Tensions flared this past week in the Supercars championship, with significant clashes and public commentary between Triple Eight and Walkinshaw TWG Racing. The simmering feud, which has seen team bosses exchange veiled criticisms and drivers engage in heated on-track duels, reached a new pitch during recent races.
==The most prominent incident involved Broc Feeney (Triple Eight) and Chaz Mostert (Walkinshaw TWG Racing), who made contact multiple times on the back straight during the Taupō Super440 race. Triple Eight team manager Mark Dutton** publicly criticized Mostert's driving in this exchange, calling the straight-line impacts "silly" and "out of order." Feeney finished fourth, while Mostert ended up sixth.
Another intense battle saw Will Brown (Triple Eight) fend off Ryan Wood (Walkinshaw TWG Racing) for second place, with Wood eventually securing a podium finish after a spirited fight. Brown finished second in that event. The drivers themselves have acknowledged the heightened atmosphere, with some admitting they have not "cleared the air" from previous encounters.
Read More: Formula 1 2026 Rules May Change Due to Energy Use Debates
On-Track Contact and Official Reactions
The friction wasn't limited to Feeney and Mostert. Ryan Wood and Will Brown also engaged in a significant on-track duel for a podium position. While Brown and Wood's initial contact was reportedly "brushed off" post-race, the overall sentiment from Triple Eight, as expressed by Dutton, was critical of the aggressive tactics employed by Walkinshaw drivers.
Deeper Roots of the Feud
This recent on-track animosity is not an isolated event but appears to be a continuation of an established rivalry. Comments from Will Brown in March suggest the tension between the two teams is "definitely real" and has been sparked by drivers getting into other drivers. This indicates a personal element to the competition that transcends mere team objectives.
The rivalry has also extended to the pit wall and off-track commentary. Reports from March indicated that team bosses were trading barbs on podcasts, hinting at a deeper, multi-layered conflict between the organizations. One particular point of contention, revealed in March, involved accusations from Triple Eight's Jamie Whincup regarding Walkinshaw's Toyota Supra chassis construction, which Walkinshaw reportedly considered taking legal action over.
Context and Brand Loyalties
The 2026 season sees Triple Eight operating as Ford's homologation partner, focusing on refining performance for Ford-backed teams. This is a significant shift, as the team previously competed with Holden and Chevrolet for over a decade. Meanwhile, Walkinshaw TWG Racing is fielding Toyota Supras, with expectations of expanding Toyota's presence on the grid. This multi-brand landscape—Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota—is expected to amplify brand pride and contribute to the intensity of on-track battles, with drivers like Broc Feeney and Ryan Wood noted as key figures in emerging rivalries.
