Shane Van Gisbergen Wins Rally Of The Far North

Jul 4, 2022

The weekend saw yet another Rallying victory for Giltrap Group sponsored driver, Shane van Gisbergen at the Rally of the Far North.

A see-saw battle between the Australian Supercar Champion and Škoda New Zealand supported Ben Hunt gave both teams confidence ahead of the Rally of New Zealand in September. But ultimately van Gisbergen dominated the day-long event securing 4 stage wins and coming second in four stages.

Both Hunt and van Gisbergen were contesting a Škoda Fabia R5 rally car, a WRC2 spec car that is built at the factory for global competitors.

The Škoda Fabia R5 is the most popular factory-developed rally car of the current era, with more than 150 racing teams all over the world now using the platform and over 440 units of the ŠKODA Fabia in R5, Rally2 and Rally2 evo variants.

Hunt developed a misfire on SS3 and decided to stop the car allowing Shane to cement an unassailable lead in the rally but returned in SS5 to resume a toe-to-toe battle the crowd rejoiced in witnessing.

Ben Hunt would win SS5, Shane took SS6, Hunt answered back taking SS7 and van Gisbergen took the final stage of the day SS8.

The win further validates van Gisbergen as one of the world’s most talented drivers across multiple motorsport disciplines from Australian Supercars to rallying, endurance and prototype racing. It’s an increasingly busy schedule for van Gisbergen as he heads back across the ditch to once again drive the #97 Red Bull Ampol Racing ZB Commodore in the NTI Townsville 500.

It was clear Shane was enjoying himself on home soil though, the challenge Hunt presented and the seat time on New Zealand roads will stand him in good stead ahead of September’s International Rally of New Zealand where the young Kiwi will have an opportunity to test himself alongside the world’s best WRC drivers and challenge for a WRC2 category win.