Brodie Kostecki claims his first Supercars victory in this season’s most chaotic race at Albert Park

Brodie Kostecki has scored his first ever Supercars win in the most chaotic race of the 2023 season thus far.

Kostecki drove the Coca-Cola Camaro to victory in the vastly shortened Race Four at Melbourne’s Albert Park on Friday.

The short-lived race kicked-off with a foul omen when the beginning lighting stopped operating, forcing officers to start out the race with a flag.

Red Bull motive force Shane van Gisbergen misplaced his pole place to Kostecki and Will Brown in the Coca-Cola Racing automobiles in the first flip.

Shortly in the back of them, David Reynolds flew off the observe and right into a gravel entice – triggering a security automobile.

Coca-Cola Camaro motive force Brodie Kosteki (above) claimed his first ever Supercars victory throughout race 4 at Albert Park on Friday

David Reynolds flew off the observe at Turn One of the first lap (above), triggering a security automobile

While the protection automobile labored to spherical up the observe, Mustang motive force Nick Percat was once noticed pulling into pit lane with flames taking pictures out from the left-front nook of his automobile.

He was once unhurt in the fireplace however was once compelled into his moment DNF of the season. 

‘I do know with what I’ve on clothes smart I’m going to be protected. I have no idea what came about,’ Percat informed Fox Sports.

‘I believed I may just odor one thing down the again instantly, perhaps the exhaust or one thing.

‘Next factor I’m like “oh my god I’m on fire”.’

The nerve-racking first lap brought about a race restart. 

Like Thursday’s Race Three, the observe was once declared rainy which means groups were not required to make use of two complete units of differing tyre compounds.

Nick Percat’s automobile stuck fireplace on lap one (above) however he was once ready to drag into pit lane and was once unhurt

A pit lane staff briefly extinguished Percat’s automobile (above) however the fireplace brought about a race restart

However, groups had been nonetheless required not to name drivers in for a pit prevent sooner than lap two. 

Mark Winterbottom, who completed in eleventh, and Macauley Jones, who positioned 14th for his a hundred and fiftieth Supercars race, had been required to pit for a moment time.

A crash by means of Jack Le Brocq in the Castrol Mustang at Turn Seven noticed the race canned by means of the 8th lap.

Due to the unexpected end, a number of automobiles didn’t get the danger to pit. 

A moment Safety Car led Kostecki to victory, adopted by means of James Courtney in moment and Shane van Gisbergen in 3rd.

However, Courtney was once stripped of his place simply hours after the race when officers discovered he performed an element in Reynolds’ crash and passed him a 30-second time penalty. 

The penalty noticed Gisbergen declare moment, his Red Bull teammate Broc Feeney took 3rd whilst Chaz Mostert claimed fourth, decreasing his Championship result in simply 11 issues.

Nulon Racing Camaro motive force James Golding was once additionally passed a penalty after the race over a pit lane breach that noticed him drop from tenth place to twenty first.

CoolDrive Mustang motive force Todd Hazelwood was once despatched to the again of the grid for Race Four after he was once disqualified from Race Three on Thursday. 

Officials discovered Hazelwood’s automobile had a technical breach with the fallacious drop-gear ratio carried out. 

A moment Safety Car lead Kostecki (above) to victory after Jack Le Brocq crashed at Turn Eight, cancelling the race on its 8th lap

He completed in twenty second forward of the 3 broken automobiles. 

Scott Pye drove the quickest lap of Race Four however didn’t end prime sufficient to obtain bonus issues, crossing the road in twentieth.

The turbulent race was once to begin with set to run for 15 laps from 2.45pm however as an alternative handiest ran for 8 laps and was once behind schedule by means of half-hour after a dramatic crash in the prior Formula 3 qualifying consultation.

It was once the second one of 4 Supercars races this week, operating at the identical observe as Sunday’s Australian F1 Grand Prix.