WEEKS UNVEILS FORD GT FOR AUSSIE TITLE TILT

Kevin Week's Supaloc Racing Team will today unveil it's new weapon for the 2012 Australian GT Championship. The Supaloc Racing Ford GT will make its first public appearance at today’s Clipsal 500 launch at the historic Adelaide Oval. The sophisticated and distinctive Supaloc Racing livery has been combined with the classic, low-slung lines of the GT to produce a mouth-watering piece of automotive artwork. The GT3-spec version of the Ford GT combines the traditional styling and a rich racing heritage of the original Le Mans wining GT40 with the latest technology. This will be the only Ford GT competing in the 2012 Australian GT Championship, and it is in fact the last example that has been produced.

VETTEL HOT IN INDIAN TAKE AWAY

Sebastian Vettel has written his name in the Formula One history books once again, winning the first ever Indian Grand Prix at Greater Noida. Vettel led from pole to flag, never at any point under pressure from his racing peers, eventually building a gap of over six seconds between himself and the rest of the field. The German also set a new record for number of laps led in a Grand Prix, taking the title from previous record holder Nigel Mansell from the 1992 season. And, as if his dominance was being at all questioned, he set the race's fastest lap on his final circulation of the circuit: at 1 minute, 27.249 seconds. 'Obviously it was a very good race for us,' said Vettel, stating the obvious. 'I enjoyed the time in the lead very much.' 'Overall obviously a fantastic performance. Thanks to the whole team. 'All in all it was fantastic. I'm very proud to be the first winner in India.' Jenson Button finished best of the rest, and subsequently strengthened his claim for the same title in the year's Drivers' Championship.

BRITISH DRIVERS DOWN UNDER PAY TRIBUTE TO DAN

British sportscar drivers Richard Westbrook and Oliver Gavin will pay tribute to countryman Dan Wheldon at this weekend’s Armor All Gold Coast 600. Wheldon tragically passed away following an IndyCar accident in Las Vegas last weekend. He was scheduled to race alongside James Courtney at the Surfers Paradise street circuit this weekend. Both Westbrook and Gavin are life long friends and rivals of their countryman Wheldon, with all three members of the exclusive British Racing Drivers Club. Westbrook and Gavin will unveil special visor stickers in memory of Wheldon in pit lane at the Surfers Paradise street circuit at 9.30am local Queensland time. All BRDC members present at this weekend’s event will carry the special visor stripe stickers as a tribute to Wheldon. They are Westbrook, Gavin, Andy Priaulx, Emanuele Pirro, Gil de Ferran, Marino Franchitti, Ryan Briscoe, Richard Lyons and Darren Turner. Westbrook will partner Todd Kelly in the #7 Jack Daniel’s Commodore at the Armor All Gold Coast 600, while Gavin will drive alongside Greg Murphy in the #11 Pepsi Max Commodore. Source: Kelly Racing Media Release

INDY 500 WINNER DAN WHELDON DIES IN LAS VEGAS RACE CRASH

Two time Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon has been killed in a tragic end to the 2011 Indycar series at Las Vegas. 33 year old Wheldon, died after being involved in a huge 15 car crash at the final round of the championship at Las Vegas speedway. Indy car released the following statement: "INDYCAR is sad to announce that Dan Wheldon passed away from unsurvivable injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dan and his family. INDYCAR, its drivers and teams have decided to end the race. We will run a five-lap salute in honour of Dan." The crash also saw Australian Will Power, English driver Pippa Mann and J% Hilderbrand taken to hospital for treatment. Power, who had previously broken his back in a race crash is complaining of back pain. Wheldon, who did not have a regular drive in the series, was contesting the final in a bid to win a $5 Million bonus for a non regular driver to win the race.

HAMILTON ENDS RED BULL POLE DOMINATION IN KOREA

Lewis Hamilton has become the first non-Red Bull driver of the season to claim pole position after a scintillating lap around the Korea International Circuit. The Englishman set an untouchable time of 1 minute 35.820 seconds, keeping newly-crowned World Champion Sebastian Vettel at bay by a little over two-tenths. Hamilton's team mate Jenson Button qualified in third, lining up alongside Mark Webber on tomorrow's grid. Felipe Massa again outqualified Fernando Alonso, the Ferrari pair securing P5 and P6 for the race. Nico Rosberg decided that his first run was the most he could extract from his Mercedes, forgoing a second hot lap and winning him P7, with Vitaly Petrov in eighth place. The two Force India cars of di Resta and Sutil filled P9 and P10. Rosberg was the first to set a quick lap in Q3, but it was the revitalised Lewis Hamilton who set the fastest time, beating Rosberg's lap by more than one and a half seconds. A flurry of quick laps were soon posted, with Vettel falling desperately short, three-hundredths of a second slower than the McLaren driver. Webber was next fastest, but more than three-tenths adrift.

VIRTUAL ADVERTISING CREATES REAL PROBLEMS FOR GRASS ROOTS MOTORSPORT

It not exactly new technology, in fact it's been around for years, but the Seven Network's use of "Virtual Signage" at Mount Panorama is a worrying situation for Australian Sport and one that the circuits and CAMS need to get a grip on quickly. Viewers of last weekends "Great Race" were treated to a number of CGI created virtual bridges and signs across the famous circuit, mostly for major V8 supercar sponsors Telstra and Norton, a company that has made billions protecting people from the inadequacies of Mr Gate's Windows operating system. The problem with virtual signage is that while these signs pump dollars into the host broadcaster and perhaps even V8 Supercars Australia, do the circuits see any of this money? You see real signage, of the old fashioned type, was a substantial earner for circuits and sporting venues, this money, could, in theory, be used by these circuits to improve facilities for spectators and competitors across the board, not just at the elite level.

VETTEL WINS THE TITLE AS BUTTON GRABS THE RACE

HOLDEN WIN BATHURST AGAIN

Holden Racing Team drivers Garth Tander and rookie Nick Percat have taken a thrilling win in the 2011 Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama. Tander held off the challenge of a fast finishing Craig Lowndes to win by less than a second. With only one lap remaining Lowndes, last years race winner, was right on the tail of [...]

WHEN TOO MUCH RACING IS BARELY ENOUGH: GT3 LIVE FROM SILVERSTONE

<strong>After a huge day of racing at Mount Panorama, and Sebastian Vettel wrapping up his second World F1 Drivers Championship at Suzuka, what's left?</strong> Well there's the BlanPain Endurance Championship at Silverstone. <em>And if you want to watch it LIVE it's right here.</em>

VETTEL ON POLE FOR TITLE DEFENCE IN JAPAN

Sebastian Vettel is just one day away from claiming his second World Championship after claiming pole position ahead of tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix. The German needs only one point to become the sport’s youngest ever World Champion. ‘What a qualifying,’ exclaimed Vettel. ‘It was a tough qualifying, but I enjoyed it a lot.’ ‘Yesterday I went off in [...]