Key Kostecki questions answered as 2023 champ arrives at DJR
Brodie Kostecki's new journey with Dick Johnson Racing will truly begin on Thursday, as the team unveils its 2025 Shell V-Power Racing Team Ford Mustangs.
After four seasons as an Erebus Motorsport driver, steering General Motors machinery, Kostecki arrives at Supercars' oldest team already a series champion and Bathurst winner. Read Supercars.com's Kostecki-to-DJR preview piece here.
Few driver moves have carried such anticipation as this one. Here are the key questions about the Supercars star's early days with the historic Ford team as he prepares for the next stage of his already brilliant career.
Who was DJR's last champion?
DJR has had some lean years, but the team did win the last of three drivers' titles with Scott McLaughlin just over four years ago.
McLaughlin, when Penske was part of the Ford team, won the 2018, 2019 and 2020 championships, and won a whopping 48 races between 2017 and 2020.
That came after the last time DJR underwent a rebuild of sorts, so watch out...
When will Kostecki first drive a DJR Ford?
Kostecki's first race weekend with DJR will come at Sydney Motorsport Park on February 21-23, two days after he joins his Supercars rivals at an all-in test day at the same circuit.
The Sydney test won't be his first drive of a DJR car, however, with the team planning a shakedown of its two new-for-2025 Mustangs.
DJR plans to shake down its two new Fords at Queensland Raceway on February 13, before the team packs up its truck and heads down south to Sydney for Round 1.
Per Supercars shakedown rules, each car is permitted up to 60km of mileage. That's approximately 19 laps of Queensland Raceway, so Kostecki will be itching to get into it in greater depth in Sydney.
What has Kostecki been doing so far?
Like most drivers, Kostecki has been in and out of DJR's workshop, getting to know his new team members.
Kostecki is based on the Gold Coast, but has been making stops at DJR's Stapylton workshop since the first week of January.
On January 20, Kostecki made his first public appearance in Shell V-Power colours at Queensland Raceway, helping Supercars announced Century Batteries as the naming rights sponsor for the circuit’s return round in August.
Earlier this week, Kostecki suited up in Shell V-Power colours as the team locked in another partner, giving fans a taste of what's to come.
And, if you've been keeping a close eye on his social channels, Kostecki, a rev-head at heart, has also been trackside at a number of speedway events.
Who will be Kostecki's race engineer?
In a warning shot to his rivals, Kostecki will have the familiar voice of George Commins in his ear, with the latter also following the star driver to DJR.
Kostecki and Commins worked together for the previous four seasons at Erebus Motorsport, combining to win the 2023 championship and 2024 Bathurst 1000.
Commins was Kostecki's first full-time Supercars engineer in 2021, and remained by his side until the end of last season at Erebus.
Who is Kostecki's enduro co-driver?
In another win for DJR, Kostecki's Bathurst-winning co-driver Todd Hazelwood has also followed the 27-year-old to the Ford team.
Hazelwood was a fan of DJR in his youth, and has labelled the deal as a dream drive. It's yet another example of DJR securing continuity for its star recruit, given Hazelwood was arguably pick of the co-drivers last year.
How long is Kostecki's DJR deal?
While the length of Kostecki's DJR deal was unspecified, it's highly unlikely he moved there on a one-year deal.
Last year, Kostecki claimed he had a "long-term commitment" to Australian motorsport, so expect him to go around for at least one more year in Shell V-Power colours after the 2025 season.
Can Kostecki win another championship with DJR?
Kostecki said last year that DJR, quote, "wanted someone who could bring the team back in form." It was clear that DJR wanted to make a big statement, and signing the then reigning champion was just that.
Kostecki knows his worth and his talent, and that quote proves as such. So, he won't have moved to DJR to make up the numbers. The team wants success, and so does the driver. Through all the trauma and question marks at the start of 2024, Kostecki buried it emphatically with wins at Bathurst and the Gold Coast.
DJR and Ford fans will be hoping Kostecki can do the same in Shell V-Power colours in 2025. He'll be out to prove he can extract performance at a different team, given he has only raced with Erebus.
If the car's there, he'll be hard to beat. We've seen it before, so don't be surprised if we see it again, even as early as this season.
Tickets for the season-opening round in Sydney, on February 21-23, are on sale now.
