Tim Blanchard, team principal of Blanchard Racing Team, has expressed his intention to address a recent incident involving his Supercars drivers, James Courtney and Aaron Love, who collided during the qualifying session in Sydney. The accident occurred just minutes into the session when Love’s Ford Mustang struck Courtney’s right-rear wheel as he attempted to warm up his tyres, propelling Courtney’s car into the air and subsequently into a concrete wall.
The collision has left the team’s mechanics with considerable work to repair Courtney’s vehicle before the evening race. Blanchard, visibly upset, called for a team discussion to analyse the mistake, insisting such incidents are “totally unacceptable.”
Courtney mentioned that the team’s strategy was to navigate past slower traffic in the qualifying round, while Love claimed there was no prior agreement for Courtney to overtake him, highlighting a miscommunication between the two. Both drivers acknowledged the need to reflect on the incident and learn from it, especially as the team has faced significant challenges this week, including a separate crash by Love during pre-season testing. Consequently, both cars will begin the second race of the season from the back of the grid.