Dusan Borkovic fuming after qualifying confusion in Thailand

GE-Force Alfa Romeo driver Dusan Borkovic was angry with both himself but also the officials, following confusion after qualifying when WestCoast Racing’s Gianni Morbidelli was allowed to take his place in the second part of qualifying, after Borkovic had received outside assistance.

Borkovic looked set to secure his first pole of 2017 after leading the way in Free Practice 2 and after the fastest lap straight out of the box in Qualifying 1, before he hit the tyre barriers at Turn 1 and damaged the suspension of his Giulietta.

The Serbian ground to a halt at Turn 2, bringing out the red flags, and was recovered to the pits where the team set about repairing his car for Qualifying 2.

However, Borkovic was prevented from rejoining the session under Article 113 of the sporting regulations which states:

If technical means are used by the marshals to remove the car to a safe position, this assistance cannot be used to help the driver/car concerned to rejoin the qualifying session or the races.

There was then a lengthy delay between Q1 and Q2 as the stewards deliberated over who should be permitted to participate in Q2, before confirming Gianni Morbidelli’s Volkswagen would be the 12th car, and Borkovic was no longer able to take part.

“OK, I made a mistake,” he said to TouringCarTimes. “I did only one lap, I didn’t know the grip or the tyres, and then I pushed as usually the grip is better on the second lap, but then I just hit the tyres.

“But my lap time exists. Everybody is confused, and someone in TCR has made a mistake,” he added. “If I crashed my car into the wall, my lap time is still my lap time, so how is Morbidelli in Q2 when he was in 13th place?”

The officials have now confirmed the grid for tomorrow, which places Borkovic in 13th position for the first race, just behind his team-mate Davit Kajaia, who failed to set a time in Q2 after an engine issue.