Stanaway smacked by Supercars stewards

Craig Lowndes has backed the stewards' tough approach on Richie Stanaway's reckless Supercars weekend at the Australian Grand Prix.

Stanaway was disqualified from the series' fifth race and was served a $10,000 fine for his hunting and shunting of Leigh Holdsworth on Saturday.

The penalty removes Stanaway's points from his 17th place finish but lands a heavier reputational hit on the 27-year-old.

Boost Mobile team boss Garry Rogers held the line on his bad boy Kiwi but Lowndes took a dim view of Stanaway's high-speed overtaking efforts.

"That could have quite easily sent Leigh into a concrete wall and destroyed a Mustang," Lowndes said on Fox Sports.

"This is not having a go ... this is car destroying. Very much on the borderline of dangerous."

Tickford Racing's Holdworth called Stanaway, who drove for Tickford last year, an "imbecile" for his unrealistic efforts to move up the order at his expense.

The stewards clearly agreed but Rogers said overtaking was a part of the sport.

Queried whether Stanaway crossed the line, Rogers said he "disagreed".

"It's about racing. We don't need processional activities. We don't need a lot of bash and crash either.

"You watch every reasonable move that a pass takes, there's a slight tap, a bit of movement so you get a crack at it.

"That's how the racing needs to be.

"You won't ever pass anybody if you don't allow that sort of activity to take place.

"People fill those stands, watch the television screens and want to see a race."