Love hit with grid penalty, fine over Courtney collision

Aaron Love has been fined and hit with a grid penalty over his role in Sydney qualifying collision with Blanchard Racing Team teammates James Courtney.

In a dramatic incident, Love weaved into the path of Courtney exiting pit lane at the beginning of Boost Mobile Qualifying on Saturday in Sydney.

Contact saw Courtney's Snowy River Caravans Ford Mustang tipped into the air, with Love returning to the garage.

Both drivers offered conflicting reports of the incident, with team boss Tim Blanchard labelling the intra-team clash "unacceptable."

In a stewards report, Love was found "predominantly to blame" for the incident and hit with a four-spot grid penalty for Race 2, as well as a fine.

Of the $2000 fine, $1000 is suspended until 31 December 2025 on condition that the Perth-born driver does not commit a similar infringement before that date.

The stewards report reads:

The Stewards, having received a report from the Deputy Race Director, having reviewed broadcast footage and Judicial Camera footage from Car 35 and having summoned and heard from the Drivers of Cars 3 and 7 and their Authorised Representative determine the following:

Competitor: Car 3 Blanchard Racing Team Pty Ltd

Car and Driver: Car 3 Aaron Love

Date: 22 February 2025

Session: Qualifying for Race 2 – Part 1

Time: 1437hrs

Fact: Cars 3 and 7 collided on the circuit at Turn 1.

Rule: Schedule B2 Article 2.1.1 Careless Driving, departing from the Standard of a competent Driver

Decision

4 Grid place penalty for Car 3 in Race 2 and a Fine in the sum of $2,000 is imposed on the Driver of Car 3 of which $1,000 is suspended until 31 December 2025 on condition that the Driver of Car 3 does not commit a similar infringement before that date.

Reason: Shortly after the commencement of the Session, Car 3 exited the Pit Lane onto the circuit following a queue of other Cars. Car 3’s teammate, Car 7, exited the Pit Lane immediately behind Car 3. Car 3 commenced to weave on the right side of the circuit leaving considerable space to the left. Car 7 moved forward into the space to the left of Car 3 and at the same time activated its headlights to signal to other Cars that Car 7 was to commence to push. Car 3 then made a significant weaving movement to the left and collided with the rear right of Car 7 causing damage. The Session was red-flagged to recover Car 7 which was unable to take any further part in the Session.

The Driver of Car 3 said that he did not know that Car 7 had moved up alongside. He said that in a previous Session he had exited the Pit Lane and had wanted to move up but had been baulked by another Car weaving across the circuit. He therefore thought he could do the same.

The Driver of Car 7 said that prior to the start of the Session there had been a discussion within the Team and it had been agreed that both Cars would push from the start of the Session and, by activating his lights and moving forward to pass Car 3, he was merely following that strategy. The Driver of Car 3 acknowledged there had been such a discussion but said that there had been no mention of Car 7 overtaking Car 3. The Driver of Car 3 acknowledged that simply because he had exited the Pit Lane first did not mean he had exclusive right to use the entire width of the circuit and he agreed that even if Car 7 had not moved into that space, there was always the potential for another Car further back in the queue to do so.

Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards are satisfied that the Driver of Car 3’s weaving movement to the left was careless and at the high end of such an infringement. The Stewards acknowledge that at the point in time when Car 7 activated its headlights it would not have been seen in Car 3’s mirrors and accept that the Driver of Car 3 may not have anticipated that Car 7 would move to overtake him when there had been no prior discussion of that occurring. However, the Driver of Car 3 ought not to have considered that he could use the entire width of the circuit with indifference to the potential that another Car might pass, whether that was his teammate or another Car. For these reasons, the Stewards are satisfied that the Driver of Car 3 was predominantly to blame for the Incident and impose the standard 4 Grid position Penalty and additionally, having regard to the severity of the infringement, a Fine of which a portion is suspended.

The Competitor is reminded that Decisions and Penalties that may be subject to Appeal are set out in B7.7.2 and the Rights to and process for an Appeal are set out in B5.