Motorsport: Youngest but streets ahead on track

Shane van Gisbergen has proved he can run with very best in the V8 series, scoring three podiums this year. Photo / Getty Images

The youngest New Zealand driver in the Australian V8 Supercar Series is one step away from standing on top of the podium. Stone Brothers Racing's Shane van Gisbergen is looking to gain his maiden V8 win at Hamilton this weekend having finished second at the non-points scoring round at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Van Gisbergen has been the talk of the 2010 season so far consistently finishing at the front of the field. He's been on the podium three times this year along with a fourth, a fifth, a sixth and a 22nd - after suspension problems in an incident-filled first race at Adelaide.

When qualifying starts tomorrow morning for the ITM400, the fourth round of the 14-round series, the Aucklander will be aiming to make the top 10 shootout and at least a front row start for tomorrow's first race.

"I'm really looking forward to getting back to New Zealand and all the guys are as well," said van Gisbergen. "Can't wait until the race weekend as we've been consistently around the third to fifth group in most of the races so far.

"The front guys are just a little bit quicker but we're not far off.

"[Garth] Tander, [Mark] Winterbottom and [Jamie] Whincup are pretty quick. We're sort of at that pace and we've got a couple of lap records. We can do it for a lap but they can do it for a whole race. Their cars look after their tyres a bit better than us."

Van Gisbergen is fourth on the championship table tucked in behind James Courtney, Winterbottom and defending champion Whincup.

Van Gisbergen is streets ahead of next best Kiwi Jason Richards in 17th, Steve Richards 19th, Fabian Coulthard 20th, Daniel Gaunt 26th and Greg Murphy 29th. Not bad for a kid who made his debut in the series only halfway through 2007.

There'll be a bit of pressure on the 20-year-old when he lines up for race one but that doesn't seem to bother him. He was the best of the Kiwi drivers in the 2009 season finishing 12th in the championship. For a young driver he has the uncanny knack of not letting pressure get to him. Rather than worrying too much about racing on home soil, van Gisbergen is more concerned about improving his racecraft.

"We were really fast in Melbourne and I'm learning all the time. I'm getting a lot smoother and looking after the tyres and the car more these days. I'm not attacking 100 per cent all the time and saving something for the end," he said.

The Hamilton street circuit will suit his driving style and the car is quick. He's rapidly risen through the V8 Supercar ranks and has shown he can run with the big boys and is always ready to learn more.

"I'm certainly learning a lot more racing around with the top guys. Every year they've made Hamilton a better circuit and I think we'll be really strong there.

"Not sure if we'll win it but I'm positive of getting a podium finish."

Street racing suits van Gisbergen's style of driving, as he's not afraid of anything the track or his competitors can throw at him. He'll be pushing hard.

10 TO WATCH

Jamie Whincup
The two-time Supercar V8 champion has been beaten only once this season and then by another Holden driver, Garth Tander. Whincup likes Hamilton and won there last year after an appalling time first up on the circuit. The man to beat.

Lee Holdsworth
Victorian Holdsworth continues to get better and will be one to watch. Last year he had a third and a fourth and will be hoping to be on the podium at least once over the weekend. He qualifies well, always a bonus on a street circuit.

Craig Lowndes
Don't make the mistake of thinking Lowndes is his teammate Whincup's wingman. He'll want the win this weekend to haul himself back into the top three and get some momentum to push towards another title.

Shane van Gisbergen
The young Kiwi has been consistently fast and on the podium so far this season and will want to build on the momentum. He'll be keen to be the first New Zealander to stand on top of the podium in Hamilton and will have the crowd behind him.

Garth Tander
Tander won all three races in 2008 but had, by his standards, a mediocre round last year. After a slow start this season he's come good and will be confident after winning the non-point's scoring round at the AGP.

Mark Winterbottom
The FPR driver is hanging on to the coat tails of Whincup early in the season 57 points behind the series leader. He put his car on pole in Hamilton last year beating Whincup by just 0.0007 of a second. He could be the man largest in Whincup's mirrors.

James Courtney
Third on the table after six races, Courtney has innate speed and finished second to Whincup in Sunday's race last year to back up his two thirds in 2008 on the streets of Frankton. Has been consistent this year and is ready to taste victory again.

Jason Richards
The former New Zealand Touring Car champion has yet to fire in Hamilton despite showing pace in qualifying. Now in his second season with Brad Jones Racing, he's confident he'll be there, or thereabouts, come Sunday.

Rick Kelly
Another who at times flatters to deceive but on his day can be devastatingly quick. He's having an up and down season so far but is still inside the top 10 in the championship. As the series winner in 2006 he shouldn't be regarded lightly.

Greg Murphy
This weekend Murphy really needs to do the business. He owned the New Zealand round of the V8 Supercars at Pukekohe and needs to reassert his authority. Murphy's good on street circuits and may be the joker in the pack.

FAST FACTS

* Toll Holden Racing Team ace Will Davison and Jim Beam Racing's James Courtney are the only drivers in the field to have driven a Formula One car. Davison tested in a Minardi-Cosworth PS at Misano, Italy in 2004. Courtney was the official test driver role for Jaguar Racing in 2001 and 2002.

* The Hamilton circuit is in the record books for the closest pole positionwinning margin in the history of the Australian Touring Car/V8 Supercar Championship Series. Mark Winterbottom took pole position for the Saturday race last year by 0.0007s from Jamie Whincup.

* Six New Zealand-born drivers will line up on the grid for the ITM400 Hamilton; Shane van Gisbergen, Steve Richards, Jason Richards, Fabian Coulthard, Daniel Gaunt and Greg Murphy.

* Greg Murphy still holds the record as the most successful driver in the V8 Supercar series events with four round wins at Pukekohe in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005. In that time he won a total of nine individual races and took pole position twice but is yet to open his account in Hamilton.

* Jim Beam Racing's Steven Johnson celebrates his 150th Australian Touring Car/V8 Supercar championship series event start at Hamilton. The Queenslander becomes the 13th driver to reach the milestone. He has started 337 individual races with three wins and 11 podium results. Johnson took pole position for the Sunday race last year in Hamilton. With team-mate James Courtney qualifying second, it was the team's first 1-2 on the grid in just over a decade.