DJR Protest Thrown Out – But the Bathurst Parity Battle Just Got Personal

What was shaping up to be a classic battle on the mountain could also have implications far beyond the racetrack, with legal and technical drama unfolding behind the scenes, and now entering a new, more public phase.

As exclusively revealed by Auto Action earlier today, Dick Johnson Racing (DJR) lodged a formal protest with Motorsport Australia, alleging a lack of fairness in Supercars’ refusal to implement an engine performance adjustment recommended by parity testing ahead of the 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000.

In a statement released late Saturday after its protest was dismissed, DJR said: “Parity is the foundation of the Supercars Championship. Without it, there is no competition.”

Protest Thrown Out by Stewards

The protest focused on data obtained from Supercars’ own pre-event engine testing, conducted at Bathurst-equivalent atmospheric conditions, which, according to DJR, proved the GM Camaro engine produces up to 10 more horsepower than the Ford Mustang at 92kPa barometric pressure.

However, Motorsport Australia dismissed the protest, ruling it inadmissible, stating: “The relief sought by the Competitor falls outside the powers of the Stewards.”

The stewards’ ruling continued: “The matter raised by the protest is in the nature of a Dispute which, pursuant to the TRC, must be resolved in accordance with the Dispute Resolution mechanism set out in the TRC.”

That decision effectively sends the matter upstairs, into the confidential realm of the Teams Racing Charter (TRC), where disputes over parity, homologation, and technical regulation are resolved internally between teams, Supercars, and manufacturers.

“We asked the Stewards whether Supercars’ failure to implement the fix breached the category’s parity obligations and the FIA International Sporting Code (ISC) obligation of fairness,” DJR said in a statement on Saturday night.

“After considerable deliberation… the Stewards determined that they lacked the necessary jurisdiction to apply the remedy sought. We accept their decision. We move on.”

In a rare move, DJR has publicly released some of the technical data underpinning its protest, a bold step in a sport where parity discussions are often kept behind closed doors, or whispered in ways that prevent reporting.

“Despite making the same power at sea-level, at 92kPa (Bathurst conditions), the GM engine produces up to an additional 10 horsepower over the Ford engine above 5900 RPM,” the team said.

“That’s where the engine operates for 94% of a lap of Mount Panorama at full throttle.”

According to the team, Supercars’ Director of Powertrains developed a fix, involving a 1mm larger restrictor and revised engine calibration, which would equalise performance. However, the fix was not implemented, because General Motors teams declined to approve it, as required under TRC unanimity rules.

“Supercars confirmed the problem exists. They know how to fix it. They chose not to,” the DJR statement said.

Kostecki, Ford Tensions, and a Lockout Shootout

Driver Brodie Kostecki and DJR had already been vocal throughout the weekend, alleging ongoing parity disadvantages, particularly in straight-line speed. Kostecki was seen visibly frustrated in a TV interview with Mark Larkham, who talked about data that contradicted Kostecki’s top-speed claims.

Amid the controversy, Ford drivers delivered a strong on-track response, locking out the Top 10 Shootout, a dramatic moment that added fuel to an already volatile narrative.

Some Ford teams have previously welcomed changes made to the aero package at The Bend, but DJR, acting as Ford’s Homologation Team, maintains that key engine disparities remain unaddressed.

The protest’s dismissal by Motorsport Australia highlights the limited power of stewards to rule on technical disputes arising under the TRC, a distinction that may shape how future protests or grievances are handled.

Ford Racing and Chevrolet Racing said they were unaware of the protest until it became public. DJR declined further comment beyond its written statement, and Supercars has not yet issued a formal response.

“Silence the Fix, Not the Facts”

DJR’s statement closes on a defiant note, suggesting this protest is far from the end of the conversation:

“We didn’t come to Bathurst to make excuses. We came to win. Supercars can silence the fix. They can’t silence the facts…

“We have been extraordinary today; we will be even more extraordinary tomorrow.”

As the on-track action continues, so too does the broader war over parity, performance, and the politics of the Gen3 era.

But for now, the parity debate will take a backseat to the racing.