![Shane van Gisbergen. Image: Mark Horsburgh](https://speedcafe.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SI202304030043-1200x800.jpg)
Confirmation that Will Brown is replacing Shane van Gisbergen at Triple Eight Race Engineering appears not too far away, based on comments from Team Principal Jamie Whincup.
While that was taken as a sure sign that the Queenslander is off to Banyo, Triple Eight quickly responded with a brief statement that van Gisbergen “is a contracted driver … until advised otherwise.”
That advice otherwise is set to occur soon after van Gisbergen wraps up his latest NASCAR cameo in Indianapolis, where he finished 19th on his oval debut in the Trucks Series earlier today.
Meanwhile, Whincup and Brown are both in attendance this weekend at Queensland Raceway for the Shannons SpeedSeries, driving in Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS and Supercheap Auto TCR Australia, respectively.
Speaking on Stan Sport from the Ipswich circuit, Whincup straight-batted a jocular question about communications with Brown.
He did say, though, “[van Gisbergen] did a fantastic job in Chicago; full credit to him, I absolutely get why he wants to go abroad.
“But, we’re just respecting his job this weekend and then obviously, as a team, we’ll make some announcements early next week on what’s going on from our side.”
Van Gisbergen won his very first NASCAR race, when he drove in the Cup Series at the Chicago Street Circuit in early-July.
This weekend, his is on double duty, in Trucks with Niece Motorsports in his oval debut at Indianapolis Raceway Park, then backing up with Trackhouse Racing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
There are two Supercars title contenders racing in the latter, with Brodie Kostecki making his Cup debut in a MobileX-backed Richard Childress Racing entry.
The SpeedSeries can be seen live and ad-free on Stan Sport.