Supercars Championship 2026: Gold Coast 500 Race 31 Report | Mostert dominates at Surfers Paradise in the rain
Photo Credit: Chaz Mostert via Instagram
Today's Top Ten Shoot Out recorded hometown hero Broc Feeney topping the time sheets with a 1:11.137, roughly 0.1245 quicker than Chaz Mostert who qualified behind.
On the second row, Anton De Pasquale and Andre Heimgartner are paired together, mixing up the grid and pushing the stakes in the top 10 qualifiers for the Finals Series.
Race 31 is 250km (155.34 mi), with two compulsory stops where fuel strategies will play into the race. It's estimated that tyre wear will be low, with brake rating sitting at medium as the average speed a Supercar will hit is roughly 150km/h.
If a top 10 Finals Series elect driver finishes the race with a race win, they are guranteed to be part of the top seven, helping their championship campaign.
As it happens
A safety car start became the theme early on; the track filled with heavy standing water, making it a tricky beginning to the weekend - the track goes green on Lap 3, Feeney leading the way through as the water spray engulfs the track on the start of Lap 4.
Mostert goes hot on the rear of Feeney, his aggression clear as he chases down the race leader; stakes this weekend are high as the Finals series begins; Mostert gets in front, cameras failing to show the move. A replay shows a Turn 13 overtake; clean and early.
The onboard of Anton De Pasquale shows just how poor visibility is on Lap 5, the No.18 Chevrolet Camaro attempting to stay with the No.88 Red Bull Ampol Racing Mustang, Feeney doing his best to get the car lined up.
Lap 6, De Pasquale gets up the inside of Feeney, again on Turn 13 - Feeney going straight into wheel spin and losing traction once again, losing him another position.
Feeney comes under fire again, the packs eemingly eating up the hometown hero as visibility continues to be poor with no end in sight. Further up the back, Jarrod Hughes makes a stunning move on Le Brocq.
Feeny loses another position on Lap 10 before quickly gaining it back as behind them, Le Brocq is caught up at Turn 4 with Cam Hill - each getting going again. Race Control have noted the incident, placing it under investigation.
Lap 11, Kostecki catches the back of the race train behind Feeney - Kostecki takes his No.17 Shell V Power Racing Mustang and gets a beautiful move done on Thomas Randle, chasing down Waters ahead in sixth.
Lap 13, Race Control issue a 15-second time penalty to Hill in the No.14 Toyota Supra for causing a collision on Lap 10.
A five-way battle continues for third position; Feeney still out in front as Payne pushes forward, now on his tail - The No.19 Ford Mustang pushes Feeney wide, kicking him off track, effectively losing him two positions on Lap 16. Race Control noting the investigation; suggesting no further investigation necessary.
Feeney and Waters battle it out further, Feeney keeping his No.88 Red Bull Ampol Racing Mustang ahead just, as behind Kostecki looks race-y and ready to pounce on the No.6 Monster Energy Mustang.
Lap 19, Randle and David Reynolds have taken their first pit stop; a suspected undercut looking to be likely to move them out of traffic.
At Turn 4, Kostecki gets his move done nicely on Waters, putting him to the rear of Feeney - the No.88 Mustang looking to be struggling with speed and grip.
Lap 21, Kostecki gets the pass done on Feeney, James Golding attempting to take the chance and follow Kostecki through. Feeney looks to be heading into pit-lane this lap, a clear strategy call. Four new tyres are fitted and Feeney comes out ahead of Waters in seventh position.
Aaron Cameron makes a slight bit of contact with a tyre bundle, not quite hitting it enough to get stuck; Lap 26 Hill serves his penalty in the pit-lane, clearing him for the rest of the race.
Lap 28, tyres and a big drink of fuel for Mostert, a short stop looking likely for the end of the race for car No.1. Reynolds makes the fastest lap - he's now sitting behind Mostert after pitting early on Lap 9.
Lap 30, Will Brown comes into the lane and completes his pit stop - his pace at the start of the race not great, giving hope for the second stint. At Turn 4, Kostecki's No.17 Shell V Power Racing Mustang looks rather nervous at the rear.
The track looks to be drying as rainfall looks less hammering in pit-lane. Payne is told on Lap 33 that they're looking to match Reynolds' pace, the No.19 Penrite Racing Mustang chasing down De Pasquale ahead by +0.885 in the lead.
A 5-second time penalty has been handed to Macauley Jones in the No.96 Toyota Supra for excessive track limits. Chaos breaks loose as Ryan Wood and Jackson Walls go head to head for 17th position, Randle making a move to be right behind Walls.
De Pasquale pits on Lap 36 for his first compulsory stop; the last car to come into the lane for the first set of stops. His rejoin finds him in third behind Golding and Mostert.
Lap 43, Cameron has had a very close call, his No.3 Liqui Moly Mustang facing the wrong was just after a hairy ride throught he Gold Coast chicanes
Lap 48, a strategy unfolds on telecast; Red Bull Ampol Racing switch takes place, Brown taking over from Feeney - both Bull's seemingly not taking well to the wet weather, much like Wood's Toyota Supra.
Lap 49, a pit-lane drive through penalty has been issued to car No.3, Cameron receiving it due to the a pit-lane infringement of refilling the refuelling tower. During the Enduro Cup, the teams are allowed to refill the refuelling tower, however for this stage of the championship, it is no longer acceptable in the rules - commentators alleging that the second refuel after this action is quicker.
One of the front runners, Reynolds takes his last drink of fuel and tyres - a long stint ahead to the end of the race. Lap 53 becoming a pivitol phase of the race; Kostecki goes offline from a driver error costing him three positions, a critical stage of the day - The No.17 is called into the pit lane shortly after.
Kostecki takes four tyres and a long drink of fuel; the team not touching or making any adjustments on the No.17 Shell V Power Mustang.
Lap 58, Feeney gets a front ride height change during four new tyres and a sip of fuel for his second stop for Race 31.
Lap 62, Mostert still leads, but by a dominant +38.948 - a huge gap as he begins looking towards the end of the race. A few laps ago, the reigning champion is seen losing his temper on the radio.
Lap 67, Mostert takes his second stop, a safe gap between he and Payne to get the stop done. Brown now only still in the lead, down one pit stop, making Mostert the effective leader.
Brown makes his last stop on Lap 69, sitting in sixth as he rejoins.
An unscheduled stop for Allen shows four new wet tyres, the team attempting to fix a loss of vaultage after an alternator failure - Allen looking like he may be eliminated due to bad luck today.
More chaos sees Kostecki and Waters going very closely side-by-side as Golding hits the wall aggressively after the chicane, losing his rear end, while some of the field avoid a collision somehow while the No.7 Dayco Blanchard Racing Mustang sat sideways on the race line. Zach Bates only just misses Golding's stationary Mustang; Australia's finest talent on showcase.
13 Laps are left to go as the rain comes back with a vengeance, most of the field on old tyres while some late stoppers are on newer wet tyres
Lap 75 sees Race Control issue a 5-second time penalty to car No.4, Lebrocq receiving an unwanted penalty for excessive track limit violations for overuse of kerbs.
Lap 76, a 5-second time penalty is issued to Payne in car No.19 for excessive track limit violations after overuse of kerbs. This makes Payne need to push with eight laps to go til the chequered flag.
An Equip Super Biggest Mover award has been given to Jayden Ojeda after 13 position moves forward over the duration of Race 31, making it 118 overtakes in the 2026 season.
The rain begins to get heavier in parts of the Surfers Paradise street circuit. Five laps to go and Bates is stung with a 5-second time penalty for excessive track limits violations, following suit with three other drivers.
Three laps to go and the field look desperately towards the chequered flag, penalties beginning to make an impact to the standings, all while continues his fast race pace, miles ahead of the field.
Lap 83, Jobe Stewart gains himself a 5-second time penalty for excessive track limits violations, joining a multitude of others in the same errors.
Lap 84, golding helps Cooper Murray around right in front of Mostert the leader ready to lap the back markers. Murray and Golding continued on, Golding gaining himself a 5-second time penalty for causing a collision as the field cross the finish line.
Payne drops down to third, moving Reynolds to second as a result of the No.19 Penrite Racing Mustang's penalty.
The field go racing once again at 3:45pm AEDT (5:45am BST). All Supercars rounds are viewable on KAYO or Fox Sports Ch.506. Tune in to see who is guaranteed to be in the top seven at Sandown.
The Results
Chaz Mostert
David Reynolds
Matthew Payne
Anton De Pasquale
Andre Heimgartner
Will Brown
Brodie Kostecki
Cameron Waters
Broc Feeney
Jayden Ojeda
Cooper Murray
Zach Bates
James Golding
Ryan Wood
Jackson Walls
Macauley Jones
Rylan Gray
Cameron Hill
Jarrod Hughes
Aaron Cameron
Jobe Stewart
Jack Le Brocq
Thomas Randle
Kai Allen
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