A dramatic first lap marked the end of the race for several drivers, leaving fans stunned and eager to understand what exactly happened. The race was immediately halted after a chaotic incident involving Supercars star Wood and World Rally Champion Rovanpera. This crash, which occurred on the initial lap of a scheduled 23-lap race, set the stage for a day of unexpected drama. But here's where it gets controversial...
The incident unfolded between Turns 1 and 2, where Sebastian Manson appeared to force Rovanpera towards the inside of the track. This maneuver caused Rovanpera to veer off course at high speed, navigating through the gravel. Simultaneously, Manson spun out, resulting in a collision with both Wood and Yeven David.
Wood's reaction, captured on camera, showed him sarcastically applauding from his car before exiting, thankfully unharmed.
When questioned by the TV crew, Wood offered a candid assessment: "I don’t really know.” He speculated that the car on the outside squeezed the inside car. He continued, "It all unfolded pretty quickly, a little faster than I expected and I saw a lot more than what I’ve ever seen of a race car when you crash. Glad to see everyone was okay. Pretty average day for us on a Sunday so a little bit gutted about that."
Wood further elaborated on the incident, expressing his view that the aggressive squeeze out of Turn 1 on the first lap was unnecessary. "I know there will be people that say stuff about the way I race, but I thought that was pretty… you just end up having a situation like we did." He added, "It is what it is. I think everyone will learn from it. I definitely know that that’s been my weak point, I haven’t been aggressive enough on the opening laps, Even then I sort of filed in thought we were going down the back straight pretty quickly, and then it all erupted.”
And this is the part most people miss... Australian Jack Taylor's race day was cut short even before it began, as he withdrew from the race during the formation lap due to illness.
What do you think? Was the initial move by Manson overly aggressive, or was it just a racing incident? Do you agree with Wood's assessment, or do you have a different perspective on the events? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
