‘That’s not right’: Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen blasted for post-race silence after controversial win

Reigning Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen has been branded disrespectful for refusing to answer questions in a tense media stand-off on Sunday.

Van Gisbergen endured a drama-filled weekend at the Supercars season-opening Newcastle 500, where he was stripped of his race one win before claiming victory in race two – where late contact on rival Chaz Mostert became a talking point.

But after he cut short an on-track interview with Jess Yates – where the Mostert contact was brought up, van Gisbergen’s mood didn’t improve as he flat out refused to answer questions in the press conference from journalist Chad Neylon.

Neylon: Shane, bouncing back, I imagine there was a bit of disappointment with the team today so did that make today’s race win even a little bit sweeter?

SVG: So basically just repeat what I said on track (to Yates), thanks to my team, our cars were awesome but all our talking was done on the track so thank you (sits back and pushes mic away).

As Neylon begins to speak, van Gisbergen puts his hand up to gesture a stop.

Neylon: Nah mate, it’s a press conference. We’ve got to ask you questions.

SVG: (Looks bemused) All the talking was done on track today, thank you.

Journo: Mate c’mon. Are you serious?

SVG: Yeah.

The awkward encounter was panned by motorsport greats Mark Skaife and Garth Tander, while Yates said “cagey” van Gisbergen’s attitude was “really disappointing” for fans.

“For me that’s a bit of respect,” Tander, van Gisbergen’s former teammate, said.

“Chad Neylon always asks fair and balanced questions.

“You’ve got to have a little bit of respect for the other people within the industry as well and how they’re going about their job.

“It’s his job to ask questions in the press conference.

“To not answer them like that, probably need to show a bit more respect. It’s a bit disappointing to hear that sort of behaviour from Shane.

“He is better than that.

“He doesn’t need to do that sort of stuff.”

It’s not the first time this weekend van Gisbergen opted out of answering a simple question, after telling a journalist “nah I’ll pass” on Saturday.

“Shane, are you having fun driving these cars and if yes why, and if not why?” the question came.

“Nah I’ll pass on that one,” van Gisbergen replied.

Skaife said van Gisbergen needed to do better, given he represents the sport as a reigning champion.

“We’ve been in some pretty tense press conferences over the years … but when you’re the champ, you have an ambassador’s role in this sport,” Skaife said.

“Although you might not want to make any more comment, you actually have a duty as a custodian of the sport to say what you need to say about the result and what’s gone on today.

“He won’t be liking disqualification from yesterday. He’s come in today angry about how it is, but there is a duty of care.

“There is something about being the champion driver and the ambassador for the sport.

“If you’re a media person from anywhere in this country and you want a comment about Supercar racing, the first person you ask is Shane van Gisbergen.

“He has a duty. As one of the highest-paid, the absolute bloke who has been the benchmark operator. He is extraordinary, maybe one of the best drivers ever – I call him Jim Richards-like but you do off the track have a duty and that’s not right.

“You can have a villain … but what there is is a real distinction between being the bad guy and villain. You never heard an Allan Moffat or Russell Ingall not answer a question in a press conference.

“They might not have been as liked as Peter Brock who was the golden child of this stuff, but at any point there is a duty.”