How Kostecki could drive the 2025 silly season
The West Australian cemented his superstar status this year by securing a maiden title with the plucky Erebus Motorsport squad.
Having come into the 2023 season without a win to his name, he scored six victories as he swept to the title ahead of three-time champion Shane van Gisbergen.
For 2024 he is in the final year of his current contract with Erebus which means he is a free agent for 2025.
That tracked with speculation that Kostecki could look to follow van Gisbergen to the US with a full-time NASCAR move in the next couple of years.
Kostecki made his Cup Series debut at the Indianapolis Road Course earlier this year and is set to make as many as four NASCAR starts with Richard Childress Racing next season, backed by Peter Adderton and his MobileX company.
However, sources close to Kostecki have indicated that a permanent Stateside move isn’t on the cards in the short-term and that he wants to continue in Supercars full-time beyond next season.
That will undoubtedly make him a major talking point when it comes to the silly season next year.
Kostecki’s 2023 teammate Will Brown may have helped take one potential suitor out of the running with his in-contract defection from Erebus to Triple Eight ahead of the 2024 season.
The Brown/Broc Feeney combo is likely to be one that carries over to 2025, however things are less straightforward at a number of other teams.
Dick Johnson Racing is expected to have both drivers, Anton De Pasquale and Will Davison, coming off-contract next year, while there is ongoing uncertainty over Cam Waters’ future at Tickford Racing beyond next season.
Should Grove Racing’s gamble on Richie Stanaway pay off there is likely to be stability with him and Matt Payne beyond next season, while Walkinshaw Andretti United has a long-term deal with Chaz Mostert – but a gamble of its own on the hugely-promising Ryan Wood next year.
The futures of veterans Mark Winterbottom and James Courtney are unknown beyond next season, with potential vacancies at almost all other teams as the likes of Kostecki, De Pasquale and Waters assess the market.
