently dropped in form until Renault sold the team in 2011 to Genii Capital, which has run it under the Lotus banner ever since. The Lotus team continued using Renault engines with limited success until this season when it switched to Mercedes. With Caterham now gone from the grid, that leaves Renault with only one customer: Red Bull, which runs both the Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso teams under Renault power. It's a situation in which the French company apparently doesn't particularly revel, leading it to consider buying a team again and running it in-house. Considering the difficulty the Lotus team it once owned has encountered lately, reacquiring its old operation could prove the most logical step for Renault, but of course that doesn't mean that's what it will ultimately do. It could continue strengthening ties with Red Bull until it acquires a large portion of it (or Toro Rosso) – something which Audi is said to be eying as well. Or it could look to another team altogether. Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and Williams may not be up for sale, but we could easily see Renault taking over cash-strapped Force India or Sauber, or even pouring its resources into getting Caterham or Manor/Marussia back up to speed and whipping it into winning form. News Source: AutosportImage Credit: Franck Robichon/AP/Pool Motorsports Lotus Renault F1