Erebus' mid-race shift to Sunday after Kostecki clash

Erebus Motorsport opted to shift focus to Sunday for Brodie Kostecki midway through the Perth opener following a lap 1, Turn 1 tangle.

Kostecki qualified 14th for Saturday’s Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint race, which was won by Walkinshaw Andretti United driver Chaz Mostert.

However, the #1 Erebus Camaro came off worse of a three-wide scenario with Richie Stanaway and Nick Percat seconds after the race began.

The reigning champion dropped to the back, and ran a 53-lap stint, 18 laps than any other driver. Kostecki stopped in the closing stages and crossed the line 22nd, one lap off the pace.

Erebus Team Principal Brad Tremain said the decision to run Kostecki long was a bid to get the most out of Sunday’s action, which gets underway with Practice 3 at 9:40am AWST/11:40am AEST.

Erebus dropped from third to seventh in the teams’ standings, with Jack Le Brocq forced to start from pit lane after his #9 BIC Camaro was left stranded on the grid.

“Not our finest day on the racetrack,” Tremain said in a team video.

“Early contact for Brodie sent him to the rear of the field — you get that at the back of the field.

The #9's battery issue was put down to a “procedure error,” and consigned Le Brocq to an eventual finish of 20th, dropping him from seventh to 10th in the points.

“A procedure error on our end on Jack’s car meant it didn’t start in the grid, it started back here in pit lane, so that took him out of the race,” Tremain said.

“Lessons learnt today, we’ll take that info and apply it tomorrow and the future, and be better."

Supercars will return to the track on Sunday for the short Practice 3 at 9:40am AWST/11:40am AEST, followed by knockout Boost Mobile Qualifying at 12:00pm AWST/2:00pm AEST.

The second 55-lap race of the weekend, Race 10, will commence at 3:45pm AWST/5:45pm AEST. International viewers can follow all the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint action on Superview.