TRIPLE Eight Race Engineering boss Jamie Whincup has been left exasperated by a Supercars backflip on rookie test rules.
V8 Sleuth has learnt that Broc Feeney will not be eligible for the extra allocation of test days usually made available to first- and second-year primary drivers.
A rule has been passed whereby a second-year driver cannot access the additional three rookie days if they place top 10 in the championship in their opening season.
That directly impacts Feeney, who sealed sixth place in the 2022 standings with victory in the season-ending Adelaide 500.
Erebus Motorsport duo Will Brown and Brodie Kostecki were eighth and ninth overall in the 2021 season but still had rookie test days last year.
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The rule change leaves Thomas Randle, Declan Fraser, Cameron Hill and Matt Payne as the only designated rookies in the 2023 field – a situation which has Whincup far from impressed.
“That’s really disappointing. That’s probably one of the disappointments to come out of 2022,” Whincup said when approached by V8 Sleuth.
“The rookie rules were set. There’s been discussion about trying to bring more talent into the category for a long time and any proposal that comes past the Commission we absolutely welcome with open arms.
“There was expanding the rookie days from one to two years, more days testing, anything that we can do to give rookies more opportunities we absolutely said yes to and signed off on.
“The rules were there that rookies get two years of rookie test days and we signed Broc on that proviso, that he has got two years with extra days to bring him up to speed.
“Unfortunately the Commission decided to go backwards against the whole trend of trying to bring new talent into the category and decided to put in a rule that if you finish in the top 10 of the championship, you’re not eligible for rookie days in the second year.
“So very, very disappointing. It’s against what we should be doing but unfortunately that’s the way it has gone and we just have to deal with it.
“It was tough to swallow after signing someone on a set of rules that the category made and then reversed halfway through the term.”
Feeney will drive the #88 Red Bull Ampol Chevrolet Camaro this season, with Whincup likely to return as his endurance co-driver for the Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000.
