What Allen/Grove news means for 2025 driver market

Kai Allen has added more intrigue in the driver market by choosing his ride for 2025, the rising star committing his future to a “long-term” deal with Penrite Racing.

Allen has been in a good position to find a strong drive for 2025 and beyond, with options at a number of teams given several drivers were off-contract.

As time went on, a door firmly opened at the Grove squad, which opted not to renew with Bathurst winner Richie Stanaway for 2025.

Penrite Racing offers Allen an immediate opportunity to win or even challenge for podiums regularly, with Matt Payne a regular front-runner in recent rounds.

Much of Allen’s focus, when speaking in the media, has been centred on setting himself up for a main game drive in 2025. Now, he has one locked away.

So, what does it mean for the driver market?

Alongside Grove Racing, teams to have locked its 2025 drivers in are Triple Eight (Will Brown and Broc Feeney), Tickford Racing (Cam Waters and Thomas Randle), Walkinshaw Andretti United (Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood), Matt Stone Racing (Nick Percat and Cameron Hill) and Blanchard Racing Team (Aaron Love and James Courtney).

That leaves yet-to-be-announced seats at Dick Johnson Racing, PremiAir Nulon Racing, Team 18 and Erebus Motorsport, with status quo expected at Brad Jones Racing.

DJR looms as the major player in the driver market for next season, given both its drivers have yet to announce their 2025 plans. Allen will race with Will Davison at Sandown and Bathurst, but after that, he will try to close out a second Super2 title, before setting sail for Grove Racing.

Given Allen’s ties to DJR, a move to the Ford team seemed a logical and almost obvious choice. However, it would have required at least one of the current DJR drivers not being renewed.

DJR CEO David Noble has previously indicated that, while his team hasn't set a deadline for its 2025 plans, the driver market is fluid and fast-moving. That has now proven the case, with Allen announced at the Grove team a little over a week after the Stanaway news.

Two-time Bathurst winner Davison is keen to race on and claimed a last-start pole in Sydney, with Anton De Pasquale jumping back into the top 10 in the championship in Sydney.

Critically, who will Brodie Kostecki race for in 2025? DJR and PremiAir Racing have long been considered the favourites to sign the reigning champion, who is expected to depart Erebus at the end of the season.

For Erebus, should Kostecki move on, the team could repeat history in promoting rising stars. Allen's Super2 teammate Cooper Murray has recently been linked to the team, and drove an Erebus Camaro last September. Erebus also has Academy drivers Jobe Stewart and Jarrod Hughes cutting their teeth in the Dunlop Series.

PremiAir Nulon Racing drivers James Golding and Tim Slade, meanwhile, haven't announced their 2025 plans either. Golding has done his chances no harm with a pole in Darwin and a string of top fives, while Slade has been quick over one lap, yet luckless in races. Mark Winterbottom is also off-contract at Team 18, but like Davison, has indicated he is keen to race on.

Then, there's Stanaway, who could yet emerge as a player in the driver market despite revealing uncertainty over his own 2025 plans.

2025 Repco Supercars Championship grid

What we know so far (as of August 6, 2024)