Kostecki doubtful about victory despite provisional pole
By Thomas Miles
Date posted: 10 October 2025
Despite being Friday’s fastest, Brodie Kostecki believes it will be ‘incredibly difficult’ for Ford to win the 2025 Bathurst 1000.
Kostecki has lashed out over the ongoing engine parity discussions that have exploded in the paddock.
Ford is pushing for an engine tweak ahead of Sunday’s Great Race, after receiving aero changes ahead of the Bend 500.
The “Blue Oval” has been pressing for an engine calibration update, but Chevrolet teams have resisted the mid-event changes, and some Ford teams agree there is no issue.
Despite this bubbling in the background, Kostecki still topped the timesheets in Friday qualifying with a rapid 2:04.0407.
However, the DJR driver and reigning Bathurst champion doubts this pace will translate to when it matters on Sunday.
“I am not too sure. We need to get our upgrade to fix the deficit to the Camaros,” Kostecki said.
“They are two kays an hour on average and it’s a bit disappointing that nothing has been done about it after a report has been published
“Our report has been published, and it is just crap.”
Pre-Bathurst engine testing, including simulations to account for barometric pressure and the high altitude of Mount Panorama, indicated a split performance profile: the Camaro trailed the Ford at low rpm, while the Ford fell away at high rpm, aligning with the top-speed concern raised by Kostecki.
To close the gap, Supercars proposed a Mustang engine tweak: increase the air restrictor from 50mm to 51mm and adjust camshaft timing.
However, under the Teams Racing Charter, any change to the Engine Specification Documents (ESDs) requires unanimous approval. GM teams vetoed the package, despite having previously agreed to Ford’s aero changes aimed at improving straight-line speed before The Bend. They could have easily blocked these changes, given the 28-day notice requirement.
Supercars remained willing to implement the cam-timing change, which sits outside the ESD, but Dick Johnson Racing, which is still the Ford Homologation team, declined that option.
All this added to the intrigue when Kostecki topped qualifying and followed up with, “It doesn’t matter,” before claiming that if he were in a Camaro, he would have further in front.
He then took aim at the process of deciding on changes to the Gen3 Camaros and Mustangs.
“I don’t know, it is not up to us. The system is pretty flawed,” he said.
“The best way to put it is that it’s a footy grand final and points are tied, there is a free kick and you have to ask the other team to miss the free kick to win.
“It is pretty disappointing for everyone on the Ford side, and it will make it incredibly difficult to win on Sunday.
“We are doing the best job we can with what we’ve got, but motors don’t deg down the straight and tyres do, so you cannot make up for what you don’t have.”
Triple Eight Managing Director and co-driver Jamie Whincup was also in the press conference, but the current Chevrolet competitor and future Ford homologation team leader steered clear of it all.
“I am going to stay away from any parity discussion. I have my co-driver hat on,” he said.
It all leads to an intriguing Shootout day on and off the track.
Image: Peter Norton
2025 Bathurst 1000 schedule
Thursday, October 9
PRACTICE 1 1: R. Wood/J. Ojeda 2:05.1029 2: A. De Pasquale/H. Jones +0.4236 3: K. Allen/D. Wood +0.8132
PRACTICE 2 1: Scott Pye/W. Brown 2:06.8395 2: David Russell/J. Golding +0.1461 3: Tony D’Alberto/W. Davison +0.6345
Friday, October 10
PRACTICE 3 1: B.Feeney/J.Whincup 2:04.9763 2: R.Wood/J.Ojeda +0.0341 3: W.Brown/S.Pye +0.0784
PRACTICE 4 1: C. Mostert/F. Coulthard 2:04.6591 2: N. Percat/T. Slade +0.0754 3: B. Kostecki/T. Hazelwood +0.1210
QUALIFYING 1 Brodie Kostecki 2:04.0307 2 Broc Feeney +0.0064 3 Ryan Wood +0.0560
Saturday, October 11
PRACTICE 5 (co-drivers only) 10:05 AM – 11:05 AM
PRACTICE 6 1:10 PM – 2:10 PM
TOP TEN SHOOTOUT 5:05 PM – 5:50 PM
Bathurst Day, October 12
WARM UP 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM
THE GREAT RACE 11:45 AM (161 laps)
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