Van Gisbergen’s exit from Supercars was all but a formality, with Triple Eight managing director Jamie Whincup stating in July that he won’t stand in the way of the Kiwi after he revealed his intention to make a full-time move to NASCAR in the wake of his Cup Series victory in Chicago.
Despite Van Gisbergen officially being contracted until 2024, Triple Eight has agreed to grant the 33-year-old an early release, with the news of his departure arriving on Wednesday.
It marks the end of van Gisbergen’s seven-year stint at the powerhouse Supercars squad, during which he established himself as one of the most successful drivers in the series' recent history with three title successes in 2016, 2021 and 2022.
The Kiwi also has a shot at bowing out of Supercars with a fourth championship, as he currently sits third in the title and only 54 points adrift of the top spot with five rounds remaining.
Van Gisbergen will be replaced at T8 in 2024 by 25-year-old Brown, who himself secured an early exit from his Erebus contract last week having originally been meant to stay at the Melbourne-based team until the end of the 2024 campaign.
Brown, who is currently second in the standings to team-mate Brodie Kostecki, will be joined at T8 by incumbent Broc Feeney.
Brown has signed a three-year deal with T8, keeping him with the Chevrolet squad until the end of the 2026 season.
“As we’ve made clear from the very start, Triple Eight wholeheartedly supports SVG’s decision to showcase his world class talent abroad and we look forward to watching him continue to tear up the track like we witnessed in Chicago last month,” the team said in a statement.
“Will has been on our radar for many years since he was driving an ex-Triple Eight car in the Super2 championship.
“He is exciting to watch on track, very personable and most importantly, a really good fit to our Triple Eight culture.
“The fact Broc and him grew up racing together and are friends away from the circuit is a bonus.
“Of course, we still have a fight on our hands to win the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships this season, and that remains Triple Eight’s immediate focus.”
