The van Gisbergen role reversal in Feeney arrival

The shoe is now on the other foot for "older guy" Shane van Gisbergen at Red Bull Ampol Racing, says Broc Feeney.

Reigning champion van Gisbergen will be joined by Super2 series winner Feeney in 2022.

Feeney has replaced the retired Jamie Whincup, who assumes the Team Principal and Managing Director roles vacated by Roland Dane.

The team, which will unveil its 2022 look next week, will debut its new driver line-up in Sydney in March.

There, Feeney will take to the track as the youngest driver on the grid, but far from the least accomplished.

The 19-year-old dominated the 2021 Super2 season, adding to his 2019 Super3 title.

Whincup’s departure and Feeney’s arrival leaves van Gisbergen as the elder statesman of the team. The two-time champion is 13 years Feeney’s senior.

For so long, van Gisbergen was the ‘younger’ teammate, right from his early days at Stone Brothers Racing.

For the first time in his career, van Gisbergen will be the senior driver, something Feeney believes he and his new teammate will relish.

"I’ve heard Shane speak about it a bit, that he’s not the younger guy anymore," Feeney told Supercars.com.

"He’s now the older guy helping out the younger guy.

"I’ve never really been in a situation where I’ve got a teammate, and we’re both trying to push us forward to get the best result.

Whincup and van Gisbergen were teammates for six years

"I need to adapt and lean on sharing data and set-ups; you’re doing that every single session."

From the moment Feeney was announced as Whincup’s announcement, van Gisbergen was firmly in the teen’s corner.

"He’s shown everything that he can, and done all the right things to show that he deserves to be in that car," van Gisbergen said upon the Feeney announcement.

"He’s leaps and bounds ahead of all the other candidates that were on the team’s radar, so for sure he’s the best person for the job.

"For Broc he’ll have the leadership or the guidance of those guys, Jamie, Craig [Lowndes] and myself as well to look at, hopefully we can help to bring him up to speed.

"It’s going to be a seamless transition for him but for sure. In his rookie year it won’t be easy, but he’s got everything he needs to succeed."

Feeney replaces statistically the greatest driver of all time

Feeney already has the backing of Whincup, having reiterated to his new boss that wins are the goal for 2022.

The new season will be the first for Feeney with a teammate, with data sharing and feedback across drivers crucial as the competition tightens in the quest for teams’ titles.

How quickly victories come will be reliant on Feeney’s application, but he also understands the importance of working with van Gisbergen to achieve success for their team.

"To have Shane, who dominated last year, as my teammate will be awesome," Feeney said.

"For my rookie year, I couldn’t be partnered with a better person.

"Some people are looking at it like, ‘It’s a tough challenge going up against Shane’.

"For me, it’s a great opportunity to compare myself to him and learn off the best."