Triple Eight penalised over dropped wheel

Triple Eight Race Engineering has been penalised for the incident during the 2018 Bathurst 1000 where Jamie Whincup’s co-driver Paul Dumbrell lost his front-right wheel.

The team has had 30 points removed from the teams’ championship and been given a 5000 AUD fine.

Dumbrell managed to get the car back into the pits on three wheels but lost vital time, with the duo finishing tenth after gaining back valuable time thanks to one of the safety car sessions.

The stewards report read:

“Following a post-race DRD investigation and an admission by Triple Eight Race Engineering Pty Ltd of a breach of Rule A4.4 (Each Competitor is responsible for all safety aspects of the Team including that Competitor’s Car, namely the Team admitted it failed to adequately tighten the wheel on Car #1 at its pit stop before the wheel departed the Car on Lap 38) the Stewards imposed the penalty of a fine of $5000 and the Loss of 30 Teams Championship Points on Triple Eight Race Engineering Pty Ltd.”