Video: Australian Grand Prix V8 Supercar Race 3 – big pile up

TEAM VODAFONE Team Principal Roland Dane has blasted James Courtney following the Race 3 pile-up at the MSS Security V8 Supercars Challenge at Albert Park this afternoon.

Dane's driver Jamie Whincup was tagged by Courtney at turn 3 on the opening lap of today's race, leaving the reigning V8 Supercars Champion stranded sideways on the track.

It then trigged a pile-up involving Karl Reindler, David Wall, Taz Douglas and Russell Ingall with Alex Premat’s Commodore also damaged.

Dane didn’t mince words when describing Courtney’s actions on the track.

“An overpaid, over-rated driver took him out. James Courtney should know better than that," Dane told BigPond Sport.

The tag with Whincup caused the race to be stopped, shortening it to seven laps and leaving several teams with major repairs, many of them unlikely to make the grid for tomorrow’s final race.

“I sympathize with all those guys," says Dane.

“Our damage to Jamie’s car we can deal with pretty easily, but there’s some big damage further on and to be honest it also made the whole championship look a bit average today with James’ antics."

The final race of the MSS V8 Supercars Challenge is tomorrow at 1.20pm.