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The penalty that cost Shane van Gisbergen a podium in Race 18 cannot be appealed and the team will learn from it, says Triple Eight Racing Team Manager Mark Dutton.
After starting in 20th, the #97 Camaro crossed the line in fourth place but would have been elevated to third given that Cam Waters – who crossed the line ahead of van Gisbergen – had already incurred a five-second penalty for an unsafe pit release.
Dutton told Fox Sports that he was looking for answers – which came after a visit by the Team Manager to Race Control.
“We just wanted you to understand – we didn’t have clarity,” Dutton told Speedcafe.
“We went up to the podium; alright, we’ve had a decent comeback, and then we were told – – when we’re pretty much at the podium, so felt quite late that – that there was a five second time penalty, take the car away.”
“The confusion at the time from us was obviously what was it really about – but more than that, was it a post-race penalty, because the race seemed to finish when it was announced, or was it an in-race penalty.”
“The reason that’s important is in an in-race penalty, you can’t protest, whereas something that’s been decided in the race, that’s final”
“If it’s a post-race then you’ve got a right to be heard.”
Following the race, an aggrieved Erebus Motorsport Team Principal, Barry Ryan, issued an expletive-laden response to van Gisbergen’s contact with Will Brown, which occurred on the final lap at Turn 8 which saw him pass #9 Camaro.
“Shane – he can’t keep f***ing doing that, it’s bullshit. He hit him up the arse and he passed him – you can’t do that. We’re just going to make sure he gets done this time, and not let off, because we’re sick of it,” Ryan told Fox Sports.
When asked by Speedcafe if van Gisbergen needs to change his driving style – and if the penalty was worthy – Dutton suggested that the contact was a rare misstep.
“No, I don’t think so. We always have to review and learn because no one’s perfect. And in this instance, obviously it was deemed to be too much so we’ll review that of course.
“But I think it’s pretty clear that Shane’s the best passer in the field by a fair by margin. And and he does that well; he does that clean. If this one it was a little bit too much rubbing we’ll learn from it.”
