Where Brown stepped up
By Thomas Miles
Date posted: 16 November 2024
Arriving at Triple Eight Will Brown knew he had to take his game to a “new level” and has done that, securing the title convincingly in Adelaide.
Brown made the career-changing move from Erebus to Triple Eight over the off season and has thrived in the most successful team, having the campaign of his life.
Not only did the #87 driver put the championship out of reach of teammate Broc Feeney with a second place at the VAILO Adelaide 500 opener, but he achieved a four-decade first.
Brown was the first driver since Dick Johnson in 1984 and fifth ever to be crowned after finishing on the podium in every round of an entire season.
After taking the championship lead at Taupo, Brown has not looked back and controlled the season with outstanding consistency.
It is a big step up from last year where the then Erebus driver went from leading the championship in Townsville to fifth after scoring just one top five in the final 10 races.
Brown pointed out the off-season homework with Shane van Gisbergen’s engineer Andrew Edwards as the reason why he has been able to become a more complete and consistent driver.
“I have loved working with Andrew, he is a super smart guy,” Brown said.
“Over the off season I straight away went into the workshop with him and worked a lot on tyre life.
“I looked at a lot of Shane’s data and he has probably made me step up to another level along with the team.
“Last year I had good raw pace and did not put it together every weekend.
“I wanted to try and win the championship this year and knew it was going to take consistency.
“To have a podium every round this year is pretty cool and did not think that would be possible so its amazing.”
Brown admitted the feeling of becoming the 27th ATCC/Supercars champion and just third for Triple Eight is one he is yet to come to terms with.
“I don’t think it has set in,” he said.
“Right now I do not know how to take it and I am over the moon.
“It is what I have been working towards for a long time now and to do it in my first year at Red Bull Ampol Racing is fantastic.
“Just want to thank everyone at the team, they have been faultless all year and is why we are here.
“Every time I think Broc is going to beat me so I have to do a perfect job.
“That is another reason why we are up here because we are two fast teammates.”
To the delight of race fans, Brown also confirmed he intends on racing with the #1 in 2025.
“I have not had that discussion with the team yet,” he said.
“I would say it would be disappointing if you did not run it because you never know when it could come again in your career.
“I would say if you have got the opportunity now, you would have to run it.”
Image: Peter Norton EPIC Sports Photography
VAILO Adelaide 500 Supercars schedule
Practice 1: 1: J. Courtney 1:19.6835 2: D. Reynolds +0.1553 3: N. Percat +0.3242
Practice 2: 1 D. Reynolds 1:19.4804 2: C. Waters +0.0840 3: C. Mostert +0.1023
Qualifying – 1 W. Brown 1:19.4425 2: C. Waters +0.3631 3: T. Randle +0.4123
Practice 3 – 1 W. Brown 1:19.7649 2 B. Feeney +0.1894 3 T. Randle +0.2517
Top 10 Shootout – 1 C. Waters 1:19.9628 2: T. Randle +0.1182 3: B. Feeney +0.1847
Race 23 (78 laps) – Sat 15.20
Qualifying – Sun 10.20-10.35
Top 10 Shootout – Sun 12.35-13.35
Race 24 (78 laps) – Sun 15.15
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