The Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia hits The Bend this weekend for two 60 minute races, but will be minus a Kiwi in the field as Shane van Gisbergen sits out the round.
His replacement, to partner Prince Jefri Ibrahim, is none-other than Supercars teammate Broc Feeney.
In addition to the driver switch this weekend, Triple Eight Engineering also confirmed the running of a second car at The Bend. That entry will have Australian racing icon Jamie Whincup behind the wheel in partnership with Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim, the younger brother of Prince Jefri.
It will be the first time the two brothers compete against each other in Australia, but it is a regular occurrence in the GT World Challenge Asia. Triple Eight Engineering run two cars in that series, which finished last month.
For Whincup, it will be the first time competing in the challenge since Round 1 at Phillip Island in 2021. He was the replacement for van Gisbergen in that race.
It’s been a busy five weeks for Supercars championship leader van Gisbergen, which began with the final ever round of Supercars at Pukekohe, where he famously won the last two races held at the circuit.
The very next week he was off to Sandown to compete in the previous GT World Challenge round with Prince Jefri. The duo won the first race and backed it up with third in Race 2.
It was back to New Zealand two weeks later, van Gisbergen switching from the track to dirt for Rally New Zealand. He famously went on to claim third spot in WRC2, topping a range of full-time rally drivers.
Then came Bathurst. The incredible victory over a charging Chaz Mostert to take his second Great Race Crown.
One thing is for certain, van Gisbergen deserves a break.
He will return to the Supercars fold next weekend, where a finish in the Gold Coast 500 will all but secure the 2022 title.
From here, it will be back to Bathurst, van Gisbergen confirmed to be partnered with Prince Jefri at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International as the GT World Challenge goes into 3-hour endurance mode.
An incredible 2022 has been the order for van Gisbergen, but there is still plenty more to come.
