Monza WTCC: Rob Huff slams Fredy Barth after qualifying clash

The Briton's first competitive session for new squad Munnich Motorsport lasted little more than one minute as he and Barth collided on the out-lap.

The impact broke Huff's front-right suspension and ruled him out of the session, meaning he will start both of this weekend's races - his first as the defending champion - from the back of the grid.

Huff said Barth had moved over on him in a bid to protect track position, leaving him with no way of avoiding the crash.

"Fredy saw me coming and just closed the door and gave me nowhere to go," Huff told AUTOSPORT.

"He put me on the grass when I was alongside him. I tried to get out of it but there was nothing I could do.

"It was very strange. There were five BMWs going slowly, obviously wanting to tow together, and I was trying to get ahead of them.

"Fredy was trying to protect where he was in the line but I wasn't trying to get in the line, I was trying to get ahead and catch the guys in front of them.

"I was 15 metres to the right of him on the circuit but he wanted to be on the grass with me."

Huff said two top 10 results might be the limit of what he can aim for on Sunday given his two back-row starts.

"We could have been top five I think, could have disturbed the Chevrolet party, but what can you do?" he said.

"We're starting at the back, so if we can get two top 10 finishes that will be fantastic and then move on from there.

"It will be wet tomorrow. This was qualifying and there were four big crashes so for sure there will be a lot more in the races."