Supercars Chief Executive Officer James Warburton intervened to calm tensions on Monday after fans unleashed sharp criticism over how the 2025 title was decided in Adelaide. His statement arrived less than 48 hours after Chaz Mostert clinched the Repco Supercars Championship in a finale that swung on the opening lap and triggered comparisons to NASCAR’s playoff system.The reaction came on Sunday evening, with many supporters arguing that the new Finals format had overshadowed the season-long fight between Broc Feeney and Mostert. Mostert’s run to second place in Race 34 sealed the championship after Feeney’s day collapsed in the first minute.Contact with Ryan Wood sent the Triple Eight driver spinning from pole to 21st. A penalty for Wood followed, but Feeney’s recovery stalled after a slow stop, and a misfire forced him to settle for 20th. It allowed Mostert to claim the title despite Feeney’s stronger season with 13 wins, 17 poles, and controlling most of the finale weekend.The debate grew enough for Supercars to issue a formal response on X, via Warburton:“We love our fans and know you’re the most passionate of any sport. We love what the stars of our sport do for our supporters on and off the track.... Our new Finals series has just stirred emotions and opinions like never before.... But no matter what happens, there’s never any place for personal abuse. It can’t be tolerated and must be called out. It doesn’t belong in any part of society, and it definitely doesn’t belong in Supercars.”Warburton's message followed the rising conversation around the format. Many supporters felt Feeney’s resume reflected the type of season that traditionally produced a champion. Mostert executed the Finals Series better, but the structure, which resets the field and narrows the contenders to ten, became the focal point of the debate.The online backlash mirrored the tone seen in NASCAR circles after Denny Hamlin’s 2025 Cup defeat under a similar elimination system. Others argued that the three-phase structure - Sprint Cup, Enduro Cup and Finals Series - created a title decider that rewarded luck over consistency.Warburton’s response also arrived days after former NASCAR driver Mark Martin criticized the playoff concept and called the Supercars version a “dumb system.” That comment spread quickly among both fanbases and reignited longstanding arguments about merit, chaos, and championship identity. Supercars will return in the same format again, as the 2026 season begins in 82 days.Supercars keeps the three-phase system as 2026 expands to 37 racesThe 2025 Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama. Source: GettyWhile the reaction to Adelaide continues, Supercars has already locked in an expanded and more demanding structure for 2026. The category confirmed a 14-round calendar with 37 individual races - the largest schedule in more than a decade. Every Australian state, the Northern Territory, and both New Zealand islands will host events as the series looks to grow the Gen3 era with the Toyota GR Supra joining the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro.The three-phase championship model remains intact. The opening nine rounds form the Repco Sprint Cup, where a winner will be crowned at Ipswich. The Ryco Enduro Cup remains at The Bend’s AirTouch 500 and the Repco Bathurst 1000. The year will again close with the Finals Series at the Gold Coast, Sandown, and Adelaide, where the top ten drivers will compete for the title.The increase to 37 races brings changes to formats across the 2026 calendar, with 500km of more racing. Sydney, Townsville, and Darwin adopt the 500 format with three days of running, including races on Friday. The Australian Grand Prix retains its four sprint races, while 18 Top Ten Shootouts are scheduled under a mix of single-session, two-part, and three-part qualifying procedures.Practice has been trimmed at several Sprint Cup events, with the longer enduro sessions reserved for co-drivers. Sydney Motorsport Park will open the 2026 season with the Sydney 500 on February 20-22, beginning a 7195-kilometre Supercars campaign that is set to be the longest since 2014.