Finals, seasons, and futures on the line: Questions to be answered
Supercars' return to Queensland Raceway comes at a crucial juncture in the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship.
At the head of the field, a Repco Sprint Cup winner will be crowned for the first time in Supercars history, and the first group of drivers will likely book their Golden Ticket to The Finals.
However, further back in the pack there is plenty of intrigue surrounding the silly season and the makeup of the grid in 2026.
Drivers all through the field will be looking for big results in the final sprint round of the season, before the blockbuster five-round run home across the Enduro Cup and the Repco Supercars Finals Series.
As we Ipswich race week for the first time since 2019, Supercars.com highlights key questions that will be answered in Ipswich.
How many Finals spots will be shored up?
One thing we know for certain is that we'll have a Repco Sprint Cup winner, and with it, a driver heading into Supercars' first ever Finals Series. With a 220-point lead, Broc Feeney has one hand on the post-season. However, as many as five drivers could clinch a Finals berth, although the most likely number is three. Will Brown is 588 points ahead of ninth, and needs to find an extra 13 points. If Matt Payne gains 28 points on ninth, he is also in.
Will local teams get a benefit from early Gen3 testing and shakedowns?
While Queensland Raceway will host its first races since 2019, northern teams have logged hundreds of laps in testing over the last five years. Triple Eight, Dick Johnson Racing, Matt Stone Racing and PremiAir Racing call QR home, and know the place back to front. Despite the near total ban on testing this year, from previous pre-season testing to new car shakedowns, these teams aren't exactly strangers to the 3.1km circuit. For what it's worth, Victorians managed to win 15 of the last 35 races at QR between 2006 and 2019, so hometown advantage isn't everything.
Who will make the biggest impression before the enduros?
The last thing drivers want is to have to rely on the enduros to make The Finals. Co-drivers will have their partners' championship hopes in their hands, and there will be stories of heartbreak at The Bend and Bathurst. The easiest way to take pressure off performing in the enduros is performing this weekend. With plenty of long straights leading into heavy braking zones, some fear there could be chaos as drivers fight for any potential points gain.
What next for the silly season?
Speculation has ramped up in recent weeks about the make-up of the 2026 grid, and it will only continue. As many as 10 seats have question marks. It usually takes one domino to fall, and things unfold from there. Bryce Fullwood and David Reynolds have publicly stated they don't know what the future holds, while plenty has been said about the future of Cameron Hill. With plenty on the line, some drivers may look to jump ship, while some team bosses have some big calls to make. Who moves first?
Is Bates' wildcard a preview of 2026?
The reigning Super2 champion, Zach Bates finally gets his first crack at the main game this weekend. Aboard a Triple Eight Chevrolet, Bates has a powerhouse team behind him, and should he perform, it could be a preview of 2026, should he clinch a spot on the grid. Bates is calm beyond his years, and while his Super2 title defence isn't quite going to plan, he has the world at his feet. The 21-year-old is also coming off an entire day of wildcard testing in Ipswich last Monday, which could only accelerate his learning curve.
Supercars drivers will contest three races at the Century Batteries Ipswich Super 440. Tickets are on sale now. International viewers can watch the action on SuperView.
