Notwithstanding what little was made clear by Erebus’s brief media release, paddock insiders believe there is little to no prospect that Kostecki will drive for the Barry Ryan-led outfit at all this year due to a rift with at least factions of the team.

With the start of the season now less than three weeks away, and potential contractual issues at play if there is indeed a lasting split, there is no clear path for the West Australian to be back on the grid this year.

According to Brown, who drove the other Erebus entry in 2023, that would be a “sad” development.

“Obviously, I’ve reached out to him; he’s a great mate of mine, and he’s a true champion,” the new Triple Eight Race Engineering driver said on Seven News Brisbane.

“It’s really sad not to see him on the grid. We want the champion out there, he’s the benchmark right now, and he needs to be on the grid, so something needs to be sorted.”

Brown added on the notion of a Kostecki return this year, “I hope so, I really hope so.

“He lives and breathes racing, and I know he’d want to be out there.”

Supercars champ Brodie Kostecki’s former teammate Will Brown has opened up to 7NEWS hoping he sees the sport’s top driver on track this year. https://t.co/6QvR0OCb7C @NedBalmeLives #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/lJTahRhIQa

— 7NEWS Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) February 3, 2024

Brown had negotiated an early release from his own Erebus contract to join Triple Eight as its replacement for Shane van Gisbergen.

There, the 2023 Sandown 500 pole-sitter will share the garage with incumbent Broc Feeney, who was also queried by reporters about the Kostecki saga at Red Bull Ampol Racing’s big season launch at Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport.

“I sent him a message the other day, just to check in and make sure he’s all good,” said Feeney.

“Obviously, it’s a shame to not have the champion on the grid this year.

“We’ll miss him, I want to race him, he’s the reigning champion, so I want him there on the grid.

“You want to beat the best and, to do that, you’ve got to race them, so we hope to see him back on the grid soon.”

Triple Eight Team Principal, and seven-time champion driver, Jamie Whincup said the developments are a ‘concern’.

“I have reached out to him,” Whincup told reporters in Toowoomba.

“We’re concerned for him, it’s not a good thing.

“We respect our opposition and wish Brodie absolutely all the best and hope to see him back on the grid as quick as he possibly can [be].”

Whincup’s counterpart at Dick Johnson Racing, Ryan Story, declared that a Kostecki absence from the grid would be “an absolute tragedy.”