12 drivers, 99 points: Making sense of 2024 standings

Richie Stanaway in fourth place from Cam Waters in 15th, while Erebus Motorsport in third are just 146 points ahead of PremiAir Nulon Racing in 10th.

With a quarter of the 2024 Repco Supercars Championship complete, Triple Eight has a handy lead in both championships. The battle behind, on the other hand, couldn't be much closer.

Just 99 points separate Richie Stanaway in fourth place from Cam Waters in 15th, while Erebus Motorsport in third are just 146 points ahead of PremiAir Nulon Racing in 10th.

It may not seem like it makes much difference whether a driver finishes fourth or fifth, or below, but with the Live Pit Lane rule introduced in 2024, the ramifications are now significant.

The closeness through the field has led to plenty of exciting racing, even while Will Brown and Broc Feeney have so far shared six of the eight wins so far.

Such is the competitive spread, that eight teams are represented in the top 10 in the drivers' standings, with only Triple Eight and Penrite Racing getting both drivers in the 10. Click here to view the drivers' standings.

The current leaderboard may read Waters in 15th, but in one race, the Tickford Racing star could be as high as fourth. After the Perth opener, any of Stanaway, Matt Payne, Nick Percat, Jack Le Brocq, Andre Heimgartner, Will Davison, James Golding, David Reynolds, Anton De Pasquale, Thomas Randle, Mark Winterbottom and Waters could be fourth in the standings.

Through three rounds, Stanaway, Reynolds, Payne and Percat have all been in fourth position. Such is the closeness, that Reynolds dropped from fifth to 11th across the course of the weekend in Taupō.

Feeney, who won in Perth last year, says the upcoming round will show where teams really sit, given the unconventional start to the season with a sprint round in Bathurst, the Grand Prix without pit stops, and a new circuit in New Zealand.

"For me, I sort of put the first three rounds in their own little championship, and now I suppose we get into what a normal calendar looks like for us," Feeney told Supercars.com.

"A tenth of a second is probably seven, eight spots. So, a good qualifying lap really sets you up. Fortunately, I got on pole and was able to win.

"So I think if we're able to qualify on the front row again, we can have great success."

Drivers' championship after Taupō (P4 to P15)

The rebound of the Shell V-Power Racing Team in New Zealand has provided the greatest visual yet of the new Live Pit Lane rule, with the team to jump six positions for Perth.

Triple Eight is 481 points ahead of Penrite Racing in the teams standings, and with a maximum of 586 points per team at Perth, it would take a disaster for the leaders to see change at the front.

However, while it may not be clever to brag about a third-place position after three rounds, the Live Pit Lane rule means teams fighting for positions will be pushing as those at the front to keep the lead. Click here to view the teams' standings.

Reigning champions Erebus rose from fifth to third in New Zealand, but could be 10th after the Perth opener. Conversely, another top five or better for 10th-placed PremiAir Nulon Racing, and the Peter Xiberras-owned squad could be third.

Additionally, while every position matters in the race, drivers can also vie for fastest lap bonus points in Perth, should they finish in the top 15. Bonus points alone could secure a driver or team more positions in the standings.

Track action at the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint commences on Friday May 17. Tickets for the event are on sale now.

Teams' championship after Taupō (P3 to P10)