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'Utter carnage': Max Verstappen shines in 'insane' Supercars Eseries

australian associated press
·4-min read
Max Verstappen, pictured here in action during the Supercars Eseries.
Max Verstappen shined in his Supercars debut. Image: Getty

Back-to-back wins by Shane van Gisbergen have ensured bragging rights over Formula One superstar Max Verstappen in the Supercars Eseries second round on Wednesday night.

While Red Bull gun Verstappen impressed on debut as a wildcard entry, Holden's van Gisbergen was named driver of the round after clinching the last two of the four virtual races held at the UK's Silverstone and Barcelona's Catalunya circuits.

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In the lead-up to the second round Verstappen claimed his friend van Gisbergn was infamous for shunting on virtual tracks, dubbing him “Pastor”.

The cheeky nickname referenced former F1 driver Pastor Maldanado who had a record 26 penalties and 32 DNFs from 95 career starts from 2011-15.

Verstappen didn't let up before racing started on Wednesday night, bagging van Gisbergen when interviewed at his simulator in his Monaco home.

“Shane likes to crash into me when we are driving together (in virtual racing), I don't know why that is,” he told Fox Sports.

“Because he is the one shunting into me I started calling him Pastor.”

Van Gisbergen got the last laugh, placing third and fourth in the two races held at Silverstone before consecutive victories on the Spanish circuit.

It was a remarkable turnaround for SVG who was 14th in the Eseries standings before the second round.

“Battling with Max was great. He gave me a bit of crap for being Pastor Maldanado but I was able to get one over him,” van Gisbergen laughed.

Shane van Gisbergen and Max Verstappen, pictured here in action during round two of the Supercars Eseries.
Shane van Gisbergen and Max Verstappen in action during round two of the Supercars Eseries. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Max Verstappen shines in Supercars debut

Verstappen still turned heads in his Red Bull Holden Supercar.

The Dutchman came second in three of the four races, his only blemish was an 18th placing in the second event after he was involved in early carnage in a reverse grid.

He didn't rule out returning to the Eseries which heads to Bathurst's legendary Mount Panorama circuit next week.

“Let's see what is possible in the coming weeks but tonight was a lot of fun,” said Verstappen, a veteran of 102 grand prix starts at just 22 years old.

Holden's Anton de Pasquale began round two with a victory from pole position in the seven lap opener comfortably holding out Verstappen.

In the nine lap second race at Silverstone, Ford's Cameron Waters won ahead of 20 year old rookie Jake Kostecki with de Pasquale third.

When action moved to Catalunya for the eight lap race three, van Gisbergen claimed his maiden Eseries win ahead of Verstappen with de Pasquale again third.

In the 11 lap finale, van Gisbergen held out Verstappen with two-time Supercars series champion Scott McLaughlin finishing third - his only podium finish in round two.

Fans have been flocking to social media with praise for the Eseries.