Shane van Gisbergen was staring down the biggest challenge of his NASCAR Cup Series rookie season. Mexico City loomed ahead with its thin air, unpredictable weather, and a track layout unlike anything the Cup Series had ever tackled. So the road course ace did what any smart racer would do: he called the guy who owns that track.
Why Did Shane Van Gisbergen Need Help for the Mexico City Race?
The NASCAR Cup Series was venturing into uncharted territory with its first international points race. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez presented a perfect storm of unknowns that had every driver scrambling for any advantage they could find.
The track’s unique hybrid layout combined both road course and oval sections, creating a puzzle that no Cup Series driver had ever solved. Adding to the complexity, Mexico City sits at a much higher altitude than any track NASCAR typically visits, meaning the cars would behave differently in the thinner air.
Weather forecasts called for rain, which would transform an already challenging track into something completely unpredictable. For van Gisbergen, this wasn’t just another race. The Trackhouse Racing driver had been struggling to find consistent finishes in his debut season, and with 10 different winners already claiming victories, he desperately needed a breakthrough performance.
The pressure was mounting after his disappointing sixth-place finish at COTA, where many expected the road course specialist to dominate. Mexico City represented his best remaining opportunity to break through and secure his playoff position.
How Did Max Verstappen’s Expertise Make the Difference?
While NASCAR was making its Mexico debut, Formula One had been racing at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for years. And no driver knew that track better than Max Verstappen, who had claimed five Mexico Grand Prix victories between 2017 and 2023.
The Red Bull connection made the conversation possible. Both van Gisbergen and Verstappen represent the energy drink giant, creating a natural bridge between the two racing series. When van Gisbergen needed advice, he knew exactly who to contact.
On a recent “Happy Hour” podcast appearance, Kevin Harvick asked van Gisbergen about the rumored conversation with Verstappen. The Kiwi driver confirmed the story, explaining how he reached out to the four-time Formula One champion on race morning.
“Mexico. Yeah. Yeah. I just text him a little bit on the morning. He was racing in Canada that day. Yeah. I just try any help I could. You know, he’d race there or practice there in the wet. So, he had some small advice. Nothing too much, but it helps,” van Gisbergen revealed.
The advice focused on the fundamentals that matter most in wet conditions: understanding where the grip would be and identifying the optimal racing lines. Verstappen’s experience running in wet weather at the Mexican circuit proved invaluable, even if the conversation was brief.
The timing worked out perfectly despite Verstappen competing in the Canadian Grand Prix that same day. The quick text exchange gave van Gisbergen the confidence boost and technical insights he needed heading into the unknown.
What Did This Victory Mean for Van Gisbergen’s Season?
Whatever Verstappen shared in that morning text message clearly worked. Van Gisbergen went on to capture his second Cup Series victory, proving that sometimes the smallest advantages can make the biggest difference.
The win validated van Gisbergen’s reputation as a road course master while also demonstrating his willingness to seek help when facing new challenges. Rather than relying solely on his natural talent, he leveraged every available resource to maximize his chances of success.
This cross-series collaboration highlighted how modern motorsports have become increasingly interconnected. Drivers from different disciplines can share knowledge and experience, creating opportunities for learning that didn’t exist in previous generations.
For van Gisbergen, the Mexico City victory represented more than just another win. It showed that his road course dominance could translate to any track configuration, regardless of altitude, weather conditions, or unfamiliar layouts. The combination of his natural ability and Verstappen’s track-specific wisdom created the perfect formula for success.
