Shane van Gisbergen has been handed a grid penalty for today’s Wilson Security Sandown 500 following an incident with Fabian Coulthard in Saturday’s final practice session.
The Red Bull Holden driver tagged the rear of Coulthard’s Shell V-Power Racing Ford at the final corner that sent the Falcon into a spin in the latter stages of the session.
Van Gisbergen claimed that Coulthard may have brake tested him although following an investigation stewards have deemed that the reigning Supercars champion was at fault.
Officials have slapped van Gisbergen with a two place grid penalty, dropping the #97 Commodore he is sharing with Matt Campbell from 19th to 21st on the grid.
“It is a weird one, being penalised for practice,” said van Gisbergen.
“It was a silly incident, Fabian was going so slow, wrecked his lap and I ended up running up the back of it.
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“If that is how it is going to be in practice for the rest of the year, I will get in his way every time.”
“I think it is fair to say we like to be humble in victory and gallant in defeat, perhaps our friends up the pointy end of pit road take a different view on things but I suppose that is how it goes and we will press on,” said Shell V-Power’s Ryan Story.
“I think it was clear not only to the stewards who saw reason and common sense in that response but certainly most of the punters and fans at home, they probably took the same view of it.”
Meanwhile, Stewards have also issued Simona de Silvestro with a two spot grid drop for impeding the Red Bull Holden of Jamie Whincup in yesterday’s qualifying session.
De Silvestro and co-driver David Russell will now start today’s race from 22nd to 24th on the grid.
Taz Douglas escaped penalty after officials deemed there was no case to answer, the #3 car having made contact with Campbell at Turn 4 during the first Race for the Grid.
VIDEO: Practice incident
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