Mostert explains costly Feeney defence
Chaz Mostert explains costly Broc Feeney defence
Feeney wiped Mostert out at Turn 6 despite carrying penalty
Will Brown inherited Adelaide 500 victory after incident
Chaz Mostert has explained his defence of Broc Feeney in the closing stages of the VAILO Adelaide 500 finale, which cost the Walkinshaw Andretti United driver victory.
Mostert led the balance of the race, with Feeney hounding him in second. Feeney was released into the path of Mostert after their second stops, with the two cars making contact.
Feeney was served a 15-second penalty over an unsafe release despite redressing the position at pit exit, with Mostert only needing the stay within 15 seconds should Feeney have worked his way past.
Mostert opted against letting Feeney through, with the Mobil 1 Optus Ford tagged into a spin and into the barriers at Turn 6. Feeney copped another penalty, while Mostert suffered damaged and ceded position to eventual winner Will Brown.
When asked afterwards about his defence, Mostert said he was missing his right-hand mirror after earlier contact, and was concerned he couldn't stay with the rapid Feeney, who apologised after the race.
"I was probably a little bit worried about his pace, to be honest," Mostert said.
"I didn't think 15 seconds, when that, if he got in clean air, he was going to be really fast.
"So I wanted to make it as hard as possible. I didn't have the right end mirror at that point. And I'm like, I don't think he's really that far up, but, I was kind of blind there.
"It happens. I hope it was entertaining for everyone. Had to drive a three-tyre car back across the line. I thought I was going to have to pit, but it was pretty bad. But, hopefully the last couple of laps were pretty entertaining.
"I reckon there's probably about four or five guys pretty pissed off with me."
The final quote was in reference to a robust battle for effective second between Mostert, Will Davison, Thomas Randle and Nick Percat. Randle got past Davison and finished third, with Mostert hanging on.
"It had pretty bad right front damage after the pit stop stuff, we had wheel-to-wheel contact," Mostert added.
"It didn't feel quite right in that last stint, which made me a bit more vulnerable. Then after it went in the wall, I don't know what the rear tyres were doing, but they weren't talking to each other.
"So, I don't know if I was going to do a tyre. I had smoke after the guard. It'll be interesting to see it on the set up patch at the workshop to see how bad it was, but, yeah, it was pretty loose after that."
Mostert ended the season third in the Repco Supercars Championship standings, matching his finishes from 2021 and 2022.
