Jake Kostecki disqualified from Townsville race two after tyre pressure breach

Matt Stone Racing’s Jake Kostecki has been disqualified form the second Supercars Championship race at Townsville for a breach of the regulated minimum tyre pressures.

Supercars regulations state that the tyre pressures for each car must not be lower than 17 psi and, upon a post-race investigation, it was found that Kostecki’s team had gone below that limit.

Kostecki was initially under investigation during the race, with that investigation being referred to the stewards properly after the race had finished.

The Matt Stone Racing driver had finished 20th on the road, but has now been stripped of that result.

A Supercars statement read: “The Team (Matt Stone Racing) acknowledged to the Stewards that the Rule was breached in relation to Car 34 during the reconnaissance lap to the Grid, while on the Grid and at the start of the formation lap.

“The Team sought to have a penalty other than disqualification (which is the Commission’s Recommended Minimum Penalty) applied.

“After hearing the Team and the DRD on the matter, the Stewards decided that the appropriate penalty to be applied is the Recommended Minimum Penalty and disqualified Car 34, Jake Kostecki, from Race 16.”

Kostecki’s team was also fined $250 after the car’s lock brake was not engaged during one of the mandatory pit-stops.