Broc Feeney replaces seven-time Champion Jamie Whincup

Triple Eight Race Engineering is excited to announce that Broc Feeney will replace Jamie Whincup at Red Bull Ampol Racing in the Supercars Championship for the 2022 season and beyond.

The 18-year-old has signed a multi-year deal with the team which will see him replace the outgoing seven-time series champion, Whincup, and join 2016 Supercars Champion and 2020 Bathurst 1000 winner Shane van Gisbergen as teammate.

Feeney currently leads the Super2 Series, winning four of the six races so far in 2021. The former Super3 Series champion and driver of the team’s 2021 Bathurst 1000 wildcard entry says he’s thrilled to have been given the opportunity to replace a champion of the sport with Triple Eight.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for me to be replacing ‘The GOAT’, Jamie Whincup. It’s so surreal for me at the moment, but I think it will start to kick in at the start of next year,” he said.

“To be aligned with this amazing team in my Super2 season and to be promoted into the main series is a dream come true. To be honest, I always wanted to get to Supercars, but to be behind the wheel of a Red Bull Ampol Racing machine is pretty exciting.

“The Super2 season has been a very important year for me. I knew at the start of the year that there was an opportunity to replace Jamie, and it all depended on how my results went this year. To get four out of six wins this season and winning two out of three rounds has been a great opportunity for me, and this now feels like a big reward.

“When Roland (Dane, Triple Eight Managing Director) told me the news I was in shock. He explained everything to me and basically asked how it sounded – I said it sounded bloody awesome! I got out of that meeting and rang my parents straight away. It was such a big relief as we’ve all put in so much effort the last few years, and it’s a day I’ll never forget.

“It’s such a good place for me to be, considering I’m a rookie coming into the Supercars series. To have the drivers that I’m surrounded by and the knowledge they have is a great opportunity. For the short eight months I’ve been with the team, I’ve learnt so much and I cannot wait to learn more in the next few years.

“My focus at the moment is winning the Super2 championship, and then we’ll set some goals for next year. It is hard to have expectations at the moment going into next season, but I just want to have a consistent year and learn as much as I can. Everyone says the rookie year is the toughest, but I’m looking forward to having a good and consistent year.”

Triple Eight’s retiring champion and future Managing Director, Jamie Whincup added: “It’s obviously big news for Triple Eight that we’ll be bringing on a new recruit which is certainly exciting. It’s a feel-good factor as well for myself and the shareholders to give a young kid an opportunity in one of the best seats in the category and to go out there and prove themselves.

“I’m excited, and certainly everyone within the team is excited, and our fan base should be excited as well. Of course, there’s five more rounds for me to go, but I’m looking forward to giving Broc the keys to whatever number he decides to run next year.

“I think some people will look at this decision and think we would have gone in an ‘established driver’ direction, but we’re not a team that takes things conservatively. We take risks at Triple Eight, we’re on the front foot and we have a crack and lead with our gutfeel, and it seemed right to give Broc the opportunity. Of course, there’s an element of skill, but more importantly than that, certainly for me, is you need someone with good morals and a good attitude who knows the definition of hard work. Broc ticks all of those boxes, but now it’s up to us to make sure we give him a fantastic car and build a fantastic team around him.”

Current Red Bull Ampol Racing driver and future teammate, Shane van Gisbergen added: “It’s a massive change for next year having Broc join the team for next season and beyond, which is a pretty exciting addition. The team, which includes myself, believes in Broc. He’s immersed himself in the team so well this year, and he’s shown everything he can and done all the right things to show that he deserves to be in that car next year. So far this year he’s got the results and put in all the hard work, and he’s leaps and bounds ahead of all of the other candidates that were on the team’s radar. For sure, he’s the best person for the job.

“Broc will have the leadership and guidance of Jamie, Craig and myself to look at, and hopefully we can help bring him up to speed. It is a big step up from the development series, but he has all the tools he needs; the best coaching, best tools, best engineers and best teammates.”