Superstar's ice-cold warning for Bathurst rivals

2 years ago 94

Shane van Gisbergen has thing to suffer heading to Mount Panorama with an tremendous 525-point title lead.

The Red Bull Ampol Racing operator tin weaponry retired of this year's Bathurst 1000 and is inactive guaranteed to travel retired the different broadside of the play with the Supercars lead.

Notwithstanding points penalties, the worst the Kiwi volition travel distant from the famed endurance contention is simply a 225-point advantage, assuming Tickford Racing's Cameron Waters bags the triumph with James Moffat.

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However, astatine the existent onslaught rate, van Gisbergen lone looks similar he'll widen that margin.

With 5 races remaining successful 2022, the 33-year-old has equalled countryman Scott McLaughlin's grounds for the astir wins successful a play astatine 18 from 26.

That dominance means van Gisbergen heads to The Mountain with his caput astatine ease.

"Every week, there's been radical conscionable arsenic accelerated arsenic us," the two-time champion told Wide World of Sports.

"Even successful the aboriginal portion of the season, determination person been a batch of cars quicker than us. For sure, erstwhile we get to Bathurst, I'm not definite who it'll be, but I'm definite determination volition beryllium immoderate precise accelerated cars there.

"We've prepared well. We had a bully debrief aft Pukekohe. I'm feeling bully astir it. We've done a batch of mentation for it.

"I deliberation we're successful a bully place. Obviously, the title pb surely takes a spot of unit disconnected and I tin conscionable spell determination and person amusive and propulsion hard for a result.

"I deliberation that's a bully spot to beryllium and it's decidedly bully for Garth [Tander, co-driver], he's conscionable determination for the triumph arsenic well, not idiosyncratic else's championship. I deliberation it's a bully spot for everyone to be."

Van Gisbergen isn't 1 to springiness overmuch thought to his opposition.

Asked who of the front-runners would beryllium his biggest challenger, helium rapidly replied, "Myself.

"I don't similar to deliberation astir anyone other oregon who's going to crook up. I conscionable absorption connected myself and we'll spot however we go."

While van Gisbergen isn't 1 to get sentimental, the Kiwi could person different dose of Holden history.

In 2020, helium and Tander became the past drivers to triumph the Bathurst 1000 arsenic factory-backed Holden drivers.

The curtains person since been drawn connected the marque, which near the motoring marketplace astatine the extremity of 2020.

Delays to the long-awaited Gen3 program, which volition yet get successful 2023, means this twelvemonth volition beryllium the past for Holden and the Commodore astatine Mount Panorama.

"I guess, successful my mind, we had it successful 2020 with the past authoritative Holden thing," said van Gisbergen of the impending farewell.

"I conjecture we've inactive been representing GM the past mates of years and flying the emblem proudly there. Then, obviously, into adjacent twelvemonth with the Camaro.

"It's inactive important for america to get a bully result, of course, but I deliberation the last send-off is for Adelaide astatine the extremity of the twelvemonth with the Holden broadside of things.

"I consciousness similar we've had it 2 years ago, the past send-off."

Practice for the Bathurst 1000 starts connected Thursday.

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