Kostecki Out For Bathurst & AGP, then BACK for Taupo

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by HDTVKSS

I wonder how much effort Kostecki will put into performance for an employer that he has such a solid relationship with….

Yeah and in general interesting to see what the dynamic between Kostecki and Erebus will be given that (I guess) both parties know very well they're parting ways after this season.

[Sandgroper]

Originally Posted by HDTVKSS

I wonder how much effort Kostecki will put into performance for an employer that he has such a solid relationship with….

a racer will race is my take.

[GreenMachine]

Originally Posted by HDTVKSS

I wonder how much effort Kostecki will put into performance for an employer that he has such a solid relationship with….

It won't be easy.

OTOH, both the team and BK need good results, for 2025. BK to nail a decent ride, the team to attract a decent steerer.

And, at the end of the day, they are professionals who want and need to be seen as such.

That's the theory, lets see how it works out on the ground.

[HDTVKSS]

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

It won't be easy.

OTOH, both the team and BK need good results, for 2025. BK to nail a decent ride, the team to attract a decent steerer.

And, at the end of the day, they are professionals who want and need to be seen as such.

That's the theory, lets see how it works out on the ground.

You could argue he has another ride lined up hence this whole circus…. There would be serious temptation to just phone it in….

[GTRMagic]

I hope Mr Hazelwood is invited to each round as cover..

[Sandgroper]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

I hope Mr Hazelwood is invited to each round as cover..

Are you expecting some unexpected changes at each round?

[Adam43]

I think the main issue here is being missed. It is something that is much more fundamental to the health of the series. What color hat will he wear if he gets pole?

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I think the main issue here is being missed. It is something that is much more fundamental to the health of the series. What color hat will he wear if he gets pole?

Well… that depends if the Erebus has a written exemption from V8Supercar as written into the rules via regulatory update.

Otherwise it could be Hatgate all over again.

Which assumes of course that Boost is still sponsoring the pole award..

WOW! So many permutations…

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Sandgroper

Are you expecting some unexpected changes at each round?

The team seems to be effectively strong arming the pilot to assume his seat.
That can go one of two ways.
Depending if any niggle shows itself.

The team still has to front a car even if the pilot decides not to run
Or risk $150k+ damages.. per round..

[GTRMagic]

[GTRMagic]

On AdCafe’s ‘Full Credit To The Noise’ podcast this week.. Mr Van Leeuwen shared that he to had been given access/been emailed to him for use as he saw fit.
And tried to suggest that the provenance was questionable so it wasn’t shared on AdCafe..

Gifted a new story and/or a lead to investigate more… and choose to sit in it.. ???
Seriously..?

[Kingair]

This will still end in tears, tantrums and dummy spits!

[mf51]

Originally Posted by Sandgroper

a racer will race is my take.

Then why not just race then? Brodie literally got no gain from sulking and missing 2 rounds.

[dirtymacca]

Originally Posted by mf51

Then why not just race then? Brodie literally got no gain from sulking and missing 2 rounds.

I think being treatened with a multi million dollar law suite might be the issue.... Little Betty would have some solid legal council behind her and Boofa Barry would be hiding behind her tattoos and skirts.

Brodie has done the right thing..... he has to think about his future and not suck up to toxic Betty and Barry!

He should start and park.

[Ares]

Originally Posted by dirtymacca

I think being treatened with a multi million dollar law suite might be the issue.... Little Betty would have some solid legal council behind her and Boofa Barry would be hiding behind her tattoos and skirts.

Brodie has done the right thing..... he has to think about his future and not suck up to toxic Betty and Barry!

He should start and park.

Winning race one into the final corner, then pulls left and slows letting the podium pass. The camera shot of Betty would be TV gold, with Barry practicing his floor routine in the background.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

I hope Mr Hazelwood is invited to each round as cover..

[GTRMagic]

Busy..

[V8 Fireworks]

So, literally at that stage, when I said that, I thought, ‘I've just got to try to do everything I can to make this [888]work.'As I say, I was very fortunate with what happened there and Betty allowing me to do this, and it's a long-term thing, and that's the biggest thing for me.

- William Brown
https://speedcafe.com/brown-lifts-li...on-transpired/

Why was Brown released from contract, yet Erebus went to great lengths to prevent Brodie Kostecki being released from contract.

It doesn't make any sense!

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

- William Brown
https://speedcafe.com/brown-lifts-li...on-transpired/

Why was Brown released from contract, yet Erebus went to great lengths to prevent Brodie Kostecki being released from contract.

It doesn't make any sense!

To lose one may be regarded as a misfortune, to lose two looks like carelessness!

Mr Brown seems to have gone in first..

[Just Do It!]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

On AdCafe’s ‘Full Credit To The Noise’ podcast this week.. Mr Van Leeuwen shared that he to had been given access/been emailed to him for use as he saw fit.
And tried to suggest that the provenance was questionable so it wasn’t shared on AdCafe..

Gifted a new story and/or a lead to investigate more… and choose to sit in it.. ???
Seriously..?

Who is the former legend joker? Some ball player?
If he writes his own scripts, he's pretty good, but maybe they are supplied.

[GTRMagic]

Mr Chapman is on a roll…



Story Here

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Mr Chapman is on a roll…


Story Here

EXCLUSIVE: Serious allegations led sponsors to leave Brodie Kostecki's Supercars team Erebus
By Simon Chapman

Brodie Kostecki's short-lived exit from Erebus Motorsport can be traced back to a series of incidents that compromised relationships, cost the team millions of dollars, and left sponsors asking serious questions.

Midway through the 2023 Supercars season, Kostecki and his teammate Will Brown approached Erebus Motorsport owner Betty Klimenko with concerns about the team's environment.

What followed set the wheels in motion for Kostecki to reconsider his future at Erebus Motorsport and attempt to leave

In July, it was announced Kostecki planned to race in the NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Richard Childress Racing. Prior to that announcement, Kostecki sought sponsorship from Erebus Motorsport and a deal was agreed to.

Despite reaching an agreement, the team's attitude towards Kostecki racing in the USA changed. Wide World of Sports understands Erebus Motorsport was going to tip in more than $10,000 in sponsorship money but walked away from that agreement, leaving Kostecki and his management team with a funding shortfall for the NASCAR program.

The first renders of Kostecki's car in mid-July were pictured with Erebus Motorsport on the rear quarter panel but a week later the team's name vanished in subsequent renders released before the race.

Around the same time, Brown was negotiating an early exit from his contract with Erebus Motorsport to join Triple Eight Race Engineering where he would replace NASCAR-bound Shane van Gisbergen.

In August, while Kostecki was in North America preparing for his NASCAR debut, a meeting was called to confirm Brown's departure. It's understood that the meeting went pear-shaped and stressed the relationship between Kostecki and the team.

Later that month, Kostecki returned to Australia for the eighth round of the Supercars season at The Bend Motorsport Park where tension between them was left to simmer and continued for months after.

Kostecki won the Supercars drivers' championship at the season-ending Adelaide 500 in November and Erebus Motorsport claimed the teams' championship.

Before Kostecki expressed his plans to walk, it's understood Erebus Motorsport parted company with Erebus Motorsport CEO Barry Ryan briefly at the season's end only for him to be reinstated.

As previously reported by WWOS, efforts were made during the off-season by Klimenko to appease Kostecki. On January 25, it was announced Brad Tremain had been promoted from crew chief to team principal. It's understood the team took that measure to create space between Kostecki and Ryan.
However, the driver was still unhappy and felt he couldn't be part of the team.

On January 30 news broke that Kostecki would miss the first round of the 2024 season at Mount Panorama. Erebus Motorsport confirmed that news a day later on January 31

Dialogue continued between Kostecki and Erebus Motorsport and it's understood the team offered the driver three options.
WWOS believes one of the options tabled was for Kostecki to buy himself out of his contract but it's understood that was subsequently taken off the table.

That left Kostecki with two choices; either race for Erebus Motorsport and see out his contract to the end of the season or leave Erebus Motorsport and not race anywhere else in 2024.

Kostecki decided he wouldn't race and was subsequently threatened by Erebus Motorsport with litigation in early February for damages if he terminated his driving contract. Erebus Motorsport alleged Kostecki's communications with sponsors led them to pull support.

Wide World of Sports is aware of at least five sponsors who claim to have cut ties with Erebus Motorsport because of the Kostecki saga.?

Sponsors who spoke to WWOS on the condition of anonymity said there were multiple reasons why they withdrew support from Erebus Motorsport, including but not limited to a wholesale driver line-up change.

The sponsors raised concerns about serious allegations from multiple sources which they claimed were causational factors in Kostecki's efforts to split with the team.

The sponsors said their decision to leave was not based on one singular complaint.

The sponsors said they were frustrated and expected the sport to have a responsibility to investigate allegations that it knew about.

The sponsors said Kostecki's return to the team made those issues moot and that the lack of an investigation had left serious claims unexamined.

The sponsors said they couldn't have their brand associated with the team while allegations went unchecked and that the absence of an investigation had left them open to ridicule.

The sponsors also said they were kept in the dark by the team and were only told by Erebus Motorsport that Kostecki would miss the season opener shortly before it was made official publicly.

The sponsors said Erebus Motorsport deserved the opportunity to defend itself against any allegations.
?
Erebus Motorsport declined to comment when approached by WWOS.

A Motorsport Australia spokesperson told WWOS that no formal complaint from Kostecki had been received. Motorsport Australia also confirmed the FIA had not made the governing body aware of any complaints.

A Supercars spokesperson told WWOS the driver made no formal complaint with championship organisers. The same spokesperson said there had been no investigation by Supercars into the matter.

In an open letter published in February, Supercars CEO Shane Howard said he had been in dialogue with Kostecki, Ryan, and Klimenko.

In the statement published on the official Supercars website, he acknowledged "The circumstances at hand are ultimately a matter between the owners and management of Erebus Motorsport and their contracted driver, Brodie Kostecki."

Kostecki sat out rounds one and two of the year, the Bathurst 500 on February 23-25 and the Melbourne SuperSprint on March 21-24. On April 8, the team confirmed Kostecki would return for the Taupo 400 on April 19-21.

Kostecki has not yet said why he decided to return. WWOS understands Kostecki's long-time mentor Paul Morris negotiated with Klimenko on the driver's behalf. ?

[Kingair]

Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck!

[Ares]

Originally Posted by Kingair

Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck!

What the duck are you talking about?
Shell we all wonder together what the serious allegations are?

[GTRMagic]

Welcome to Taupo..