Brown predicts 'retaliation' amid intense racing

Reigning champion Will Brown has tipped more “retaliation” amid the intense, door-to-door racing seen in the early races of the 2025 Supercars season.

Officials, led by Driving Standards Advisor Craig Baird, have largely opted to let drivers race hard in the first five races of the new season, with few penalties handed out so far.

Driving standards were a hot topic heading to Melbourne, after a thrilling battle between Cam Waters, Broc Feeney and Brown lit up Sydney. It was again a talking point on Friday morning after a wild first race.

No penalties were awarded following a bruising Race 4 on Thursday, won by Feeney, before Ryan Wood was given a drive-through over a Friday clash that led to a big impact for Jack Le Brocq.

Le Brocq was incensed, saying drivers needed to "hard look at ourselves and clean up our act.”

Brown said he had reached clarity over the “new standard,” and while he insisted Supercars wasn't going down a free-for-all path like NASCAR, there was scope to get payback of sorts.

“I think it’s probably at a good level now that we’ve all understood it. I think after Sydney, we were all a little bit unsure,” Brown said.

“The good thing is we’re not like NASCAR. If I was in NASCAR, I could have rolled off the brake and taken Nick [Percat] out at the second-last corner and gone to try and get Cam and it’s just nothing.

“We know we’re not allowed to do that. I wouldn't do it anyway. I think that’s a good thing. I think everyone is just getting their elbows out a bit more and just letting everyone know.

“But I guess if that’s the new standard, you know you can do it to people, they know… I think at some point the retaliation will come.

“I think a few people are definitely frustrated, when they go from seventh to 16th. At some point, the guy who put you from seventh to 16th, you’re going to catch up with him.”

The penalty for Wood was evidence that drivers won’t get away with everything, with Percat revealing he reached out to Baird for clarity after his own Thursday clash with Cooper Murray that went unpenalised.

“I reached out to Bairdo last night and wanted to understand a bit more where it’s all at and yeah, I’ve got a real clear understanding of what we can do now,” Percat explained.

“I was definitely confused after Sydney, but it looks, the way the rules were applied with that amazing battle at the end of the SMP race, that’s what I feel like is the go.

“I think it puts on really good racing, it’s great for the spectacle, it’s great for the fans and the sponsors, we’ve actually got people speaking about the sport and loving it.

“They’re coming up to us in the paddock and talking about how good the racing is now. As long as it doesn’t get too out of control and we’re writing off cars, I think we’re at a really good point.

“It’s probably a different mindset, not getting red mist and flustered if someone runs you off, because before that wasn’t really tolerated and now we can rub a bit.”

Supercars will return to the track on Saturday morning for dual Boost Mobile Qualifying sessions from 9:05am local time, with Race 6 to commence at 5:40pm.