SVG’s impressive car control and ability to jump in anything and drive it competitively has made him a fan favourite and delivered a Bathurst 1000 win and multiple Supercars Championships.

ABOUT

Look up ‘natural ability’ in the dictionary and it should have a picture of Shane van Gisbergen next to it. Whether it’s GT cars, drifting, open wheelers, rallying, Supercars or even virtual racing van Gisbergen has an uncanny and instinctive ability to feel the dynamics of the car beneath him and he’s successfully competed in all codes. Having been racing in Australia’s Supercars series since 2007 and securing his first win on home soil (Hamilton) in 2011, he has unquestionably developed his race craft to peak form and now dominates the category driving as the leading Holden driver in four of the past five seasons.

Consider his Triple Eight Red Bull Racing teammate over that period has been the iconic Jamie Whincup and van Gisbergen has undoubtedly made an indelible mark on the popular series and continues to do so. He also makes headlines in between Supercars races, winning premiere events like the Rally of Jack’s Ridge, or taking the New Zealand Grand Prix despite starting from last place. He is considered by many wise heads within the motorsport world as, pound-for-pound, one of the best drivers in the world.

2021 SEASON RESULTS

Hot on the heels of his first Bathurst 1000 victory in 2020, 2021 was a stellar year for van Gisbergen starting with a legendary performance at the New Zealand Grand Prix, winning the race despite starting from Pit Lane. He followed up with a faultless drive to secure the Bathurst 6 Hour title. And it was business as usual with the Kiwi winning 14 of the 30 races within the 2021 Supercar Championship and nine further podium finishes.

A mid-season charge from Shell V-Power’s Anton De Pasquale and some exhilarating door-to-door battles with teammate Jaime Whincup in his final full-time season, kept the Kiwi on his toes, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to loosen SVG’s grasp on the Championship trophy. Seemingly untouchable, Shane van Gisbergen won his second Supercar title convincingly with 2930 points, 211 clear of retiring teammate Jamie Whincup. Simply astounding performances came at Van Gisbergen traditionally raced with #97 but the recently crowned Championship winner also had won the right to race with the #1 on the side of car heading into the final race of the series, the Bathurst 1000. But Triple Eight Racing extended the opportunity to have #888 for the great race, a fitting tribute to how far van Gisbergen has come within Triple Eight, and the Supercar series in general.

Unfortunately, the number wasn’t a lucky one for SVG and while in second position and just 7 laps remaining, the Triple Eight Red Bull Racing Commodore suffered a catastrophic tyre delamination.