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HIRVO: I WON'T BACK DOWN

CITROEN'S NEW signing Mikko Hirvonen insists he will not approach his firs) season in Ihe French team with a second driver mentality. While he says his focus is on settling into the DS3 as quickly as possible, he concedes that - as a two-time Ray Sweden winner -there wilt be a lair amount of pressure on him end the team's seven-year wait for a victory in Varmland.

BITTER MEEKE DUMPED BY MINI

MINI

DOVIZIOSO GETS AN UNLUCKY BREAK

Andrea Dovizioso is confident he'll be fit for winter testing later this month. ANDREA DOVIZIOSO'S switch to Monster Energy Tech3 Yamaha for 2012 has suffered a blow, with the Italian suffering a broken collarbone while riding motocross on January 5.

CHRISTMAS CRUNCH

MOTOGP American Nicky Hayden is recovering from a series of injuries suffered in a training accident while riding dirt bikes just days after Christmas in the United States. Former World Champion Hayden suffered a broken left scapula and two fractured ribs while riding flat track near his home in Kentucky on December 27.

AA BIKE BRIEFS

HANDLEBARS

RACER INDUSTRIES

RACERINDUSTRIES.COM.AU ...

HINCHCLIFFE GETS GOING

INDYCAR OWNER Michael Andretti and driver James Hinchcliffe were on the verge of signing a contract as AA went to press this week. Barring a wrong turn in talks, last year's Rookie of the Year will be the driver of the high-profile GoDaddy-sponsored car this season. The seat was vacated by Danica Patrick as she turned full-time to NASCAR. Two-time Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon had signed to be her replacement on the morning of his fatal crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

BARNHART OUT, BARFIELD IN

INDYCAR

BUEMI EYES LE MANS 24HR DRIVE

Cast out from F1, Buemi hopes to garner seat time in the Le Mans 24 Hour. FORMULA ONE reject Sebastien Buemi is hopeful of securing a seat in this year's Le Mans 24 Hour with a major frontrunning team. Dumped by Toro Rosso at the end of last season, Buemi has recently signed on as Red Bull Racing's reserve F1 driver for 2012.

MARTIN'S 24HR PLAN

World Endurance Chanpionship Aussie Open-Wheel export John Martin is set to race in the World Endurance Championship this year. Martin is talking to several teams about a possible seat in the new category, with the Superleague Formula champion hoping to secure a drive in the competitive LMP2 ranks for 2012.

LADA TO RETURN TO WTCC

THE LADA Sport Team has confirmed plans to return to the FIA World Touring Car Championship in 2012, in partnership with Russian car manufacturer AVTOVAZ. The last time LADA competed in the WTCC was in 2009, where it strove to a bestrace finish of sixth with Brit James Thompson at the wheel. The team currently plans to compete in two rounds of the 2012 series in the LADA Granta Sportcar, before contesting the series in full from 2013.

LETTER OF THE WEEK

For his winning letter, Bob Ross wins a ...

STONIE'S VIEW

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WHAT YOU THINK

Our Facebook friends get their back up about our recent cover...

ALL I WANT FROM 2012 IS ...

WITH THE START OF A NEW MOTOR RACING SEASON JUST AROUND THE CORNER, ROB MARGEIT OUTLINES HIS HOPES AND DREAMS

50 TO WATCH IN 2012

THE NEW YEAR HANGOVER MIGHT STILL BE LINGERING... BUT IT'S TIME TO LOOK AT THE YEAR AHEAD. HERE, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, ARE THE 50 THINGS YOU MUST WATCH IN 2012

Holden Motorsport

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FIGHTING WORDS

JAMES COURTNEY DOESN'T PULL ANY PUNCHES AS HE BARES HIS SOUL TO MARK FOGARTY ABOUT HIS HRT HORROR, AND WHY JAMIE WHINCUP BETTER BE WATCHING HIS MIRRORS IN 2012

ALAN GOW BITES BACK

TOUGH-TALKING MANAGER ALAN GOW HAS COME OUT WITH ALL GUNS BLAZING IN DEFENCE OF JAMES COURTNEY. MARK FOGARTY STIRS THE CAULDRON JUST A LITTLE

COURTNEY LASHES OUT AT WHINCUP

JAMES COURTNEY HAS SENT A WARNING TO REIGNING V8 SUPERCAR CHAMP JAMIE WHINCUP WRITES, ALEX INWOOD

FRENCH REVOLUTION

RED BULL HAS THROWN ITS GALLIC PROTEGE JEAN-ERIC VERGNE IN THE DEEP END OF F1 FOR 2012, ALONGSIDE AUSSIE ROOKIE DANIEL RICCIARDO. BUT WILL HE SINK, SWIM, OR BLOW THEM ALL OUT OF THE WATER, ASKS DAN KNUTSON

STATEWIDE

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INTERNATIONAL INVASION

NEW ZEALAND'S Toyota Racing Series has a record number of 15 overseas drivers signed up (or 2012. including West Australian Jordan Oon. The series kicks off at Teretonga Park on January 14-15. with drivers from 13 different countries on the grid.

RICHARDS TO REMINISCE

PHILLIP ISLAND CLASSIC

PADDON'S SUPER SKODA

HAYDEN PADDON is moving up to the competitive S2000 rally class in 2012 after winning the 2011 Production World Rally championship. The 24-year-old Kiwi will drive a Skoda Fabia run by Spanish team ASM Motorsport. "I am ecstatic about the move to Super 2000; it's a fantastic opportunity," Paddon said. "I was lucky enough to test the Skoda Fabia S2000 in Europe a couple of months ago, and it was an incredible car to drive."

TEMPLEMAN THIRD DRIFT WINNER

HIGH-PROFILE off-road and circuit racer Daynom Templeman has underlined the competitive nature of this season's Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship by beating three-time defending Champion Gaz Whiter (Nissan S14) at the third round in Taupo on December 16-17.

CONQUERING THE MOUNTAIN

BRETT HAYWARD HAS BEATEN ALMOST EVERY HILLCLIMB TRACK IN AUSTRALIA - THE WORLD IS NEXT

CAMS RAISES COSTS

IN A BLOW TO HISTORIC RACING, CAMS WILL ALMOST DOUBLE CERTIFICATES OF DESCRIPTION FEES IN 2012

PRODUCING THE NUMBERS

THE IMPROVED Production series was a success in 2011; ...

LITTLE WHEELS KEEP ON TURNIN'

NSW SUPERKARTS held an eight round club championship ...

DAVID'S GOLIATH EFFORT

Daniel Reynolds won every race in Formula Vee ...

A POINT OR TWO TO PROVE

MICHAEL SHAW won the Supersport NSW State championship ...

TAKING THE TOUR

BOB PEARSON had to wait for the final race weekend to take out the 2011 Production Touring Car series, after leading the championship for most of the year in his Mitsubishi EVO X. Pearson was forced to miss the Wakefield Park round, allowing six other drivers to join him in the battle for the outright championship coming into the final round at Eastern Creek.