De Pasquale loses crucial points with post-race penalty

Anton De Pasquale enters Sunday under serious Finals pressure following a post-race penalty in Saturday's Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 opener.

The Team 18 driver crossed the line sixth in Race 28 behind winner Chaz Mostert, but a five-second penalty dropped him to eighth in the final classification.

Revealed post-race, De Pasquale shortcut Turn 10 at Beach Chicane on three of the final four laps of the race.

In the stewards report, De Pasquale claimed his Cub Cadet Chevrolet's power steering was "faulty" which "compromised his ability to steer the Car."

Despite data showing the steering the "inconsistent especially in the later stages of the Race," stewards penalised De Pasquale, stating "there were other ways of dealing with that issue while remaining within track limits and within the Code."

Sixth position is worth 99 points, while eighth receives 84 points. De Pasquale lost 15 points, with his buffer to eighth slashed from 31 to 16 points heading into Sunday's action.

The stewards report reads:

Car / Driver Car 18 Anton De Pasquale

Competitor WFL Racing Pty Ltd

Date Saturday, 25 October 2025

Time 17:12

Session Race 28

Fact The Driver of Car 18 left the Race Track (the Car went straight on without attempting to take the chicanes) at Turn 2 on Laps 82, 84 & 85 and at Turn 10 on Lap 85.

Rule Schedule B2 Article 3.3 During Competition, Drivers must use the Race Track at all times and may not leave the Race Track without a justifiable reason

Decision 5 second Time Penalty for Car 18 in Race 28.

Reason The Stewards heard from the DRD, the Competitor’s Authorised Representatives and the Driver of Car 18, reviewed available broadcast vision, and received telemetry data from Car 18.

The vision and the data showed that the Driver did not negotiate Turn 2 on any of laps 82, 84 & 85 or Turn 10 on Lap 85 but drove straight through the chicanes. The Race was of 85 laps duration.

The Driver admitted the facts alleged but submitted that he had justifiable reason to leave the Race Track as he did. He submitted that the Car’s power steering was faulty, which compromised his ability to steer the Car.

Data produced by the Team and verified by Supercars Technical showed that the effectiveness of the steering was inconsistent especially in the later stages of the Race.

The Stewards find that the Driver’s reason for leaving the Race Track did not justify the breach of the Code of Driving Conduct. A primary obligation upon all drivers is to drive within the limits of the Race Track. The Driver’s action in driving through the chicanes was understandable in that it alleviated the problem of the faulty steering system however there were other ways of dealing with that issue while remaining within track limits and within the Code (e.g. drive slower).

Team 18 was also docked 30 teams' championship points and fined $1500 over a pit lane infringement, with the #18 Camaro dropped from the air jacks while the fuel hose was still engaged.

Boost Mobile Qualifying commences at 10:00am local time/11:00am AEDT.