The inaugural Supercars Finals Series hit a shocking roadblock on Saturday when Brodie Kostecki’s Ford Mustang slammed into barriers during qualifying at the Gold Coast 500. The impact was so severe that four photographers standing behind the concrete wall required immediate hospitalisation.
What was meant to be a crucial qualifying session for the 2023 champion turned into a rescue operation. The crash not only ended Kostecki’s day but cast serious doubt over his entire Finals campaign.
The Moment Everything Went Wrong
Brodie Kostecki crashes in Gold Coast qualifying happened with just seconds remaining in the second qualifying session. The Dick Johnson Racing driver was already nursing a damaged front splitter from an earlier incident when disaster struck at the exit of Turn 1.
The splitter folded under his left-front wheel midway through the chicane complex. Kostecki became a passenger as his Shell V-Power Mustang ploughed head-on into the tyre wall at almost unabated speed.
Telemetry data revealed the impact measured 19g. The force was strong enough to move the concrete barriers behind the tyre wall, sending photographers scrambling for safety.
Key moments from the crash:
- Kostecki had already damaged his splitter in practice
- Team sent him back out despite visible bodywork issues
- Third contact with tyre bundle proved catastrophic
- Front splitter wedged under front-left tyre
- Driver walked away uninjured but car extensively damaged
BIG BIG BIG HIT FOR KOSTECKI 🤯#RepcoSC #Supercars pic.twitter.com/piSfsMTvgo
— Supercars (@supercars) October 25, 2025
Four Photographers Injured in Aftermath
Supercars officials confirmed the injuries sustained by the photographers shortly after the incident. All four were alert and conscious when transported to hospital.
A Supercars spokesperson detailed the injuries:
- Two photographers sustained ankle injuries
- One suffered an elbow injury
- A fourth received a head injury
“All four are alert, talking, very stable, and will be transported to hospital for further assessment,” the spokesperson said. “All are in a stable condition.”
Motorsport Australia immediately implemented changes to photographer access in that area for the remainder of the event. The swift response from volunteers, officials, and medical crews drew praise from organisers.
Kostecki expressed concern for the injured photographers in his post-crash interview. “I’m physically good, but I hope the people behind the barrier are okay,” he said. “There was some news that there were some injured people there.”
Holy crap that was a massive impact. Thankfully, Brodie exited the car and gave a wave to the crowd. #GoldCoast500 | #RepcoSC pic.twitter.com/u34wAM85ie
— JJ (@TomcatNASCAR_2) October 25, 2025
Finals Campaign Hangs in the Balance
The crash couldn’t have come at a worse time for the 27-year-old Perth native. This was the opening round of Supercars’ brand-new Finals format, where 10 drivers compete for the championship across three rounds.
Dick Johnson Racing made the difficult decision to withdraw Kostecki from Saturday’s 250km race. The team transported his damaged Mustang to nearby PACE Innovations for urgent chassis repairs.
Impact on championship hopes:
- Kostecki qualified 16th before the crash
- Missed Saturday’s Top 10 Shootout
- Withdrawn from Race 28 entirely
- Team attempting overnight rebuild for Sunday
- Three drivers eliminated after Sunday’s race
Supercars Head of Motorsport Tim Edwards confirmed the severity. “They’re pretty certain there will be significant chassis damage,” he said. “They’ll strip the car and ascertain whether they can rebuild it overnight.”
The 2023 champion and last year’s Bathurst 1000 winner now faces an uphill battle. The Finals format awards 25 bonus points as Ryco Enduro Cup winner, but missing an entire race could prove insurmountable.
Controversial Decision Under Scrutiny
Kostecki’s crash sparked immediate debate about team strategy. Supercars legends Mark Skaife and Garth Tander questioned Dick Johnson Racing’s decision to send the damaged Mustang back out.
The Ford had sustained significant front-end damage in Friday practice when Kostecki buried it into tyres at Turn 12. Despite attempted repairs, the splitter remained compromised.
“It is very intense with the margins so small,” Kostecki explained. “With Finals we were hoping for a really good day, but that is now very difficult.”
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What Happens Next
Sunday’s Race 29 looms large for both Kostecki and the injured photographers. The team faces a race against time to rebuild the Mustang’s chassis in less than 24 hours.
Sunday schedule (AEDT):
- 10:00am – Qualifying Part 1
- 10:20am – Qualifying Part 2
- 11:35am – Top Ten Shootout
- 2:10pm – Race 29 (250km, 85 laps)
If Kostecki cannot compete on Sunday, his championship dreams effectively end. The Finals format eliminates three drivers after Gold Coast, and missing two races would be catastrophic.
