Supercars 2023 launch: Shane van Gisbergen remains tight-lipped on Gen3 questions

Reigning Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen has remained quiet on some key Gen3 car questions ahead of the opening round.

Reigning Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen is “here for the challenge” that Gen3 offers up but remains quiet on some of the key questions ahead of the opening round in Newcastle next month.

A picturesque Sydney Harbour backdrop greeted drivers for Monday’s season launch and while the four cars in attendance looked the part, there is plenty still to play out under the hood before van Gisbergen begins his title defence on March 10.

Getting inside the mind of the oft-guarded SVG can be difficult at the best of times, but the Kiwi has chosen to stay particularly quiet in relation to the Gen3 car’s performance and prospects early in testing and development.

Supply chain delays and other setbacks forced a number of teams to reschedule their maiden Gen3 shakedowns – among them Triple Eight, which ran van Gisbergen and teammate Broc Feeney for the first time at Queensland Raceway less than a fortnight ago.

Van Gisbergen declined to speak to media after the shakedown and though team manager Mark Dutton maintained his star driver was happy with how things played out, the silence was deafening.

2023 Supercars Gen3 Season Launch. Picture: Edge Photographics

Asked about how he felt in the seat of his No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro on Monday, van Gisbergen replied: “I’m not sure yet, I haven’t really driven (the car) much.”

The three-time Supercars champion, who last season won at a canter with a record-setting 21 wins – breaking Scott McLaughlin’s previous mark of 18 – put his Supercars future on notice after clinching the title on the Gold Coast.

A candid van Gisbergen revealed last October he had put contract talks with Triple Eight on hold, explaining his future in Supercars “depends on Gen3, probably”.

Though boasting a reputation as a man of few words, van Gisbergen has not been shy to tell it like he sees it in the past.

But he’s happy to leave the testing talk and speculation to others, choosing to focus on preparing for Newcastle and beyond.

“I don’t want to get involved in all of that stuff,” he said.

“I’m just ready to go racing. There’s still a lot to play out, but I am just focusing on what I have to do.”

“It was a big change in 2013 with (the Car of the Future),” he added.

“You just have to go through it with your team. It’s going to take a lot of time to get the most out of it and see what it does take – that’s exciting. We’re here for the challenge.”

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Wednesday’s all-in testing day at Sydney Motorsport Park will prove crucial to preparations ahead of the season proper, with only a handful of scheduled on-track runs after that before teams are racing for points on the streets of Newcastle.

There is a growing feeling among fans and even some teams that anything could happen at the season opener given the new cars and regulations in place for 2023.

Van Gisbergen and Triple Eight will have a target on their backs once again as reigning champions and the 33 year old welcomed the possibility of closer competition, after his year of dominance.

“Last year wasn’t easy. We still had some big challenges, they were just from different people every time,” he said.

“I think we were the most consistent while we were up the front, but there were still a lot of fast cars – we weren’t always the fastest last year. This year, maybe there will be more people up there, I don’t know.”

All 25 Gen3 Supercars will feature on the same track for the first time at Sydney Motorsport Park on Wednesday.

The action begins from 8.30am and entry is free, with live timing available for those eager to know who within the paddock may be best placed for a fast start to season 2023.

Originally published as Supercars 2023 launch: Shane van Gisbergen remains tight-lipped on Gen3 questions