Shane van Gisbergen talks Holden’s memorable Bathurst victory, and that flag celebration
The Holden bowed out in style at Bathurst, giving fans one last memorable victory – and one moment that will live forever in the folklore that is attached to Mount Panorama.
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Shane van Gisbergen’s celebration lap with the Holden flag after the famous brand’s fairytale farewell at the Bathurst 1000 will go down as iconic images at Mount Panorama.
But the new Bathurst champion has revealed he initially had other plans in mind to mark his breakthrough win in the Great Race on Sunday.
Speaking after a long night of celebrations following his emotional win for the Red Bull Holden Racing Team with Garth Tander, van Gisbergen explained the famous red flag’s final victory lap.
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“I was thinking of grabbing the chequered flag like speedway style,” van Gisbergen said.
“And then I saw the guy on the back straight (with the Holden flag) and got him over and it worked out awesome.
“And then seeing the footage of it, the pictures, it looked great.
“I’m really proud to represent and race for Holden here in the last official race to get the win was cool.”
As Holden’s official involvement in Supercars came to an end, van Gisbergen claimed his maiden Bathurst 1000 crown after finishing runner-up in the race twice before.
The 31-year-old New Zealander held off Tickford Racing star Cameron Waters in a classic Holden versus Ford duel to the finish.
The victory gave Tander his fourth Bathurst 1000 win, 20 years after his first triumph at Mount Panorama as a 23-year-old.
The pair celebrated long into the night with their Triple Eight squad with van Gisbergen unable to sleep.
“At the team dinner everyone was still pretty pumped and it was a really great atmosphere and then got to bed and just couldn’t sleep,” van Gisbergen said.
“I was wrecked but still pumped about it.”
Tander, who also teamed with Tander last year to finish second at Bathurst, hoped van Gisbergen’s breakthrough Bathurst win would open him up to more success.
“The way he performed (on Sunday) was absolutely amazing,” Tander said.
“That stint when it was just drizzling in the middle part of the race and he moved us from third up into the lead in incredibly tricky conditions was what really set the race up for us.
“And the way he managed those last three stints was head and shoulders above everyone else.
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We had a really fast car but it was incredibly smart the way he drove the car as well.
“Everyone has been on his back about ‘You need to get one, you need to get one, you need to get one’ well he has got one now and hopefully he can grab some more in the future.”
Van Gisbergen will return home to New Zealand on Tuesday but he will have to wait to celebrate with family and friends until after he has served his quarantine.
Tander said he expected to be back as a co-driver for Triple Eight next year.
“RD (Roland Dane) and I had a quick chat last night and he asked what I was up to next year and I said ‘I’d like to drive your car again’ so I’m pretty sure we’ll work something out,” Tander said.
CHAMP’S MISSED CHANCE TO SILENCE CRITICS
– Rebecca Williams
Scott McLaughlin declared he is satisfied he has achieved everything he wanted to in Supercars, despite missing the podium and the chance to silence his critics over last year’s controversial Bathurst win at Mount Panorama on Sunday.
After what is expected to be his last full-time race as a Supercars driver ahead of a move to IndyCars the United States, McLaughlin was officially crowned champion for the third straight year before giving the strongest indication yet it was his last campaign.
McLaughlin had to settle for fifth place at Mount Panorama on Sunday as his Holden rival Shane van Gisbergen sealed his maiden Bathurst crown.
As he prepares to head off to the United States on Monday ahead of his IndyCar debut at St Petersburg next week, the DJR Team Penske star said he was satisfied he had done everything he had wanted to in Supercars.
“I have done everything I have wanted to achieve regardless of how St Pete goes,” McLaughlin said.
“I know right now I have got to grab this opportunity with both hands. It’s not an audition I would say … but I can’t be a gumby, I’ve got to go out there and drive the thing as fast as I can and acquaint myself as best as I can.
“I said I wanted to win a Bathurst, a championship and be a consistent frontrunner (in this series). I really want to move up that leaderboard with wins and poles and really proud of all that.
“If it is (my last full-time race) I am completely satisfied.”
McLaughlin’s maiden Bathurst 1000 victory was shrouded in controversy last year with one rival team boss saying it remained “tainted” in the lead-up to this weekend’s race.
DJR Team Penske was slapped with a record-breaking $250,000 fine and stripped of 300 team points for issuing an illegal team order to McLaughlin’s teammate Fabian Coulthard.
The team was then handed another bombshell penalty after stewards found the team guilty of an engine breach at Mount Panorama. McLaughlin was stripped of his qualifying and top-10 shootout win from Bathurst, while the team was hit with another $30,000 fine.
Despite missing the chance to erase last year’s controversy with a podium on Sunday, McLaughlin said his third championship win was his “proudest”.
He celebrated the championship by burning rubber around the Mount Panorama circuit.
“To wrap the teams championship up along with the drivers championship is fantastic and was our goal that we had coming into it,” McLaughlin said.
“It was made a bit easier with Triple Eight’s little moment at the top of the hill, but I’m really proud. It’s been tough for everyone … It’s one of my proudest championships.
“I’m proud of everyone at Shell V Power Racing, it’s been an awesome year and it’s been hard for a lot of teams including ours and I’m just proud to bring home the bacon.”
McLaughlin will line up for Team Penske at the IndyCar season finale at St Petersburg in Florida on October 25.
He finished the year 451 points ahead of Tickford Racing’s Waters in the 2020 championship battle, completing a dominant year with 13 race wins – nine ahead of Jamie Whincup – and 15 pole positions.
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