Van Gisbergen confirmed for the New Zealand Rally Championship
Geoff Rider Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen has confirmed his participation in the New Zealand Rally Championship in 2023. He will drive the Audi S3 AP4 and will compete in four events, with Glen Weston returning as his co-driver. The series has also reopened its doors to other overseas drivers, including Richie Dalton, Eugene Creugnet, Pierre-Henri Brunet and Mikko Hirvonen of Finland. The first round of the championship begins Thursday and four sprint races will take place in Dunedin.
Published : 2 months ago by Luke Simpson in
Van Gisbergen’s Audi S3 is the one usually driven by Dylan Turner.
Defending Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen will add to his rallying calendar in 2023 and announced earlier today that he will compete in four rounds of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship.
The speedy Kiwi will be behind the wheel of a car very familiar to regular fans of the championship; the Audi S3 AP4 regularly driven by Dylan Turner. Glen Weston returns as his co-driver for the four events.
Van Gisbergen will drive the all-wheel-drive Audi in the International Rally of Whangarei on May 12-14, the Hawkes Bay Rally on July 22, the Rally Coromandel on September 2 and the series finale of the Rally of Bay of Plenty on October 14 .
The Audi Sport support from Giltrap Group, LJ Hooker and a number of other local companies.
The three-time Supercars champion will therefore miss two rounds of the season; this weekend’s opening event, the Rally of Otago, and round three at Canterbury on 17 June. Turner will drive the Audi for each of these events.
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“A huge thank you to Dylan [Turner] – he was planning to have an easier year this year, so to let us share his car for a few laps is quite exciting,” said van Gisbergen.
“It will be great to work with him again and also with the Choice Performance Ralliart team who I previously worked with on Jack’s Ridge.
“We have some great supporters this year – the main ones being Giltrap Group, LJ Hooker, United Truck Parts, Ward Demolition, Ellerslie Jewelers, Pirelli and then Baron Leather Goods. [Baron] Dad was supportive when he went rallying with his escort and to be in my rally car this year is amazing.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how Dylan runs in Otago this weekend – I’ll watch the timing as best I can in Melbourne. I look forward to getting back together with Glen [Weston] and keep learning and getting better.”
Van Gisbergen has proven to be a quick learner in the world of rallying and has already achieved a number of impressive results.
He won the first Repco battle of Jacks Ridge in late 2020 and recently clinched a WRC2 podium at last year’s Rally New Zealand – eclipsing numerous international competitors and finishing in close proximity to eventual winner Hayden Paddon.
Van Gisbergen’s main competition is actually led by Paddon, who returns with a new Rally2 Hyundai i20. Emma Gilmour will be seen driving her new Rally2 Citroen C3, with Ben Hunt (Skoda Fabia R5) and Robbie Stokes (Ford Fiesta AP4) also in the mix.
Emma Gilmour’s new Rally2 Citroen C3 testing in preparation for the 2023 New Zealand Rally Championship.
The series has also reopened its doors to other overseas drivers. Australia’s Richie Dalton, New Caledonia’s Eugene Creugnet, Vanuatu’s Pierre-Henri Brunet and former WRC regular Mikko Hirvonen of Finland are among those bringing a more international flavor to the series for 2023.
The first round of the championship this weekend in Otago covers more than 250km of competitive roads and kicks off with its traditional ceremonial start at the Octagon in Dunedin.
Van Gisbergen’s Supercars race weekend in Melbourne, meanwhile, begins with practice next Thursday and four sprint races – the series tops the support card for the Formula One Australian Grand Prix.
Topics: New Zealand