25 best Supercars drivers since 2000: #1 Jamie Whincup
As 2025 gets underway, Supercars.com is ranking the top 25 drivers of the last 25 years, continuing with Jamie Whincup, who comes in as our #1.
These days, the term 'GOAT' gets thrown around a lot in sports. When it comes to Supercars, on numbers alone, Jamie Whincup stands alone.
Seven championships, 125 wins, 92 pole positions and 240 podiums. They're all outright records.
It's remarkable to think Whincup was once sacked by Garry Rogers Motorsport, and almost unlikely to find an enduro lifeline, let alone another full-time driver. He earned a seat at Tasman Motorsport in 2005, claiming dual enduro podiums, and Triple Eight came calling.
That relationship with Triple Eight now enters its 20th year, yet Whincup has been out of the full-time since the end of 2021. Such was the weight of his achievement, that Whincup was inducted into the Supercars Hall of Fame before he had officially called it a day from full-time driving.
Titles in 2008, 2009 and 2014 were built off relentless winning consistency, while he had to grind out championships in 2011, 2012 and 2013, each coming amid a hugely competitive era.
Already a record six-time champ by 2017, Whincup didn't have anything left to prove, yet he took his status to a new level with an unprecedented seventh crown following a wild title fight with Scott McLaughlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Fabian Coulthard and Chaz Mostert.
To little surprise, and in a unanimous decision, Whincup is our #1 for the 2000s so far.
Jamie Whincup's key stats since 2000
Years active: 2002-present
Rounds: 257
Races: 559
Best championship position: 1st (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017)
Best finish: 1st (125 wins)
Top three finishes: 270
Best start: 1st (92 pole positions)
Best Bathurst result: 1st (2006, 2007, 2008, 2012)
The highlight
Win after win, pole after pole, comeback after comeback. Whincup's 125 wins came every which way, from charging from 20th in wild conditions at Winton in 2007, to unchallenged lights-to-flag victories at many different circuits.
Bathurst 2012 was a standout, given he did it without Craig Lowndes, and held off a hungry David Reynolds to win by 0.3s. Then, there's Newcastle 2017, when he did what was required to clinch No. 7.
On sheer performance, though, Adelaide 2012 is clear. The win came shortly after the passing of his father David, with Whincup shedding a tear as he embraced friend and runner-up Will Davison.
Charged by emotion, a ruthless Whincup had to cut a large deficit to Davison after making his third stop. Whincup powered in qualifying-style laps to chase down Davison, whose car coughed exiting Turn 8 on the final lap.
It was metronomic, almost robotic, and certainly brilliant.
Why we picked him
Longevity counts for a lot in sport, and that's where the likes of Shane van Gisbergen, Craig Lowndes, Mark Skaife and Garth Tander come in. Then, there are impacts in shorter periods of time, like Scott McLaughlin, Marcos Ambrose and Brodie Kostecki.
All of these names, on countless occasions, were soundly defeated on track by Whincup. Measured against the best we've seen, Whincup won more often than not. Simply, in the championship's 65-year history, no driver has reached the heights Whincup has.
Think of greats in world sport, like Lewis Hamilton, Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Novak Djokovic, Lionel Messi, LeBron James. All achieved great success, and all over a long period of time. Whincup has done the same, and truly deserves his GOAT status, even if he shrugs his shoulders and plays it off.
While some might disagree on who is the greatest driver this championship has seen, on stats alone, Whincup will undoubtedly go down as the best we've seen to date.
The views in this article do not necessarily express the opinions of Supercars, teams or drivers.
