DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is the first-ever hybrid Corvette
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Exactly 70 years after the very first Chevrolet Corvette was unveiled in January, 1953, General Motors revealed the first Corvette with an electric motor on Tuesday. The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is 3.6 inches wider than the base model. General MotorsUnlike some other high-performance hybrid cars, the Corvette E-ray is not a plug-in hybrid. A button inside the cabin of the Corvette E-Ray changes how the car’s electric motor is used. While fuel economy is secondary to performance in the Corvette E-Ray, it is expected to be more efficient than other Corvette models.

☆ Why some cars from the 1990s are soaring in value
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Not that long ago, cars from the 1990s were just used cars. In addition to insuring collectible cars, Hagerty also owns the auction company Broad Arrow. Values for 1990s-era collectible cars have risen by an average of 78% over the past three years, “which is huge,” Rabold said. Cars from the ’90s have at least some modern comfort and safety features, and even relatively inexpensive cars can have respectable power and performance. We’re talking about “collectible” cars.

☆ Andretti's Dennis dominates Formula E's first Gen3 race
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MEXICO CITY, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Britain's Jake Dennis won the first race of electric Formula E's Gen3 era on Saturday with a dominant drive for the Porsche-powered Avalanche Andretti team in Mexico City. The race had three safety car periods and Dennis also set the fastest lap. "To win by that margin, start on the front row and get Porsche a one-two is absolutely incredible," said the Briton. "It was such a physical race, these cars are so hard to drive physically and with the lower grip as well it just makes everything so challenging. Abt's Dutch driver Robon Frijns suffered a broken left wrist after a first lap impact and will have surgery in Mexico, his team said.

☆ Larson to attempt Indy 500 and NASCAR 600 double in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 12 (Reuters) - Kyle Larson will attempt the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 double next year after announcing on Thursday he would join Arrow McLaren Racing for a one-off run at the famed Brickyard. Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, will become the first driver to attempt the double since Kurt Busch raced in both events in 2014. Only four drivers have attempted the double of racing in Indy 500 in Indianapolis and flying to Charlotte, North Carolina to jump in a car and run the Coca-Cola 600 later that same day. While Rick Hendrick's stock car teams have won a record 291 Cup Series races, the Indy 500 will mark Hendrick Motorsports first IndyCar series event. McLaren have routinely added notable names to their driver lineup for the Indy 500, including twice Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso.

☆ McLaren, Space Coupe, Presidential Convertible: Our 10 Favorite My Ride Cars of 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( A.J. Baime | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The WSJ’s weekly My Ride column has for nearly a decade profiled interesting people who have a surprising story about a motorized vehicle. With a new year arriving, we look back at some of the most memorable stories of 2022. She never intended to own a Chevrolet Corvair this awesomeDuring the pandemic, Citlalli “Lolly” Gonzalez decided to try to achieve the goal of owning a classic car. She bought this 1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza for just $5,000. For her My Ride photos, she re-created that vision.

☆ Vivienne Westwood, Britain's provocative dame of fashion, dead at 81
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/4] Designer Vivienne Westwood poses for a portrait before her catwalk show at London Fashion Week Men's in London, Britain June 12, 2017. "Vivienne Westwood died today, peacefully and surrounded by her family, in Clapham, South London. Instantly recognisable with her orange or white hair, Westwood first made a name for herself in punk fashion in 1970s London, dressing the punk rock band that defined the genre. Westwood used her public profile to champion issues including nuclear disarmament and to protest against anti-terrorism laws and government spending policies that hit the poor. "I've used fashion to challenge the status quo."

☆ Why McLaren Racing's CEO banned 'ASAP' from his vocabulary
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Failing to do so can lead to miscommunication, says McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown. "I live by briefs and sometimes get multiple briefs," Brown told CNBC's Make It. "If they aren't dated, you end up looking at two documents and you're not sure which one's the current ones." "Never use the term ASAP – that leads to miscommunication. There is no such thing as ASAP," Brown said.

☆ Apple employees remain split on decision to fire exec who joked about fondling 'big-breasted women' in viral TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Apple staffers appear to have mixed reactions to the firing of former executive, Tony Blevins. The tech giant terminated Blevins in response to brash comments he made in a viral TikTok. While some staffers were surprised by his termination, others told the Journal the decision was important to enforce inclusion and prevent discrimination at Apple. "We all know the old adage 'loose lips sink ships,'" Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Texas, told Insider in September. After he was fired, company executives still planned a going-away party for him — a move Blevins told the Journal he felt was "hypocritical" after firing him.

☆ Apple exec fired after being caught on video joking about 'fondling big-breasted women' says he stayed up all night trying to get the TikTok down before it went viral
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Former Apple exec Tony Blevins said he spent all night trying to get rid of a TikTok in which he made a crude joke. Apple fired Blevins over the video in September, after he'd been with the company for 22 years. The tech company, he said, reached out at 1:30 a.m. about the video, insisting he get it taken down immediately. "It was 22 years dissolved in about 25 seconds," Blevins told The Journal. The TikTok video was posted by a TikTok creator known as Daniel Mac as part of a series where he asks people with expensive cars what they do for a living.

☆ Peter Thiel thinks Elon Musk is a ‘fraud,’ and 6 other unexpected details about the billionaires' love-hate relationship
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Thiel and his allies conspired against Musk and replaced him as PayPal CEO while Musk was on his honeymoon. In a new biography, Max Chafkin shares surprising details about Thiel and Musk's relationship, through all of its ups and downs. Here are seven surprising details about Musk and Thiel that provide a glimpse into their long and often-fraught relationship. A source who spoke to both men said that Musk thinks Thiel is "a sociopath," and Thiel considers Musk "a fraud." Musk and Thiel, while longtime collaborators, are fundamentally opposites: Musk is considered an outgoing, eccentric risk-taker, and Thiel is known as a cautious introvert.

☆ Wall Street mistakenly overlooking Salesforce's solid quarter by focusing too much on co-CEO exit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Sure, cRPO (current remaining performance obligation) was a little light and the fiscal fourth quarter revenue guide midpoint missed by a hair (some conservatism probably due to the uncertain macro environment). Companywide results Breaking down quarterly subscription and support revenue results by cloud: Sales cloud revenue increased 17% in constant currency to $1.7 billion. Service cloud revenue increased 16% in constant currency to $1.9 billion. Platform and other (including Slack, which Salesforce acquired on July 21, 2021) revenue increased 22% in constant currency to $1.5 billion. Guidance For their fiscal fourth quarter, Salesforce management sees revenues increasing 8% to 10% year over year to $7.93 billion to $8.03 billion.

☆ 'You're going to come back', Hamilton tells retiring Vettel
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Abhishek Takle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ABU DHABI, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton said on Thursday that he expected his old rival Sebastian Vettel to make a Formula One comeback. The 35-year-old four-times champion is bowing out of the sport after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday but Hamilton believes the 53-time grand prix race winner will find the lure of F1 hard to resist. "Obviously after the change from Ferrari to Aston Martin at that time it was the first time I really thought it might be the time to stop...," he added. Vettel jokingly suggested he could agree some sort of a swap with Hamilton, who turns 38 in January but is keen on extending his Mercedes deal. "We can make a deal ... when you want to get away, maybe then (I want to come back)," he said.

☆ Red Bull driver rift adds spice to Abu Dhabi finale
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Abhishek Takle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Red Bull rift could bring fresh drama to Yas Marina, the circuit where last year Verstappen won his first title and denied Lewis Hamilton a record eighth in a massively controversial clash. read moreVerstappen has little at stake this time, having wrapped up his second title in Japan last month, but can expect a grilling from the world's media after leaving his motives a mystery at Interlagos. read morePerez acidly accused Verstappen of showing "who he really is" in refusing to hand back a place as requested by Red Bull who want the Mexican to end the season second overall. "I am sure that this race will bring back plenty of happy memories from the last 15 years," said the 35-year-old. The German could join them on the sidelines with Haas widely tipped to announce Nico Hulkenberg alongside Kevin Magnussen for next season.

The analysis by Canadian researchers, published Tuesday in Radiology, compared the chest scans of marijuana smokers and tobacco-only smokers who were matched according to age. Unlike cigarettes, joints aren’t filtered, and marijuana smokers inhale more deeply and longer than cigarette smokers do. The marijuana smokers were identified by a search through the Ottawa Hospital records, using the terms “marijuana” and “cannabis.” Then Revah and her colleagues determined which of the marijuana smokers had had the chest scan. They then searched for nonsmokers and the cigarette smokers who had received chest scans to compare to the marijuana smokers. The marijuana smokers were ages 20 to 73, the nonsmokers were ages 19 to 75, and the tobacco-only smokers were ages 50 to 71.

☆ George Russell wins maiden Grand Prix after collision-ridden race in Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —George Russell won his maiden Grand Prix on Sunday after a collision-ridden race in Brazil. With one race left on the 2022 calendar, Russell moves up to fourth in the driver’s standings, a place ahead of eight-time world champion and teammate Hamilton. Russell celebrates after winning the Sao Paolo Grand Prix. Verstappen and Hamilton collide during the Sao Paolo Grand Prix. Even with a late safety car bunching the pack up, Russell was faster than his more experienced teammate Hamilton, racing home for his first ever Grand Prix victory.

☆ Alpine and McLaren agree a settlement on Piastri
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAO PAULO, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Australian Oscar Piastri will drive for McLaren in Formula One's Abu Dhabi post-season test after the team reached an agreement with Renault-owned Alpine to release him, both sides said on Saturday. French driver Pierre Gasly will also be freed by Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri to test with Alpine, the team he is joining for 2023. McLaren announced in September that 21-year-old Piastri, Alpine's reserve this year, had signed for 2023 as a replacement for compatriot Daniel Ricciardo after winning a contract dispute. He said Piastri would start working officially with McLaren on Nov. 21 and test the current car at Yas Marina. Seidl said getting Piastri in the car for the Abu Dhabi test was important.

☆ Perez fastest in Sao Paulo GP practice
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Gabriel Araujo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAO PAULO, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Red Bull's Sergio Perez lapped fastest in first free practice for the Sao Paulo Formula One Grand Prix at Interlagos on Friday with the top three drivers separated by just 0.008 of a second. Double world champion Max Verstappen, Perez's team mate, was a further 0.004 adrift. Red Bull are chasing their 10th win in a row this weekend while Verstappen is seeking a record-extending 15th win of the season. Four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel, heading for retirement after the final race in Abu Dhabi, lapped seventh fastest for Aston Martin and fellow-German Mick Schumacher was eighth for Haas. McLaren's Lando Norris, who cancelled his media engagements due to suspected food poisoning on Thursday, took part in the session and was 15th fastest.

☆ Magnussen's stunning pole is soup for Steiner
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Alan Baldwin | Rory Carroll | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nov 11 (Reuters) - Haas team boss Guenther Steiner savoured a rare moment of success as his Formula One backmarkers pulled off an astonishing first pole position with Kevin Magnussen at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Friday. "When it rains soup, you need to have a spoon ready," the Italian told Sky Sports television. Last year, with Schumacher and Magnussen's now-departed Russian predecessor Nikita Mazepin, Haas failed to score a point all season and ended last. "You will always have nay-sayers but welcome to our pole position, nay-sayers," said Steiner in response to those who questioned what his men could achieve. It was starting to rain so that was the crucial part today, just getting that best track for me.

☆ Magnussen takes stunning first F1 pole for Haas in Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Gabriel Araujo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NO KIDDING"You're kidding," Magnussen had said over the team radio when told he was fastest as the red flags were waved. Saturday will be the third such race of the season, with Verstappen winning the two previous ones at Imola and in Austria. Seven-times world champion Hamilton suffered as a result of his team mate's spin and will start the sprint from eighth place. "I will speak to the team and understand what we can do better in those conditions," he said. "I accepted the decision to go on the inters and then I waited for the rain that never came."

☆ Las Vegas Grand Prix tickets sell out despite $2,000 seats
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Even a standing ticket at the night time spectacle, past the Las Vegas Strip’s famous landmarks, hotels and casinos, won’t come cheap, with three-day access coming in at a hefty price tag of $500. Despite the cost, those tickets have already sold out, but more packages will be released in the coming months, according to F1. Meanwhile, four days in VIP hospitality is advertised at $10,000, with potential fans encouraged to inquire about availability. Tickets to the night time spectacle have already sold out, with more to be released, according to F1. Next year’s Vegas GP is the third US location on the scheduled calendar alongside Miami and Austin, marking F1’s continued expansion in the US.

☆ Verstappen on pole in Mexico and chasing F1 record
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Janina Nuno Rios | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary Verstappen on pole in Mexico CityRed Bull driver can take record 14th win of the seasonMercedes have Russell and Hamilton second and thirdHome favourite Perez qualified fourthMEXICO CITY, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen swept to pole position at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Saturday with his sights set on a record 14th victory of the season. "It was a close one," said Verstappen, who was 0.304 faster than Russell. The driver on pole has not won since 2016 and Hamilton won from third in 2019. Lando Norris will line up eighth for McLaren with Alpine's Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon completing the top 10. Writing by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Clare Fallon and Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The electric Pininfarina Battista costs a whopping $2 million. Here’s what that gets you
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

If anyone still needs convincing that electric cars need not be boring appliances, the Battista is a convincing, if costly, argument. Electric power promises more acceleration and power without tailpipe emissions and, for better or worse, without the cacophony of a V12. But Lamborghini’s current CEO, Stephan Winkelmann, has said that a proper electric supercar isn’t possible with today’s technology. The Pininfarina Battista puts his skepticism to the test, but, I fear, Winkelmann may just be right. The Pininfarina Battista has a $2.2 million price tag and outrageous performance Andi HedrickThe fully electric Battista was designed and assembled by a company spun off from the better-known Pininfarina design firm that crafted bodies for decades’ worth of beautiful Ferraris.

☆ Audi F1 deal marks a big step up for Swiss-based Sauber
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Sauber's transformation into the Audi works Formula One team from 2026, announced on Wednesday, is a big step up for the Swiss-based outfit who now have a real possibility of returning to the top of the podium. Audi will build the engines in Bavaria and that is familiar territory for Sauber, who entered Formula One in 1993 and whose last stint as a proper works team was with BMW between 2006-2010. "The partnership between Audi AG and Sauber Motorsport is a key step for our team as we continue to make progress towards the front of the grid," said Sauber Motorsport CEO and team principal Frederic Vasseur. Adam Baker, who is now chief executive of Audi's Formula One project, was a race team engineer at BMW Sauber where in 2007 he also became head of the race and test team for the BMW F1 Powertrain. Then, as now, Sauber offered the attractive prospect of a ready made team without the hassle and expense of starting from scratch.

☆ Verstappen wins U.S. GP as Red Bull take constructors' crown
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"That one was for Dietrich," said Verstappen after taking the chequered flag. Ferrari had needed to score 19 points more than Red Bull at the Texas track but Charles Leclerc was the Italian team's sole finisher, fighting his way to third from 12th on the grid. Red Bull now have an unbeatable 656 points to Ferrari's 469. The Dutch 25-year-old secured his second title in Japan two weeks ago. Red Bull's Sergio Perez was fourth with Russell, who secured a bonus point for fastest lap, fifth and Lando Norris sixth for McLaren.

☆ His McLaren Is One of the Hardest Cars in the World to Get
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( A.J. Baime | Photographs Melody Timothee For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Gil Dezer , 47, a real-estate developer living in Miami, on his 2020 McLaren Speedtail, as told to A.J. Back in the early 1990s, McLaren put out a car called the F1. At that time, McLaren built race cars only, and this was the company’s first real production road car. McLaren only made 106 of these cars. I had a poster of it on my wall, and I dreamt that someday I could own one.

Search resuls for: "McLaren"

25 mentions found