BMW Race Car Driver Bill Auberlen Goes Off On Nick Tandy At Daytona

Oh do I love this story about BMW Motorsport Race Car Driver Bill Auberlen. Bill only has one true fan and that is his daddy Gerd Auberlen. Thank you Motorsport.com for your story!

By: Motorsport.com, Editorial team 2015-01-24

GTLM stars “agree to disagree” over clash that costs BMW squad precious time in Rolex 24.

Daytona Beach, Fla - BMW’s Bill Auberlen launched a staggering verbal attack on GTLM rival Nick Tandy of Porsche after they collided in the early hours of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, forcing Auberlen’s car to lose a lap due to repairs.

"You have to be a complete idiot to do that, and that’s what he is." 

- Auberlen on contact with Tandy

Auberlen and Tandy have history from previous incidents in Tudor United SportsCar events, but when interviewed by IMSA's radio service pit reporter, he vented his fury.

'Worst driver in this paddock'

 “He’s the worst driver in this paddock,” Auberlen raged. “He’s never gone by without trying to hit me. He got straight into the wheel, which put the energy straight into the suspension. You have to be a complete idiot to do that, and that’s what he is. I’m really disappointed. Thanks Nick Tandy, you’re a great racing driver."

Tandy responded: “Must be one of mine and Bill’s agreements to disagree. I was passing him on the outside. His car twitched and he moved over half a lane and we touched wheels.”

Tandy not pleased with Corvettes

Tandy then voiced his discontent with the driving of the Corvettes, with whom he’d been battling for the lead earlier. He had a wild moment through the NASCAR tri-oval after trying to pass Oliver Gavin on the apron.

"Bill is pretty hot-headed at times, and he gets spun-out pretty easily, 
so sometimes we’ve all just got to take a breath."

- Oliver Gavin on Auberlen's rant

“The fight with the Corvettes at the start was interesting, they were playing hard, it was a bit marginal,” said Tandy, whose car leads the class. “With the slipstream you get close on the straights, and you have to decide whether to pass or sit behind.”

Gavin told Motorsport.com of the incident: “I knew he was there, the team were telling me and we have a radar system, and I was unsure of what he was trying to do. I’m on the banking, right on the yellow line and I don’t know where he was going to go! I know with Nick that he does try some pretty outrageous moves and he’s pretty inventive sometimes."

Gavin not as critical of Tandy

When told of Auberlen’s quotes, Gavin said: “Nick is hard, a hard driver. He’s very skilled and he’s very hungry. Every now and then he does step over the line; he gave me a couple of taps. I kind of expect that from Nick."

“Bill is pretty hot-headed at times, and he gets spun-out pretty easily, so sometimes we’ve all just got to take a breath. It’s all fine by me.”

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