WSR boss Dick Bennetts was critical of driving standards in the British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone, which saw all three of his drivers involved in race-ending accidents.
Race one saw two WSR drivers taken out, with Rob Collard being initially collected by the MG of Árón Taylor-Smith heading between Copse and Becketts.
The contact broke Collard’s steering, and sent him helplessly across the infield where he re-joined backwards in the path of Will Burns and Andrew Jordan, taking both drivers out of the race as well.
The incident ended Collard’s weekend and with it his title push, whilst also requiring him to go to hospital as a precaution, such was the size of the shunt.
“It’s hugely disappointing to end a weekend in this way,” said Collard. “I’m sure it wouldn’t have happened if the driving standards in the middle of the field had been better.
“I ended up off the track because of two cars leaning on each other too heavily and I’ve had a big accident through no fault of my own that leaves the team with a huge job to ready a car for me for Brands Hatch. Fortunately I’m sore, but otherwise OK.”
Team BMW’s leading title challenger Colin Turkington was also on the receiving end of contact, with Ash Sutton in race two passing on the final lap only for the positions to be reversed by the stewards later.
Then in race three, Turkington approached an incident on the circuit ahead unsighted and made contact with Stephen Jelley, who was himself a victim of contact between Josh Cook and Jason Plato.
The damage cost Turkington a chance of scoring any points in the final race, and leaves him ten points adrift of the top of the drivers’ championship standings.
Bennetts was left frustrated with the driving standards which affected his drivers’ weekends, but admitted that not losing any ground in the title race was a positive sign.
“The big positive from this weekend is that we’ve maintained our lead in both the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ Championships and seen Colin close in a little on the top spot in the Drivers’ title race,” said Bennetts.
“The negative has been the poor driving standards throughout the field that have cost Colin the chance to regain the lead of the championship and put Rob in hospital.
“Thankfully Rob’s OK, but the team now face a real race against time to get his car ready for Brands Hatch in a fortnight.”