IT was the news that took the Supercars world by storm: Triple Eight’s move to pinch Will Brown from Erebus Motorsport.
There’s been radio silence on all fronts in the subsequent 72 or so hours, besides Shane van Gisbergen indicating – without mentioning names – he’s comfortable with Triple Eight’s plan to replace him.
There’s no doubt plenty playing out in the background, so in the wait for official confirmations, V8 Sleuth looks at five knock-on questions.
How will Brown’s 2023 title campaign be affected?
Honestly, we’re only going to find out as the rest of the season plays out.
Right now, Erebus is in the box seat for its first titles in both the drivers’ and teams’ championships but it does have Triple Eight closing in, so it can ill-afford for Brown’s season to go awry.
It is, however, hard to imagine that some level of priority won’t be shifted in Brodie Kostecki’s favour, given he is sticking around for 2024.
Brown does have a good relationship with Kostecki, so don’t expect him to switch into Triple Eight mode until after this season.
What now for Erebus?
A sudden Erebus vacancy comes at a time when the team’s stocks have never been higher.
They have emerged as a genuine Gen3 powerhouse and become somewhere almost any driver would have to at least consider.
But as was the case for Triple Eight, there are few top options available for 2024, with most star talent already nailed down.
The question is, will Erebus continue its recent history of promoting young talent, or change direction and install an experienced campaigner alongside Kostecki?
The very early mail is that James Courtney is a frontrunner. Considering the shocks that this year’s silly season has delivered already, nothing would surprise us.
What other moves does this unlock?
The Triple Eight seat was the key domino several parties were waiting to fall.
Now that it’s off the table, will there be an imminent flurry of action in the driver market?
And what now for Triple Eight co-driver Richie Stanaway, who has declared a desire to race full-time in Supercars again, but has been overlooked in favour of Brown.
What does van Gisbergen’s 2024 look like?
The coast is clear.
Van Gisbergen had spoken of not wanting to leave Triple Eight in the lurch, which it seemed to be staring down the barrel of before Brown emerged.
Provided there’s no last-minute hurdle that trips anyone up, van Gisbergen can now head to the US at season’s end with a clear conscience that his championship-winning Supercars squad will be just fine.
The general consensus, from industry pundits and SVG himself, seems to be that a full-time Cup Series campaign is unlikely in 2024.
Rather, the more realistic scenario appears to be a selection of Cup Series events mixed in with a smattering of oval outings in the lower tiers (Xfinity/Truck Series).
It’s been widely reported that several teams have shown interest in van Gisbergen’s services following his Chicago win, but both he and Trackhouse Racing are speaking positively about continuing their combination into 2024.
In fact, Trackhouse founder Justin Marks was quoted by The Athletic on the matter as follows: “If he’s going to do this, it would only make sense that he does it with us.”
How will Brown stack up against Feeney?
Feeney has become the centrepiece of Triple Eight’s future since joining from Tickford Racing ahead of the 2021 season.
He won that year’s Super2 crown, had a fine rookie campaign last year and is now challenging for the championship.
Basically, Feeney is the real deal and should be a formidable teammate to go up against.
But Brown has surprised many with how well he has matched up against highly rated Kostecki and Triple Eight has historically not played favourites between its drivers.
Could Feeney/Brown be the new Whincup/Lowndes, holding down the fort at Triple Eight for a decade-plus?
Bonus question: What number will Brown run at Triple Eight?
He surely won’t inherit van Gisbergen’s #97, which the Kiwi transferred with him from Tekno Autosports ahead of the 2016 season.
So will Triple Eight bestow Brown with its beloved #888, synonymous with Craig Lowndes for 14 seasons and not run full-time since his retirement?
Or does Brown end up as the ultimate defector, taking #1 to his new home, just as Courtney did when he broke the hearts of Dick Johnson Racing fans at the end of 2010?
