Chaz Mostert handed Bend 500 grid penalty

Mostert was deemed guilty of “careless driving departing from the standard of a competent driver” following an investigation.

The penalty drops the #25 Mostert/Fabian Coulthard Mustang from eighth to 10th on the grid for Sunday’s race, while the #62 Richie Stanaway/Nash Morris Camaro remains 19th.

The beneficiaries of the penalty are the #99 Cooper Murray/Jobe Stewart Erebus Camaro and #2 Ryan Wood/Jayden Ojeda WAU Mustang, which moved to eighth and ninth respectively.

In handing down the penalty, stewards explained that the circumstances of the infringement meant the full three-place penalty was not imposed.

“The Stewards summoned and heard from the Drivers of Car 25 and Car 62 and the Team Representatives and reviewed judicial footage from Car 62,” it read.

“Car 62 was on a push lap and had successfully negotiated through a number of cars.

“Car 25 was on a preparation lap and was on the racing line at Turn 13 when Car 62 arrived as a result of which Car 62 had to abort the lap.

“The Driver of Car 25 acknowledged that the Driver od Car 62 had been impeded. He explained that he hadn’t received a message for his Team that Car 62 was approaching.

“He said that when he looked in his mirrors before Turn 13 he saw Car 14 exiting Turn 12 and knew that Car 14 was on a slow lap. His sight of Car 62 behind Car 14 was obstructed by Car 14.

“Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that Car 25 unnecessarily impeded Car 62.

“The Stewards took into account the heavy traffic and that Car 25’s view of Car 62 was obstructed by the position Car 14 and impose a 2 grid position penalty instead of the 3 grid place penalty usually imposed for this type of infringement.”