The advent of the Finals Series to crown the champion was a massive shift for the sport and added a new element to consider when ranking the top 10 performers.

Editorial director Andrew van Leeuwen and managing editor Stefan Bartholomaeus argued it out to come up with this combined list.

10. Cameron Hill – Matt Stone Racing

Wins: 1
Championship: 12th

SB: Hill cemented his credentials as a Supercars Championship driver with a string of early season performances, highlighted by a win at Albert Park.

There were three podium finishes in all across Albert Park and Taupo, and he remained inside the championship’s top 10 through to Townsville.

Hill ultimately missed out on a Finals Series berth by just three points as results dried up in the season’s second half.

Still, he out-qualified teammate Nick Percat a handy 25-9 across the season, and will enjoy a fresh start in a Brad Jones Racing Toyota in 2026.

9. Cam Waters – Tickford Racing

Wins: 3
Championship: 6th

SB: Ninth may feel like a harsh ranking for one of the genuine stars of the category who did little wrong in 2025.

But a flying start in Sydney was as good as it got, and only consistency kept Waters in the picture until a sloppy Sandown ended his title hopes.

It should be noted that Waters continued to out=-pace and out-race teammate Thomas Randle, highlighted by a 26-8 qualifying head-to-head.

He will need to find another gear if he’s to finally win a title, however, having committed to Tickford Racing for the next two seasons.

8. Anton De Pasquale – Team 18

Best finish: 2nd
Championship: 8th

AVL: The 2025 season was an impressive response to parting ways with DJR for De Pasquale.

He was a solid top 10 performer across the season and quickly established himself as the clear leader at Team 18. No easy feat when someone as fast and proven as David Reynolds is on the other side of the garage, even if it wasn’t a vintage season for the veteran.

There’s been a lot made about GM’s search for a star driver. De Pasquale has laid the foundation of becoming that if he can build on a promising 2025.

7. Kai Allen – Grove Racing

Best finish: 2nd
Championship: 4th

AVL: There were question marks over Kai Allen coming into the 2025 season. DJR didn’t want him, and the wheels fell off his Super2 title defence at the back end of 2024.

Both were reasonable reasons to have doubts over whether he would sink or swim in the main game.

Turns out he can swim. After a slightly rocky start to the year, Allen hit his straps in Darwin and worked his way into an amazing rookie season that carried him all the way to the Grand Final in Adelaide.

A main game race win is still waiting, but the way Allen was able to compare to star teammate Payne was impressive.

6. Will Brown – Triple Eight

Wins: 2
Championship: 2nd

AVL: It may seem like a tough break for the reigning champion, who technically finished second in the final standings, to be this far down the list.

But the reality of Brown’s season is that he was out-classed by his teammate Feeney.

Single-lap pace was the issue for Brown and the issue seemed to worsen as the year wore on. Many of his race performances were highly impressive, but only in the context of underperformance in qualifying.

By no means a disaster of a season, but a quick reversal of the imbalance across the Triple Eight garage is required next season.

5. Brodie Kostecki – Dick Johnson Racing

Wins: 3
Championship: 9th

SB: Three race wins amid a year of growing pains at the rejigged Dick Johnson Racing appeared about par for Kostecki.

A Gold Coast qualifying crash meant he fell short of expectations he’d press deeper into Finals, and typified an at-times fraught campaign.

Regardless, he gave DJR the sharp edge it has lacked in recent years – on the track and in parity discussions – and made the squad winners again.

A big-money contract extension signed towards the end of the season shows DJR’s confidence that it is on the right path.

4. Ryan Wood – Walkinshaw Andretti United

Wins: 1
Championship: 10th

AVL: There was never any real question of Ryan Wood’s star power, but he proved it beyond doubt this year.

Between the maiden win in Perth, challenging for the Bathurst 1000 win (until mechanical issues intervened) and making Finals, it was a standout year for Walkinshaw’s sophomore driver.

What is most impressive is that Wood is the first driver during Chaz Mostert’s WAU stint to apply genuine pressure from the other side of the garage.

It’s easy to credit Wood for the active roles he played in Mostert’s title bid once he was out of the Finals equation (think Sandown and Adelaide).

The reality, though, is that Wood’s season-long pressure pushed Mostert in an unprecedented way.

3. Matt Payne – Grove Racing

Wins: 5
Championship: 5th

SB: Payne took a big step forward in his third Supercars season, following up a pair of one-win campaigns with a haul of five victories.

Triumphs included no less than the Jason Richards Trophy in NZ, Peter Brock Trophy at the Bathurst 1000 and the final race at the Adelaide Grand Final.

Bathurst was Payne’s best as he dodged the chaos around him to take victory alongside retiring co-driver and mentor Garth Tander.

Ultimately, a decision to fight Waters when he didn’t need to at Sandown cost him a shot at the title and a higher place on this list.

2. Chaz Mostert – Walkinshaw Andretti United

Wins: 4
Championship: 1st

AVL: It was a wildly inconsistent season for Mostert, but he stepped up when it counted.

WAU swears it had a Finals plan all along. Perhaps a little convenient as an explanation for Mostert’s fluctuating form, but the proof is in the pudding.

From the seven Finals races he recorded three wins, six top twos and a worst finish of fourth. Yes, having his rapid teammate knocked out on the Gold Coast was a significant benefit, but even on that weekend Mostert was at his very best.

Given the rapid shift in format there will always be some controversy around Mostert’s maiden title. But arguing against him being a deserving champion is a tough ask.

1. Broc Feeney – Triple Eight

Wins: 14
Championship: 3rd

SB: Not much can be said about Feeney’s season that hasn’t already been covered.

Having suffered defeat to teammate Brown in 2024, he returned a more complete driver, raising his level in every area – including at a handful of weaker circuits.

The result was a record-setting 18 poles, 14 wins and a level of consistency that, without Finals, would have had him cruising to the title.

While the opening-lap Adelaide incident can be debated, engine trouble ultimately stopped the season’s best driver winning the championship.