How Kostecki-inspired DJR has rejuvenated Davison

For all the noise around Brodie Kostecki, the new-look Dick Johnson Racing has also breathed new life into veteran Will Davison, according to the team's star recruit.

Davison, who is three rounds into his fifth season with the Shell V-Power Racing Team, currently sits 11th in the standings after Round 3.

After three rounds in 2023 and 2024, the two-time Bathurst winner was ninth, 320 and 321 points off the championship lead, equating to 60% of the leader's total points. After three rounds this season, Davison is 11th, with his total also 60% of leader Will Brown's haul.

Crucially, through, Davison is finding his feet with a new philosophy and new engineer Tom Moore, something he admitted he had reservations over after Round 1.

Speaking on Drivers Only, Kostecki said he has seen first-hand how Davison is reaping the rewards.

“We’re getting there slowly, we’re finding our feet,” Kostecki said.

“I’m actually really looking forward to Tasmania. Bit of an up and down to the start of the year.

“It’s been a big change, obviously for myself and even Davo as well, he’s been a part of the organisation now for a few years.

“It’s funny, we were walking into the track [in New Zealand] on the Saturday, and he didn’t have too good of a Friday.

“And he’s umming and ahing, ‘I didn’t get a green run, just need to maximise today’, then boom, he’s [P4] in qualifying.”

Come race time, and Davison got his elbows out to put Broc Feeney to the sword, helping Kostecki back into podium contention after his earlier bruising battle with Chaz Mostert.

As Kostecki grappled with the disappointment of his own result, the 2023 champion was quickly brought back to earth by Davison's excitement.

“Then the Saturday race on the Super Soft, he’s P2. [Feeney] and him were having a good dice, and he jumps out of the car… in my eyes, I was pretty dirty about the race,” Kostecki continued.

“Then I jump out of the car and I see his face, and he comes up to me and he’s like, ‘Mate, I just passed a Triple Eight car! I can’t believe it!’

“He said, ‘I haven’t had a car like that in a while’. It was really cool to see him be happy and the team be happy.

“Pretty happy with the progress, but we’d love some more trophies, that’d be great."

Kostecki and Davison are sixth and 11th, and DJR, fourth, heading to Tasmania on May 9-11.