Motorsport: SVG backs young co-driver

Race winner Shane Van Gisbergen celebrates on the podium. Photo / Getty Images

Defending Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen is expecting his new co-driver for the Pirtek Endurance Cup to make a smooth transition.

Highly regarded Australia Matt Campbell will link-up with van Gisbergen and partner him in the Red Bull Holden Racing Team at Sandown, Bathurst and Gold Coast events.

Campbell impressed in a drive alongside Todd Kelly last year but has made a name for himself racing sports cars in Europe.

"Matty in V8 world is pretty inexperienced but he's done a whole heap of racing everywhere," van Gisbergen told Supercars.com.

"He'll get up to speed pretty quick, but in the V8 side of things we'll have a fair bit to coach him on, so to say.

"It's just all the little things, the rules, the way the races work might take a bit of adjusting, but someone of his quality should find it pretty easy."

Van Gisbergen lies fourth in the standings and needs to have a strong endurance campaign to give himself a chance of retaining his crown.