By ninemsn staff
Bev Brock has revealed she gave her partner, the late racing legend Peter Brock, permission to see other women as the first anniversary of the racing legend's death in a car accident comes around.
Brock was driving his Daytona replica coupe on this date last year in a street rally event in Western Australia when he lost control on a notorious bend and slammed side-on into a tree.
His death sent shockwaves through the population, especially as he had just returned from the UK where he had competed with distinction at the legendary Goodwood Revival in an FX Holden.
A month of mourning followed — including a funeral that brought Melbourne to a standstill — and climaxed with a huge tribute to the nine-times Bathurst enduro winner at Mt Panorama during the October long weekend race event.
But Brock's death also obscured a recent dramatic change in his relationships after decades spent as Australia's "golden boy" of motorsport.
The champion driver left Bev after 28 years to begin a relationship with her close friend Julie Bamford. Bev never married Brock, but she took his name and had two children with him.
"He was questioning what was going to make him happy and I encouraged him to go off and find whatever that was," Bev Brock said last night in an exclusive interview with A Current Affair.
"So I did that because I loved him and that didn't change."
Bev also told ACA she doesn't believe the racing legend would have left her if she hadn't given him the freedom to do so, though she bears no ill will towards the friend he replaced her with.
"I really feel sorry for her, I really do because no doubt they would have planned a long and fruitful life together and they barely got started."
As the first anniversary of his death approaches, the family are still embroiled in a lengthy court battle over his estate.
"I think a lot of people are trying to put up their hand and say 'this is what he promised me' and this 'this is what he promised me,' "daughter Alexandra told ACA.
Bev claims it's not just her ex's new love, Julie Bamford, who is the stumbling block in the estate proceedings.
"It's not just Julie, there are other parties involved. It's really sad. I would be infinitely happier to see that money spent — split between Julie and the kids — it's got nothing to do with me."
The family are looking to move on from Brock's death with daughter Alexandra due to be married in the next few weeks.
"I wanted to make September nice, to have some happy memories about that month so we don't always look at it and feel sad," she said.
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