Photo: V8 Supercars Media

Tim Blanchard and Garth Tander differ on Adelaide Race 2 collision

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Brad Jones Racing driver Tim Blanchard and Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander have blamed each other for the crash on lap 17 of today’s race at the Adelaide street circuit, which eliminated Blanchard from the race while Tander was already a number of laps down.

Tander had rejoined the race after suffering a technical issue during his pit stop when his car wouldn’t restart, and came back on track four laps down. Tander pulled over to let a handful of cars past heading into Turn 1, while Blanchard collided with Tander’s off-line Commodore in the corner, sustaining damage to the front of his own Commodore.

“I think it’s whoever is talking to him on the radio’s fault to be honest,” said Blanchard to v8supercars.com.au. “I haven’t seen the footage yet so I don’t know the full circumstances, but they shouldn’t have sent him out into that situation, it didn’t give him a lot of options.”

“He came right out of the middle of the pack, broke a fair bit early, but kind of got out the way of the others.

“By the time I came though he happened to be sitting on the apex and I wiped off as much speed as I could – and that was it really.”

Tander however placed the blame firmly with the 28-year-old driver, making his first appearance today with Brad Jones Racing.

“I don’t know how much further off the track I was meant to be for him not to run into me,” said Tander to v8supercars.com.

“I was obviously off the track letting the field through and he managed to find me while I was off the track. Apparently he says it’s my fault but I’m not too sure how that is.

“We’re not too worried about where we release the car in relation to Tim Blanchard’s race – pretty much the rest of the field managed to get past.

“So if there was a concrete wall there and he went into the corner as fast as he did he would’ve ripped his car off. He crashed into the back of my car and damaged his.

“It’s hot – maybe he just wasn’t concentrating that well.”