Best driver, best race, and more: Our take on 2025 so far

As the Repco Supercars Championship embarks on a break ahead of the Ryco Enduro Cup, it's the perfect time to reflect on what has been a stunning, action-packed and dramatic year.

In the first eight rounds, there were eight different winners, nine different pole winners, 15 different podium finishers, and two of the top three closest race finishes ever.

Through it all, one driver stood tallest of all, but there's a (literal) mountain to climb before we hit The Finals.

So, who and what made us stand up and look in 2025? Supercars.com breaks it down.

Best driver: Broc Feeney

There is no doubt Broc Feeney has been the standout driver of 2025, with 12 wins and 13 pole positions. Everyone else combined has 12 wins and 12 poles. Feeney clinched the Repco Sprint Cup with two races to spare, and largely left reigning champion teammate Will Brown in his wake. After Cam Waters' Round 1 sweep, Matt Payne emerged as an early challenger beyond Brown, but a sparkling run from Tasmania onwards propelled Feeney to Sprint Cup glory. Feeney has won 11 of the last 15 races, and taken nine of the last 15 poles. Dominant.

Make no mistake, Payne has had a great season, especially relative to his previous two campaigns. To Round 8, he sits second with three wins and 21 top 10s. In 2023, he was 19th with four top 10s, while last year, he was fifth with 11 top 10s. Ryan Wood has also gone to another level, while it would be remiss not to acknowledge the early efforts of Cam Waters and Cameron Hill.

Best race: Sydney Race 2

There have been dozens of incredible races since the championship first began in 1960, yet few have created an atmosphere quite like what transpired on the night of Saturday February 22, 2025. It was shaping up as the Cam Waters and Broc Feeney show, and after the final stops, Waters had nine seconds to make up. With four laps to go, he made his move, but tipped Feeney into a spin. A redress attempt by Waters brought Will Brown into play, setting up a dramatic climax. Feeney led out of the final corner, but a successful side draft by Waters put a stunning footnote on what was an instant classic. Who knew we would get another photo finish just weeks later in Tasmania?

As far as honourable mentions go, that Feeney/Payne finish in Tasmania was all time, while Brodie Kostecki and Chaz Mostert put on a stunning battle for the win in Taupō. Cameron Hill had it all to do to win his first race in Melbourne, while Ryan Wood denied Brown in a Perth thriller. Then, there's the Ipswich finale, which saw battles up and down the field, and Feeney charging through after a Safety Car shook up the order. The list goes on...

Under the radar star: Anton De Pasquale

Honourable mentions: Ryan Wood, Cameron Hill

Ryan Wood and Cameron Hill have both taken big strides in 2025, but they both trail Anton De Pasquale, who is taking Team 18 to new heights. The first six positions in the drivers' standings are held by drivers from Triple Eight, Grove Racing, Tickford Racing, Walkinshaw Andretti United and Dick Johnson Racing. Against the might of the powerhouse teams, De Pasquale is holding his own, and offering hope for General Motors fans beyond 2025. Can he finish 2025 off with a fairytale?

Best rookie: Kai Allen

After winning the 2023 Super2 title, Kai Allen seemed destined for the big time. Few could have predicted he would sit 20 points outside the top 10 after Round 8, with more podiums than Dick Johnson Racing. The South Aussie has been touted as one of the future stars, but he may already have arrived. Can he make The Finals and finish off his rookie season with more surprises?

Biggest story: Triple Eight announces Ford move

The biggest story, without a doubt, was the one that broke on January 31: Triple Eight, General Motors' flagship team, will defect to the Blue Oval in 2026. It was a clear sign of intent by Ford, with the story kicking off a wild chain reaction of storylines, headlined by GM's big Craig Lowndes renewal, Team 18 taking GM homologation team duties, and Broc Feeney and Will Brown extending into 2029.

How are our pre-season predictions going?

Supercars.com goes out on a limb each season with some bold (yet confidently informed) predictions for the season ahead. So, how are we going? We predicted there would be three first time winners, and so far, we've had two in Cameron Hill and Ryan Wood. We also predicted there will be 10 or more race winners, and so far, we've had eight. We tipped a rookie would make The Finals, and Kai Allen is currently 20 points outside the top 10. Not bad! From there, we're hanging our hats on Brodie Kostecki/Todd Hazelwood going back-to-back in Bathurst, and a Sprint Cup top four finisher not making the final four (that means one of Broc Feeney, Matt Payne, Will Brown and Cam Waters won't be in contention in Adelaide). Watch this space...