Dick Johnson Racing driver Brodie Kostecki is one of just three drivers to have raced both brands in the Gen3 era.
He won the 2023 title with Erebus Motorsport and went on to claim the 2024 Bathurst 1000 alongside Todd Hazelwood.
A shift of stables has not borne the fruit he had hoped for, and in 2025 has just one win to his credit.
Supercars is currently evaluating potential changes to the Mustang ahead of the Endurance Cup.
That process has included data gathering during recent tests at Queensland Raceway and The Bend Motorsport Park.
Whether or not changes are approved, however, remains to be seen.
As it stands, Kostecki is concerned that his chances of going back-to-back at the Bathurst 1000 are slim.
“I wouldn’t say there’s no chance, but it would probably have to rain to be honest at this rate,” Kostecki told Speedcafe.
“We’re definitely lacking in a few areas and I’ve made my points pretty clear of where the comparisons are.
“It’s obviously quite hard from both sides because I’m driving for another car [manufacturer] now and it can be questioned whether I’m doing it for my own personal gain or whatnot.”
Kostecki referenced his championship-winning season with Erebus Motorsport, which included six wins and a total of 18 podiums.
His two podiums to date with Dick Johnson Racing are through no lack of trying, he said.
“I guess the best way to put it is when I was [in a Camaro] the last two years, we were the only team, Erebus Motorsport, to challenge Triple Eight on a constant basis,” he explained.
“I’m not there anymore and they’ve had a lot of personnel changes and a young driver in Cooper (Murray) that’s been showing great potential.
“That team is not racing at the level where it was the last two years. So that’s gone now.
“As a whole, the Ford looks like it’s great because we’re in the top 10 of the championship and obviously Triple Eight are doing a good job, but honestly the other Camaro teams just need to do a better job.
“These Ford teams are doing a good job. I’ve had a race-winning engineer, I consider myself a good driver, and definitely haven’t been operating at the level of where it was on the other side in a Camaro.
“There’s definitely a lot of work there to be found out, but it’s becoming pretty tiring going to each race and looking at straight micros and watching the other cars drive away in a straight line.”
Fellow Ford driver Matt Payne is the highest-placed Mustang driver in the championship.
He sits third behind Sprint Cup winner Broc Feeney and his Triple Eight Race Engineering teammate Will Brown.
He said the outlook for the Bathurst 1000 is not good.
“It’s not obviously nice going there and knowing you’re probably on the back foot already,” Payne told Speedcafe.
“As we’ve seen the last two years, it’s not like there’s really been a Mustang that’s looked like getting a win or let alone a decent podium.
“It’s pretty clear in the results in the past what the story has been. It’s tough going there and knowing that you’re going to have to really dig deep if you want to find a good result.
“Whether or not there’s gonna be some changes or not, that’s up to some other people to figure that out and I’m sure they’ve got all the data and all of the people telling them which way is it’s the right way to go.”
Payne tempered the straight-line parity deficit, noting a handling deficit too.
“It’s obviously been very well known the last three years or whatever that the Ford hasn’t been as strong in the straight,” said Payne.
“From what I feel, I think there’s definitely an element to that. There have been a few instances where I’ve been behind the other cars and you’re kind of thinking, ‘Wow, there’s definitely a difference here’.
“It’s tough because I’m not really involved in the situation to be honest, because that’s my team’s job and they’re taking care of that, but just from what my experience is, I definitely think there is still a little bit of a difference.
“But also I think there’s a little bit of work to do in terms of just actual handling as well. Some tracks are difficult for us and also some tracks are very strong for us, so it works both ways.”
Payne said parity is forefront at the mind of the teams and drivers and is optimistic there will be progress.
In the Gen3 era, Anton De Pasquale and Tony D’Alberto are the only Ford drivers to have stood on the podium. They did so in 2023 with Dick Johnson Racing.
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