Aurélien Comte: Potty move was “on the limit” of acceptability

DG Sport Compétition driver Aurélien Comte believes the move made on him by Maxime Potty at the end of the opening race at Spa-Francorchamps was “on the limit” of acceptability.

Frenchman Comte had held third place for the bulk of the race, having profited from Potty’s poor getaway off the line.

Team WRT’s Potty charged back through the field and closed to the back of Comte towards the end of the race, eventually getting past the Peugeot after slight contact between the two.

Comte had to settle for fourth place, but believed that Potty was close to crossing the line of acceptability.

“Maxime made a good recovery and was a lot faster than me,” Comte told TouringCarTimes.

“I tried to defend my position on the final lap and he touched a little bit which unsettled my car and allowed him to pass me.

“I’m not the race director so I don’t know, but for me it was near the limit [of what is acceptable]. They are there to judge, but normally it’s not a corner where you can pass and it was a touch which destabilised my car and allowed him to pass me.”

Comte had looked like he might have challenge the leading Audi RS 3 LMSs of Sanitago Urrutia and race-winner Gilles Magnus, but the Peugeot encounter higher tyre wear and lost ground towards the end.

“We knew that the Audis were going to very, very quick and we tried to fight with them,” Comte added.

“But it was almost impossible for us really, so we decided to focus on keeping our rhythm up to keep our position, which we almost managed to do.

“My tyres were very completely gone by the end so I was left very defensive. I wasn’t sure if I was going to puncture or something so I opted to preserve them and not attack in front of me.”