'Gutted' Whincup reacts to crushing championship defeat

Triple Eight Managing Director Jamie Whincup has labelled Sunday's championship defeat as the "lowest to lows."

Broc Feeney was pipped to the drivers' championship by Ford rival Chaz Mostert on a dramatic final day at the bp Adelaide Grand Final.

Pole-sitter Feeney was turned around by Mostert's Walkinshaw Andretti United teammate Ryan Wood on lap 1, before engine issues denied him a fightback drive.

In a season Feeney claimed 14 wins and 19 pole positions, he had to settle for third in points behind Mostert and outgoing champion Will Brown.

Whincup, who initially fumed over the Wood collision, said he was "absolutely gutted" for the #88 crew, with Feeney and engineer Martin Short both in tears post-race.

"It's a hard one to talk about, to be honest," Whincup said in a team video.

"I've never felt so hollow in all my life. I know we sign up to this game called motorsport and, and sport in general, and you experience the highest of highs and the lowest to lows, and today was one of those lowest of lows.

"We felt like we'd done the work. We felt like we were the best team. Broc and his crew in particular did an unbelievable job all year, so I'm absolutely gutted for them that they didn't get the big trophy at the end of the day.

"Big thank you to everyone, Will, Andrew, his crew, everyone at home, the whole crew. We got the teams' championship award once again, it's the third biggest trophy of the year. I'm very, very proud of everyone's effort there."

Speaking on the broadcast, Feeney said: “Sort of a shame how it was all going down there at the start and then, and then our issues came along.

"No matter what happened today, the thing was going to break down, unfortunately.

"But, I can't thank my team enough, my family, friends, everyone that's got my back. Don't think you'll be hearing from me for a while mate, I'll be flying under the radar for a bit."

Whincup insisted Triple Eight, which will shift from General Motors to Ford in 2026, must use the chastening defeat to come back even stronger, in a year the team cantered to a teams' championship win.

"Unfortunately 2025 wasn't what we wanted it to be, but it can go either way. We can either be worse for it or we can absolutely use it to our strength. Let's make sure we do the latter," Whincup said.

"So, huge thank you to everybody for an amazing year. Wasn't our year. It was an absolute horror show, the last day, but we'll fight back stronger."