Racing drivers are not known for their cool heads, and Aussie Will Power is evidently no exception.
Power may not be well known to Aussies that only watch Supercars or Formula One, but is one of the most successful drivers in the history of IndyCar, and one of the nation’s top driving exports.
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The 42-year-old from Toowoomba has been brushing up against F1-calibre talent his whole career, beating out the likes of future F1 drivers Pastor Maldonado, Karun Chandhok, Robert Kubica and Nelson Piquet Jr in junior categories.
His latest beef, however, is with French former Haas driver Romain Grosjean.
Grosjean left Formula One after a horrific, fiery crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, and now drives for Andretti Autosport in IndyCar.
At this week’s Road America Grand Prix during practice, Power was following Grosjean out of Turn 12, and as Grosjean passed the slow-moving Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing, expected to also have Dixon allow him through.
Unfortunately for Power, Dixon didn’t see him coming through behind Grosjean, and pulling over to the left, the pair collided hard into a concrete barrier at high speed.
Power and Dixon came to blows behind the recovery car as cars continued to lap the track, with Power even throwing a leg out at the Kiwi.
Getting back to the paddock, Power wasn’t done with expressing his ire, ripping into the track maintenance teams and his fellow drivers.
“This track’s terrible; when you go off, they do a terrible job here so they need to pick up their game,” Power said.
“You go off, you break your back every time; done it a couple of times this weekend so they need a kick in the butt.
“Just p***ed for what Dixon did this morning. It’s ruined our weekend.
“And Grosjean is a piece of crap.
“He needs a punch in the face.”
It sent fans into meltdown, with Autosport contributor Steve Whitfeld saying it was “understandable why Power was so upset with both drivers.”
SBS reporter Naveen Razik joked it was “the biggest blow to Australia – France relations since AUKUS.”
