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The three-time Supercar champion has long been one of Stanaway’s biggest supporters and was influential in bringing him on board for their Bathurst 1000-winning campaign in 2023.
That set the wheels in motion for Stanaway’s full-time return with Grove Racing this year.
A little over halfway through the season and the Groves have cast the Kiwi aside in favour of Super2 Series winner Kai Allen, who will join the team in 2025.
Speaking with Speedcafe, van Gisbergen said it was “gutting” to learn Stanaway had been let go. However, he said the odds were always stacked against him.
“It was disappointing,” said van Gisbergen.
“I think it was going to be hard to be more than a one-year deal. Groves always had that junior team and the close relationship with Anton [De Pasquale] and Kai, so it was always going to be hard to stay there for more than one year, especially when you’re up against someone as good as Matt Payne as well.”
Stanaway has been soundly outperformed by his younger aforementioned teammate. After 16 races, Matt Payne leads 15-1 in qualifying.
Stanaway is also yet to stand on the podium while Payne has four podiums including one win.
Payne is streaks ahead in the points too, sitting fifth while Stanaway is 13th and nearly 400 points in arrears.
“Richie had a really good start to the year,” said van Gisbergen.
“I think he was third or fourth in the points after two or three rounds. He was doing really well, but for whatever reason, his qualifying has struggled and that’s dropped them back a bit.”
Van Gisbergen maintained that Stanaway can be competitive in the right environment. If anything, his co-drives with Tickford Racing and Triple Eight showed that.
So does that environment exist? The three-time Supercars champion reckons there are still opportunities waiting for his compatriot.
“He’s a very talented person and as we saw last year in the right environment, he was the top co-driver at Bathurst and at Sandown, he was very good,” van Gisbergen explained.
“He just had a positive attitude and was always happy to be around, so it’s hard. His personality, he’s got to be in the right place and the right frame of mind to get everything right and he’s as talented as anyone.”
If not full-time, then van Gisbergen has backed Stanaway to land a plum enduro seat.
“I think he’s still got a few leads to get full-time on the grid and a few places that he would be successful at – I think. But if he doesn’t, he’s got to be the top candidate for an enduro drive,” said van Gisbergen.
“The way he approached Bathurst and just did race runs and practiced and didn’t focus on lap time – even though I think he topped a couple of co-driver sessions – his performance at Bathurst last year was very impressive.
“It’s gutting to see him possibly not being on the grid next year because I know he can do the job. But everyone knows what he’s like. He’s an interesting kind of character and you’ve got to get someone as a leader that can help him unlock himself to perform every week and that’s very hard to do.
“It’s hard for someone like him who has had chances. He’s had every opportunity, so it is going to be hard to get back in. I know and he knows he can do the job if he gets in a place he likes.”
With five rounds remaining in the season, van Gisbergen said Stanaway has an opportunity to show he should be full-time on the grid.
The 32-year-old is less than 100 points away from the top 10.
“There’s potential to have some amazing results at tracks he’s good at coming up, like Gold Coast and Bathurst,” said van Gisbergen.
“So I think there’s potential there to have a really good finish for the year. To be told so early, it’s telling that they had someone lined up anyway.
“He’s got to turn up, keep his chin up, and show that he still want to be there. It’s hard to do when you know it potentially might be all over.
“So he’s got to go there, have fun, and the results will come. There’s some talented people there at Groves I’ve worked with before. They’ve got the potential to turn it around for him.
“I just hope he knuckles down, and I’m sure he will. Someone will look into him and pick him up. But as I said, he’s got to be the number one pick for an enduro drive, that’s for sure.”
