Fabian Coulthard has hinted the Shell V-Power Racing Team could protest a possible unsafe pit release which put eventual winner Jamie Whincup into his path during Race 15 in Darwin.
Coulthard was turning into his pit bay when he had to brake to avoid a significant collision with the #88 Triple Eight entry as Whincup was dropped and sent on his way during their compulsory stops.
The Mustang pilot claims that there was indeed contact between Car #12 and Whincup’s ZB Commodore, and that the delay cost him a spot to Chaz Mostert.
Ironically, the failure to move up to fourth meant he missed out on claiming the Darwin Triple Crown for the round win to Whincup on a countback.
“I think the witness mark on the front of my car and the skid mark to stop to avoid him (Whincup) is pretty clear,” said Coulthard post-race.
“Blind Freddie could have seen that I was impeded. That cost me the position to Chaz. If I’d stayed in front of Chaz, the outcome would have been very different.
“Who knows what’s going to happen? It might not be the last you hear of this.”
A photograph posted by Coulthard on social media supports his claim, with a dark witness mark on the end of the #12 Mustang’s splitter.
A penalty would not only see him take the Triple Crown, but could potentially mean another race win and increased championship lead for team-mate Scott McLaughlin, who was provisionally second in Race 15 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.
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The question is.. how much contact in the pit lane is too much? @supercarschampionship 🤷🏽♂️
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