Verstappen 'screaming' watching van Gisbergen win NASCAR race

July 7, 2023
Shane van Gisbergen and Max Verstappen.

Shane van Gisbergen's historic NASCAR win sent shockwaves through the motorsport world and they even managed to reach the best of the best in Formula 1.

Hours after winning the Austrian Grand Prix, two-time F1 champion Max Verstappen stayed up to watch fellow Red Buill driver van Gisbergen's debut on the streets of Chicago.

Even before van Gisbergen's heroics the race was already historic - it was the first-ever street race for the NASCAR Cup Series.

Then came van Gisbergen's impressive performance, becoming the first New Zealander to win a NASCAR race and also the first driver since Johnny Rutherford over 60 years ago to win a Cup race on debut.

Verstappen told media at Silverstone ahead of the British Grand Prix on Monday he was enthralled by the race.

"I stayed awake to watch it," said Verstappen. "And I've never felt so nervous in my life watching someone else race and trying to win it. So yeah, I was literally screaming in front of my monitor for him to win that."

Verstappen added he was in awe of how seamless van Gisbergen's transition from Supercars to NASCAR was.

"I mean that's really really impressive to jump in the car and you don't know... they are very hard cars to drive. And he just goes in there and he absolutely dominates the race," he said.

"I know he's a great driver. I know what he's capable of. And I know how good he is in different kinds of disciplines. And he is great of course in V8s, that is what he knows, he's great in the rally car as well, and clearly he is great in a NASCAR as well.

"And I mean that Shane. He is a crazy right-foot braker still."

Shane van Gisbergen celebrates after winning the first race of the Perth SuperSprint.

Having returned to Australia, van Gisbergen is yet to speak with team principal Jamie Whincup about moving on to his next venture.

Van Gisbergen is in north Queensland ahead of the NTI Townsville 500 this weekend after completing four flights across the world following his NASCAR heroics.

The 34-year-old says his phone has been running hot since taking the American sport by storm, but is yet to receive any formal offers.

It comes after team principal Whincup earlier this week said he wouldn't stand in van Gisbergen's way to move on.

Although the three-time Supercars champion said he was committed to a future in Australia through 2025, van Gisbergen told reporters he was keen to take on new challenges.

"I really want to keep going and try some more stuff and as I said, I'm committed to here next year," he said.

"But obviously I read Jamie's comments, which are interesting. I haven't spoken to Jamie yet though.

"I'd want to go and try it again. I had so much fun, and the oval stuff and their series has variation now - it's not the same stuff every week.

"It does look appealing and the drivers that I spoke to, they speak highly of how it is now."

Shane van Gisbergen poses after winning the opening race of the 2023 Melbourne SuperSprint.

Red Bull Ampol's frontman will start his 500th career Supercars race on Sunday in the second of two endurance races around Reid Park.

Townsville has been a happy hunting ground for the New Zealander with 10 wins at the circuit, only trailing former teammate Whincup there by two on the all-time list.

If the two-time defending champion is to mount a charge against series leader Brodie Kostecki, Townsville shapes as the circuit to do it.

The Kiwi garnered momentum from last year's event to win 12 out of the 16 remaining races and finish 2022 with the most dominant season in Australian Touring Cars and Supercars history.

Van Gisbergen is fourth on the Supercars championship standings, trailing Broc Feeney (third) and Will Brown (second) by 19 and 51 points respectively. Leader Kostecki enjoys a 110-point cushion over him.

- Additional reporting by AAP

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