» V8s: Settlement ends SVG/Erebus lawsuit

The lengthy legal battle between Erebus Motorsport and Shane van Gisbergen over the New Zealand driver’s shock switch to Tekno Autosports at the beginning of last year’s V8 Supercars season has finally come to a close with an out-of-court settlement.

It is understood that the settlement – for undisclosed damages – was achieved after mediation last week. It followed a protracted series of court hearings in the Australian Federal Court since August last year.

Van Gisbergen was released by Erebus’ forerunner, Stone Brothers Racing, at the end of the 2012 season when the Kiwi sensationally announced he was quitting touring car racing after citing personal issues. He had recently signed a new three-year contract extension to remain with the team with whom he’d already driven for five seasons. SBR was subsequently bought out by colorful billionaire heiress Betty Klimenko to be morphed into Erebus Motorsport, running a trio of customer AMG Mercedes E63s for the 2013 season.

Further shock was to follow when van Gisbergen made a complete about-face and signed on with Tekno Autosports for 2013, prompting SBR to launch legal action against its former driver. His former employer argued that its termination agreement with van Gisbergen prevented him from racing in the V8 Supercars Championship in 2013.

Threats of an injunction to prevent him from racing came to naught – van Gisbergen sensationally won the second leg of the season-opening Clipsal 500 to rub further salt into the wound – and legal action formally commenced later in the year.

Image via V8 Supercars Championship