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Stewards explain van Gisbergen Shootout ruling

04 Dec 2022
#1 picked up speeding infringement in qualifying
2 mins by James Pavey
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Stewards have explained why Shane van Gisbergen was allowed to take part in Sunday's Shootout after a qualifying speeding infringement.

Van Gisbergen failed to engage his limiter and was caught speeding in pit lane during Race 34 qualifying.

The #1 Commodore had entered the lane under the maximum 40 km/h.

However, van Gisbergen exceeded it by 6km/h as he cycled down the lane.

Van Gisbergen took part in the later Top Ten Shootout following deliberation between stewards and Supercars officials.

The champion-elect was hit with two financial penalties — $350 for failing to engage the limiter, and $350 for speeding.

Van Gisbergen set the fourth fastest time in the Shootout.

Top Ten Shootout 34 Highlights: VALO Adelaide 500

It comes after Thomas Randle was unable to take part in Saturday’s Shootout following rapid repairs.

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Tickford Racing just missed the cut-off after repairing Randle’s damaged Castrol Ford.

A stewards’ statement reads: "The rule requires the limiter to be activated at all times.

"A mistake by the driver is not an excuse and the breach is therefore established and admitted by the driver and competitor.

"The use of the pitlane limiter is an important tool to protect the safety of personnel and officials in the pitlane. It is also important to prevent competitors gaining a sporting advantage, particularly during qualifying or a race, to traverse the pitlane at higher than the speed limit to gain track position or to enable a push lap when the time remaining in the session is limited.

"In this case, the incident occurred at the end of the session, after the chequered flag. No sporting advantage was possible.

"It is not uncommon for cars to be recorded as entering pitlane at much higher speeds than the maximum speed recorded by car #1 in the pitlane in this case. The penalty for such a breach in a qualifying session is a fine.

"The Stewards take into account the driver’s explanation that he believed he had successfully activated the limiter and immediately activated it as soon as he realised that it had not engaged.

"The stewards also take into account that car #1 entered the pitlane under the speed limit, the speeding breach was momentary (approximately three seconds) and the maximum speed achieved by car #1 in the pitlane is at the lower end of the range in which monetary penalties only commence to be imposed.

"In this case, the Stewards consider the appropriate penalty is a fine in addition to a fine to be imposed on the driver of Car 1 for the speeding infringement itself."

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