Supercars fans are calling for a return to the traditional format after Broc Feeney was reduced to tears as his championship hopes were ruined on Sunday. Chaz Mostert broke through for his first Supercars title in his 12-year career, delivering Ford their first championship since Scott McLaughlin’s triumph in 2020.
Mostert was the beneficiary of the new finals format, which rendered Feeney’s dominant season all-but meaningless. Feeney won 14 races this season and secured a record 19 pole positions, but it all counted for virtually nothing once the finals started.
Broc Feeney (L) was in tears as Chaz Mostert (R) won the Supercars title. Image: Fox Sports/Getty
Feeney had been leading the championship since round four, and would have all-but run away with the title in previous years. But Supercars introduced a quarter-final, semi-final and grand final in 2025, which rewarded drivers for their performances in the elimination rounds.
Feeney had some rotten luck at just the wrong time, and Mostert was easily the best driver of the finals series. Mostert only had one race victory before the finals series kicked off, as the Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU) team opted to prioritise the inaugural playoff races.
WAU actually sacrificed glory at the Bathurst 1000 – where Mostert suffered an engine failure before famously accepting a beer from a spectator – to focus on the finals. And it proved a masterstroke as he clinched his maiden championship.
Chaz Mostert was the beneficiary of the new Supercars finals system. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Mostert completed a clean-sweep of races at the Gold Coast 500, before also winning the first race at the Sandown 500. He then clinched the title with a second-place finish in Adelaide on Sunday, as Feeney fell back to 20th due to car troubles.
“I’m just so grateful for the team to have a mindset with the finals as well,” Mostert said. “Trying to give our best shot come this finals, you couldn’t script it any better for us.
“There’s times throughout the year, you start to doubt the path that you’ve taken. Then when Bathurst came along and you start to really lock in on that set-up. Having such heartbreak there too really brought the team together.”
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Broc Feeney in tears in heartbreaking scenes
Feeney was in tears after the race. The Triple 8 driver was sent to the back of the back in a controversial incident with Ryan Wood on the opening lap, and was then left frustrated by his car’s performance.
“I just want to thank everyone at Red Bull Ampol Racing – it’s been a phenomenal year, something I’ll be very proud of for the rest of my life but yeah that’s the way it goes,” he said as he wiped away tears. “That’s the new system that they’ve got. You can have a shocker in the last race of the year and it all falls apart.
“I just want to thank everyone on my crew – congrats to Chaz, obviously had a great finals series. Sort of a shame how it was all going down there at the start and then our issues came along.
“No matter what happened today the thing (car) was going to break down unfortunately. I can’t thank my team enough, my family, friends, everyone that’s got my back. I don’t think you’ll be hearing from me for a while, mate. I’ll be flying under the radar for a bit.”
Broc Feeney was turned around by Ryan Wood on the opening lap. Image: Supercars
Fans call for return to traditional Supercars format
Fans are completely divided on the new finals format, with many praising the excitement it created in the final rounds. But many more feel it was completely unfair on Feeney that he didn’t win considering his dominant season. A poll of over 2000 Yahoo readers reveals that three-quarters would prefer the traditional format.
Garth Tander and Mark Skaife said after Sunday’s race it was akin to Adelaide and Canberra finisning minor premiers in the AFL and NRL respectively, but failing to fire in the finals. But unlike in the footy codes, Supercars still has the eliminated drivers competing in the finals series and causing chaos.
Wood wasn’t in contention to win the championship, but had a huge say on the outcome when he collided with Feeney on the opening lap. Wood was hit with a 15-second penalty, but fans were also divided on who was more at fault. Many pointed out that Feeney didn’t need to try and defend Wood as hard as he did.
The general consensus seems to be that fans would prefer a return to the traditional format. However it won’t be coming in 2026, with the schedule and finals series already locked in.
One person wrote on social media: “You guys have a decision to make now. Keep this format while chasing casual fans that won’t come, while driving away core fans and eliminating legitimacy in your sport. Or reverse course and save the series while you still have a chance.”