MOTORSPORT: Supercars champ Kostecki set to depart Erebus
Reigning champion Kostecki is the latest star driver to leave Supercars as NASCAR tilt beckonsThe Repco Supercars Championship is set to have a new series victor in 2024, with reigning champion Brodie Kostecki set to sensationally split with the Coca-Cola-backed Erebus squad in a late silly season move.
As reported by Speedcafe, further to sitting out the opening portion of the calendar, Kostecki may in fact miss the entire 12-event season, with a possible NASCAR program on his agenda.
The Western Australia native made his NASCAR Cup Series debut last year at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road course, where, despite illness and a qualifying crash, he impressed many with a drive from the rear of the field to 22nd in a largely caution-free race.
That particular outing came under the umbrella of Richard Childress Racing, with Childress visiting the most recent round of the Supercars Championship, where he witnessed Kostecki seal the 2023 title on the streets of Adelaide.
It was noted at the event that Kostecki would be seeking further opportunities Stateside, with long-time backer Peter Adderton unveiling on his social media channels an RCR-prepped 2024 NASCAR Cup car for Kostecki.
Adderton has subsequently confirmed the news of Kostecki’s departure.
“This is a huge loss for Supercars and those supporting partners and, most importantly, the fans,” he said.
“It’s clear there are issues across the board from teams to drivers … no Brodie, no SvG, what a huge loss.”
The move follows hot on the heels of Shane van Gisbergen’s full-time switch to the United States, where he will run a mixed campaign at the elite Cup level alongside a full-time second-tier Xfinity Series drive, plus other select races including the Daytona 500 curtain-raising ARCA Series Race.
With Scott McLaughlin having previously departed at the end of 2020 to chase his IndyCar dream, if Kostecki ultimately fails to land a drive in Australia the only previous series champions on the current grid could potentially be James Courtney (2010) and Mark Winterbottom (2015), with Jamie Whincup and Garth Tander set to continue as endurance-only co-drivers.
In a continuation of a worrying trend for the sport, elsewhere, Cameron Waters has been linked to a limited campaign with leading Ford outfit RFK Racing.
The news is also a major blow for the Erebus Motorsport equipe, which will be faced with fielding an all-new driver line-up.
Jack Le Brocq has already been confirmed as a replacement for Triple Eight-bound Will Brown, who will fill the Red Bull Ampol Racing seat vacated by van Gisbergen.
Industry speculation has linked former Super2 series winner Todd Hazlewood as Kostecki’s successor, after initially looking like an endurance race-only prospect for the squad.
For Hazelwood, the move could potentially be his big break in the sport, having previously spent two stints with Matt Stone Racing, two years with Brad Jones Racing and last year with the single-car Blanchard Racing Team.
No matter who drives for Erebus, they will start the season with a fresh Chevrolet Camaro, with Kostecki’s championship winner having been retired, while Brown’s car was destroyed in a Saturday wreck in Adelaide.
The Supercars season is set to kick off on February 24-25 with the Thrifty Bathurst 500.
Related: MOTORSPORT: Where to now for Supercars?
Related: MOTORSPORT: SvG and Kostecki take on NASCAR
Related: MOTORSPORT: Kostecki claims Supercars title
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