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Match point: 2021 title on the line in Sydney finale

18 Nov 2021
Shane van Gisbergen can clinch the 2021 title this weekend
4 mins by James Pavey
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The Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight marks the first and only instance Shane van Gisbergen can clinch the 2021 title early.

Van Gisbergen, who also leads the Beaurepaires Sydney Cup standings, will enter the penultimate round of the 2021 season with a 337-point lead over Jamie Whincup.

The Red Bull Ampol Racing teammates have been one-two in the standings since March's Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint, and are all but certain to help their team to a championship quinella.

Van Gisbergen has beaten Whincup home in 17 of the season's 28 races, and leads the win head-to-head 13 to two.

Round by round, van Gisbergen has extended his points lead. However, tensions have been rising since Townsville, where they battled closely.

Last weekend, the teammates engaged in a heated battle which ultimately helped Will Brown win for Erebus Motorsport.

Best overtakes at the BP Ultimate Sydney SuperSprint

In only two rounds in 2021 - the Beaurepaires Tasmania SuperSprint and ARMOR ALL Sydney SuperNight - has Whincup outscored van Gisbergen on a weekend.

The single biggest points chunk Whincup surrendered in one race came when he suffered a puncture in Race 24 at the ARMOR ALL Sydney SuperNight.

Thankfully for Whincup, his 72-point loss was alleviated just hours later when he won Race 25, with van Gisbergen slumping to 23rd.

Van Gisbergen's run to 23rd marked his biggest single points loss to Whincup in a single race all season.

The only other instance van Gisbergen failed to reach the top 10 - 13th in Race 12 at Hidden Valley - Whincup was 12th.

Even then, van Gisbergen outscored Whincup in that race by virtue of claiming fastest lap bonus points.

Van Gisbergen beat Whincup to the 2016 title

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The 150-point paying races this weekend are even more crucial in the context of the title fight.

Say Whincup wins Saturday's Race 29 and van Gisbergen is 23rd, the deficit would be slashed to 223 points.

There is a chance, albeit minor, that van Gisbergen can clinch the title on Saturday.

Van Gisbergen must outscore Whincup by 113 points in Race 29 if he wants to wrap up the title on Saturday.

The only way van Gisbergen can clinch the crown on Saturday is if he wins, and Whincup finishes 23rd or worse.

Points are awarded to all classified finishers, and with 24 cars in the field, van Gisbergen must hope Whincup doesn’t finish Race 29 at all.

Positions 23 and 24 are worth 36 and 33 points respectively.

Will van Gisbergen record his second drivers' title this weekend, or can Whincup keep his quest for an eighth crown alive through to the Repco Bathurst 1000?

The 2021 Repco Supercars Championship and Dunlop Series seasons will resume this weekend at the Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight. Click here to view the race schedule.

Every session of the event will be broadcast live on Foxtel (Fox Sports 506) and streamed on Kayo.

The Seven Network will provide live free to air coverage of the event. Tickets for the event are on sale now.

Shane van Gisbergen's 2021 points lead progression

Margin

Race

Second place

12

Race 1, MP500

Chaz Mostert

33

Race 2, MP500

Chaz Mostert

60

Race 3, Sandown

Chaz Mostert

80

Race 4, Sandown

Chaz Mostert

150

Race 5, Sandown

Jamie Whincup

153

Race 6, Tasmania

Jamie Whincup

145

Race 7, Tasmania

Jamie Whincup

139

Race 8, Tasmania

Jamie Whincup

140

Race 9, Tailem Bend

Jamie Whincup

178

Race 10, Tailem Bend

Jamie Whincup

190

Race 11, Tailem Bend

Jamie Whincup

193

Race 12, Darwin

Jamie Whincup

207

Race 12, Darwin

Jamie Whincup

221

Race 12, Darwin

Jamie Whincup

233

Race 15, Townsville1

Jamie Whincup

245

Race 16, Townsville1

Jamie Whincup

239

Race 17, Townsville2

Jamie Whincup

252

Race 18, Townsville2

Jamie Whincup

276

Race 19, Townsville2

Jamie Whincup

312

Race 20, SMSP1

Jamie Whincup

344

Race 21, SMSP1

Jamie Whincup

338

Race 22, SMSP1

Jamie Whincup

346

Race 23, SMSP2

Jamie Whincup

418

Race 24, SMSP2

Jamie Whincup

337

Race 25, SMSP2

Jamie Whincup

349

Race 26, SMSP3

Jamie Whincup

343

Race 27, SMSP3

Jamie Whincup

337

Race 28, SMSP3

Jamie Whincup

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