A bizarre incident unfolded in the Supercars championship when Brodie Kostecki was slapped with a drive-through penalty for shutting off his engine before coming to a complete stop on the reconnaissance lap. Supercars regulations explicitly mandate that engines must remain running while approaching a grid slot and continue operating until the car is entirely stationary as a vital safety measure for crew members stationed on the grid.
According to the official stewards report, Kostecki’s engine speed hit zero RPM for a duration of seven seconds while the car decelerated from 31.8 km/h to a halt. Addressing the situation, DJR team manager Tom Moore candidly explained to Speedcafe that the infraction stemmed from a misjudged attempt by the driver to conserve a minimal amount of fuel ahead of the race.
"He just turned the engine off rolling into his grid box," Moore stated. "You could argue it’s fuel saving, but it’s an infinitesimal amount and a lot of other cars do it. They do it all the time. I think we just did a little bit longer than what most other cars have done."
Moore stressed that the maneuver carried no malicious intent or performance advantage whatsoever. However, he acknowledged that their strong efficiency in the pit lane the previous day might have drawn extra scrutiny from officials. He also noted minor telemetry quirks involving the throttle position sensor as the car coasted into position.
The heavy penalty forced Kostecki from his fourth-place grid spot down to the rear of the field when he served the drive-through on lap 11. Although his spot in the Grand Final was already secured via Saturday's victory, the sanction still threatened to disrupt his crucial seeding order heading into the high-stakes Adelaide finale.
A determined recovery charge ultimately salvaged a 10th-place finish, ensuring that Kostecki safely advances to the Adelaide Grand Final seeded second overall behind title rival Matt Payne.
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