Triple Eight suspects repeat of Feeney's Saturday misfire

The port-mortem is set to begin at Red Bull Ampol Racing, after an engine issue literally left Broc Feeney powerless to prevent Chaz Mostert stealing the 2025 championship.

Feeney entered the final race of the season on Sunday with a 23-point lead over nearest rival Mostert, and was in the box seat after claiming a 19th pole of the season.

However, Feeney's day quickly unravelled, first with a collision with Mostert's teammate Ryan Wood, before he was delayed by a slow first pit stop.

As he tried to fight through the field, an issue with Feeney's Chevrolet V8 emerged at the halfway mark of the 78-lap race. Feeney marched on, but the sick engine stunted his progress.

Mid-race, Triple Eight suggested the issue was a "similar thing" to the crank angle position sensor problem Feeney managed en route to victory on Saturday. On Sunday, the issue worsened, and Feeney went backwards.

Post-race, Triple Eight Team Manager Mark Dutton told Supercars' Cool Down Lap podcast presented by Moza Racing: “We've got to investigate a bit more.

"We think it was the same sensor issue as yesterday, even though obviously everything that could have been done was done. We need to analyse to really understand.

"Broc had amazing pace coming back through until the engine issue kicked in.”

Triple Eight and Feeney had already acted on a lack of power in this Finals Series, completing an overnight engine change at Sandown. The next day, Feeney won the race to claim bragging rights heading to Adelaide.

In a seminal moment, Mostert lapped Feeney in the dying stages. Remarkably, it was the first time Feeney had dropped a lap in a Supercars race since the 2023 Bathurst 1000. On that day, he was also cruelled by mechanical issues.

Dutton took issue with the Wood incident, though, which team boss Jamie Whincup labelled as "grubby" during the race, before Feeney's teammate Will Brown suggested the "play wasn't on."

"Yeah, it's not great. Bit of a professional foul. Bit disappointed,” Dutton said.

"[Chaz] didn't deserve to get crowned champion with that. He could have won that on his own merit, but that was unfortunately taken away from him. I don't think people see that side.

“Obviously from our side, yeah, we'll look at what we can do better for next year.”