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Porsche suspends ties with Maria Sharapova after drug test

Porsche has reportedly suspended ties with Maria Sharapova after the Russian tennis star failed a drug test. The German automaker stopped short of terminating its relationship with the athlete altogether as it awaits the results of a deeper investigation. The issue emerged at the Australian Open, where Sharapova reportedly tested positive for use of a drug called meldonium. Manufactured in Latvia and prescribed in many former Soviet Bloc countries, meldonium is used to treat heart conditions and improve cardiac circulation. It is not approved by the FDA for use in the United States, and the World Anti-Doping Agency added it to its list of prohibited substances at the start of this year. Sharapova admitted that she's been taking the medication for ten years now but that she did not keep up to date on the WADA's list. Since it is considered a prohibited substance, she's been excluded from participating in the Australian Open this year, and suspended from competition as of March 12. She was also scheduled to take part in the Porsche Grand Prix, a tennis event sponsored by the carmaker in Stuttgart next month which she will now apparently have to miss. One of the top-rated female tennis players in the world, Sharapova has served as a brand ambassador for Porsche since 2013. Other sponsors including TAG Heuer and Nike have also reportedly suspended their relationships with the athlete pending further investigation by the International Tennis Federation. Related Video:

Here's how to follow this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans

In the pantheon of motorsports, the 24 Hours of Le Mans stands as one of the great endurance challenges to man and machine. This year's event in France already looks to be one for the ages with Porsche setting record-breaking times in practice and the competition debut of Nissan's front-engine, hybrid racer. Thankfully, there's a massive list of ways to follow this automotive attraction. Reilly Brennan, the Executive Director of the Revs Automotive Research Program at Stanford University, and a friend of Autoblog, has once again assembled a helpful couch-kit to organize many of the options. Unfortunately, the old-school way of just turning on the television might be the most frustrating way to watch Le Mans this year. Fox Sports 1 and 2 are carrying about half the race, but the coverage bounces between them seemingly at random. The broadcast begins on Fox Sports 2 at 8:30 AM Eastern ahead of the 9:00 AM start and lasts there until 12:00 PM. Things don't pick up again until 7:00 PM Eastern on Fox Sports 1 for an hour, and the channels swap back and forth more from there. The Fox Sports Go streaming app offers more, but even it stops showing the race a few times. Thankfully, streaming Le Mans is easy. If you can't dedicate 24-hours on the couch, Radio Le Mans lets you listen to audio commentary anywhere with some of the best announcers in the biz. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, the governing body for the race, also offers an official video stream in an app for $9.99. For a really low-tech solution, the official Twitter is another choice. Brennan is keeping his list updated with coverage changes. You can also check out and download the spotter's guide (from Nissan) in the gallery above. Enjoy this year's race. If you miss anything, don't worry; expect a full report from Autoblog. In fact, editor-in-chief Mike Austin is attending Le Mans this year, so follow him on Twitter for on-the-fly impressions. Featured Gallery 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans Spotter's Guide News Source: Reilly BrennanImage Credit: Nissan Motorsports Audi Nissan Porsche Toyota Hybrid Racing Vehicles

40+ cars that barely avoid the gas guzzler tax

The Gas Guzzler schedule, with mpg ratings and charges that haven't changed since 1991, lays out which fuel-swillers owe what to Uncle Sam.
I started thinking about the "Gas Guzzler Tax" - considerably less well known as The Energy Tax Act of 1978 - when I was driving Dodge's new Challenger SRT Hellcat last week. Unsurprisingly for a car that can burn 1.5 gallons of gas per minute at max tilt, theoretically able to empty a full tank of premium in about 13 minutes, the Hellcat will be subject to the Gas Guzzler Tax schedule when it goes on sale.