Triple M

Best Car Ever Built?

Wheels Magazine name the Australia's Best Car - Ever

Holden has bragging rights when it comes to the best car ever built in Australia.

The locally built 2006 V-E Commodore has taken out the title of Australia's Best Car - Ever in Wheel's 60th Anniversary Issue.

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Tags: Best Car Ever Built, Car, Wheels magazine's, 2006 V-E Commodore

Vettel: "I f***ed up"

Sebastian Vettel defies team orders to steal victory from Mark Webber

(Video: One Live)

Mark Webber has let rip at Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel after the German ignored team orders and snatched victory in Malaysia, with Vettel going on to later admit he 'f###ed up'.

With Webber leading in the closing stages of the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday, Red Bull officials called for Vettel to back off from his pursuit.

But Vettel defied the orders, issued over the team radio late in the race, as he overhauled the Australian driver for his 27th career win.

Hows Sebastian Vettel's form? #selfish #grandprix

— Andrew Bogut (@andrewbogut) March 24, 2013

Listen to The Hot Breakfast talk about the spat:

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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner labelled the triple world champion as 'silly' following his controversial antics.

And a visibly disappointed Webber, whose quest for a maiden Malaysian victory continues, let his feelings known during the post-race press conference.

"After the last stop the team told me the race was over and we turned the engine down to go to the end," said Webber in a tense press conference after the race as he sat alongside Vettel.

"The team rang up and said the pressure is off now, you need to look after the tyres until the end, basically don't fight each other.

"I want to race as well, but in the end the team made a decision which we always say before the start of the race is how it's probably going to be; we look after the tyres and get the cars to the end.

"In the end Seb made his own decisions today and will have protection as usual, and that's the way it goes.

"I turned my engine down and started cruising on the tyres, and then the fight was on.

"Emotions obviously are probably not the best at the moment

Twenty-five-year-old triple world champion Vettel refuted suggestions he ignored the orders issued.

"I'm not proud I did it," Vettel said.

"If I had the chance to do it again I would do it differently

"When I came back I saw the team's reaction and I had a short word with Mark, it hit me quite hard that, I f***ed up

"I didn't ignore it (the order) on purpose but I messed up in that situation.

"I took the lead from Mark, which I can see now he is upset about, but I want to be honest and stick to truth, and apologise.

"I took quite a lot of risk to pass him and I should have behaved better.

"It doesn't help his feelings right now. Apologies to Mark and now result is there, but all I can say is that I didn't do it deliberately."

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Tags: Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel, F1

Webber In Front Row

Australian Mark Webber will take off from second position.

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber will take off from the front row. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

With the final two qualifying sessions having been postponed until Sunday after heavy rainfall on Saturday, Sebastian Vettel saved his best for last, posting a time of one minute and 27.407 seconds to claim the 38th pole of his career.

Listen to Triple M's Kris McKenzie track side:

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Vettel produced just the seventh-fastest time in the second qualifying session to advance to the battle for pole position.

But with front row on the grid up for grabs at the Albert Park street circuit, the three-time reigning champion from Red Bull rocketed to the top of the standings on his final lap.

Vettel had to wait for confirmation as a number of drivers finished after him, but none could match his time.

Mark Webber ensured an all-Red Bull front row, clocking 1:27.827 just after Vettel, while Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton also came in after Vettel but could not overhaul the German, settling for third with 1:28.087.

Ferrari's pair completed the top five with Felipe Massa (1:28.490) ahead of Fernando Alonso (1:28.493), while Nico Rosberg of Mercedes, who had topped the second qualifying session, claimed sixth spot with a time of 1:28.523.

Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean of Lotus will start alongside each other after times of 1:28.738 and 1:29.013 respectively, while Force India's Paul di Resta (1:29.305) claimed ninth on the grid.

McLaren's Jenson Button (1:30.357) had gone faster than Vettel in the second session but his tyres fell apart late in the battle for pole and he qualified 10th for the opening race of the 2013 Formula One season.

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Tags: Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Formula One, F1

James Strong Passes Away

V8 Supercars Championship Chairman passes away in Melbourne hospital

James Strong has passed away (Image Credit: Gulf News)

V8 Supercars Championship Chairman James Strong has passed away at the age of just 68.

Strong replaced founding chairman Tony Cochrane in November last year.

He was chief executive and managing director of Qantas from 1993 until 2001 and a former chairman of the Australia Council for the Arts.

Strong also held senior roles with Woolworths, Rip Curl, IAG and Kathmandu.

He died in a hospital in Melbourne on Sunday evening, the ABC reports.

Strong was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2006 for his services to business and commerce and to the arts as an administrator and philanthropist.

V8 Supercars CEO David Malone said in November, when Strong was appointed, Strong "will help guide V8 Supercars through its next growth phase and his corporate experience and motorsport knowledge will be invaluable as the board and management team embark on that process".

Official Statement From Family

James Strong passed away peacefully in Sydney on the 3rd March 2013 from lung complications following surgery. A beautiful man and a great loss. He will be profoundly missed by many.
 
The family appreciates your thoughts at this difficult time and would like to thank the staff at the Mater Hospital for their care. 
 
Funeral arrangements will be advised but the family would appreciate that the media respect their privacy at this time.

V8 Supercars Statement

"It is with immense sadness today that V8 Supercars mark the passing of our Non-Executive Chairman James Strong.

James leaves an indelible mark on the business world in his lifetime of work across corporate Australia as a humble and esteemed business man.

V8 Supercars offer James' wife Jeanne-Claude and family our heartfelt condolences."

Twitter Tributes

Sorry to hear the news that James Strong has passed away.He was very special towards my junior racing career. Great guy. Will be missed.

— Mark Webber (@AussieGrit) March 3, 2013

“@aussiegrit: Sorry to hear the news that James Strong has passed away.//echo those words

— David Coulthard (@therealdcf1) March 3, 2013

Saddened to hear of the death of James Strong. Captain of industry,advocate for the arts, adventurer, gentleman, and wonderful bow-ties.

— Mark Scott (@abcmarkscott) March 3, 2013

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Tags: James Strong, V8s, V8 Supercars, V8 Supercars Championships

Stoner Raring To Go

V8 Supercar fans about to witness Stoner's highly-anticipated debut

Casey Stoner unveils his V8 on Wednesday morning (Photo: Red Bull Racing)

Two-time MotoGP champion Casey Stoner will make his long-awaited V8 Supercars debut on Friday after unveiling his Red Bull Racing Australia Holden in Adelaide on Wednesday.

He will compete in the Dunlop Development Series and get his first taste of the unforgiving Victoria Park, Adelaide street circuit in opening practice on Thursday.

LISTEN: Casey Stoner On Highway Patrol

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Red Bull Racing Australia says "Stoner unveiled his Red Bull Pirtek Holden in Adelaide alongside team owner Roland Dane, his ride the very same VE Commodore that took Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife to Bathurst 1000 victory in 2010".

"I can't wait," said Stoner on the Red Bull Racing Australia website. "It's exciting to finally get the chance to be at a race weekend after so much time thinking about it. I think it's going to be fantastic and I'm very much looking forward to it."

"Everything's gone pretty smoothly so far but until we're on the track there's only so much we can do. But the team has been great and helped me out in absolutely every way possible and I'm very excited."

Stoner will make his Dunlop Series race debut at 5.45pm (Adelaide) on Friday, March 1.

Stoner's Adelaide Race Schedule

Thursday

9.45am - Practice 1

2.45pm - Practice 2

Friday

9.50am - Qualifying

5.45pm - Race 1

Saturday

12.45pm - Race 2

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Tags: Casey Stoner, V8 Supercars, V8 Supercarsed Bull, Motorsport