Shop
Irwin Racing has been fined $3000 and docked 30 teams’ championship points for a line locker failure during one of Mark Winterbottom’s Race 14 pit stops.
The requirement for the line locker to be engaged when cars are raised on air jacks during a pit stop was introduced this year to prevent wheels from spinning and endangering the safety of crew members.
“Following an admission by the Team, the Stewards imposed the Penalties of a Fine in the sum of $3,000 and the Loss of Thirty (30) 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Teams Championship Points on Chasports Racing Pty Ltd Car #18, for a breach of the Article 5.12.2 of the Event Supplementary Regulations – brake lock mechanism not engaged at all times during Pit Stop before Car was returned to the ground,” read the stewards summary.
The sanction is the second which Team 18 has incurred in 2019 after its car lost a wheel at Phillip Island, but the Charlie Schwerkolt-owned operation remains 11th in the teams’ championship and first of the four official single-car teams.
Winterbottom himself also earned the ire of officials during Race 14 when he ran into Simona De Silvestro at Turn 1 on Lap 20.
He had to serve a 15-second hold at his next pit stop, as did Chaz Mostert and Anton De Pasquale for run-ins with Rick Kelly and Mostert respectively.
Jack Le Brocq also copped 15 seconds for a nudge on Garry Jacobson at Turn 12 on Lap 42.
The Tekno driver had the punishment added to his race time, having already made his two compulsory pit stops and a third pit stop under Safety Car, but remained 20th in the Race 14 classification anyway.
