Brown hit with Gold Coast grid penalty

Will Brown has received a grid penalty over an incident in Friday qualifying in Surfers Paradise.

The Red Bull Ampol Racing star has been penalised over an impeding incident with Matt Stone Racing driver and fellow Finalist, Jack Le Brocq.

Le Brocq caught Brown into the final corner, with officials quickly noting the incident, before placing Brown under investigation.

Brown, who qualified seventh, now heads into Saturday carrying a two-place grid penalty.

Per the Motorsport Australia stewards report: "Car 888 was driving unnecessarily slowly on the racing line in the approach to Turn 14 and impeded Car 4, which was on a push lap."

Brown will be demoted two positions regardless of where he ends up in Saturday's Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout. Le Brocq qualified 17th.

The report reads: "The Stewards summoned and heard from the Drivers of Cars 888 and 4 and their Authorised Representatives. The Stewards also heard from the DSA. The Stewards reviewed the available broadcast vision and showed the vision to the parties.

"The Driver of Car 4 told the Stewards that he was on a push lap and as he approached Turn 14 he came across Car 888 travelling slowly on the racing line and had to move offline to avoid a collision and thereby lost time.

"The Driver of Car 888 told the Stewards that he was on a preparation lap and was among other traffic also on a preparation lap and was not made aware by his Team that Car 4 was approaching on a push lap. He acknowledged he was on the racing line and that Car 4 had to move offline to avoid him.

"The Stewards acknowledge that while unintentional, Car 888 did impede Car 4 and further find this driving conduct amounts to careless driving and a breach of the Rules and impose a 2 Grid Spot penalty on Car 888, which is consistent with previous breaches of a similar nature."

Saturday's Supercars action at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 commences with the Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout at 12:35pm local time/1:35pm AEDT.