It’s a record many believed would never be broken, but Jamie Whincup expects his feat of seven Supercars championships to one day be surpassed by Broc Feeney.
“It’s a big statement,” Whincup said with a slightly sheepish grin in the days leading into Sunday’s Bathurst 1000, as if he was wary of tempting fate.
“But if he keeps doing what he’s doing and all things go well, he could rewrite all the record books, really, being so fast, so young.”
A 22-year-old from the Gold Coast who was born into a motorsport career, Feeney has won 12 races on the Supercars circuit this year – nine more than his nearest rival – and would be unassailable in the race for the series title, if not for the new finals format that has been introduced this season.
Broc Feeney during a practice session at Bathurst.Credit: Getty Images
Three play-off rounds for the top 10 drivers will add unpredictability, but Whincup is confident Feeney will emerge with his maiden Supercars championship. After that, he may prove hard to reel in.
“Being a [Michael] Schumacher or a Kelly Slater or a Tiger [Woods] or a Valentino Rossi, it’s very difficult to continue being at a peak for a long period of time,” Whincup said on Feeney.
“You do get exposed by the one-percenters. If you’re not completely looking at all the one-percenters, you’ll peak for two or three years and then drop off.
“So you’ve got to keep looking after your body. It’s not just about that next race week or that year. If you’re trying to get multiple years together. It’s a very different challenge.
“Broc has got all the signs of being able to do that.”
His belief in Feeney prompted Whincup to step aside as lead driver for Red Bull Racing in 2022. As well as being the team principal, he is also now a mentor to his one-time apprentice.
Broc Feeney and Jamie Whincup celebrate a victory.Credit: Getty Images
While 18 seems young to be at the wheel of a Supercar, it was merely the latest step in a lifelong association with motor sport.
His father, Paul, raced motorcycles professionally, and by the age of three, Broc was a mini-master on two wheels while competing in dirt-track events.
“Literally, my first memories are of being at a racetrack,” he said. “I can’t remember anything else before that. It’s in my blood, that’s for sure.”
Feeney progressed from motorbikes to karting and formed a close bond with former five-time world MotoGP champion Michael Doohan and his son Jack, who competed in Formula 1 racing earlier this year before being dumped by Alpine.
Broc Feeney puts the foot down during Thursday’s practice session at Mt Panorama.Credit: Getty Images
By the age of 15, he was racing in the lower divisions of Supercars, although he had to bide his time before making his debut at Australia’s motorsport mecca, Mt Panorama.
“You had to be 16 to race here [in Bathurst], and I was 15 and 355 days, so I missed out on racing here that year,” he recalled.
If you’re doing the maths, then yes, Feeney was racing professionally – exceeding 250km/h regularly – before he had obtained his learner’s permit and was able to drive on public roads.
“I didn’t fail my test, which was good,” Feeney quipped, adding that his P-plates once looked slightly incongruous on his sponsored Chevrolet Silverado.
After placing sixth in his debut Supercars season, he improved to third in 2023 and last season finished runner-up to Will Brown. This year, he has dominated.
“He was close last year,” Supercars legend Craig Lowndes said.
“He came back stronger this year mentally, physically, and he’s hit the ground running. I think he learned a lot from last year … at the moment, he’s the one that’s somewhat untouchable.”
After a disappointing 19th in his last start, when a refuelling miscalculation cost Feeney a shot at victory, he will be eager to get back on track in Sunday’s Bathurst 1000. It is one of the few races he has yet to win.
Broc Feeney is regarded as the next superstar of Supercars.Credit: AFR
Then it’s on to the new finals series and, if all goes according to plan, Feeney will be celebrating his first Supercars title triumph on November 30.
“We’ve worked very hard to put ourselves in this position,” he said.
“Obviously, this year changes quite a lot with the final series coming into action, but look, we’ve done a great job this year to win 12 races, 14 pole positions, to put ourselves in this great position.
“People can call you the favourite, but you’ve got to go out and do the job. If we can keep doing what we’ve done all year, we should be able to at least end up in Adelaide with a great chance of fighting for the title.”
Broc Feeney celebrates his win in Perth this year.Credit: Getty Images
A Supercars championship at the age of 22 might seem like a launchpad to an even bigger and more lucrative career, but Feeney rates the glitzy world of the F1 scene as being out of his reach.
“I think any of us would love to have a go in Formula 1, but it’s very unrealistic for me,” he said.
“They’re not going to pick a Supercar driver from Australia. It’s a very expensive transition to go over there.
“I wanted to go there when I was younger, but financially you have to put a lot into your move over there at such a young age, and it’s very challenging … I love F1, but I’m also loving my Supercars.”
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As for the bold prediction that he can eventually surpass the greats of Australian racing – names like Peter Brock, Dick Johnson, Mark Skaife, Lowndes and Whincup himself – Feeney knows there are still myriad races to be won before that can become a reality.
“It’s an unbelievable rap,” he said.
“Jamie’s won seven championships. I’ve got none at the moment, so I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”
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