SVG: THE OLD SHANE WOULD HAVE JAMMED IT IN
By Timothy Neal
Date posted: 22 May 2022
Shane van Gisbergen admits that he ‘left a bit on the table’ in finishing runner-up to Cameron Waters in Race 15 of the Supercars Championship at Winton Raceway.
The final race of the weekend boiled down to a familiar final lap battle between the two rival drivers, who went head-to-head just 24 hours earlier to decide Race 13.
In the Sunday edition, van Gisbergen clawed back a 5s deficit to trail Tickford Racing’s Waters by less than 0.5s on the final lap, however unlike Saturday the championship leader held back from making a desperate lunge for the lead.
Triple Eight Race Engineering’s van Gisbergen suggested last night that he should occasionally settle for second, and he explained post-race that he did just that today.
“Maybe I didn’t get to him enough anyway, but definitely the last two or three laps I left a bit on the table,” van Gisbergen said.
“I asked for all the info on the radio, and we took three tyres A) to do something different but B) to get the fastest lap.
“Getting the fastest lap, you only lose three points so we had that and Andrew said not too much risk. It’s only a three-point loss at the end of the end of the race.”
It seemed out of character for the ruthlessly competitive racer to turn down an opportunity to pursue a race win, and van Gisbergen admitted that he had mixed feelings about exercising restraint.
“The old Shane would have jammed it in, whacked him in the B pillar, won the race and fought about it later,” he joked.
“I’m conflicted in my own head this weekend.”
Ultimately, van Gisbergen emerged from the Winton SuperSprint with an extended championship lead as his Shell V-Power Racing foes faltered.
As such, the champion Kiwi could still see the bright side in finishing second.
“I’m a bit gutted to be second for the weekend, but it was still good racing,” van Gisbergen concluded.
“I still enjoyed myself and scored a lot of points compared to the guys I am racing in the championship, although Cam is one of them now.”
For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the current issue of Auto Action.
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