Simoncelli killed in MotoGP accident


RIP Marco Simoncelli

Marco Simoncelli has died from injuries sustained in a MotoGP accident at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
The Gresini Honda rider lost the front of his bike and slid across the track, collected by Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi.

The impact ripped the helmet off the 24-year-old?s head as he lay stricken on the circuit. The accident occurred on the second lap of the race. He was taken by ambulance to the circuit?s nearby medical centre, but at 4.56pm local time, it was announced that he had succumbed to his injuries.

Simoncelli?s passing comes at the end of a horror week for the worldwide motorsport community which is still reeling from Dan Wheldon?s fatal accident at Las Vegas last Sunday. Simoncelli was regarded as one of MotoGP?s most exciting talents.

After winning back-to-back 250cc titles in 2008 and 2009, Simoncelli moved up to the premier MotoGP class with the San Carlo Gresini Honda team. While unquestionably fast, his aggressive style raised eyebrows. In the past months, Simoncelli tempered his on-track ways, earning a career-best second place at the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.

Following the tragic death of Italian MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli on Sunday, those wishing to submit a tribute or a message of condolence to Marco?s family, friends and team may do so at the following link:

Tribute to Simoncelli

Read tributes posted to Marco by clicking here.

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Castrol sends its condolences to Marco Simoncelli's team, friends and family following this afternoon's tragic accident in Malaysia.


Winterbottom wins controversial Surfers race


Mark Winterbottom and Richard Lyons have won Race 22 of the V8 Supercars Championship at Surfers Paradise

Castrol backed Mark Winterbottom has taken out the final race of the Official V8 Supercars Gold Coast 600 - For Frosty this is his first race win of the season and an impressive follow up to yesterdays 3rd place for the Ford Performance Racing driver and co driver Richard Lyons!!!!

Winterbottom overtook the long-time race leading #88 TeamVodafone entry of Jamie Whincup and Sebastien Bourdais with a bold out-braking move with just eight of the race?s 102 laps remaining.

Seemingly content to extend his championship lead, Whincup cruised home to finish in second place, while Lee Holdsworth, Greg Murphy, Rick Kelly, James Courtney, Steve Owen, Russell Ingall, Todd Kelly and Tim Slade rounded out the top ten.

The issue of kerb hopping dominated the race, with the new-for-this-weekend bollard and sensor combination proving highly controversial. Several cars received drive-through penalties in the first stint of the race, prior to the electronic sensors being turned off.

With teams and drivers unsure of the change, confusion reigned as drivers began almost straight-lining the Turn 1/2/3 and 6/7/8/9/10 chicanes.

A tremendous start from fifth on the grid saw Andy Priaulx jump to second at the first corner, with the Briton dropping just 2.6s to Bourdais before the Frenchman pitted when the driver-change window opened on Lap 34. Priaulx headed to the pits to be replaced by Whincup just one lap later, with the team deciding to short-fuel the #888 car to return Craig Lowndes to the track marginally in-front.

Whincup was soon back ahead thanks to a bold move at Turn 12 on Lowndes? out-lap, while Winterbottom was a full 20s behind the squabbling Vodafone entries by the time the Safety Car appeared for debris on Lap 44.

The front-runners used the race?s second Safety Car on Lap 54 to make their second and final stops, with Lowndes the big loser (falling to 12th place) having been forced to que behind team-mate Whincup. The five-time Bathurst 1000 winner struggled for speed during the remainder of the race and would eventually finish 20th, thanks in part to a third pitstop for tyres with less than 15 laps remaining.

The third stint of the race was all about the battle between Whincup and Winterbottom, with the Ford driver taking more liberties with the kerbing than his rival as he looked for a way by. Despite encouragement from engineer Mark Dutton to use more kerb on the backstraight chicane, Whincup finally succumbed to the speed of his rival at Turn 11 on Lap 94.

The combined results from the weekend?s races sees Sebastien Bourdais take the Dan Wheldon Trophy. The V8 Supercars Championship continues at three weeks time at the Symmons Plains circuit in Tasmania.

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Waters wraps up 2011 Formula Ford title


Cameron Waters crosses the line to secure the 2011 Formula Ford title

Cameron Waters, winner of the Castrol Backed Shannon's Supercar Showdown and the youngest ever drive to take on Bathurst in the V8 Supercars has taken out the Formula Ford Championship today!

Despite a difficult weekend at Surfers Paradise, Cameron Waters is the 2011 Australian Formula Ford Champion. Waters wrapped up the title with one round to spare by finishing in sixth place in the final race of the weekend.

His title feat adds to a stellar season ? becoming the youngest-ever Formula Ford Champ, adding to his debut in a V8 Supercar at Mount Panorama two weeks ago.
?It?s just an awesome feeling to win the championship before the last round. It?s been a great year; there have been some downs, but a lot of ups, it?s just awesome to be an Australian Formula Ford champion,? Waters said.

?It was a long 11 laps in that final race, I really should have wrapped it up yesterday, but we got there in the end. I really have to thank the whole team at Sonic Motor Racing Services for an incredible year. They?ve given me a competitive car at every event, which made things easier, so I can?t thank them enough.

?I can?t wait to get to Tassie now with the pressure off; it?s going to be a fun weekend.?

While Waters wrapped up the main prize, Jack Le Brocq dominated the weekend with two race wins to move into second in the championship, while Tom Williamson and Race 1 winner Liam Sager rounded out the podium.

The next round of the championship will take place in Tasmania at Symmons Plains November 11-13.

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