Brodie Kostecki’s Repco Supercars Finals Series hopes are in serious doubt while four photographers were injured following a major accident in Qualifying for Race 28 at the Gold Coast 500.
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It had been a scrappy session for the 2024 Bathurst 1000 winner, as he continually damaged the front left corner of his #38 Shell V-Power Mustang after clipping the tyre bundle repeatedly at Turn 1.
The Dick Johnson Racing crew attempted to patch up the front bar several times throughout the session, and put a considerable amount of race tape on the front left corner especially for his final run in Q2.
The front bar was angled down towards the front left corner despite the attempted fix, and Kostecki only further damaged it when he clipped the tyre bundle on his first flying lap out of the pits.
When he hit it again on his final flying lap, the left hand side of the front bar folded under the front left tyre, pitching the 2023 Supercars champion head-on into the tyre wall at almost unabated speed.
The Ford is off to PACE Innovations for chassis repairs as the race begins to get the car repaired for the remainder of the weekend, with the car all but ruled out of Saturday’s race.
Speaking post-session, Kostecki said: “I’m physically good. I obviously just clipped the tyre bundle, there was a bit of damage and it just went under the front wheel and went straight in head-first.
“The boys and girls have a lot of work to do now, but it’s not looking so good.”
A Supercars spokesperson later confirmed in a statement that four photographers were injured in the incident.
“Two photographers sustained ankle injuries, one suffered an elbow injury, and a fourth received a head injury.
“All four are alert, talking, very stable, and will be transported to hospital for further assessment. All are in a stable condition.
“Motorsport Australia has implemented changes to photographer access in that area for the remainder of the event.
“Supercars extends its thanks to the volunteers, officials and medical crews for their swift and professional response.”
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Six-time Bathurst 1000 winner and Fox Motorsport commentator Garth Tander said Kostecki and his team would be in a “whole world of pain” after the crash.
“Not only physically, but look at his car. The energy that has gone through his car,” Tander said.
“Structurally, I’m thinking engine, I’m thinking chassis, I’m thinking transmission tunnel. There is a whole lot of energy going into that car which this team now have no idea what they have got ahead of them now to fix this car.”
DJR has asked for permission to take the car off-site for repairs. Dick Johnson Racing is based in Stapylton, which is 45 minutes from Surfers Paradise. PACE Innovations is based in Yatala, which is approximately one hour away.
“So they’ve asked for permission to take the car off-site to repair it, without even looking at it they’re fairly certain that there’s going to be significant chassis damage,” Supercars Head of Motorsport Tim Edwards said.
“So they’ll take it back to PACE Innovation, the Supercars chassis builder which is only 15 minutes up the road, strip the car and will ascertain whether they can rebuild that chassis overnight to come back tomorrow.
“But they’re pretty certain that it’s definitely out today.”
Penrite Racing’s Matt Payne claimed provisional pole ahead of this afternoon’s Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout, whilst Kostecki had qualified 16th.
The Shootout is scheduled to begin at 12:35pm local time/1:35pm AEDT, before Race 28 begins at 3:15pm local time/4:15pm AEDT.