Stone sets bold 2025 goal for MSR

Matt Stone has laid down the gauntlet early, with the eponymous team owner confident both Nick Percat and Cameron Hill can reach the inaugural Finals Series in the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship.

Matt Stone Racing took a major step forward in 2024, with recruit Percat finishing eighth overall, and Hill a career-best 13th, with Percat winning at the Grand Prix and Symmons Plains.

Both drivers could have finished higher up if not for a second-half slump for Percat, and luckless final two rounds for second-year driver Hill.

Percat sat fourth with a 6.2 average finish after the first two rounds, which dipped to 9.8 ahead of the enduros. The 2011 Bathurst winner suffered a torrid enduro run, and despite finishing fifth in the Adelaide finale, recorded an 18.3 average finish in the final four rounds.

The team is set to swing the changes, with MSR linked to a co-drive deal with the retired Tim Slade, with Hill set to receive a new car amid a renewed push to run wildcards in 2025.

Stone was still pleased to see his star signing help MSR to its best championship result, telling Supercars' Schick Cool Down Lap podcast: “We're happy with the outcome. You're always left wanting more in this game, but eighth in the championship for Nick is our personal best for the team.

“So, a good milestone for us to tick over and comeback next year, wanting to go one better."

Such was the competition in 2024, that only two teams, Triple Eight Race Engineering and Tickford Racing, managed to get both drivers in the top 10 in the final standings.

Given the improvements, Stone believes both drivers can make a case for next year's Finals Series, where the top 10 drivers in the championship after Bathurst will fight for the title over the final three elimination-style rounds.

However, MSR will also need to reverse its fortunes post-enduros in 2025 if it wants to make an impact in the Finals. In the final two rounds, Percat scored the 12th most points, and Hill 19th.

“With the Finals coming in, we finished eighth and 13th in the drivers' championship on the back of a pretty average enduro campaign for Nick. Cam had some struggles early on in the year," Stone said.

“With the Finals, we're setting our goals high, let's get both drivers in it. We don't have to up more from where we were this year to do that. We feel like we got a lot more in the tank. So, that's a target for us.”

Percat and Hill will commence their 2025 campaigns at the opening round in Sydney on February 21-23. Tickets are on sale now.