Erebus Motorsport’s protest against the result of Race 7 of the Repco Supercars Championship in Perth has been dismissed.
The squad lodged a protest after Shane van Gisbergen escaped penalty for his race-winning pass on Brodie Kostecki, during which he made contact with the right-rear corner of the #99 Chevrolet Camaro at Turn 6 of Wanneroo Raceway.
Stewards have now advised: “Following the publication of the Provisional Classifications for Race 7 the Stewards received a Notice of Protest from Erebus Motorsport regarding an incident on Lap 41 of Race 7 at turn involving Car 99, Brodie Kostecki, and Car 97, Shane van Gisbergen.
“The Stewards heard the protest earlier today and have since issued their Decision dismissing the protest.”
Erebus had attempted to argue that van Gisbergen gained an advantage from the aforementioned contact, and thus that was a breach of Supercars’ driving rules.
However, it was determined that van Gisbergen already had overlap with Kostecki’s car when the Erebus driver moved to the right of the race track in an attempt to cover the inside line for Turn 6.
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As such, it was in fact Kostecki who initiated avoidable contact.
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“Broadcast footage of the Incident was reviewed and the Protestor and the Authorised Representative of Triple Eight Race Engineering (Triple Eight) spoke to it,” read the official stewards decision document.
“The footage demonstrably showed that there was no contact by Car 97 with the rear bumper or right rear wheel of Car 99 as had been suggested. Rather it showed that on the entry to turn 6, Car 99 had been defending by staying to the right side of the Race-Track and had then moved left, back to the racing line, for the turn-in for turn 6.
“As Car 99 did do, Car 97 moved up into the space left by Car 99 on the inside of the approach to turn 6. Just prior to the apex to turn 6, slight contact occurred between the two Cars at a point when Car 97 had significant overlap on Car 99.
“The Authorised Representative of Triple Eight submitted that as Car 99 turned-in for turn 6, it did not leave a car’s width of racing room on the inside and Car 99 made avoidable contact with Car 97.
“The DSA expressed the same view and explained that it was for this reason that he had recommended to the DRD that the matter not be referred to the Stewards.”
Van Gisbergen had been applying intense pressure to Kostecki in the closing stages of the race, repeatedly making contact with the rear bar of Car #99.
Following the race-winning pass, Erebus requested an investigation into the incident, although van Gisbergen escaped punishment at the time because, per the Saturday night stewards report, “There was no evidence to substantiate any breach of the Rules by the Driver of Car 97.”
The protest was subsequently lodged after the allowable time limit, but was ultimately accepted due to extenuating circumstances.
Erebus CEO Barry Ryan, Kostecki, Triple Eight Race Engineering Team Manager Mark Dutton, and van Gisbergen fronted a hearing held this morning (local time), between the day’s qualifying sessions and Race 8 of the season, with the decision handed down ahead of Race 9.
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