Shane van Gisbergen has nothing to lose heading to Mount Panorama with an enormous 525-point championship lead.
The Red Bull Ampol Racing driver can bomb out of this year’s Bathurst 1000 and is still guaranteed to come out the other side of the weekend with the Supercars lead.
Notwithstanding points penalties, the worst the Kiwi will come away from the famed endurance race is a 225-point advantage, assuming Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters bags the win with James Moffat.
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However, at the current strike rate, van Gisbergen only looks like he’ll extend that margin.
With five races remaining in 2022, the 33-year-old has equalled countryman Scott McLaughlin’s record for the most wins in a season at 18 from 26.
That dominance means van Gisbergen heads to The Mountain with his mind at ease.
“Every week, there’s been people just as fast as us,” the two-time champion told Wide World of Sports.
“Even in the later part of the season, there have been a lot of cars quicker than us. For sure, when we get to Bathurst, I’m not sure who it’ll be, but I’m sure there will be some very fast cars there.
“We’ve prepared well. We had a good debrief after Pukekohe. I’m feeling good about it. We’ve done a lot of preparation for it.
“I think we’re in a good place. Obviously, the championship lead certainly takes a bit of pressure off and I can just go there and have fun and push hard for a result.
“I think that’s a good place to be and it’s definitely good for Garth [Tander, co-driver], he’s just there for the win as well, not someone else’s championship. I think it’s a good place for everyone to be.”
Van Gisbergen isn’t one to give much thought to his opposition.
Asked who of the front-runners would be his biggest challenger, he quickly replied, “Myself.
“I don’t like to think about anyone else or who’s going to turn up. I just focus on myself and we’ll see how we go.”
While van Gisbergen isn’t one to get sentimental, the Kiwi could have another dose of Holden history.
In 2020, he and Tander became the last drivers to win the Bathurst 1000 as factory-backed Holden drivers.
The curtains have since been drawn on the marque, which left the motoring marketplace at the end of 2020.
Delays to the long-awaited Gen3 program, which will finally arrive in 2023, means this year will be the last for Holden and the Commodore at Mount Panorama.
“I guess, in my mind, we had it in 2020 with the last official Holden thing,” said van Gisbergen of the impending farewell.
“I guess we’ve still been representing GM the last couple of years and flying the flag proudly there. Then, obviously, into next year with the Camaro.
“It’s still important for us to get a good result, of course, but I think the final send-off is for Adelaide at the end of the year with the Holden side of things.
“I feel like we’ve had it two years ago, the last send-off.”
Practice for the Bathurst 1000 starts on Thursday.
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