Shane van Gisbergen faces NASCAR Mexico City challenge this Sunday as the series heads to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for its first-ever Cup Series event in Mexico City, an experience raising both excitement and anxiety for the New Zealand driver. With his playoff aspirations on the line and unique racing conditions at play, van Gisbergen sees this race as a pivotal moment in his season and career.
First Experience for NASCAR Cup in Mexico City Raises Concerns
Shane van Gisbergen is open to fresh tests in his racing journey, yet the prospect of racing on an unknown circuit and at high altitude has him on edge. Most of the competitors, including van Gisbergen, have not faced the 2.41-mile track before. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez sits over 7,500 feet above sea level, presenting both physiological and technical challenges. Drivers may require supplemental oxygen, and the Cup cars’ normally aspirated engines will have to contend with thin air, likely impacting performance from the start to the finish line.
“Another new track and new place that I’ve never been to before,”
—Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
“I’ve been doing a lot of sim (work) lately and it’s pretty cool, a challenging and big track. There are lots of technical sections and it’s going to be very difficult.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Given these circumstances, van Gisbergen anticipates turbulence as soon as racing gets underway.
“Turn 1 is going to be carnage, I think, with how NASCAR restarts are,”
—Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
“It’s going to be nuts but I’m looking forward to some right handers this weekend.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
This marked blend of hope and concern is grounded in the realities of his season: van Gisbergen stands a distant thirty-third place in the Cup Series, 126 points behind the playoff threshold currently held by Austin Cindric. The pressure to perform in Mexico City is heightened by the unfamiliarity of the setting and the steep odds in the championship race.
A Win Is the Only Ticket to the Playoffs
With only eleven races left in the regular season, van Gisbergen’s scenario is straightforward but daunting. To secure a place in the postseason, he must win; continued effort alone will likely not build enough points for a playoff berth. So far, van Gisbergen has managed just one top-10 finish—a sixth place at Circuit of the Americas, itself a road course known for testing drivers’ technical abilities.
This background intensifies the importance of the next stretch of races, many of which suit his strengths. Four of the remaining nine are road courses, with Mexico City and a nearby date in Chicago both set to challenge NASCAR’s field. As a recognized road course specialist, van Gisbergen knows the expectations and opportunities that come with these tracks.
“(The upcoming road courses are extremely important) one hundred percent,”
—Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Everyone expects us to perform on road courses. Not that we have been hanging out for it (road courses), but the ovals have been a big learning process the last couple of months.
“It will be nice for sure to have a bit of a break and races on the types of courses I’m used to — which means turning right.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
Mexico City Represents Van Gisbergen’s Strongest Playoff Opportunity
This event in Mexico City may provide van Gisbergen with his best possible shot at redemption. His Cup Series debut resulted in a surprise victory at the Chicago Street Race in 2023—an event that, like this weekend’s race, was uncharted territory for the series’ drivers. While repeating such an achievement is difficult, the parallel offers a glimmer of hope.
The unknown variables related to altitude and the car’s performance, as well as the diversity of driver experience, create a field where anything could happen. Van Gisbergen remains pragmatic about his chances: confidence in his skill set tempered by the unpredictability of the moment.
“Other people have been there before and the unknowns, the air and how different the cars will feel with no downforce and stuff, are big. I don’t think it’s an advantage, but I certainly know I’ll be okay there.”
—Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR Driver
With the window of opportunity closing, van Gisbergen enters the Mexico City race relying on his road course expertise and the possibility for another upset, hoping to keep his playoff ambitions alive as NASCAR ventures into new territory.
