For 2025, Kostecki has switched from Erebus Motorsport to Dick Johnson Racing – a team that went winless in 2024.
With Kostecki comes his championship-winning pedigree in engineer George Commins and another high-profile ex-Erebus engineer Tom Moore.
Brown knows the trio well having been at Erebus during the team’s 2023 championship-winning effort.
“Brodie has shown that he’s a very talented driver. He can win a championship. He’s consistent,” Brown told Speedcafe.
“I think it just depends how quickly they find their feet at DJR. He’s taken some great people across there.
“I used to work with George and Tom myself and they’re very good engineers and very smart. I think that team will step up and it’ll be interesting to see.
“I would love to have Brodie in the Finals and really race him hard. He’s a hard-arse racer and a good friend. We need more of that in the category.”
Even if it takes time to get up to speed, Brown has tipped Kostecki to be among the favourites to earn a final four berth for the Adelaide Grand Final.
That would represent a massive turnaround for Dick Johnson Racing, who in 2024 were only ninth with Will Davison and 11th with Anton De Pasquale.
Alongside Kostecki, Brown expects the likes of Triple Eight teammate Broc Feeney, Tickford’s Cameron Waters, and two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Chaz Mostert to be front-runners.
“At the end of the day, I don’t think Broc is my only or biggest threat,” said Brown.
“It probably is also Cam Waters, Chaz Mostert, Brodie Kostecki – those guys.
“I would say on a consistency level, Broc is my biggest competitor but at the end of the day, with the Finals system, the way it changes, anyone can win one round at the end of the season and it’s coming down to four drivers.
“It’s an interesting one, but I think ultimately going into that last round with four drivers who can win, it’s not going to be an easy feat going back-to-back.”
As last year’s champion, Brown anticipates he’ll be among the Finals Series contenders but is conscious that it could all go pear-shaped.
“Everyone wants to be there and you always hope,” he said.
“Things can go not to plan. If something doesn’t work out at the Gold Coast or Sandown in the Finals, you could get knocked out.
“I think we’re definitely top four in the strongest cars, but you can’t count your chickens before they hatch.
“It’s just one of those things, you’ve got to take it as it comes. I think it’ll make the racing better. Everyone will get their elbows out a bit more and maybe get a bit more argy-bargy.”
