MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -New Zealand's Shane van Gisbergen revealed that he received advice from Formula One champion Max Verstappen before storming to victory in NASCAR's rain-affected Mexican circuit Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday.
The former Supercars champion powered his No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet to victory in the inaugural Viva Mexico 250, overtaking Christopher Bell amid the track's changing wet-to-dry conditions.
"I know he's raced here in the rain and he's a friend of mine," van Gisbergen said of Verstappen. "I walked out onto pit road this morning and it was amazing how slick it was. Normally on a wet circuit the tarmac has grip and the white lines are slipperier. It was the opposite."
The 36-year-old former sought specific guidance from the Dutch F1 driver about the peculiar track conditions.
"I just reached out to him, was the grip on line, off line, what kind of techniques did he use," he added. "He didn't say too much, but it's always good to get a little leg up."
Despite his poor physical condition, Van Gisbergen triumphed after securing an impressive pole position on Saturday, maintaining his focus with an offbeat approach.
"Yesterday after qualifying I just went really downhill and couldn't keep anything in. Everything just went straight through me," he said. "They gave me a couple of whatever it was, and it took a while in the race to feel better."
For van Gisbergen, the victory secures a playoff spot and adds another impressive milestone to his blossoming NASCAR career following his triumph at the Chicago Street Race in 2023.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )
