Team 18 penalised for pitstop mishap

Team 18 has been penalised with a reduction of 30 team championship points and fined 1500 AUD after a mishap during the pitstop of the final Sydney Motorsport Park race of the Supercars Championship weekend.

The mishap occurred when Mark Winterbottom performed his pitstop as the air hose was still attached to his car when he left the pit pay.

A statement from the stewards read:

“A post-Race investigation was conducted into an Incident which had occurred during Car #18’s Pit stop when the air spike hose remained connected to the Car after Car #18 had been dropped and released from its Pit Bay.

“The air spike attendant had attempted unsuccessfully to free the air spike after Car #18 had driven away with the result that the air hose was torn away.

“Rule D11.7.3 mandates that a Car must be completely free from all hoses and equipment before leaving its Pit Bay. The Team, Chasports Racing, admitted to a breach of that Rule.

“The Stewards were satisfied that the Driver of Car #18, Mark Winterbottom, was entitled to assume that the Car was free of all equipment because the Car could not have dropped unless the air spike had been pulled.

“The Stewards imposed a Penalty of the Loss of 30 Teams’ Championship Points on Chasports Racing and a Fine in the sum of $1,500, of which $750 is suspended until 31 December 2020.”

Team 18 was also penalised, along with Erebus Motorsport and Triple Eight Race Engineering, for allowing its drivers to drive on the circuit in road cars during the track walk session. All three teams were fined 1000 AUD of which 500 is suspended.