SVG-De Pasquale Townsville run-in explained
Supercars Driving Standards Advisor Craig Baird has offered insight into the dramatic climax to Race 20.
Sunday’s Townsville finale ended in high drama when Anton De Pasquale and Shane van Gisbergen clashed while disputing victory.
Rather than making a clean pass, De Pasquale hit the #97 Commodore and caused it to rotate.
De Pasquale was then told over his radio to redress as he approached the finish line.
He attempted a redress, but van Gisbergen slowed down and crossed the line behind the #11 Mustang.
Baird penalised De Pasquale for Careless Driving to the tune of five seconds, which restored the top two positions to where they had been before the incident.
Baird said that the redress is not a written rule; rather, it’s a recommendation offered to drivers to work it out themselves.
“It’s in our Code of Driving Conduct; it’s not a rule, it’s a recommendation,” Baird told Supercars.com.
“If it’s a bump-and-run, it doesn’t involve anyone else, there aren’t multiple positions lost.
“It’s something they can use that I can take into consideration whether it warrants a penalty moving forward.
“In Townsville, the order they went into the corner, and the order they went across the line had Shane accepted the redress; that’s a play-on.
“It was a redress that was offered up by Anton, and realistically, should have been taken.
“Shane has given a redress before, and people have taken it.
The leaders cross the finish line
“It’s a tool in their toolbox so we can encourage good, hard racing.”
Van Gisbergen and De Pasquale were classified in the positions they were in before the incident.
Van Gisbergen was going to win the race, redress or not; the common penalty for Careless Driving of late has been 15 seconds.
Baird reiterated that had Waters passed the leaders, the penalty would have been more severe given a third party was involved.
“If Shane loses multiple positions, Anton has his hands tied; he can't redress,” Baird explained.
“In that instance, it would be the common 15-second penalty.
“It didn’t involve anyone else. They were racing for first and second.
“It was a move that was put on, whether right or wrong, that didn’t come off.
“Shane didn’t take the redress offered on a platter, so I redressed it.
“It’s not up to Shane to dictate what penalty Anton receives.”
Both van Gisbergen and De Pasquale said the fair outcome came to pass, even if van Gisbergen wanted a bigger penalty.
Van Gisbergen later told Supercars.com that Baird had made the right call: "Bairdo did the right thing only giving him a five-second penalty.
"It was a one-on-one incident and it didn't change the result in the end.
Baird says that a redress wouldn’t have allowed De Pasquale to avoid penalty, such was the magnitude of the incident.
However, Baird reiterated that the redress remains available as a "tool” for drivers to settle it themselves.
“It doesn’t mean a redress automatically gets you off a penalty,” Baird said.
De Pasquale and van Gisbergan after the race
“If someone is completely out of order, the penalty may still apply.
“The flexibility of the tool is to ensure it’s fair on both parties.
“Both teams were happy with the outcome. No advantage was gained.
“For example, you want to watch a good, flowing game of rugby without the referee blowing the whistle all the time.
“It’s the tool available to ensure there is a flowing game of rugby. The ref doesn’t have to be involved all the time.
"If they can sort it out, and it doesn’t involve others, sort it out."
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