“I’LL remember that for next time.”
Those were the words of a feisty Todd Hazelwood after his bid for a top 10 finish in all four Albert Park races came unstuck due to a clash with the driver who unseated him last silly season.
Hazelwood was set to spend 2024 on the sidelines after the expanding Blanchard Racing Team opted to overlook him in favour of recruiting James Courtney and promoting Aaron Love.
A lifeline ultimately came at Erebus Motorsport, the champion team suddenly being in need of a primary driver for its #99 Camaro amid a standoff with Brodie Kostecki.
After a solid if unspectacular display at Bathurst, Hazelwood was enjoying a better time of it in Melbourne until a high-speed run-in with Courtney on Lap 6 of the Sunday race.
That sent Hazelwood spinning at Turn 9; he was able to recover to 15th despite nursing damage.
Courtney was penalised five seconds for the incident, which had followed the BRT Mustang driver being run wide by Hazelwood at Turn 12 on Lap 2.
“It’s funny how it’s always the same drivers doing the same stupid shit all of the time, but anyway, I’ll remember that for next time,” a fired-up Hazelwood told V8 Sleuth post-race.
Lamenting qualifying struggles which held him back, Hazelwood had an interesting take on the effect off-season aero changes have had on the Erebus Camaro package.
“The one thing that probably does stick out with the aero update that we have received for this year is it’s probably put our car into a bit of a different window,” he said.
“We just need to understand that a bit better, but I feel like we’re close.”
