Even with a strong performance to finish runner-up in today’s race at Moscow Raceway behind Audi Sport stablemate René Rast, Mike Rockenfeller came under criticism from BMW’s Augusto Farfus following their clash on lap three.
Rockenfeller was able to continue to the end of the race, whereas Farfus had to limp back to the pits after sustaining a right front puncture, before retiring on lap 35.
“I’m very disappointed. We could have come away with a lot of points today,” said the Team RBM driver, who has only scored six points this season at the second race in Norisring.
“I was engaged in a duel with Mike. I feel that his reaction to my attack was overly aggressive. I was clearly on the inside, then he blocked me and tried to push me off the track, which I feel was very unfair.”
The Brazilian felt that the warning that the 2013 champion was not enough for having compromised his race, which saw him lose nearly a lap to the entire field.
Rockenfeller, who is employing a right-foot brake technique due to the broken metatarsal left foot injury, admitted at the post-race press conference that the most he could feel was “the damage to my car after the touch with Augusto.”
“In my opinion, he tried to attack, and I wanted to close [the door],” explained the Team Phoenix driver.
“I changed my line one time and he drove into [the side] of my car. That’s how I felt, but I do need to see the footage.
“Maybe I was wrong, but this was how I felt in the car.”