GC500 Day 2: Mostert conquers chaotic opener, Kostecki’s qualifying crash overshadows wild start as Gold Coast 500 heads to Sunday decider

The Gold Coast 500 delivered drama in spades on Saturday, with Chaz Mostert storming to victory in the 85-lap opener while a heavy Brodie Kostecki crash during qualifying and a pile-up in a support race framed a bruising day on the Surfers Paradise streets. The event doubles as the launch of Supercars’ new Finals format, and Saturday’s result punched Mostert’s direct ticket into the next stage ahead of tonight’s finale.

Saturday race: Mostert seals it as Safety Cars shuffle the deck

The opening leg turned into a strategy chess match punctuated by three Safety Cars inside the first 30 laps. Mostert kept his nerve through restarts and traffic, ultimately clearing the field with late-race pace to claim the win. Broc Feeney chased hard to the flag in second, with rising talent Kai Allen completing the podium after a composed, mistake-free run.

Key beats from Race 28:

• Restarts and track position: Multiple cautions compressed strategies; teams toggled between undercut risk and track-position insurance.

• WAU pace window: When the race finally ran green, Mostert’s long-run speed created the gap he needed, even against rival fuel and tire offsets.

• Young guns hang tough: Allen’s execution under pressure—clean stops, tidy out-laps—underlined why he’s in the Finals bracket.

Qualifying shock: Kostecki’s high-speed hit and photographer injuries

The day’s most sobering moment arrived in qualifying when Brodie Kostecki clipped a tyre bundle at the Beach Chicane and speared into the wall. He climbed out and signaled he was okay, but the Mustang suffered extensive front-end damage. Four accredited photographers in the area sustained injuries (reported as stable and conscious) and were treated promptly as marshals and medical crews responded within seconds. Photographer access in that zone was tightened for the remainder of the weekend while officials reviewed procedures.

The incident, coupled with earlier brushes in practice, effectively ruled Kostecki out of Saturday’s 250 km race as his crew explored off-site repair options to rejoin on Sunday.

The grid that was—and wasn’t: Payne’s pace, Wood’s roller coaster

Before the crash, qualifying form skewed Ford-heavy at the top. Matt Payne set the benchmark in the main session to claim provisional pole for the Top-10 Shootout, with Mostert close behind. A wild Shootout then saw Ryan Wood emerge with pole honors for the race start—only for his campaign to unravel later due to a fuel-system drama that forced an unscheduled stop and erased his winning chance.

Snapshot:

• Provisional qualifying: Payne quickest; Mostert within a tenth; multiple Finals drivers outside the top 10 after scruffy laps.

• Shootout swings: Margins razor-thin; Wood’s tidy lap won the headline before luck deserted him in the race.

Support categories: more bent panels, early red flags

The street circuit bit hard beyond Supercars. The opening Carrera Cup race was abandoned after a multi-car crash at the first chicane blocked the track and triggered a red flag. Several cars were damaged but drivers walked away; grid repairs and car rebuilds compressed schedules up and down pit lane.

What Mostert’s win means for the Finals—and who needs a response

• Mostert: Straight into the Semi Final bracket, sparing him Sunday’s elimination permutations and letting his crew focus on pure execution.

• Feeney: Banked big points and momentum; now eyes a clean start tonight to convert speed into silverware.

• Allen: A podium under Finals pressure strengthens his seed and validates Penrite’s setup direction for the concrete canyons.

• Kostecki: Sunday turns into a rescue mission—if repairs hold and he takes the start, damage limitation becomes the theme.

• Others in the mix: Cam Waters showed one-lap speed in practice; converting that into race-long tire life is the remaining step.

Sunday blueprint: how the GC500 finale can be won

• Survive the Beach Chicane: Respect the bundles. Gains are real, but so are broken toes, radiators, and days.

• Pit windows vs. Safety Cars: Teams will keep at least one strategy branch open to cover an early yellow. Expect split calls between stops around laps 18–22 and a longer second stint.

• Clean air economy: Leaders who control restarts can protect the fronts and manage brake temps; those mired mid-pack must balance aggression with panel preservation.

• Track evolution: Rubbered-in racing line should improve rear grip late; watch for last-stint undercuts as tire warm-up improves.

Fast facts: GC500 Saturday

• Race length: 85 laps (approx. 250 km)

• Winner: Chaz Mostert

• Podium: Mostert, Broc Feeney, Kai Allen

• Safety Cars: Three within opening third of race

• Qualifying drama: Major Kostecki crash; Wood topped the Shootout but hit trouble in the race

The vibe on the Coast: festival meets Finals pressure

Crowds packed vantage points from the Hill to the Beach Chicane as the GC500 blended music sets, stunt shows, and wall-to-wall racing with the tension of an elimination format. Street circuits reward commitment, and Saturday rewarded those who were fast and tidy. Do it again tonight, and the path through the Finals gets much smoother.

The 85-lap Sunday leg closes the Gold Coast 500 and locks in the next stage of the Finals. After a day that mixed triumph, resilience, and a stark safety reminder, every team in pit lane knows exactly where the margins live—and how quickly they can vanish.