by Sports Media NZ

Young New Zealand driver Shane Van Gisbergen showed he will be a real force when the V8 Supercar Championship comes to Hamilton in April after grabbing his first podium finish in the opening round in Abu Dhabi today.

Van Gisbergen, 20, finished third in the second race over 200km at night at the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit behind winner Jamie Whincup and Mark Winterbottom.

The SP Tools Racing driver, the youngest fulltime driver in the series, set the fastest of the race and set the new lap record in a brilliant performance.

"Later in last year, I was a lot more consistent and made less mistakes, and I feel I'm maturing a lot more like that, being more consistent and racing a lot cleaner," Van Gisbergen said.

"It's working alright, and now it's showing. I feel like I'm driving pretty good, and the team's doing a good job. We just need to keep doing what we're doing, and results like this will keep coming."

Shane Van Gisbergen after gaining his first podium finish in the opening round of the 2010 V8 Supercar season at Abu Dhabi. Photo: Mark Horsburgh

Van Gisbergen, picked up as a teenager by New Zealand's Stone Brothers Racing, is buoyant about the rest of the season and his focus is on success at the ITM400 in Hamilton on April 16-18.

"I'm so excited to have finally got on the podium. This result has been a long time coming for me.

"I want to thank Ross and Jimmy for giving me this opportunity, it's been three years with SBR and I feel like I have finally rewarded the guys for all their hard work. I would have loved my dad to have been here but let's hope I can do this in Hamilton as well.

"The car felt strong all day, I feel like we were better in qualifying and managed to stay out of trouble in the race which was the plan. I was telling myself to keep it together on the last few laps but when I crossed the line it just felt great to have finally finished on the podium. "

Pacesetter Whincup signalled his intent of claiming a record third straight V8 Supercar Championship by winning race two of the season-opening event to complete the weekend double.

Whincup returned to Holden after four years of driving for Ford with his slick Team Vodafone outfit this season, but didn't miss a beat in Abu Dhabi with a four-second victory over Ford Performance Racing's Winterbottom, making it a perfect two wins from two starts to open the year.

"The car was bullet-proof, and we were sort of in control from the start," Whincup said.

"I am almost in shock from what has panned out this weekend. Having a brand-new car, a brand-new circuit and to almost have a perfect weekend, well that's good enough. It is just an amazing feeling."

Van Gisbergen was the only New Zealander in the top-10 in the second race with Fabian Coulthard 16th, Steven Richards 16th and Jason Richards 21st.

Whincup's back-to-back gives him 300 championship points into next weekend's second round of the Series at the Gulf Air Desert 400 in Bahrain, while Winterbottom (267 points) is second. Van Gisbergen is fourth with Jason Richards 15th, Coulthard 16th and Steven Richards 17th.