SUPERCARS chairman Barclay Nettlefold hopes changes will be made to better empower the championship if a Brodie Kostecki/Erebus Motorsport fallout-type situation ever arises again.
Nettlefold noted there was little that Supercars could do to intervene in the matter which saw 2023 champion Kostecki sit out the opening two rounds of this season.
But talks to alter the Teams Racing Charter could change that in future.
“Unfortunately, there was not a lot we could do outside,” Nettlefold said in an extensive interview with News Corp Australia’s Rebecca Williams.
“We had several meetings with the Erebus team but it was really something that could only be dealt with between Brodie and the team.
“We don’t have the absolute power to tell a driver or tell a team how to run their business.
“But we are going to look to – through some TRC discussions we are having now with the teams – give us more power so that we can get more involved for the betterment of the sport.”
Nettlefold also voiced concern for Kostecki and satisfaction that he’s since been able to return to the grid, as of last month’s Taupō Super400.
“I was more worried about how much it hurt Brodie,” he said.
“Brodie, for a young guy who won a championship, for him to make that decision because of health reasons, he was troubled and that was the catalyst that concerned me.
“(It was more) how can we help drivers that are having those issues, more so than why isn’t he driving? If he is not driving, there is a reason.
“But if it is health-related – and health-related can come from many ways – and if it means that it was a work environment that he was struggling with then we have to be supportive to him on that.
“It was very unfortunate. I think it was the last thing in his wildest dreams that he would not want to defend his championship properly.
“You can see he is already starting to get speed back in the car. It won’t take him long.
“I would be the first to be happy for him if he wins a race in the next couple of rounds.”
Other topics addressed included Nettlefold indicating there’s truth to rumours of explorations into a Perth street race, confirming continued interest in Singapore and from the Middle East, and discussing the potential for new Gen3 manufacturers.
