Shane van Gisbergen gets to keep win as protest is dismissed

Shane van Gisbergen gets to keep his victory from the first Supercars championship race of the Pukekohe weekend as the protest from DJR Team Penske was dismissed.

The Ford team filed a protest on the stewards’ decision to clear the Triple Eight Race Engineering driver from a penalty on spinning the rear wheels during one of his pit stops.

The stewards confirmed that the wheels had not completed a full rotation, stating:

“We agree with the DRD’s submission that he and the stewards enjoy a discretion to not impose a penalty in appropriate circumstances notwithstanding that a breach of a Rule is established.

“So much is clear from Rule B7 in the case of the Stewards and, in the case of the DRD, Rule B2.1.1. So much is also clear from the terms of Articles 11.9 and 12 of the International Sporting Code.

“We find that the DRD has a discretion not to refer a breach of Rule D11.8.8 to the Stewards in the circumstances of this case and in the general circumstances he outlined. We have no reason to consider that this exercise of discretion miscarried in this case. Indeed, had the incident been referred to us, we would not have imposed a penalty consistent with the policy which has been applied this championship season.”

DJR Team Penske has accepted the decision but has asked for the rules to be clarified, issuing a statement:

“The rules are there to protect the safety of pit crew members. Any rotation of the rear wheels during a pit stop, except for slight movement upon gear engagement, is a clear violation of the rules.

“The rules do not state how much the rear wheels can rotate – they state that they can’t rotate. Injury can occur without a ‘full revolution’ of the rear wheels being completed.

“We have no choice but to accept this decision.

“We can only request that rules are applied and enforced as they are written and that there is consistency as well as clearly defined communication to all in their ongoing application.”