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Race Recap: Belgian Grand Prix is new skirmishes, same war [spoilers]

It's been four weeks since we last saw a Formula One race, when Lewis Hamilton improbably put his Mercedes-AMG Petronas in P1 in Hungary. Even more improbably, he held onto the first spot at the finish of the race, ahead of Kimi Räikkönen in the Lotus and Sebastian Vettel in the Infiniti Red Bull.
Resuming the season at Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps circuit this weekend, Hamilton picked up his recent - and just as improbable - pole-setting form by putting the Mercedes in P1 for the fourth time in a row. The effort came during a qualifying session visited by intermittent rains and dry spells, his 54th trip to the front of the pack, tying Niki Lauda.
But neither the fireworks and surprises, the mid-field full of backmarkers, nor the tire strategies and timing choices changed the mission for the drivers in with a chance at the title: finish in front of Vettel.

EV West launches monthly EV Show, starts with electric Ferrari project

The folks over at the EV West conversion shop are no strangers to video cameras, having put up a fair amount of footage on their YouTube channel over the years. Now though, they've decided to make their appearance on the web a more regular affair with the debut of the monthly EV Show. It aims, they say, to bring viewers the latest news in the electric vehicle industry, product information and a look at some of the projects they're working on. The outfit has had a hand in building and converting some notable vehicles in the past, but to kick off the new program, it's engaged in something special: the (re)making of an electric 1978 308 GTS Ferrari – a model made famous by its role in the Magnum P.I. television series. This particular vehicle had fallen victim to a fuel fire, though enough of the original non-necessary bits were in good enough condition to be sold off to help pay for part of the electro-restomod. After stripping the entire vehicle down, the build up will begin, and the components planned to bring this baby back to life are very interesting in their own right. For instance, the battery. Though the show hosts cagily don't mention the source of the pack, it's pretty clear it will be made of modules originally housed in a vehicle sporting a Tesla drivetrain (we suspect the 2nd-generation Smart ED.) The power will flow from these mystery batteries through a Rinehart controller and then on to a trio of chrome-plated, powder coated AC-51 motors from Hi Performance Electric Vehicle Systems housed in a custom bracket. The resulting configuration should be good for about 216 kW (290 horsepower) and 340 pound-feet of torque. You can keep up with this project and the many others the conversion shop has on the go by following them on Twitter and Facebook. The Ferrari project also has its own Instagram account. But first, check out the first episode of the EV Show by scrolling below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: YouTube Green Ferrari Green Culture Electric ev west electric ferrari

2015 Ferrari 458 Italia to go turbo?

Forced induction has definitely hit trend status when it comes to performance cars. Whether it's the supercharged Hellcat V8 in the Dodge Challenger SRT, the latest twin-turbocharged M3/M4 or even the entry-level speed of the Ford Fiesta ST, if you want the fastest car in any given segment, in all likelihood it has a turbo or supercharger. Even Ferrari hasn't avoided the bandwagon with the latest iteration of the California that replaces the original 4.3-liter V8 with a 3.9-liter turbo V8 offering 552 horsepower for more power and better fuel economy. If recent rumors prove true, it might not be the only Prancing Horse to use this engine for long.
According to Car in the UK, Ferrari is planning to boost the 3.9-liter V8 up to around 670 hp and place it in a refreshed 458 Italia in 2015. If true, that is an astounding increase over the version from the latest California and a roughly 70-hp improvement over the current 458 Speciale.
The extra power would come with a serious challenge of how to maintain the 458's delicious exhaust note. Turbocharged engines are often quieter than their naturally aspirated counterparts, modern Formula One cars serving as a prime example. The California may get a pass because it's more of a GT, but the 458 is the brand's bread-and-butter sports car. It needs to sound like a proper Ferrari V8. However, Car claims Maranello is a step ahead and has a complicated exhaust layout - as is the case with the California T, we might add - ready to keep much of the characteristic yelp in tact.