JAKE Kostecki has copped a five-figure fine for breaching the rules around red flag periods during Supercars Practice 4 at the Repco Bathurst 1000.
The incident occurred during the red flag period for Will Brown’s crash at Reid Park that prematurely curtailed the session.
The stewards of the meeting found Kostecki guilty of passing Chaz Mostert down Conrod Straight and reaching a speed of over 220 km/h on his way back to the pits, a breach of Schedule B3, Article 3.2.1. of the Supercars Operations Manual.
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The Tickford Racing driver has been fined $10,000, double the recommended minimum penalty for such a breach, although half has been suspended until the end of next year subject to him not committing a similar offence.
“The Driver admitted that his actions amounted to a breach of the rule,” the stewards decision read.
“He acknowledged that he was not fully across the obligations placed on a Driver by the Rule. He stated that he had been told the location of the incident … and had passed that point and felt that he was driving within a reasonable manner.
“The Stewards consider this breach to be particularly reckless and below the standard of a competent driver. The potential for personal injury and/or damage to property to occur from the manner of driving was very high.
“The circumstances warrant the imposition of a penalty higher than the recommended minimum penalty of a fine of $5,000 for a breach of this rule during a Practice session.”
It marks the second brush with officialdom for a Tickford Racing driver this weekend with Zak Best and the team fined over a golf buggy incident on the eve of practice.
