Broc Feeney combines Supercars with GTWC Australia title defence: “Rocking up with the #1 is pretty special”

Reigning GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS champion Broc Feeney heads into the 2026 season opener at Phillip Island this weekend looking to defend his crown alongside Brad Schumacher in the #1 Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 LMS GT3. After their dramatic title triumph last year at Hampton Downs, the pair return as the benchmark in a stacked Pro-Am field — but as Feeney admits, the new campaign already feels like a reset.

“Yeah, I suppose it definitely feels in a way that we’re starting from scratch again. But rocking up with the number one on the car is pretty special,” Feeney tells GT REPORT.

Last season’s title may have come down to the finale, but the 23-year-old points to earlier moments as just as decisive.

“It was a weird way to win the championship, but when I actually reflected back on it… we had a tyre puncture in the first race last year here at Phillip Island and finished ninth.

“So, you know, taking a second or third in that race, to be honest, we’re probably going to be in the box seat anyway. We had our bad luck early in the year.”

That perspective, combined with the significance of carrying the #1, ultimately brought him back.

“I was probably a little bit on the fence if I was actually going to come back this year, but as soon as we won the championship, I said we’re going to have the number one on the car — we’ve got to come back and defend it.”

Early struggles at Phillip Island

Asked about the balance of the car, Feeney admitted things are not quite where they need to be yet, echoing last year’s struggles at the same circuit.

“Yeah, it’s okay. It’s not the best at the moment. We struggled here last year… myself, Brendon Leitch and Ryan Wood were all in the [Melbourne Performance Centre Audi] cars and we were just a little bit off the pace.

“So we’ve probably started pretty similar to that — just a bit off it. We’re trying to work on it.”

There is, however, a key change behind the scenes. Feeney has brought in experienced engineer Martin Short to strengthen the program he shares with Brad Schumacher.

“But it’s exciting — I’ve brought my Triple Eight Red Bull engineer here this year. He’s going to be running mine and Brad’s car.

“So yeah, it’s cool to have him to lean on, and I’m excited to see what he can do and hopefully make it go faster around here.”

Bathurst setback and perspective

Feeney arrived at the season opener with recent GT3 mileage under his belt, having qualified strongly at this year’s Bathurst 12 Hour in the Ford Mustang GT3 before his race ended on lap three.

“For me it was my first race in the GT3 Mustang, which was pretty cool. In a way, I’m very glad I wasn’t in the car, but the biggest thing was just that Chris was okay. It could have gone very bad.

“Cars can be fixed. You can buy new cars. You can’t buy new people.”

The incident, he says, didn’t linger.

“To be honest, it didn’t really worry me… it’s just good to be back racing again.”

Learning through variety

Asked about the differences between GT3 machinery and Supercars, the Gold Coast driver points less to technical contrasts and more to the value of seat time.

“It’s pretty different, but for me it’s just racing. It’s one of the very few sports in the world where we can’t practise our sport, so the more racing I do, the better I seem to go.”

That approach paid off last season, where he combined a busy GT program with his Supercars commitments to deliver one of the strongest years of his career.

“Last year, I had the best year I’ve had, stats-wise, in a Supercar season. I did plenty of racing last year, and I don’t want to change that formula.”

For Feeney, the benefit isn’t necessarily what each category teaches him individually, but the rhythm of constantly being in the car, adapting and executing across different environments.

Adaptability across categories

The key benefit, he explains, is not a specific skill, but the accumulation of experience.

“The biggest one is just the miles, racing more, going through qualifying sessions, race sessions… that’s the biggest thing. But you do have to drive them differently. For me, it’s adaptability.”

Rather than focusing on what directly transfers between GT3 and Supercars, he emphasises the ability to quickly understand whatever car he finds himself in.

“It’s not so much what I learn out of GT3 that translates to Supercars. It’s when I rock up on a weekend, I’ve got two practice sessions. I’ve got to figure out what I need to do.

“I’ve driven the Mercedes before, I’ve now driven the Mustang and now I’m in the Audi. Being able to swap between cars, you start to pick up on things that suit that car.

“But you’ve got to become adaptable. If you can’t adapt in our sport, you get left behind.”

It’s a mindset he credits in part to former teammate and GT World Challenge Europe, Bathurst 12 Hour, and Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen.

“I learnt that a lot from Shane. He drove everything under the sun. I’ve pretty much tried doing that. I’m a race car driver, so I want to drive. The more I do, the better.”

Despite that growing versatility, his preference remains clear.

“I just love the rawness of a Supercar. I can make a difference in a Supercar.

“With GT3, you’re kind of a little bit stuck once you get out there. If your car’s not where you want it, it’s very hard to change your driving to make it better. ABS, traction control, very stiff platform.

“My favourite car in the world to drive is a Supercar.”

GT3 growing

Feeney returns to a GT World Challenge Australia field that is both deeper and more competitive than last season, with multiple Pro-Am combinations capable of fighting at the front.

“I think it’s gaining traction. You’re seeing a lot more top-tier drivers racing in GT3.

“The hard thing is the cost. For a short season, six rounds, it’s very expensive.”

For Feeney, that traction is increasingly visible in fan interest, particularly around headline events like the Bathurst 12 Hour.

“I think the 12 Hour is unreal for it. A lot of people get around that event, you see big crowds come out. It definitely helps — people get the bug for it there and then hopefully follow it for the rest.”

The growing presence of Supercars drivers is also helping to bring new audiences into the category.

“The stars of Australian motorsport are Supercars drivers, and the more Supercars drivers that come and do it, the more people come to the races.”

Pathway beyond Australia

Despite the popularity of GT racing in Australia picking up, Feeney does not necessarily see GT3 as a direct route into Supercars, but rather as a gateway to opportunities beyond Australia.

“I don’t think it’s a path to Supercars as such. I think it’s more a path to racing in Europe. To be honest, we all grow up wanting to race in Europe and go to Formula 1 and stuff like that.”

Instead, he views GT racing as a realistic way to build an international career — something already proven by others.

“I think it’s a path to racing in Europe. Jayden Ojeda has done that very well. If I didn’t want to race Supercars, I’d do GT racing and try to go overseas.

“I think it’s a really good path to go and do other stuff.”

Looking further ahead, that ambition could extend to the highest level of endurance racing, including the FIA World Endurance Championship — but only under the right conditions.

“I’d definitely race in it. I don’t know if I’d do that full-time, but if I did WEC, I wouldn’t want to do it in GT3. You’d want to do it in a Hypercar.”

A crowded fight — and the key to beating it

With a deeper grid in 2026, Feeney expects the title fight to be anything but straightforward.

“To be honest, there’s probably five or six guys that are really competitive, so it’s hard to pick out one.”

Among the key contenders are familiar names from last season’s championship battle, including Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte.

“Obviously, Jaxon [Evans] and Elliott [Schutte] were super strong last year — they’re going to be the same.”

He also points to the Wolfbrook Motorsport pairing of Steve Brooks and Ryan Wood as a combination to watch.

“Steve Brooks and Ryan are going to be competitive. Brooksy’s getting better and better.”

Beyond that, the depth of the field stands out more than any single rival.

“All the usual candidates, all the same guys from last year… Ojeda, Leitch. There’s actually just a lot of cars this year.”

In a field like that, Feeney believes the championship will once again be decided not by outright pace, but by consistency.

“Just limiting your bad days, to be honest. I think the championship was decided over bad days.

“We had one in the first race of the year and they had one in the last race of the year. So just being consistent… I think me and Brad had a real good run of a lot of podiums in a row.

“When you’re capable of winning, you win. When you’re only capable of third or fourth, you take it. You don’t do anything stupid.

“We’ll just keep chipping away and hopefully we get another trophy.”

The number one may be on the car, but for Feeney, it changes little. With the season starting at Phillip Island, the focus is clear: start clean, stay consistent, and do it all over again.