Dick Johnson Racing releases explosive statement as Supercars parity war explodes at Bathurst

Just hours after their star driver Brodie Kostecki claimed a third straight pole position - and his first for the Blue Oval - the Ford homologation team’s attack came after a last-ditch protest to Motorsport Australia over a “lack of fairness”.

The team protested over a “lack of fairness arising from the decision-making process and failure to implement an engine parity adjustment in the 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000, resulting in a known performance disparity between the Ford and GM engines” and was summoned to a stewards hearing, but it was dismissed.

DJR confirmed it would not appeal the decision, but not before launching a grenade at Supercars ahead of the biggest race of the year.

The Ford squad said testing showed the Chevrolet Camaro produced an extra “10 horsepower” over the Mustang when they reached top-line speed - particularly on the straights - at higher altitude tracks, such as Mount Panorama.

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“Parity is the foundation of the Supercars Championship. Without it, there is no competition,” the DJR statement read.

“For two years, Ford teams have demanded engine testing at Bathurst barometric pressures. For two years, Supercars delayed. Then, before the 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000, they finally conducted the testing – at their own facility, with their own equipment, under their own methodology.

“And the results are irrefutable.

“Despite making the same power at sea-level, at 92kPa barometric pressure (Bathurst conditions) the GM engine produces up to an additional 10 horsepower over the Ford engine above 5,900 rpm, where the engine operates for 94% of a lap of Mount Panorama at full throttle. This data explains why the Mustang is slower than the Camaro in a straight line at Bathurst – double the deficit at sea-level circuits.

“Supercars’ Director of Powertrains at their facility, developed a technical solution to correct this proven disparity: a 1mm larger restrictor and revised engine calibration.

“Supercars have failed to implement it on the basis that GM declined to agree to it.

“(Supercars chief executive) James Warburton said his job is to ensure ‘anyone in any brand in any team can walk through the gates at any race track and actually win the race’.

“Supercars chose consultation with GM over correction. They chose politics over parity. They confirmed the problem exists. They know how to fix it. They chose not to.”

DJR said it accepted the stewards decision over its appeal, in which they had questioned whether Supercars’ inaction breached “parity obligations” and the FIA’s International Sporting Code.

“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, under their supreme authority to settle any matter which may arise during an event, also under the ISC,” the statement read.

“After considerable deliberation, whilst not offering an opinion as to the merits of the protest, the Stewards determined that they lacked the necessary jurisdiction to apply the remedy sought.

“We accept their decision, we move on.”

Kostecki will be aiming to win Ford’s and DJR’s first Mount Panorama crown in six years on Sunday alongside co-driver Todd Hazelwood with “no parity at Bathurst”.

“To our fans: You’ve watched this unfold for two years. You’ve seen the numbers from the speed trap on Conrod Straight. You’ve heard the promises. Now you know the facts. Supercars’ own testing has validated that there is no parity at Bathurst,” the team added.

“We will race hard on Sunday. We always do. But winning will require us to be more extraordinary than ever, as we will do so knowing we’re racing with one hand tied behind our back.

“We know the cost of speaking out. But the integrity of this sport depends on someone being willing to say publicly what Supercars have said themselves in their own report.

“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.”

Supercars responded to DJR’s statement, saying:

“A stewards hearing was held, the protest was heard and dismissed, and no appeal was lodged,” the spokesperson said.

“The defending Bathurst 1000 champion drivers will now start Sunday’s Great Race from pole position after two days of incredible qualifying action.”

Earlier, Supercars great and six-time Bathurst 1000 champion Mark Skaife launched into the Ford camp for “playing games” over parity.

In a stinging response on the Bathurst broadcast, Skaife hit back at Ford’s claims and said the miniscule margins separating the Fords and Chevrolet cars in qualifying showed parity between the two makes was “as close as they can be”.

“There are obviously just a lot of games being played in the background, it’s disappointing for me,” Skaife said.

“We saw the press conference, we saw the reactions, some of the other guys were laughing at the same time and obviously Brodie is pretty bullish about it so there is a lot going on in the background.

“(Friday qualifying) was absolutely epic. That top 10 is the closest top 10 in history at this place. The top six cars are separated by less than a tenth of a second.

“When you think about three Mustangs and three Camaros in the top six, as I said separated by nothing, it is extraordinary

“So to claim that there is some parity issue, I’m bewildered by that. That blows me away.

“Speed is speed so the thing that they are talking about that it won’t correlate to the race, well it certainly correlates to how fast you can go around this place.”

Originally published as Dick Johnson Racing releases explosive statement as Supercars parity war explodes at Bathurst