Shane van Gisbergen has gained the endorsement of Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button, who believes that the three-time Supercars winner will excel in NASCAR. Van Gisbergen will make his Cup Series debut on the streets of Chicago with Trackhouse Racing on Monday. While van Gisbergen has remained modest about his potential performance, Button has expressed confidence in his ability to compete at the front of the pack. Van Gisbergen will be driving the No.91 Chevrolet Camaro, while Button will be behind the wheel of the No.51 Ford Mustang entry by Rick Ware Racing.
There are distinct similarities between Supercars and the NASCAR Cup Series, which will aid van Gisbergen’s transition. Both types of cars are heavy, V8-powered coupes, equipped with sequential gearboxes and similar types of tires. Although the Chicago street circuit differs slightly from Supercars’ street courses like Adelaide or the Gold Coast, Button believes that van Gisbergen will adapt well to the new environment due to his experience with street circuits.
Button expressed his excitement about having van Gisbergen on board and praised his competitiveness in any car he drives. He anticipates van Gisbergen being a strong contender this weekend and hopes to be racing alongside him. Button also mentioned van Gisbergen’s positive comments about the front grip and turning capabilities of the Chevrolet Camaro, which were somewhat surprising but encouraging to hear.
Van Gisbergen already had the opportunity to test the Chevrolet Camaro at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ‘roval’ track, which incorporates elements of banked turns and the infield. In media interviews leading up to his competitive debut, van Gisbergen expressed his comfort in the car despite the left-hand-drive configuration. The main challenges for him to overcome are the subtle nuances like navigating the pit lane without a speed limiter.
Van Gisbergen highlighted that he did not need to change his driving style significantly during the test, as it was more focused on acclimatization and familiarizing himself with the team and the car. Although he was not allowed to modify the car’s setup or push it to its limits in terms of lap times, he did have the opportunity to experience longer runs. Overall, he feels confident in the car’s performance, noting that it is not too different from what he is accustomed to. He praised the car’s brakes and its responsiveness, which exceeded his expectations in a positive way. Van Gisbergen expressed gratitude for the team’s support and the additional week he had to prepare, which included attending a NASCAR race in Nashville, meeting the team, and interacting with fellow drivers.
Practice and qualifying sessions are scheduled for Sunday, followed by the race on Monday morning at 9am (AEST). To stay updated with the latest breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter.
Denial of responsibility! SamacharCentrl is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
