In his rookie NASCAR Cup Series season, Shane van Gisbergen confronted one of his toughest tests yet at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. This race marked NASCAR’s first international points event, featuring a unique track layout combined with high altitude and challenging weather that made the conditions unfamiliar and demanding. As a road course expert, van Gisbergen sought guidance from the one driver most familiar with the circuit: Max Verstappen.
Why the Mexico City Race Presented Unprecedented Obstacles
Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez presented a novel challenge as the NASCAR Cup Series raced there for the first time. Its hybrid design, blending road course and oval sections, posed a complicated situation for all drivers, unfamiliar with the nuances of this mixed layout. Moreover, the track’s elevation—significantly higher than any other in NASCAR’s usual calendar—altered car performance due to thinner air density.
Compounding these difficulties, forecasts predicted rain for race day, introducing greater unpredictability to vehicle handling and strategy. Van Gisbergen, representing Trackhouse Racing, was under pressure to deliver a strong result after a disappointing sixth-place at COTA, especially with ten different winners sharing victories during the season, intensifying the scramble to secure a solid position for the playoffs.
How Max Verstappen’s Deep Knowledge of the Track Helped Van Gisbergen
While NASCAR was new to Mexico City, Formula One had long competed there, with Max Verstappen standing out as the most successful driver at the venue, having won five Mexico Grands Prix from 2017 to 2023. Their shared connection to Red Bull Racing created a natural channel for van Gisbergen to seek advice directly from Verstappen on race day.
On the Happy Hour podcast, when asked by Kevin Harvick about the exchange, van Gisbergen confirmed reaching out to the four-time Formula One champion. He explained:
“Mexico. Yeah. Yeah. I just text him a little bit on the morning. He was racing in Canada that day. Yeah. I just try any help I could. You know, he’d race there or practice there in the wet. So, he had some small advice. Nothing too much, but it helps,”
—Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Cup Series driver
The guidance focused mainly on how to navigate wet conditions, particularly understanding where grip could be found and which racing lines would be most effective amid rain. Although brief, Verstappen’s insights were based on extensive experience at the circuit, especially in wet weather, providing van Gisbergen with valuable confidence and tactical information.
The Impact of This Victory on Van Gisbergen’s Rookie Season
The influence of Verstappen’s advice was evident, as van Gisbergen captured his second NASCAR Cup Series victory in Mexico City. This success validated his reputation as a road course specialist capable of adapting to complex and novel race environments. By actively seeking expert guidance, van Gisbergen demonstrated a strategic openness to learning beyond relying solely on his natural skill.
This collaboration also highlights the growing interconnection between different racing disciplines, illustrating how knowledge sharing across series can offer competitors new avenues to elevate their performance. Van Gisbergen’s triumph not only advanced his championship prospects but demonstrated that mastery on road courses could extend even to unfamiliar tracks with challenging variables like elevation and weather.
Looking ahead, van Gisbergen’s ability to combine his driving talent with insights from a dominant Formula One figure like Verstappen could serve as a blueprint for other drivers facing emerging challenges in their careers, further emphasizing the value of cross-series collaboration in today’s motorsports landscape.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What gender is Max Verstappen’s baby?
A. Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet are celebrating the birth of their first child, a baby girl, as they have announced her arrival.
Q. What is the gender of Max Verstappen’s baby?
A. Verstappen and Piquet have now shared that they have a baby girl named Lily. They revealed they were going to have a child before the 2024 season’s final race in Abu Dhabi. Lily is now a little sister to Piquet’s other daughter, Penelope.
Q. Is Penelope not Max Verstappen’s daughter?
A. Kelly Piquet, who is the daughter of ex-world champion Nelson Piquet, has a daughter named Penelope from an earlier relationship with former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat. Verstappen has developed a strong bond with Penelope. He mentioned this relationship when questioned about whether parenthood could affect his racing performance.