Adelaide billionaire Sam Shahin caught in a cheeky heated moment after VAILO Adelaide 500 crash

The car-mad businessman made a cheeky gesture to a fellow driver after a crash during a race at the Adelaide 500 event.

Car-mad billionaire Sam Shahin was caught in a cheeky heated moment on the track after crashing his Porsche during a race at the VAILO Adelaide 500.

The Bend Motorsport Park managing director was competing in the first race of the Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup on Friday, when his car collided with Matt Belford’s Porsche at turn four of the first lap.

The incident forced both drivers out of the race, and as Shahin waited by the side of the track, he was caught on camera gesticulating angrily at a car driven past by Harrison Goodman.

Sam Shahin gesticulating to a fellow driver during the Porsche Carrera Cup race the Adelaide 500. Picture: Supplied

Shahin is upset following a crash during the Porsche Carrera Cup race at the Adelaide 500. Picture Supplied

Dr Sam Shahin in his garage at the Bend Motor Sport Park in Tailem Bend. Picture Matt Turner.

Shahin and Matt Belford collide at turn four of the first lap. Picture: Supplied

Shahin trackside following the incident. Picture: Supplied.

The Fox Sports commentators described Shahin as “fired up” following the crash, and the Adelaide businessman was “majorly, majorly upset”, according to members of his team.

Shahin, head of the Peregrine group that built the $100m racetrack at Tailem Bend, admitted that “emotion got the better” of him in the moment.

“Lucky I only flipped him the finger. Funny thing was I flipped it at the wrong driver as he went past,” he said.

“Motorsport is a highly emotional sport. It takes weeks of physical and mental preparation for a complicated circuit like Adelaide.

“Representing The Bend and driving in front of a home crowd is always special and I had high expectations to put The Bend car on the podium for the weekend.

“To be taken out by a reckless careless manoeuvre was deeply disappointing and upsetting.”

Shahin said he has since apologised to Goodman for his misplaced gesture.

“For the record, I did apologise to the (wrong) driver after the race who equally saw the funny side of the encounter,” he said.

An accomplished competitive driver who has raced for over a decade, Shahin won the Sprint Challenge Pro-Am championship in 2019. He has also won the Carrera Cup Pro-Am championship.

In 2020, Shahin survived a major crash during qualifying for the Bathurst 12 hour endurance race.

He suffered two crushed vertebrae, a neck injury, a broken rib and fingers in the massive accident racing caused by a rival.

Originally published as Adelaide billionaire Sam Shahin caught in a cheeky heated moment after VAILO Adelaide 500 crash