Brown's theory on how rivals have closed performance gap

Will Brown believes rival teams are "getting more competitive" as the Gen3 era rolls into its third year, amid Triple Eight's leanest start to a season in five years.

Brown and Red Bull Ampol Racing lead both championships courtesy of consistency, yet the team isn't hitting victory lane as often as it had in recent years.

In the first two years of the Gen3 era, the powerhouse team won five of the first nine in 2023, and six of the first eight races last season.

However, its two wins through three rounds in 2025 is the team's fifth lowest haul in the last 21 seasons. The Banyo squad won one race in 2019 and 2020, and none in 2005 and 2007.

Tickford Racing (three wins), Penrite Racing (two), Walkinshaw Andretti United and Matt Stone Racing (one each) have all had spells in victory lane, with five teams winning through three rounds the most since 2016.

More control componentry is a hallmark of Gen3, and since the start of 2023, nine of 11 teams on the grid have won a race. Triple Eight still has more than any other team, winning 23 of 61 races. However, it isn't immune to missing out, recently failing to score a podium for the second time since the start of 2023.

Mark Skaife, meanwhile, claimed the team is already feeling the effects of technical guru Jeromy Moore's impending departure to General Motors. Brown is making the difference, though, courtesy of his ability to limit the damage and maximise points.

Speaking ahead of the upcoming round in Tasmania, where Triple Eight has won a record 26 races, Brown said: "I think everyone's got on top of their Gen3 cars.

"Each team's getting more competitive. There's really no bad teams anymore.

“Back to 2017, '18 when you could design parts and all of that, there were teams like Red Bull Ampol that were ahead of the game, where now everyone's got the same parts, everyone's getting on top of their set-up.

"So it's just making each weekend so close, you literally make a little mistake in qualifying and you’re 15th, where that didn't used to be the case. It's making different winners each weekend, new people up there, depending on sort of how they perform.

"Obviously Cam [Waters] was dominant, then Broc [Feeney] was dominant, and then Matty Payne. So each weekend it seems to be changing up who's up the front. Hopefully this weekend we can be the one.”

Drivers will contest three races at the upcoming Snowy River Caravans Tasmania Super 440. Tickets are on sale.

Triple Eight race wins through three rounds (since 2005)