Stefano Comini blasts Craft-Bamboo drivers, claiming they blocked him in qualifying

Reigning champion Stefano Comini has claimed Craft-Bamboo Lukoil blocked him in qualifying ahead of this afternoon’s first race at Spa-Francorchamps, while the team were slipstreaming all three of their drivers during the final moments of the session.

The 26-year-old Leopard Racing Volkswagen driver lambasted Craft-Bamboo’s Sergey Afanasyev, insinuating that the Russian held him up deliberately at Eau Rouge on his final lap in Q2.

“I was catching the Lukoil cars as I wanted to have some slipstream, but then Afanasyev braked on me at Eau Rouge in the first sector,” said Comini to TouringCarTimes. “He said to me he was afraid in Eau Rouge, but I’m doing it flat out. He braked only to block me, I’m sure it was a team order as I know Afanasyev’s a very cool guy, but I lost a few tenths of a second,” he added.

Craft-Bamboo’s drivers however said the Swiss simply got caught up in their slipstreaming, while they were also trying to improve.

“I think with two long straights it’s quite key to have a slipstream,” said Craft-Bamboo’s James Nash to TouringCarTimes. “But t’s always fraught with danger especially when you’re doing it with three cars.

“Sergey ran wide at Turn 12, which was on my fastest lap so I had to lift. Also Comini got involved at Eau Rouge on our final lap. Pepe (Oriola) was slowing down a bit too much for me and then we were all spread out at the top of the hill three abreast.”

Nash qualified in fifth position, with his Craft-Bamboo team-mates Oriola and Afanasyev second and fourth, while Comini qualified in eighth position.