Brown: I'm not a 19th place driver

2024 Repco Supercars Champion Will Brown has emphatically declared that his deficit to Broc Feeney isn't what it seems, as Red Bull Ampol Racing swings major changes before the Century Batteries Ipswich Super 440.

After a solid run of form upon return from New Zealand in April, both Brown and Feeney experienced a torrid time across Darwin and Townsville, as Triple Eight recorded its longest run without silverware since 2006.

Feeney returned to form with a win and a record-breaking pole in Perth, though both he and Team Principal Jamie Whincup were furious it wasn't more. Brown, however, endured a horror weekend, especially in qualifying.

Starts of 12th, 12th, and 19th left the driver of the #888 Red Bull Ampol Ford seeing red, especially after a showing that was just as poor in Townsville. Across the two events, Brown's average start is a meagre 15.5.

It takes a lot for the happy-go-lucky demeanour of Brown to disappear, and he admitted that he reached a breaking point in Perth.

"My qualifying was super disappointing, I probably got the shits a fair bit about my weekend because there's only so much you can joke around [about] and go, 'Oh we need to qualify a little bit better', and take the piss to try and get through it," Brown said on his Lucky Dogs podcast.

"Not that I'm ever not taking it seriously, but just to try and accept it. Pretty disappointed with our weekend.

"At the end of the day, if Broc's qualifying on pole, I'm not a 19th driver. I've fought for the championship the last three years in a row, and I know my qualifying hasn't been as good, but struggling a lot on our side of the team which is really disappointing."

Brown has pointed towards a severe straight line deficiency holding him back over recent events, dating all the way back to Darwin in mid-June.

As a result, Red Bull Ampol Racing has pressed into service its spare chassis for Ipswich. Chassis 888A-070, the first Triple Eight-built Mustang that was sent to America for pre-season aerodynamic testing, will get its first race running with Brown at the helm.

Triple Eight will meanwhile analyse Brown's former chassis as they continue to learn the Ford Mustang package.

"To be honest, we're looking into it, don't know how much I'm meant to say on it, but I was 1.6 tenths down in qualifying on the Sunday to Broc, just on the straights," Brown revealed.

"That was the difference, and Broc's not the fastest down the straight either. Broc's probably four hundredths off the Chevys. That means compared to our own car and the Chevys, I've got to drive two and a half tenths quicker pretty much to out-qualify them around a 50-second lap.

"It's very hard, but we're not exactly sure what was wrong on the weekend to have that, we've been last in the speed traps over the last three rounds. We're looking into it, I think there's going to be some big changes made before Ipswich to try and fix that, because there's only so much you can take."

After a career of success at almost every level he's competed in, his lack of Supercars success has been jarring over the last 12 months.

The last time Brown climbed the top stop of a Supercars podium was in the second race at Ipswich last year. By the time Supercars take to the grid on Saturday, August 22 for the first race of the 2026 event, it will have been one year and 13 days since that last win.

Feeney, meanwhile, has won eight races in the same timespan, including five this year.

"I've fought for a championship in every car I've driven or category, and right now I think I look pretty stupid out there, to be honest," Brown continued.

"I think I can do a better job in ways as well, you never just don't look at yourself, you're always trying to improve, and I think Broc was probably doing a better job in driving over the weekend in some scenarios, but not that far to be first to 19th.

"Hoping some wholesale changes are made to my side of the garage heading into Ipswich so we can try and be more competitive."

Brown is seventh in points ahead of the Century Batteries Ipswich Super 440 from August 21-23.