DJR Team Penske sanctioned for non-compliance at Bathurst

In addition the episode of Fabian Coulthard's slowdown, DJR Team Penske will not have emerged unscathed from its victory at Bathurst 1000 with the duo Scott McLaughlin – Alexandre Prémat. Shortly before the Sandown 500 race this Sunday, the Supercars stewards imposed a new sanction on the team, as well as the number 17 car.

The cause was the engine used during the qualifying sessions and the Bathurst Shootout on the winning car, in which the maximum permitted valve lift was exceeded.

In fact, the No. 17 Ford Mustang of the Bathurst 1000 winners was relegated to the back of the Sandown 500 grid, with DJR Team Penske fined $30. Scott McLaughlin also lost his Bathurst 000 pole position and his lap record, but retained the victory with Alexandre Prémat.

DJR Team Penske provided their perspective on the sanction. “The engine in question encountered a mechanical problem during practice and qualifying, explains the stable. Following the Shootout, those in charge allowed us to change it before the race.

We are satisfied that the build sheet indicated measurements well below the maximum permissible valve lift indicated in the engine specification document in the regulations.

The championship also confirmed that the camshaft, rocker arms and all other components and measurements of this engine conform to the engine specification document.

The commissioner's report confirmed that our team clearly had no intention of bending the rules and that there was no evidence that we had enjoyed any performance advantage as the engine had passed power bench testing after the event, giving results not exceeding the reference data.

As the lift was measured exceeding a few thousandths on a few valves, one can only conclude that the engine was not measured correctly during its initial assembly or that damage occurred in the engine contributed to a maximum change in lift. valve lift in the cylinders. »

In any case, nothing calls into question the title assured this Sunday morning by Scott McLaughlin, and this for the second consecutive year in Supercars.