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Red Bull Ampol Racing engineer David Cauchi says Shane van Gisbergen is “a bit tender” after winning Race 3 but is expected to compete today at Sandown.
Cauchi guided van Gisbergen to a come-from-behind win in the opening race of the Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint, marking their third straight success together as a driver-engineer combination.
It was an extraordinary drive for van Gisbergen, who came from 17th on the grid to win the 36-lap affair with a broken collarbone.
The 31-year-old has been aided by the team’s physiotherapist Chris Brady, who van Gisbergen paid tribute to after his win.
“We’ve let him have a sleep in,” said Cauchi of van Gisbergen.
“He’s back at the hotel getting some physio. He’s definitely a little bit tender, which was to be expected.
“We knew that racing this weekend was going to be a little bit of a blip in his recovery.
“So far, Chris Brady has done an amazing job, and all his medical team, and him himself, in really focusing on his recovery.
“We’re pretty confident that he should be able to get through today as well.”
With wet weather on the forecast, Cauchi said it could be a benefit for van Gisbergen.
Typically, drivers stay away from the painted kerbs, which Sandown has become known for being quite slick in the wet.
“Right now it’s sort of tricky conditions,” Cauchi explained.
“It’s wet but it’s not quite wet. It’s just really greasy out there.
“It’s going to be one of those tricky days where you’re just going to have to keep looking outside every few minutes and work it out on the fly.
“I think the wet conditions might favour Shane a little bit. I think [Mark] Skaife was saying that you just use the kerbs less. A little less steering load.
“It actually might work in our favour, but they’re definitely very tricky conditions for all the drivers, so anything can happen. It’s going to be another cracker day, no doubt.”
Qualifying for Race 4 of the Repco Supercars Championship gets underway at 10:30 local time (AEDT).
