Drive Wire: November 17, 2015
Red Bull returns to F1, VWs keep selling, Nürburgring upgrades, a 4K action cam, and epic wakeboarding.
Hey guys, it’s Christina Thompson and this is Drive Wire for Tuesday, November 17.
In Formula One news, Red Bull will be back for the 2016 season after all. The team filed its entry with the FIA over the weekend, though it still doesn’t have a firm engine supplier for next year. Red Bull has been in discussion with a variety of suppliers, and word is they’re sticking with Renault for now. But the important thing is, they’re racing. Good to see one of motorsport’s heavy hitters isn’t going to bow out.
More Dieselgate news and it’s not all bad for Volkswagen this time around. Even with the diesel cheating scandal chugging along, dealers still can’t keep gas-powered VWs on the lot. Now, a shortage of sales-stock isn’t normally good news, and VW is offering heavy incentives. But this speaks well for VW brand loyalty. The automaker needs all the goodwill it can find, especially since reports claim the company is seeking $21.5 billion in short-term financing to get through the emissions crisis.
On the German speed front, the Nürburgring is getting some improvements … and getting rid of its speed limits! Certain sections of the ring were speed-limited after a tragic accident last March, when a spectator was killed during an endurance race near the Flugplatz section of the track. Now, after installing and upgrading fences, redrawing spectator areas, and smoothing out a few sections of pavement, there will once again be flat-out racing around the ring. And it will be a much safer track. The definition of a win-win.
Looking at gadgets, if you’re serious about shooting action video, the Typhoon Action Cam looks like a must-have. It’s a handheld camera that lets’ you shoot stabilized video in 4K, all about the price of a GoPro and its goodies. If handhelds aren’t your style, feel free to hook this bad boy up to your drone and give Michael Bay a run for his money.
Turning to today’s ridiculous video – if you’ve ever watched wakeboarding before, you know what’s usually involved – a boat. Not this time. Check out the excellently-named Aidan Gunningham as he tears through aquatic terrain park. This talented wakeboarder is definitely someone to keep an eye out for in future competitions.
That’s it for today’s edition of Drive Wire. For more, be sure to come back to thedrive.com, and follow us @thedrive on all your favorite social media platforms.
