Davison heads to Mount Panorama 17th in the standings amid a difficult campaign in which he has been increasingly overshadowed by new teammate and last-start winner Brodie Kostecki.
A struggle at The Bend prompted Davison to request a chassis change ahead of the Great Race – the team wheeling its spare car out of the Bathurst museum for the occasion.
The 43-year-old’s dire run has led to speculation he could be replaced at the famous squad, potentially by Kostecki’s standout co-driver Todd Hazelwood.
However, Davison is under contract for 2026 and the team remains steadfast in its commitment to a driver that DJR co-owner Ryan Story says should be in the finals next year.
“We back Will, and while the finals dream for car #17 might be close to mathematically impossible now, a result at Bathurst would more than make up for it,” Story told Speedcafe.
“Plus, we have to ensure both Will and Brodie are in the top 10 this time next year.
“That has always been Will’s strength though, even when we haven’t been able to give him the car he deserves.
“He’s permanently lived in the top 10, often outperforming the car we’ve been giving him, certainly in the Gen3 era.”
A two-time winner of the Bathurst 1000, Davison has finished inside the championship’s top 10 each season since rejoining DJR in 2021.
Story said the team must take responsibility for many of car #17’s woes during what was always billed as a building year for the team following an off-season of major staff turnover.
Changes for Bathurst are not just limited to the chassis, with personnel and processes also set for a tune-up ahead of the Great Race.
“Every driver these days has MoTec i2 and reviews their own data critically. The benchmark or baseline for most is the bloke alongside them,” Story continued.
“So if the expectation is that the drivers look in the mirror when there’s more to deliver, so too must the team when the results are not where they need to be.
“We mustn’t shy away from where we have cost Will a healthy points haul through own goals this year.
“Hence there are other changes we are making to ensure we eliminate those sorts of ignominious errors, moreso with process than personnel, but in reality changes in both.”
Story downplayed the seriousness of reverting to a spare car upon Davison’s request.
The spare in question is the Pace Innovations chassis that Davison debuted at the start of the year, before being given a new Erebus-built version to match that of teammate Kostecki.
“Changing chassis, and naturally the publicity that scored given its location in the museum there, are not the sort of stories you want to read in the lead up to the Repco Bathurst 1000,” he said.
“But that spare car was practically race ready, so following a more than reasonable request from Will, it has only been a logistical exercise in real terms.
“But ultimately it’s Bathurst, we leave no stone unturned.”
Davison will share the famous #17 entry in the Great Race with Tony D’Alberto, who is celebrating his 10th endurance campaign with the Queensland-based squad.
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