Van Gisbergen rebounds strongly from early scare

Shane van Gisbergen is an impressive third in class after his first full competitive World Rally Championship day.

Van Gisbergen is competing in Repco Rally New Zealand ahead of next weekend’s Repco Bathurst 1000.

The Supercars points leader is an impressive third in the WRC2 division, and 12th overall.

It continues a remarkable first competitive season in rallying for the Kiwi.

Van Gisbergen scored a podium on his Australian Rally Championship debut in April.

The two-time Supercars champion’s Friday, however, wasn’t without its fair share of drama.

Van Gisbergen spun during Special Stage 4 (SS4) and made contact with an embankment.

'I'm just having a ball, living my dream' Pic: WRC

The impact tore the front bumper off his Škoda, but he recovered quickly and didn’t lose much time.

The drama wasn’t lost on co-driver Glen Weston, who said: "That's the luckiest spin ever… super f*****g lucky.”

Van Gisbergen came home with a wet sail in the final three stages of the day to place third in class.

Countryman Hayden Paddon picked up four stage wins in his Hyundai to lead the WRC2 division.

Kajetan Kajetanowicz claimed the other two WRC2 stage wins.

Van Gisbergen is just 35.5s behind Kajetanowicz heading into Saturday.

The 72-time Supercars race winner remarked that the Whaanga Coast roads were "the most fun I’ve ever had in a race car".

"I didn't crash it that time, so that was pretty good," van Gisbergen said after SS7.

"Man, what an awesome day. I'm just having a ball, living my dream.

"Looking forward to the next to two days. Hopefully get better and tidy up a few mistakes.

"I'm stoked to have Glen here and we've had an awesome day.

"That was epic. It was very hard to read. I'm sort of learning as I go with the mixed conditions.

"Man, it's been so fun. The Whaanga Coast before was some of the most fun I've had in a race car."

The fight for overall honours swung in the advantage of 2019 WRC champion Ott Tänak.

Eight-time champion Sébastien Ogier struggled through Friday’s final stage with a damaged rear spoiler.

Just 7.2s covers the top four drivers - Tänak, Elfyn Evans, Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä - after 158.56km of action.

The rally continues on Saturday with dual runs through Kaipara Hills (15.83km), Puhoi (22.50km) and Komokoriki (5.81km).

The loops add up to 88.28km.

Van Gisbergen will complete his WRC debut on Sunday before returning to Australia to prepare for Bathurst.

The Holden veteran will again race with Garth Tander, with the duo looking to add to their 2020 win.

Van Gisbergen can also mathematically seal a third Supercars drivers’ title in Bathurst.

Cars will hit the track at Mount Panorama for Practice 1 on Thursday October 6.

Tickets for the Repco Bathurst 1000 are available on Supercars.com and Ticketek.