Brown expects Kostecki to fight for 2025 championship

Will Brown believes incoming Dick Johnson Racing driver Brodie Kostecki will be a contender for the Repco Supercars Championship in 2025.

Teammates at Erebus Motorsport between 2021 and 2023, Brown and Kostecki will compete for Triple Eight Race Engineering and DJR next season.

Kostecki won the championship in 2023, with Brown recently taking out the title in his first season with Triple Eight.

Both drivers have faced questions over their credentials in the last 18 months; Brown was faced with the prospect of replacing Shane van Gisbergen, while Kostecki was among the headlines after he missed the first two rounds this year.

However, both drivers have stood up to the task, Kostecki winning the Repco Bathurst 1000 and Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 finale to head to DJR on a high.

Speaking on Supercars' Drivers Only podcast, Brown cited Chaz Mostert's blockbuster move to Walkinshaw Andretti United as to how a driver can remain a contender despite changing teams.

"It's like Chaz went to Walkinshaw and everyone wanted him at the time to go to Penske or Triple Eight," Brown said.

"He's performed at a team. He's a good driver. I think Brodie's got the engineers he needs, that's why he's taken them.

"And I think he's on a bit of a high right now, still. He's won Bathurst. I think he's still a contender. I think he's a contender for the top four at the end of next year."

Kostecki and DJR are both excited by the new-for-2025 Finals Series format, with the former saying the team chased him to bring DJR back to form.

Kostecki has been followed to DJR by Erebus engineers George Commins and Tom Moore, as well as Bathurst-winning co-driver Todd Hazelwood, with the Ford squad to race with Erebus-built chassis from next season.

According to team boss Dr Ryan Story, the changes are behind the "clear objective" to get DJR back to the front of the field.

Brown said the engineers must be given "free reign" to help push the team back to the front, with 2010 champion James Courtney claiming DJR's break from the Penske era would suit the larrikin Kostecki.

"Speed's never a question with him. He seems like he's quite the engineer also," Courtney said.

"It'll be an interesting dynamic. I think it's probably better that it's not the 'Penske way' anymore. I think that's loosened up a little."

The 2025 Repco Supercars Championship will commence in Sydney on February 21-23. Tickets are on sale now.