{"id":209846,"date":"2025-12-31T10:29:25","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T10:29:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/209846\/"},"modified":"2025-12-31T10:29:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T10:29:25","slug":"2025-speedcafe-driver-of-the-year-10-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/209846\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Speedcafe Driver of the Year: 10\u20131"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Speedcafe<\/p>\n

\"Brodie<\/p>\n

Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood celebrate winning pole position for the 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000. Image: Mark Horsburgh<\/p>\n

10 \u2013 Brodie Kostecki<\/p>\n

A new team, a new car, and still winning.<\/p>\n

On paper, ninth in the Supercars standings mightn\u2019t seem like much to write home about for champion driver Brodie Kostecki. However, it\u2019s not necessarily representative of his season.<\/p>\n

Kostecki was thrice a race winner, including The Bend 500. Pole position at the Bathurst 1000 underlined his raw speed.<\/p>\n

It was perhaps a scrappy season, but one which will set the stage for a title charge in 2026.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Kai Allen on the Gold Coast podium. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n

9 \u2013 Kai Allen<\/p>\n

What a year for the Supercars rookie.<\/p>\n

A bonafide top 10 contender, Allen made the most of the Finals Series to make his way through to the Adelaide Grand Final decider.<\/p>\n

An outside shot, sure \u2013 but the Grove Racing made Dick Johnson Racing regret its decision to pass on the young gun.<\/p>\n

\"Ryan<\/p>\n

Ryan Wood (centre) celebrates winning Race 14 of the Repco Supercars Championship at the Perth Super440. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n

8 \u2013 Ryan Wood<\/p>\n

What a year 2025 was for Ryan Wood.<\/p>\n

In just his second season, the Walkinshaw Andretti United driver turned heads with a breakthrough podium at his home Taupo round.<\/p>\n

He scored a win at Barbagallo, and probably should have gone back-to-back if not for a failure.<\/p>\n

Car issues plagued Wood throughout the season, none more high profile than when he car cried no more at the head of the field at the Bathurst 1000.<\/p>\n

A string of podium finishes during the Finals Series would typically put Wood at the front of mind to make the Adelaide Grand Final in 2026, but we\u2019ll have to wait and see with the new Toyota Supra.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Will Brown. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n

7 \u2013 Will Brown<\/p>\n

Close, but no cigar. Will Brown\u2019s so-called title defence never really materialised. Though he was among the final four, Brown\u2019s qualifying dip ultimately proved the deciding factor.<\/p>\n

Brown failed to back up his 2024 run of finishing on the podium at ever Supercars round and won just twice.<\/p>\n

Outside of Supercars, Brown won the New Zealand Grand Prix at Highlands, beating Red Bull recruit Arvid Lindblad and other Formula 1-bound juniors.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Matt Payne and Garth Tander hold the Peter Brock Trophy on Monday. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n

6 \u2013 Matthew Payne<\/p>\n

A moment of madness cost him a shot at making it into the Adelaide Grand Final, but that shouldn\u2019t take away from what was another standout season for Payne.<\/p>\n

It goes without saying, winning the Bathurst 1000 with Garth Tander was the highlight of the Grove Racing driver\u2019s season.<\/p>\n

Five wins (the second-most of any driver) among 10 podiums underscore what a strong showing it was.<\/p>\n

In a universe without the Finals Series, Payne would have been second in the standings. Go figure.<\/p>\n

\"Liam<\/p>\n

Liam Lawson\u2019s tenure with the senior Red Bull team had a noticeable impact on his personality. Image: XPB Images.<\/p>\n

5 \u2013 Liam Lawson<\/p>\n

Liam Lawson\u2019s first full F1 season was a rollercoaster ride. Dropped after just two races with Red Bull, the Racing Bulls driver rebuilt his season slowly and steadily.<\/p>\n

Lawson\u2019s season was highlighted by fifth at Azerbaijan and seven points finishes on his way to 14th in the drivers\u2019 championship.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Chaz Mostert salutes the Adelaide crowd. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n

4 \u2013 Chaz Mostert<\/p>\n

Finally, Chaz Mostert is the Supercars champ.<\/p>\n

It took a radically new format to do it, but the Walkinshaw Andretti United driver capitalised on the change and put in a string of performances deserving of being champion.<\/p>\n

\"Triple<\/p>\n

Triple Eight Race Engineering\u2019s Broc Feeney celebrates victory at the Ipswich Super440. Image: Mark Horsburgh<\/p>\n

3 \u2013 Broc Feeney<\/p>\n

Dominant. That\u2019s the word to describe Broc Feeney\u2019s Supercars season.<\/p>\n

A whopping 20 podiums, 14 wins, and a record-breaking 19 pole positions.<\/p>\n

Only the well-documented chaos of the Adelaide Grand Final could deny Feeney the title.<\/p>\n

So why is Feeney ahead of Mostert in this list if he didn\u2019t take the crown? Simply for the sum of his achievements this year, a body of work that cannot be denied is deserving of a champion.<\/p>\n

\"Trackhouse<\/p>\n

Trackhouse Racing\u2019s Shane van Gisbergen.<\/p>\n

2 \u2013 Shane van Gisbergen<\/p>\n

Five wins, a Playoffs berth, 12th in the standings, and steady progression headlined Shane van Gisbergen\u2019s first full NASCAR Cup Series season.<\/p>\n

The \u2018Rookie of the Year\u2019 dominated on all but one of the road courses, and it took until the midway point of the season to get his long-awaited first win of the year at Mexico City.<\/p>\n

The Kiwi really started to get to grips with the ovals by the year\u2019s end, and wound up cracking the top 10 at Kansas and starred at Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

\"Oscar<\/p>\n

Oscar Piastri has ended a 15-year drought for Australian F1 fans. Image: XPB Images.<\/p>\n

1 \u2013 Oscar Piastri<\/p>\n

Who else could be number one?<\/p>\n

Though Oscar Piastri fell shy of the Formula 1 drivers\u2019 championship, a mid-season purple patch really established the Australian as a bona fide favourite.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of \u201cwhat-ifs\u201d attached to Piastri\u2019s season, but the killer blow was his DNF at Azerbaijan when he crashed out in qualifying and again in the race.<\/p>\n

Piastri wound up third \u2013 a bitter pill to swallow for the 24-year-old and his fans \u2013 but a champion\u2019s effort, nevertheless.<\/p>\n


\"\"\/
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