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Stefano Comini accuses former team-mate Jean-Karl Vernay of post-race contact

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Controversy has begun already between the two former WRT team-mates Stefano Comini and Jean-Karl Vernay, after the Swiss driver accused Vernay of deliberate contact post-race in Georgia, which he believes may need to be fixed outside of parc ferme, relegating him to the back of the grid.

Comtoyou Audi driver Comini made a move at the start of the race at Turn 2 to pass Vernay, with the two making contact, while the Swiss driver was able to pick his way forward to finish third, Vernay struggled on to finish sixth with damage to his Volkswagen.

“At the start, Jean-Karl came into me, he came into me,” emphasised an angry Comini after the race.

“After the chequered flag, Jean-Karl catch me and hit me, and it was really very dangerous and very scary. He wanted to hit me in the wall, and then after he braked into me, he was in front of me, and he broke my radiator. I hope the director will do something about this, as it’s not racing.”

Comini said the damage will need to be repaired outside of parc ferme conditions, but the team plan to try and repair the car in repair time, meaning he should be allowed to start from fifth on the grid.

Vernay disagreed with Comini’s version of events, stating the contact was all the Swiss driver’s doing.

“He hit me in the race, and then after the race he hit me on the back, which is why he broke his radiator. I didn’t touch him,” said Vernay to TouringCarTimes.

“The damage on the side was him in Turn 2 and he completely destroyed my race, as after that we had no pace at all. He then jumped out of his car and came over here and said he’d put me out of the race,” he added.

“I like him, and I thought it would be clean racing, but I’m very disappointed. I thought he was smarter than this.”

Comini has been vocal about his former team, stating that they and sponsor Leopard still owe him 50,000 EUR of salary for his championship winning season with them last year. Comini was then dropped by WRT just three weeks before the season start.

“Now on track it’s going to be tense,” said Vernay. “If he has a problem with Leopard, he should go talk to the Leopard guys; he shouldn’t arrive and decide to put me off in the race just to show them for not paying me or whatever. It’s weird that a manufacturer like Audi take a guy like this. He’s a nice guy, and he’s really quick, but to do this…”