10 burning questions for the 2025 Supercars season

Before a V8 engine roars in anger in Sydney, plenty of questions are being asked by fans ahead of the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship.

Never before has there been such bold and sweeping sporting change, from new tyres to new formats, and the introduction of the Finals Series. All told, there's a great sense of unknown; the all-in Sydney test day is on the horizon, then two days later, we're going racing.

Supercars.com has already laid down its bold predictions for 2025, and has outlined what its excited for, the teammate battles to watch, and the biggest challenge each team is facing in the new season.

With the 2025 season fast approaching, we've compiled a list of 10 questions that could define the new campaign.

What will happen between Brown and Feeney?

Can Will Brown back up his superb 2024 performance? Can Broc Feeney bounce back from being beaten by Brown? They’re the two key questions facing Triple Eight Race Engineering, which lends itself to the bigger question — which driver will lead the way at Supercars’ leading team? Feeney won more races and claimed more poles, but Brown’s consistency was the centrepiece of his championship triumph. They're good mates, but Brown and Feeney will likely go at it again this year. Should they both make the Finals, Triple Eight could end up faced with some tense decision-making situations.

Was WAU’s title challenge a one-off, or can Chaz Mostert go even better?

Chaz Mostert fought for the title, taking three wins, 11 podiums and two poles in a strong season. However, an error-riddled season by Walkinshaw Andretti United proved costly. Mostert and WAU will be keen to get his year off to a good start to erase those memories. Crucially, WAU will have to balance its 2025 on-track campaign with its Toyota GR Supra homologation programme ahead of the brand's return to the championship in 2026. It's going to be a huge year for the team, which is determined to end its brief Ford stint on a high, and help Mostert end his championship wait.

Could Winterbottom be what Waters needs to clinch Supercars’ biggest prizes?

The 2025 season will be Cam Waters ' 10th full-time season in the main game, and he has two runners-up finishes and three Bathurst podiums to his name. That's a run of near-misses Waters wants to end, and the return to Tickford Racing of Mark Winterbottom could be the tonic. Winterbottom will partner Waters at the year's biggest races, and looms as the pick of the co-drivers. Can Frosty put Waters on the path to Bathurst glory and push him towards his maiden championship?

When, not if, will DJR be competitive in 2025?

One of the most significant storylines throughout 2025 will be the performance of Dick Johnson Racing, which has swung the changes in a big way. Brodie Kostecki arrives, along with former Erebus engineers. There have been changes on the crew front, while Kostecki and Will Davison will both race brand-new chassis. It all points to DJR being a renewed force this season, after winning one race in 52 in the Gen3 era. At which point of the season will it begin to click, and could it come as early as Round 1?

Will we see a new winner this year?

Supercars.com has predicted there will be at least three new winners in 2025. There were 10 race winners in 2023 and seven in 2024, totalling 12 different race winners in the Gen3 era already. Thomas Randle and James Golding are two drivers on the up, while second-year driver Ryan Wood is expected to make big gains this season. Then, there's impressive rookies Kai Allen and Cooper Murray, who have landed with top teams and were consistent winners in the Dunlop Series.

Can veterans continue to defy time?

James Courtney (44), Will Davison (42) and David Reynolds (39) are the elder statesmen on the 2025 grid, and each driver has shown glimpses of speed and skill throughout the first two seasons of the Gen3 era. Reynolds claimed a famous win with Penrite Racing on the Gold Coast in 2023, while Davison claimed a shock Sydney pole last year. They're closer to the end than the beginning, but they have 34 races this season at the very least to show why they belong. It's a special year for Courtney, too, with the 2010 champion set to retire at season's end.

What will this year's key rivalry be?

Through all of the above, we could still end up with a continuation of the Triple Eight-Tickford-WAU battles that defined 2024, although the likes of DJR, Penrite Racing and Erebus Motorsport could become more constant threats. Let's not forget how 2024 ended, with Feeney dumping Mostert into the barriers in Adelaide. It was a stunning incident, and perhaps a sign of what's to come this season. With so much at stake more often, will the gloves be off?

What difference will new tyres, formats, points and tracks make?

Dunlop's control Soft tyre is a brand-new construction for 2025, with the previous Hard and Soft tyre no longer in use. The new tyre has been touted as being faster and, crucially, more durable. As seen in tyre testing, drivers will have to work harder, and are expected to race harder. The proof? At a Queensland Raceway tyre test day last year, Nick Percat’s heart rate on a 25-lap run on the old tyre was 150 beats per minute. On the development tyre, it was 190.

The new Super 440 format will be an ice cream headache for teams, which encourages plenty of action, surprise results and spectacular racing. As mentioned, we've got a new tyre, and they'll be split across weekends. Notably, both compounds of tyres will be used on the Saturday of all Super 440 events, with each race and corresponding qualifying session to be held on different compounds. When we get to the Finals, both races on the Gold Coast and at Sandown will also be split between compounds.

There's also a new point system in 2025, with points weighted to the lengths of races. For example, the 100km Sydney sprint will offer 60 points for the winner, while the 200km races will offer 120 points for the winner. There are fastest lap bonus points on offer for all Sprint Cup races. Drivers in the hunt for a Finals berth will be scrapping for every point they can, and every race matters.

This year, Queensland Raceway and The Bend Motorsport Park also return. Both circuits are hard on tyres, with Ipswich also the crucial final stop in the Sprint Cup. Tailem Bend, meanwhile, will host a 500km enduro for the first time. While they're both familiar battlegrounds, they're relative unknowns in Gen3; we haven't raced at QR since 2019, while The Bend hosted three sprints in 2023.

Will changes spice up the Bathurst 1000?

Among many big rule changes for 2025 are some key changes for the enduros, which could dramatically change the face of the Bathurst 1000. The 2023 and 2024 races were largely green-flag affairs as teams tiptoed to get through on strategy. In 2025, the minimum driving time has been increased from one-third to 37%, meaning drivers must complete a minimum of 60 laps at Bathurst. Additionally, fuel tank capacity has been reduced from 133L to 118L to reduce stint lengths and open up strategy choices for teams. Minimum weight is also averaged across co-drivers, rather than just the primary driver.

What difference will the Finals make?

The biggest change of all is the introduction of the Finals, where 10 drivers will fight for the championship across three elimination events at the end of the season. While we'll have to wait until October's Gold Coast round to truly experience the sudden-death nature of the Finals, drivers will be racing hard all season to secure a berth through the Sprint Cup and Enduro Cup rounds. Every single race matters, and once we have our 10, expect serious fireworks and controversy. How will teammates race each other? How will teams manage teammates? Could some teams employ divisive tactics? What we do know is that the desperation levels will rise, creating more drama. Watch this space...

Tickets for the season-opening round in Sydney, on February 21-23, are on sale now.