TEKNO TRAUMA

THE RELATIONSHIP between Tekno Autosport owner Jonathon Webb and his driver Jack Le Brocq has broken down with the pair headed for mediation in an attempt to resolve their differences.

By BRUCE NEWTON

But by the time the two of them face each other across the table Le Brocq may no longer be driving for the team, which has been anchored to the back of the grid in 2019.

Webb is offering only limited public comments on the issue and Le Brocq and his management have repeatedly refused to make any comments at all.

“In an ideal world he (Le Brocq) will stay and we will keep doing what we are doing, but at this point it is out of mine and Tekno’s hands,” Webb told Auto Action.

Money, as is often the case in Supercars, seems to be a central cause of the ruction.

Le Brocq – who is in the second year of a two-year Tekno deal – and his management are understood to have brought the two primary sponsors, Truck Assist and Isuzu Trucks, to the team

Another central bone of contention is the competitiveness of the Triple Eight-built Holden Commodore ZB Le Brocq raced to 19th and top rookie in the championship in 2018.

The car does not run a current-spec front upright, as Le Brocq pointed out during the Symmons Plains telecast, in what has been just about his only public utterance throughout the conflict.

But Webb insists he will not invest in an equipment upgrade for the car until Le Brocq shows better pace.

“That’s not the difference that’s making us 1.5 to two seconds off the pace in qualifying,” he told AA at Phillip Island. “If we get to within two tenths off the lead I might look at it.

“There’s a huge (driving) gap to be filled before the upright is even worth considering.

“As far as the team and the car is concerned we are comfortable we have got what we need to do the job,” he added.

“But obviously there is bit more work to do between the driver and the car to get the ultimate out of it and that’s something we continue to work on.”

Whatever transpires in the forthcoming mediation, Webb made it clear he is already looking for the 2016 Bathurst-winning team to rebuild beyond 2019.

This year, Webb has had to step into team management and hire a new engineer Tim Newton, following the departure of Adrian Burges and Campbell Little to Supercars. There have been other personnel changes as well.

“This (team) is … something I want to continue for the foreseeable future,” Webb said. “We have put a lot of time, money and effort into getting it to where it is, so it would be stupid to walk away now.

“I don’t want to give away this year, but I am already thinking about what the next two, three, four years bring for us and what we need to do to get back to the pointy end.

“I don’t expect to be beating Red Bull and Penske next year but we need to be back in that top 10 and giving them a run for their money. That’s what I am starting to work on.”

For more of the latest Supercars news pick up the current issue of Auto Action. Also make sure you follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or our weekly email newsletter for all the latest updates between issues.