For Shane van Gisbergen, racing has always been about perseverance and versatility — traits he recognizes in his fellow Kiwi, Liam Lawson. The 35-year-old, who will make the full-time move up to the NASCAR Cup Series next year, was an early mentor to the VCARB Formula 1 driver.
“Obviously, I went the Touring Car route, and he went to chase the dream in Europe in single-seaters,” van Gisbergen reflected. “Now he's succeeded at it. The way he's gotten to F1 has been a little difficult the last couple of years. But seeing him get this opportunity full-time now, I'm just stoked and so proud.”
The three-time Australian Supercars champion credited Lawson’s success, in part, to his unwavering commitment. “I could see right from the start how into it he was — always watching racing or on the simulator. He just committed himself,” van Gisbergen said.
The pair, who are both part of the Red Bull family, have also used adaptability to their advantage. “You’ve got to be versatile, which is something I've always tried to do by driving a bunch of different cars. It helps you when it comes to something new in the setup, something technical, or even with the weather changing. You’ve got to be able to adapt straight away,” he said. “Liam's been exceptional at that. Even when F1 wasn’t working out, he did DTM and other racing that I think has really helped him.”
In fact, the two recently reconnected on a dirt oval in Texas for a Red Bull shoot, where Lawson and his teammate Yuki Tsunoda got behind the wheel of a stock car — with some guidance from van Gisbergen and NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch. “Liam was very analytical, trying to understand the car and what he needed to do to be fast,” van Gisbergen said. “You don't make it to F1 by being an average driver. To watch how he and Yuki could just jump in a car and drive — it was amazing.”
Despite being at different point in their careers, the pair are both experiencing the challenges of uprooting their lives to chase their dreams abroad. “It’s not easy. Even now, I'm a lot older, but moving from Australia to America — being across the other side of the world from your family and friends — it’s difficult,” van Gisbergen admitted. However, he’s more than ready to forge a new path in NASCAR, where he’s set to drive for Trackhouse Racing full-time in the 2025 Cup Series.
“I've had a blast. It's been like a completely different sport — it’s so unlike any other racing I've ever done, and that's great. It's been such a challenge and a big refresh for me,” he explained. “Some aspects of it have been a struggle, especially on the ovals, but that's what guys grew up doing here. NASCAR also has a really hectic schedule, but I love it.”
He’s also taken advice from veterans like Marcos Ambrose and Kevin Harvick while embracing the camaraderie of the NASCAR world. “All of the drivers have been pretty friendly. You can't not be friendly because you race each other every week,” he said. “The cars are very different to what I’m used to, but hopefully the Cup car will suit me better. I've just got to be patient and not try to force things. The results will come once I get comfortable, but I'm definitely ready to go.”
