Le Brocq: My side of the story

MW Motorsport's Jack Le Brocq has responded to Todd Hazelwood's criticism that poor driving standards were displayed in Sunday's two races at last weekend's Coates Hire Ipwsich SuperSprint.

Hazelwood was openly critical of the driving standards during Sunday's two races at Queensland Raceway, after the iSeek Communications racer was tangled in separate incidents with Paul Dumbrell and Le Brocq across the day's racing.

Le Brocq - who recorded his third round podium of the year at Ipswich - has given his side of the story on his race three incident with Hazelwood, which saw the #35 Falcon pushed off the track at turn four after contact between the two cars in the opening laps.

Le Brocq had started the race from sixth on the grid after he was dealt a three grid spot penalty for his safety car restart procedure during the previous race, and was running in fifth place behind Hazelwood at the time of the incident.

"I was working our way through the field in the early stages of the race [after the grid spot penalty]. Paul Dumbrell cleared Todd with a bit of a rub and started to open a gap," Le Brocq recounted.

"I had some great car speed [at that point] and was attacking pretty hard on Todd. There was a lot of blocking going on and I was setting myself up for a run out of three into turn four, but found the gap closing, so got out of it before not having enough road to keep all four wheels on the track.

"I'm not sure if was turn four directly after this or a lap later when the incident happened, but Todd ran wide into four, opening up the opportunity for me to slip through like I had done with PD in race two.

"I wasn't given enough room and Todd basically turned across the front of my car, bending my steering with wheel to wheel contact. It cost us both a better race result."

No penalty was handed out for the incident between the two rising stars - which saw Le Brocq take the chequered flag in fifth ahead of Hazelwood in ninth.

After the clash Hazelwood told v8supercars.com.au he felt he gave racing room during his on-track battles on Sunday, but Le Brocq disagrees.

"It's the pot calling the kettle black," Le Brocq said of Hazelwood's criticism.

"Everyone out there on the track [in the V8 Supercars Dunlop Series] knows he's a hard racer and isn't scared to do the old 'bump and run'.

"We raced hard in Townsville and that's how it goes sometimes. If you hit or run someone out of the road, then you've got to expect the same sort of treatment.

"The same goes with consistent blocking... something has got to give and if there's a slight window of opportunity, you take that gap."

V8supercars.com.au sought comment from Le Brocq at the circuit following the race three incident, but he was unable to be contacted.

The 23-year-old will head to the sixth round of the Dunlop Series at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 third in the standings, adrift of leader Cameron Waters by 283 points.

But he now turns his attention to the PIRTEK Enduro Cup where he will co-drive the #4 Erebus Motorsport V8 alongside Ash Walsh.

An additional co-driver session at the upcoming Sydney Motorsport Park SuperSprint will see Le Brocq turn some laps in the E63 AMG, before he takes on official co-driver duties at the first endurance round at the Wilson Security Sandown 500.