Mark Webber Steps In to Help Supercars Champion Will Brown With Heat Issues

Two cool suit failures have left 2024 Supercars champion Will Brown feeling "cooked" and seeking medical attention this season. After the latest incident at Taupo in April, an unexpected call from Mark Webber changed his approach to heat management.

Why it matters:

Driver safety and performance in extreme heat is a growing concern in Supercars, especially as cooling systems prove unreliable. With tightened regulations expected before Darwin in June, Webber's intervention highlights the cross-series cooperation in motorsport to solve a systemic issue.

The details:

• Brown experienced cool suit failures at the Sydney opener and again at Taupo, requiring medical treatment for heat exhaustion both times.
• Webber, who works with Oscar Piastri and previously with Porsche LMP drivers, recommended a Melbourne-based trainer named Simon.
• Brown underwent a two-hour heat stress test in 40°C conditions, measuring core temperature via a rectal probe — a method he didn't realize until arriving at the facility.
• Key findings: The test taught Brown how to train for heat, pre-cooling techniques, and how his body's temperature regulation can degrade after repeated overheating episodes.
• Triple Eight identified the root cause of the failures: a too-small cooling system reservoir that couldn't handle an extra cooling shirt.
  • The team has since upgraded to the best available cool suits, and Brown says the issue is now rectified.

What's next:

Supercars is expected to mandate both chilled helmet air and a functioning cool suit for all races starting in Darwin, closing a loophole that only required one of three cooling methods to work.

• Brown is now applying the heat training insights from Webber's contact, calling the experience "extremely valuable."
• Teammate Broc Feeney also struggled after Sydney but recovered faster — highlighting that the problem affected both cars, though Brown's susceptibility was greater.