Rob Huff slams drivers for blocking behaviour at the Salzburgring

Rob Huff qualified in seventh, sixth after Attila Tassi’s engine change penalty, at the Salzburgring in a typically frenetic qualifying session in Austria, with the 2012 World Touring Car champion astonished at the driving standards after the session.

The Team WRT Volkswagen driver hasn’t raced at the Salzburgring since 2014 in the WTCC, but just managed to make it into Qualifying 2 after a last-minute improvement in his Golf GTI TCR.

“I’ve never seen such bad driving,” said Huff to TouringCarTimes. “People were just blocking on purpose. In the middle of Turns 13, 14 and 15, I had (Gianni) Morbidelli on one side, his team-mate on the other side, an Alfa, an Opel, it’s just stupid. They completely blocked us.

“Everyone was just there to mess up everyone’s laps. They were such blatant attempts at blocking, but for me, what I think is more unacceptable, is that nothing will be done about it whatsoever.”

Huff said the stewards should schedule a separate briefing and review everyone’s onboards following the session.

“From my car’s onboard, you’ll see at least nine cars in a position they have no excuse to be. They weren’t there in yesterday’s three hours practice, or this morning’s practices, but all of a sudden, they’re there in qualifying when they’ve done a good time and don’t want anyone to go faster. To me, that’s bad sportsmanship. “