With just three short laps of the Brands Hatch Indy circuit remaining of Monday’s second race, the safety car was deployed to allow the safe retrieval of Tom Chilton’s rear bumper which had come to rest on the xx Straight. Little did anyone know quite what controversy would follow.

The safety car picked up the field as they started lap 33 of 35, at which time, Yvan Muller had a lead of just over a second from Colin Turkington. Anthony Reid was third with Paul O’Neill less than half a second behind him. As the leaders came along the straight to join up behind the safety car, Carl Breeze was taking his second drive-through penalty of the race. The importance of this became clear as Breeze exited the pit lane.

As Breeze rejoined the track, to settle in behind the safety car, Anthony Reid and Paul O’Neill came bearing down on the GA Motorsports driver. Breeze exited just in front of Reid, but the experienced Scotsman passed the youngster as they went in to Paddock Hill Bend, giving himself the cushion of Breeze between himself and O’Neill for the restart of the race.

With the safety car come yellow flags right around the track, and that means no overtaking.

The more significant result of Reid’s move on Breeze would emerge to be him taking up track position behind teammate Turkington. With Chilton’s Civic Type-R bumper quickly removed from the track, the race was ready to resume with just one 50-second lap before the chequered flag.

"Anthony never does a fair move"

yvan muller

Taking the green flag for the restart, Yvan Muller led the bunched-up field across the start-finish line. Heading through Paddock Hill Bend, Muller, anxious to take maximum points to aid his championship bid, made a rare mistake. Running wide, Muller offered Turkington the chance he was hoping for to take his maiden win. The youngster did not need to be asked twice, and he surged through to take the lead. On the approach to the Druids hairpin, Reid capitalized on the Breeze-less track in front of him to challenge Muller on the inside line.

Carrying too much speed in to the corner, Reid’s over-ambitious move resulted in his MG spearing Muller’s Astra Coupe and taking both drivers off in to the gravel. For Muller, there must have been a sense of déjà vu, as he ended the same meeting last year in the same gravel trap, albeit after he made a move on the inside of team-mate James Thompson.

Fortunately, both Reid and Muller were able to rejoin the track, in fourth and fifth positions respectively – Paul O’Neill and Alan Morrison having sneaked through to claim the podium positions alongside Turkington.

Following the race, a furious Muller stormed, “I went a bit wide in front of Turkington, Reid came too fast and pushed me off. I thought I was staying in the gravel, but third gear, flat out and by luck I got out.”

"He picked me up and threw me across the bonnet"

anthony reid

The on-track clash between Reid and Muller was not the end of the action. The pair pulled in to parc fermé side-by-side. Muller, first out of his car, wasted no time in running round to Reid’s door. Reid takes up the description of events: “I was trying to get out of my car. He ran round and grabbed me by the throat, tried to punch me through the opening in helmet. I was struggling to get out of my car! He then picked me up and threw me across the bonnet of one of the other cars! Whatever happens on the track, this is an entirely separate issue. Totally out of order on Yvan’s part. There is no doubt about it; the pressure is really getting to him.”

Such scenes have not been (dis)graced the BTCC paddock in recent years, but it is not the first time Reid has been on the receiving end of a roughing up by one of his rivals. Reid reportedly came to blows with Rickard Rydell after hitting the clashing with the Swede on the track.

The use of the safety car itself has been called in to question. VX Racing boss Mike Nicholson said, “I believe the safety car is a necessary part of racing, for when there is a dangerous situation and it can spice up poor races, but with three laps to go, to deploy the safety car and destroy the race for VX Racing and Yvan, triggering a series of shunts and bumps, makes a mockery of the championship. Yvan fought hard to stay in the lead, only to have it taken away from him.”

Muller added, “There was no point for the safety car being put out on track. Matt Neal’s car was left at the side of the track in a bad position for almost the entire 35 laps, if someone had hit that it could have been very dangerous, but the safety car didn’t come out for that. Then when there was a bumper outside of the racing line, at the side of the track, they put the safety car out, I don’t understand this! So what does that mean? They put the safety car out only when the Vauxhall is at the front? Unfortunately, that is the way that it looks.”

Whatever your views on the use of the safety car, it undeniably produced a quite astonishing last lap. The post-race fracas also gained more coverage in the national press than the whole year’s racing. Perhaps these ‘characters’ are just what the series needs, although Anthony Reid is unlikely to agree.

Both Muller and Reid have received penalties from the events at Brands Hatch. Reid has been fined and had his racing licence endorsed for overtaking under yellow flags. Muller has been hit with an 11-day ban from racing, forcing him to miss the free practice sessions ahead of rounds 17 and 18 at Donington Park.

Lead changes, penalties, bans…who knows what will happen next time the safety car comes out on to the track?!

Useful Links:
Talking Point Broadcasting - Audio Driver Interviews