Van Gisbergen Joins All-Kiwi Entry for The Bend

Shane van Gisbergen will join Nick Cassidy and Daniel Gaunt in an all-New Zealand entry for this weekend’s Asian Le Mans Series round at The Bend Motorsport Park.

Van Gisbergen has been announced as part of Eurasia Motorsport’s No. 1 Racing New Zealand Ligier JS P217 and will replace car owner Nobuya Yamanaka, who has had to withdraw from the event at short notice.

It will mark the Virgin Australia Supercars champion’s debut in prototype machinery having come fresh from the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona last weekend.

The 30-year old has prior experience at The Bend having raced on the circuit in Australian GT as well Supercars.

“It’s an exciting opportunity to join Eurasia Motorsport at The Bend this weekend,” said van Gisbergen.

“It will be my first time in a prototype and at a track that will suit them perfectly.

“Getting to join some great friends in Daniel Gaunt and Nick Cassidy will be a lot of fun, and I’ll be leaning from their experience in the car to help get me up to speed as quickly as possible.”

A number of other drivers changes have taken place in the field ahead of the Asian Le Mans Series’ maiden visit to Australia.

Cassidy, who missed the round in Shanghai due to his Super GT commitments, replaces Masataka Yanagida in the Eurasia entry for The Bend.

South Australian local Garnet Patterson will jump behind the wheel of the No. 4 ARC Bratislava Ligier JS P2 in the LMP2 Am class in place of Kang Ling.

Meanwhile, Japanese driver Yuki Harata is not able to take part in the 4 Hours of The Bend, with David Fumanelli filling in for Harata in the No. 12 ACE1 Villorba Corse Ligier JS P3.

Free Practice begins on Friday ahead of qualifying on Saturday and Round 2 of the season on Sunday.