Triple Eight loses Newcastle Supercars disqualification appeal hearing

The Red Bull Camaros were stripped of their results from the Supercars opener earlier this month following a dominant one-two finish.

The issue was the incorrect positioning of a dry ice radiator for a helmet fan which was on the driver's side of the car, not the passenger side, as dictated by the technical regulations.

Triple Eight immediately appealed the disqualification and the matter was heard by a three-person panel consisting of Walter Sofronoff KC, Steve Chopping and Ross Jackson in Melbourne this evening.

The panel has since determined that the original decision by race officials over the positioning of a dry ice system was correct and the disqualification of the two cars has been upheld.

That means Cam Waters retains the victory the inherited for that opener in Newcastle.

"Motorsport Australia can confirm Triple Eight Race Engineering’s appeal has been heard and dismissed and cars 97 and 88 are disqualified from race one of the Newcastle 500," read a statement from Motorsport Australia.

"Tonight’s hearing was held in Melbourne at Motorsport Australia House in Canterbury, beginning at 6pm and concluding at 9.30pm.

"A three-person panel was convened to hear the appeal. The three members are Walter Sofronoff KC, Steve Chopping and Ross Jackson.

"A full and substantiative decision paper will be published by close of business on Friday and posted on the Motorsport Australia website in full."

The appeal was held behind closed doors which means concrete details of T8's argument are yet to be made public.

However the team was expected to argue that it had sought and received verbal approval of the positioning of the system by Supercars Head of Motorsport Adrian Burgess.

That was the argument it mounted at the time, as T8 managing director Jamie Whincup was left fuming over the team's perceived treatment by Supercars.

Shane van Gisbergen, Triple Eight Race Engineering Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Photo by: Edge Photographics

A statement responding to Wednesday's outcome read: "Triple Eight are disappointed in the decision to uphold the team's disqualification of both cars from Race 1 of the Newcastle 500 for a technical breach.

"The team maintains our position that we were given an instruction allowing us to install the cooling boxes in a place that conferred no performance advantage at all, but respects the outcome delivered by the Supercars National Court of Appeal."

Triple Eight is one of a handful of teams to use the electric ChillOut system for driver cooling, however that system only powers the driver cool suit and does not provide cool air to the helmet fan.

This is why Triple Eight moved to combat the expected heat in Newcastle by adding an additional dry ice system to feed Shane van Gisbergen and Broc Feeney cold air during races.

The incorrect positioning of the system was spotted during the race when dry ice was added to the driver's side door, which led to protests from Walkinshaw Andretti United and Tickford Racing.

Van Gisbergen went on to win Sunday's second race, however the zero score on Saturday means he is 11th in the standings, 126 points behind early leader Chaz Mostert.

The Supercar season continues next week at Albert Park.