SUPERCARS E-SERIES: VAN GISBERGEN WINS WHILE VERSTAPPEN STARS

Shane van Gisbergen wins while Max Verstappen stars

Shane van Gisbergen clinched the second round of the Supercars All Stars ESeries after taking two of the four-race wins, while Anton de Pasquale and Cameron Waters claimed the other races.

By DAN McCARTHY

The Supercars regulars were joined on the grid in Round 2 by a wildcard entry, current Red Bull Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen who performed strongly throughout the night, earning three second place finishes.

In the second round two races were held at Silverstone in England, with the final two at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

De Pasquale led the first race from pole position ahead of series leader Scott McLaughlin and van Gisbergen.

Out of Luffield for the first time, McLaughlin touched the back of de Pasquale’s Holden Commodore, as a result van Gisbergen got a run on McLaughlin, the rivals ran side by side around Maggots and Becketts, however they both ran wide allowing Verstappen to sneak through and take second position.

This is the way it stayed with de Pasquale taking the win from Verstappen, van Gisbergen, and McLaughlin.

It was a reverse grid for Race 2 with a compulsory pit stop to be served during the 9 lap race.

McLaughlin found himself in the wall on the Hanger Straight after contact with Macauley Jones on the opening lap. Verstappen also crashed on lap 1, however the Dutchman missed the pits and had to complete a whole lap with a broken rear wing.

After the pit stops had been completed Matt Stone Racing driver Jake Kostecki found himself in the lead from Waters and de Pasquale.

Into Stowe on lap 7 Waters lunged up the inside of Kostecki and took the lead, from there the Tickford Racing driver held on to take the win from Kostecki, de Pasquale, van Gisbergen and McLaughlin with Verstappen only able to recover to 18th.

An eight lap sprint race at Barcelona was the recipe for the third event of the evening with van Gisbergen and de Pasquale on the front row.

As the lights went out the Penrite Racing driver made a poor start, while in an attempt to gain positions early McLaughlin used too much kerb at Turn 1 and spun, this allowed Verstappen into second behind van Gisbergen with Brown in third.

Throughout the race Verstappen remained in touch with the New Zealander but was unable to catch him, this is the way they remained when the chequered flag flew. Van Gisbergen beating home 2016 Spanish Grand Prix winner Verstappen, while de Pasquale recovered to third.

The final race at Barcelona contained a compulsory pit stop, it was de Pasquale who started from pole alongside Chaz Mostert, with van Gisbergen, McLaughlin and Verstappen just behind.

On the dirty side of the grid Mostert made a bad start, van Gisbergen shot from the line launching a move on the inside of de Pasquale to take the lead into Turn 1, de Pasquale then spun on the exit of Turn 2 sending the field scattering.

Van Gisbergen escaped with the lead just ahead of Verstappen and McLaughlin, with the latter two electing to stop on lap 4.

The leader remained out a couple more laps before pitting, the Kiwi re-joined between the pair in second, however with fresher tyres van Gisbergen was able to hunt down and overtake Verstappen into Turn 1 on lap 9.

Van Gisbergen held on to take the win from eight-time Grand Prix winner Verstappen and two-time Supercars champion McLaughlin.

The third round of the Supercars All Stars ESeries takes place at the historical Mount Panorama Circuit at Bathurst next Wednesday.

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