Tense title battles with Craig Lowndes and Shane van Gisbergen are aiding Triple Eight boss Jamie Whincup in understanding and managing his star drivers’ current championship battle.
Will Brown and Broc Feeney have been dominant this season, winning eight out of twelve races and holding the top two positions in the standings.
With a combined age of just 48, Brown and Feeney have propelled Triple Eight to the top of both championships. After five rounds, Brown leads by 108 points, having secured 11 podiums in 12 starts. However, Feeney has five wins compared to Brown’s three and recently reduced the gap by 28 points in Darwin.
The pair has already competed in Melbourne, New Zealand, and Darwin, maintaining clean races and achieving five one-two finishes for the team.
Whincup, now Team Principal and Managing Director of the team, understands the challenges his rising stars face, having experienced intense teammate rivalries himself.
The Supercars Hall of Famer competed against both Craig Lowndes and Shane van Gisbergen during his driving career. He won six titles with Lowndes as his teammate and overcame both Lowndes and van Gisbergen to clinch the championship in 2017.
Whincup’s tenure wasn’t without its dramatic moments, such as the notorious clash with Lowndes in Tasmania (2014) and incidents with van Gisbergen at Pukekohe (2016) and Sydney (2021).
When asked if his own experiences aid him in managing the Brown/Feeney rivalry, Whincup responded, “It’s definitely a help.
“I’ve been on both sides of the coin. I’ve been in the driver’s seat and now I’m on the outside. I absolutely understand where these guys are coming from, which helps me adjudicate a situation if one were to arise.”
“It’s a great problem to have. Hopefully, this problem, where we have two drivers competing against each other, continues throughout the year,” Whincup added.
Feeney, who won both races in Darwin, is embracing the challenge of competing against a teammate in an identical car, having closed the gap to van Gisbergen last year.
“I like the challenge of someone really pushing you, and obviously, when it’s in the same equipment, you know you have to be at your best,” Feeney said.
“The first person you look at on the board is your teammate to see where they’re at.
“It’s been great fun. I’ve really enjoyed working with Will; we’re always joking around and happy for each other when we get out of the car. It has been good fun, and I’m looking forward to plenty more.”