They once called him "The Kid".
But veteran Supercars driver Craig Lowndes still isn't cutting record breaking youngster Alex Rullo any slack at the Supercars season opener in Adelaide.
At just 16, Rullo has become the youngest ever Supercars driver, beating Paul Dumbrell's 1999 record by 79 days.
Lowndes was also a fresh-faced youngster when he burst onto the touring car scene at Bathurst five years earlier.
But the now grey haired Lowndes - at 42 - still has little sympathy for Perth Year 12 student Rullo.
"I just hope it doesn't backfire and that they have not thrown someone into the deep end too quickly," Lowndes said of Rullo's touring car debut.
"They say you either sink or swim - hopefully he doesn't sink."
Eyebrows were raised when Rullo was given a provisional Superlicence by governing body CAMS.
They will review his case after each round after making an exception for the talented teenager. The usual age cut off for the license is 17.
Rullo finished second last in the season-opening 78-lap race ahead of Sunday's final 250km event and Lowndes sounded like he still needed some convincing.
"For me at that age I was still doing Formula Ford, getting a base build-up that I had hoped was getting ready for Supercars," Lowndes told AAP.
"There's no doubt it has caused a bit of controversy but he has to embrace it now and learn from the experience.
"It is how you take it on. Hopefully he has got some good people around him to guide him through that - it is up to him to see what he does."
Lowndes is entering his 21st full-time Supercars season and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Now in his 12th year with Triple Eight Engineering, Holden veteran Lowndes has never finished outside the top four in the drivers' standings.
He finished eighth on Saturday behind Shane van Gisbergen.
Lowndes said he hoped to start mapping out his future with team boss Roland Dane in the next month.
"We haven't started negotiations with Roland but the vibe is positive," he said.
"I would love to say I could front up a few more years.
"I have to cross that path with Roland but personally yes I would love to continue."
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