Supercars Champion Shane van Gisbergen has expressed his intention to leave the series and join NASCAR next season. While the New Zealander is yet to secure a drive in the American racing series, his recent NASCAR debut victory has fueled speculation about his future plans.
Van Gisbergen, who has a contract with Triple Eight until the end of next year, confirmed that he would prefer to make the transition to NASCAR at the end of the current season. However, his departure is contingent on Triple Eight finding a competitive replacement for him. He emphasized that he wants to ensure the team is left in a good position before he leaves.
Triple Eight principal Jamie Whincup set a soft deadline of August 13th, the date of Van Gisbergen’s next NASCAR appearance, for the driver to make a decision about his future. Van Gisbergen, however, stated that he doesn’t have a specific timeline for reaching a conclusion.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Van Gisbergen’s departure, Triple Eight has expressed their support for his pursuit of a switch to NASCAR. They recognize the opportunity as a significant one and are willing to be supportive, regardless of the outcome.
Speculation has linked Cam Waters to Triple Eight in the event of Van Gisbergen’s departure. However, Tim Edwards, the boss of Tickford, has indicated that Waters is under option for 2024.
Van Gisbergen’s discontent with Supercars has been evident this season, particularly due to the series’ switch to the Gen3 platform. He has criticized the new car, describing it as more suited to engineers than drivers. He has also raised concerns about the series’ pursuit of international races, targeting events in Singapore and the United States.
Van Gisbergen’s recent races have been plagued by steering issues, resulting in limited podium finishes. The debate over parity between the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang has also been a topic of discussion, with the series acknowledging performance discrepancies between the two cars in specific areas.
In the drivers’ championship standings, Van Gisbergen currently sits in third place, 54 points behind the leader, Brodie Kostecki. Triple Eight holds the second position in the teams’ title table, 80 points behind Erebus.
As Van Gisbergen’s future in Supercars hangs in the balance, fans await his decision regarding a potential move to NASCAR. Whether he will join the American racing series remains uncertain, but Triple Eight is prepared to support him regardless of the outcome.
