Shane van Gisbergen owes fellow Kiwi driver Scott McLaughlin a favour. Photo / Photosport
Kiwis and Supercars championship rivals Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin highlighted an unwritten piece of driving etiquette last weekend that could prove vital in the chase for this year's crown.
The New Zealanders were on different strategies during last Sunday's race at Winton, Victoria when van Gisbergen, on much
newer tyres, caught McLaughlin in the middle part of the race. Instead of fighting to hold his Holden rival off, McLaughlin turned on the indicator of his Shell V-Power Ford and allowed the Red Bull Holden past.
It might seem like particularly good sportsmanship but there was more to it than that.
Had the pair got involved in a mid-race battle it would have held both drivers up compared to rivals who were racing in clean air.
A day earlier van Gisbergen was held up badly in a similar circumstance trying to get past Nissan's Rick Kelly. It took the Kiwi a number of laps to pass him, burning up his tyres in the process and costing him valuable time compared to rivals.
