Supercars
Broc Feeney diary 2023 - A new confidence
After a training camp in Austria and coming off a solid finish to 2022, Broc has eyes for only one thing in 2023 - a championship!
G’day, guys.
It’s exciting to be back racing and have the first round under my belt. Newcastle wasn’t a perfect weekend, but it feels like we’ve made a good start to the season.
I certainly felt good coming off the win in Adelaide last year and then getting a good run after qualifying P2 at the Bathurst 12 Hour, and then we were into the first race.
I feel like I’ve stepped up in the last few months, and I think that’s due to experience. I obviously feel like I’m better prepared than last year just due to the experience that I’ve got. I feel more ready for it.
I feel refreshed, too. After Adelaide I flew to Austria to the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre. It was basically training for the whole week, but the coolest thing about it is was the people I met and the level that they operate on. We’re sitting down having lunch with world champions in different sports and hearing different people’s stories. Everyone goes, ‘Oh my God, you guys drive cars, that’s crazy!’. Meanwhile they’re doing three backflips on a bike or kitesurfing 20 metres in the air!
Gotta take something from an NBA arena entrance, right?
© Mark Horsburgh / Red Bull Content Pool
The old cars felt quite predictable, and you could feel really well what was happening. But with this car you don’t get that feedback
It was really impressive just to meet everyone, and it’s certainly lifted me since. I can’t wait to go back.
I don’t know if I feel momentum going into the first race of a new year, but I certainly have more confidence in myself — which is needed, because this year’s cars are a big change.
Even with a massive reduction in downforce the car is still very similar to drive, but the biggest thing is that you get much less feeling compared to the previous cars. The old cars felt quite predictable, and you could feel really well what was happening. But with this car you don’t get that feedback. I think that’s why the first qualifying was so tight, because everyone basically made a mistake and ended up in the same place.
I think it’s good. It’s a challenge. We are all still trying to get a handle on it and get up to speed.
Me, my engineer (Martin Short) and Jamie (Whincup, team principal) sat down for a little chat on Friday in Newcastle and said if we could walk away with two Top Fives, then we’d probably be in contention for the overall podium and score some really solid points.
Every pitt is a learning experience for Broc and the team in 2023
© Mark Horsburgh / Red Bull Content Pool
I mean, everyone wants to be the champion every year! — but I feel like we had a solid Round 1, I feel like we’re competitive...
We went and bettered that; we got a second and a fifth — I don’t really care what anyone says, I got second on the track, even though I might not have the points for it! — so the results were good, especially for a track I’ve never raced at with the Supercars.
It shows that I’ve been able to continue on from how last year ended and this year started. Last year was about learning, and this season is about applying what we learned.
But I have a different mindset this year with different goals. At the moment I feel like I’m in the fight.
Of course I want to be the champion this year — I mean, everyone wants to be the champion every year! — but I feel like we had a solid Round 1, I feel like we’re competitive, and hopefully we can take the fight to them this year.
I’ve never really put a timeline on it, but obviously I want to get there as quickly as possible. I do feel like this year we’re in that mix, we’re in the conversation, but I know I have to improve to be in there week in and week out.
Coming for you, 2023's podium...
© Mark Horsburgh / Red Bull Content Pool
We’ve got four races, and you’ve got to be consistent across all four...
So, is there a number on this year? Am I going to be disappointed if I get a certain position rather than winning? With the cars being so new, I don’t know the answer to that question. But as I said, I want to be a champion, and we’ll just keep working our arse off towards that. The biggest thing is to just try and be consistent, and hopefully every time I speak to you guys, I’ve got a few more trophies.
Next up is Albert Park, and it’s exciting to be back at the grand prix. Last year was my first time at a proper F1 event — and with pretty good access with Red Bull! We’ve got four races, and you’ve got to be consistent across all four. Everyone said that to me last year, but I didn’t realise just how important it was.
I’ve also got a lot of mates racing — Jack Doohan in F2 and Tommy Smith in F3 — so I’m keen to finally see those boys race and obviously catch up again considering they spend most of their lives in Europe.
It’s going to be a great weekend. It’s bloody exciting to be back in Melbourne. It’s going to be awesome.
I’ll see you there!
Cheers,
Broc
