Reigning Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki will join Dick Johnson Racing next season alongside incumbent Will Davison.
Rising star Cooper Murray will take his place at Erebus on a multiyear deal partnering Jack Le Brocq.
The long-anticipated Kostecki switch ends his successful but controversial four-year full-time stint with Erebus that took both to their maiden championships last year but saw team and driver fall out during the off-season.
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Kostecki sat out the first two rounds of the year over a dispute that has never been made public, and though he was coaxed back into the car by April, his position at the team beyond the end of the year has been in doubt ever since.
PremiAir was rumoured to have made a play for him in recent months before DJR swooped in.
The Stapylton squad cleared the decks for his arrival, allowing young gun Kai Allen to leave for Grove, where he will replace Richie Stanaway, while Anton de Pasquale confirmed earlier this week he would decamp for Team 18, replacing Mark Winterbottom.
In a short statement, Kostecki said he was excited to join a team “with such a rich history of success”.
“This partnership represents a new chapter for me, and I look forward to working alongside Will and the entire team,” he said.
Team founder Dick Johnson described Kostecki as one of the sport’s best drivers.
“He’s an impressive young man, and I’ve certainly got a soft spot for anyone who has as much mechanical sympathy and understanding of the car as he does,” he said. “With the combination of Will and Brodie, we look forward to chasing wins and returning to the top next season.”
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An extension to Davison’s tenure with the team was also confirmed as part of the announcement, taking the 23-time race winner into an eighth full-time season with DJR and a fifth season in succession. It will be his 19th full-time campaign in Supercars and will take him past his 42nd birthday.
Davison said Kostecki would accelerate the team’s rise back to the top of the championship.
“We know we have a strong foundation within our group, and we will be pushing and doing whatever it takes to get ourselves back on top,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working with Brodie; I know he’ll be a great addition to the DJR family.”
In need of reinvention in the Gen3 era, Kostecki’s signature will have DJR boast a champion among its ranks for the first time since Scott McLaughlin left the squad at the end of 2020.
“Our 2025 line-up is one of the best on the grid and a clear statement of intent from us and the commitment we have to our organisation, partners and supporters for the future,” team principal Ryan Story said. “Together Will and Brodie will push each other further and make each other better.
“We acknowledge and thank Anton de Pasquale for his contribution to the team and wish him well for the future.
“The hard decision was to let Anton go, the easy decision was to pair Will and Brodie together.”
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Kostecki’s Erebus exit opens a space for young gun Cooper Murray to take his place at the reigning teams champion alongside Jack Le Brocq.
It continues the team’s long-held preference to promote youth, having blooded both Kostecki and Will Brown in the category, a pairing that led to the team’s breakthrough championship last season, as well as De Pasquale in 2018.
“With the signing of Cooper, we’re reaffirming our commitment to developing young talent,” team owner Betty Klimenko said. “With Jack now taking a leadership role in our team, it’s the perfect time to introduce a young driver who can learn and grow alongside him.”
Murray, who finished fourth in last season’s Super2 championship, dipped his toe into the main game with a wildcard appearance at the Darwin Triple Crown earlier this year, finishing 22nd and 25th.
The 23-year-old said it was a childhood dream to make the step up to full-time racing in the series.
“I’ve been working towards this moment since I started racing karts when I was 10, so I’m ready to make the most of it,” he said.
“This is an amazing opportunity. Getting your foot in the door in the main game is tough, and I’m incredibly grateful for this chance.”
Team CEO Barry Ryan paid tribute to Kostecki’s contribution to the team.
“We’re immensely proud of everything Brodie and the team accomplished during his time with Erebus and wish him all the best in his future with DJR,” he said.
“With four rounds still to go, our team is 100 per cent committed to the enduro campaign and determined to finish 2024 on a high. We’re ready to give it everything we’ve got.”
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The flurry of driver signings leaves only four seats uncommitted for next season, with two apiece at PremiAir and Brad Jones Racing.
In practice, however, only Tim Slade’s drive at PremiAir is believed to be open, with the team expected to retain James Golding, while BJR is expected continue with Jaxon Evans and Macauley Jones.
2025 Supercars grid so far
Triple Eight: Will Brown and Broc Feeney
Walkinshaw Andretti United: Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood
Tickford: Cam Waters and Thomas Randle
Dick Johnson Racing: Will Davison and Brodie Kostecki
Grove: Matt Payne and Kai Allen
Matt Stone Racing: Nick Percat and Cameron Hill
Erebus: Jack Le Brocq and Cooper Murray
Team 18: David Reynolds and Anton de Pasquale
PremiAir: (out of contract: James Golding and Tim Slade)
Brad Jones Racing (1): Andre Heimgartner and Bryce Fullwood
Brad Jones Racing (2): (out of contract: Jaxon Evans and Macauley Jones)
Blanchard Racing Team: James Courtney and Aaron Love