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Craig Lowndes has supported the penalty for Chaz Mostert while dismissing claims the Christchurch clash was malicious.

Craig Lowndes has backed the 30-second penalty handed to Chaz Mostert following his clash with Brodie Kostecki in Christchurch, while rejecting claims the move was deliberate.

The incident occurred during the final race of the Christchurch round, when Mostert forced Kostecki off the circuit as the Dick Johnson Racing driver attempted an overtake in the fight for the Jason Richards Trophy.

Mostert was subsequently penalised 30 seconds, dropping him to 17th in the final classification.

Kostecki was pushed onto the grass and slid back across the track, narrowly avoiding further contact with Mostert and Will Brown.

The near miss prompted debate over whether stronger sanctions, including suspension, should have been considered.

Lowndes, writing on the Supercars website, said the penalty reflected the outcome of the incident.

He noted that a more severe consequence, such as a multi-car collision, may have warranted additional scrutiny, but in this case the sanction matched the offence.

Kostecki later described the move as malicious, suggesting it crossed the line from hard racing into dangerous territory. He acknowledged their history of close contests but indicated he believed the manoeuvre went beyond acceptable limits.

Lowndes disagreed with that assessment. He described the contact as out of character for Mostert, adding that while aggressive racing is part of the sport, this particular move exceeded the usual boundaries without being intentional.

Brown offered a different view, arguing the penalty did not go far enough. He suggested that under the current finals format, a 30-second penalty carries less impact on the championship standings and that a points deduction may have been more appropriate.

The incident has continued to divide opinion, highlighting the balance between aggressive racing and driver safety as the Supercars season progresses.