Who wins from here? Burning questions as Supercars returns

Supercars is finally back.

The Tyrepower Tasmania Super 440 will kick start hostilities once again as Supercars race on Australian shores for the first time in two months.

The championship picture is a fascinating one, however that only is the beginning if a host of storylines set to rumbled on throughout the year ahead.

Supercars.com has picked out some of the burning questions set to dominate headlines as the battle for the Repco Sprint Cup begins to heat up.

Are rivalries alive or dead?

It's plain to see that there has been plenty of feeling on track in the season to date, with the rivalries of Broc Feeney vs Ryan Wood, Triple Eight vs Walkinshaw, and recently Chaz Mostert vs Brodie Kostecki all dominating headlines.

A lot has happened in the four weeks since we last raced, with Wood, Kostecki, and Mostert all moving to ease their respective tensions. Whether or not it has an effect remains to be seen.

Will latest changes get GM back in the game?

Minor aerodynamic tweaks have been made to an already altered Chevrolet package since Christchurch, with GM still chasing their desired aero balance.

Ford have streaked away at the head of the field to start the season, and save for Anton De Pasquale's win in Sydney, it's been slim pickings for the bow tie brigade. Getting back on form in Tasmania will be front of mind.

Who is the biggest of the big three?

Broc Feeney, Brodie Kostecki, Matt Payne. 46 points covering the top three shows just how evenly matched the three leading drivers have been in a breathless start to the season.

With the halfway mark of the Repco Sprint Cup rapidly approaching, now is the time to stamp your authority on the title race, as Feeney did last year. If any of these three can start stringing wins together, the rest of the field will take notice.

Will the big three expand?

Just because there is a big three, doesn't mean that it can't become a big four, even big five, with plenty of stars continuing to rise as the season builds.

Chief among these protagonists is Kai Allen, who broke through for a maiden win in Christchurch, Cam Waters gets a new car in Tasmania, whilst Ryan Wood has been Toyota's shining light this season.

Does season 2026 really start now?

According to Broc Feeney, the return to Australia is where the season truly begins to kick into gear. With five rounds until the first Finals berth is sealed, the intensity will only continue to increase from here on in.

So, who can rise to the occasion. The closer the Sprint Cup and the season in general gets to business time, the more consequences mistakes will have. Pressure will be on teams and drivers alike to perform.

When will silly season come alive?

There has been the odd announcement made on the driver market, most notably Walkinshaw TWG Racing securing the services of both Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood on long-term extensions, however there is one key question that has lingered throughout the season.

The will he won't he storyline surrounding Matt Payne's potential switch to GM has dominated driver market talk, with no clear indication on when there will be an answer. If Payne was to leave, that could trigger a wild chain reaction.

Can Toyota shake engine questions?

It took just nine races for Toyota to climb the top step in Supercars, breaking the record for a new manufacturer in the modern era, however it hasn't been all smooth sailing for the Japanese marque.

Questions continuer to linger around the engine program, with reliability issues plaguing all five Supras through the season to date. Long straights in Tasmania and Darwin will also be a big test for engine performance.

Who is next to claim first win?

Several big names will be keen to break through for the first wins of the season, namely champions Will Brown and Chaz Mostert, as well as established stars like Cam Waters.

However, there are also several key runners who are still yet to have their first taste of Supercars victory. James Golding has emerged as a leading contender to join the winner's list, whilst Thomas Randle could turn around his season should he break through.

Is anyone playing the Finals game?

This time last year, Walkinshaw had notched up a race win with Chaz Mostert in New Zealand, but otherwise had been largely quiet. Come Finals, Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood were the class of the field, with Mostert ultimately crowned champion.

Only Tickford have outwardly claimed to be following the Walkinshaw playbook from last year, with Waters in particular yet to perform at the level you would expect.

The views in this article do not necessarily express the opinions of Supercars, teams or drivers.