Supercars Championship Leader Shane van Gisbergen has punished the mistakes and misfortunes of his Ford rivals and clinched his 12th win in a remarkable season at the Sydney SuperNight event.
Van Gisbergen started the first 32-lap race on Sunday at Sydney Motorsport Park behind the two Shell V-Power drivers Anton De Pasquale and Will Davison.
De Pasquale, Saturday night’s race winner, had continued his perfect weekend by securing both pole positions for Sunday’s races in qualifying, but his Mustang dropped to seventh on the start line.
Starting from sixth place, van Gisbergen lunged to improve through the field and was three seconds behind De Pasquale’s team-mate Davison in the lead just before half-time.
But just as Davison seemed to be driving to victory, an electrical fault in his Mustang forced him to restart the drive system of his car during the mandatory pit stop.
Van Gisbergen, who had been standing right on Davison’s bumper when the two drove down the pit lane, took his chance to overtake the two-time Bathurst winner.
The Red Bull Ampol Racing star’s pace was too fast for De Pasquale, who was racing on significantly older tires after pitting earlier in the race that let van Gisbergen and Davison pass with less than 10 laps left.
After the race, the stewards disqualified De Pasquale when they discovered that his team had fitted a tire from Davison’s allotment on his car during his pit stop which was in breach of the regulations.
“We were of course a bit lucky with all the dramas they had, but with the perfect pit stop, the Red Bull Ampol Racing boys, and we came out at the front,” van Gisbergen told Fox Sports.
“We have a big lead but it’s not finished yet. We have to make sure everyone knows we are here to win races, not just score … I’m here to make a crack. “
Frustrated, Davison finished second while Holden’s Nick Percat secured third to continue his strong form in the first event for the championship since July due to a break enforced by COVID.
“We lost all lines and communications on lap two,” said a gutted Davison.
“When I came to a stop with no lights, no gear position and there was just a blackout in the pit lane.
“So I just drove through the pit lane without any electrics … I can’t believe it.
“These things happen, it’s just being in this position … I’m not going to lie, I’m devastated.”
Van Gisbergen’s closest rival in the championship, team-mate Jamie Whincup, only finished seventh, securing the New Zealander’s title lead to 348 points before the second 32-lap race on Sunday.
De Pasquale will seek redemption in the second race of the day when he starts from P1 at 16:25.
Australian Associated Press
