Infotainment Factory: Drivers clash in fiery face-off after Supercars crash

Erebus Motorsport team boss Barry Ryan and driver Mark Winterbottom were involved in a pitlane brouhaha after the driver attempted to apologise for causing a massive crash involving Erebus star Will Brown.

The crash happened on the first lap of the second Supercars race of the weekend at Pukekohe Park south of Auckland, when Winterbottom appeared to hip-and-shoulder Brown off the track.

Once Brown touched the grass, he was a passenger. He hit the four-tonne concrete wall at the end of pit lane, and moved it back several metres.

Brown said the crash - which measured a 56G impact - left him winded and sore, but he was able to climb from the car under his own steam.

He said the crash left the car "rooted". It won't make the weekend's third and final race on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking with Supercars reporter Chad Neylon during the race, Brown said he was less than impressed with the 2015 champion.

"If I could swear, you know what I'd say. It's rooted. It's done," he said.

"Winterbottom wasn't happy from the corner before, and put me off. That was the biggest hit I've ever had.

"Some of them you're not too bothered about, but that was a pretty big hit. Going in at that speed, I knew I was screwed and going to hit the side of the wall.

The wall Will Brown hit at pit entry was moved back several metres. It should be back on the other side of that yellow line.

"I got out of the car and I was pretty badly winded and that, but feeling all right now just a bit sore down my left side."

The first lap was also marked by a heavy crash for Anton de Pasquale, who was fenced by contact with Brown's teammate Brodie Kostecki.

Brown said the first lap was "hectic".

"Everyone who goes two wide through there knows what the consequences are if you put someone off like that, and look what he did.

Mark Winterbottom went to Will Brown's pit after the race, where he got into a heated exchange with him and team boss Barry Ryan, before Ryan tried to push him out of the garage.

"Hope he comes down and says something."

Winterbottom did indeed come down and speak to Brown - a chat which ended with Ryan pushing Winterbottom out of the garage.

Winterbottom said the crash wasn't intentional, but would accept blame.

"It looks bad, it always looks bad when someone ends up like that," Winterbottom said.

"Unfortunately with the footage, it doesn't show... the concertina going on to get there. We were going two wide, obviously you feel like there's more room there.

"His front wheel hit my back and lifted... it's a bad visual to watch. It's always hindsight. Unfortunately for him, I can see why he'd be angry and disappointed.

Anton De Pasquale was involved in a lap one crash at Pukekohe

"I'll cop it, glad he's OK, that's the main thing."

Winterbottom also implied footage of his confrontation with Barry Ryan was worse than it was.

"There were a few of them in pit lane carrying on a bit. Nothing's intentional in this sport... we race hard.

"It doesn't show (me) getting drilled by him at the hairpin or turn six, it shows the aftermath, that's what looks bad."

The race was eventually won by Shane van Gisbergen.

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