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Dick Johnson Racing retains co-driver line up for 2023

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: 28 February 2023

Dick Johnson Racing has retained the services of Alex Davison and Tony D’Alberto as co-drivers for the 2023 Supercars Championship.

Davison teamed up with brother Will for the sixth time in their careers and at second DJR last year, while D’Alberto raced alongside the younger Anton de Pasquale.

Both drivers will return in 2023 with their experience being an advantage with new Gen3 Ford Mustangs and the comeback of the Sandown 500 to make the co-driver role even more important this year.

It will be the third straight season Alex Davison and D’Alberto have performed co-driving duties at the famous Ford squad and rules out the possibility of three-time Supercars champion and current IndyCar star Scott McLaughlin racing to Australia for the first time since 2020.

Will Davison’s Gen3 Dick Johnson Racing #17 Mustang completing a test at Queensland Raceway on Tuesday. Image: Shell V-Power Racing Facebook

D’Alberto has become a familiar face at Dick Johnson Racing, having first raced for the team alongside Scott Pye in 2016. He finished fifth with Pye before racing alongside Fabian Coulthard the following year where he recorded his solitary Great Race podium in the rain.

The 2023 season will be D’Alberto’s eighth straight at the team and third with de Pasquale after the pair finished seventh in last year’s eventful race, bouncing back from an engine related DNF in 2021.

Tony D’Alberto and Fabian Coulthard celebrate their podium for Dick Johnson Racing at Bathurst 2017. Image: Daniel Kalisz/LAT Images

D’Alberto is fresh from winning the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series crown with Honda and is staying race fit by defending his TCR crown.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the Shell V-Power Racing Team again for the Supercars Enduros,” D’Alberto said.

“The team is like a family to me. I love the group of people, they’re such a great team with incredible sponsors and a great supporter network.

“I’m excited to pair with Anton again, in a co-driving that relationship that keeps getting stronger and we can continue building on results from previous years.”

The Davison brothers will be steering the famous #17 Ford and are looking to return the front after recording a dramatic DNF last year.

Will and Alex Davison had an eventful time racing in Dick Johnson Racing’s 1000th race at Bathurst last year. Image: Mark Horsburgh

Car #17 sporting a retro 1998-themed livery celebrating Dick Johnson Racing’s 1000th race got stuck in the mud at The Chase, but climbed back up into the top 10 before its crazy Great Race campaign finally came to an end in the tyres at Griffins Bend.

The Davison brothers have enjoyed some success together however, none more so than their first Great Race together in 2014 when they drove an Erebus Motorsport Mercedes to P4.

They have also secured top 10 finishes at 23Red Racing in 2019 and Dick Johnson Racing in 2021.

Older brother Alex Davison said he is pumped to race car #17 at the famous Bathurst and Sandown endurance races.

“I’m super excited to be back with the Shell V-Power Racing Team for the enduros this year,” he said.

“It’s an extra bonus that we’ve got two races and we’re back at the Sandown 500 which is double exciting.

“I’m really happy to be keeping that continuity going, staying with the same group of guys I’ve been with for the past two seasons, now heading into my third consecutive season and sixth season overall with Dick Johnson Racing. I couldn’t be happier!”

Will and Alex Davison showed strong pace together for 23Red Racing at the 2019 Sandown 500. Photo by Dirk Klynsmith / LAT Images

Following Dick Johnson Racing’s announcement, 11 of the 25 cars now have their co-driver combinations locked in.

Tickford Racing recently confirmed Garry Jacobson and Tyler Everingham will join the returning James Moffat and Zak Best.

After retiring from full-time racing Lee Holdsworth is going to race for Walkinshaw Andretti United and Chaz Mostert again after they won Bathurst together in 2021, while Fabian Coulthard joins Nick Percat.

Grove Racing acquired the services of five-time Great Race winner Garth Tander, which forced Triple Eight Race Engineering to sign Richie Stanaway, while Jack Perkins has also been confirmed at Erebus Motorsport. 

Co-drivers are yet to be signed by Team 18, Brad Jones Racing, Blanchard Racing Team, PremiAir Racing and Matt Stone Racing, while Triple Eight, Grove Racing and Erebus still have one seat to fill.

The 2023 Supercars Championship begins at Newcastle on March 10-12.

For more of the latest motorsport news and a bumper F1 season preview, pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.

AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport

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