ROUND 2 PREVIEW | ALBERT PARK

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We’re set for Round 2 of the Supercars Championship, taking on the fast and flowing Albert Park Circuit as part of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. After a strong start in Sydney, the team is eager to carry that momentum into the weekend and build on our early-season form.

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Confidence is high within the team, with Tickford Racing currently leading both the Teams’ and Drivers’ Championships. Sydney demonstrated our capability, and now the focus is on maintaining that performance across the four races in Melbourne.

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A key highlight for this event is the return of fan access to the Supercars paddock, something we’ve all been looking forward to. As a home round for the team, racing in front of a passionate local crowd is always special, and we’re excited to put on a great show. You’ll find us just outside Turn 14, so be sure to drop by across the weekend.

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Cam Waters – No. 6 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

“Racing on the F1 weekend is always unreal – the whole event is massive, and Albert Park is such a fun track to drive. We had a strong start to the year in Sydney, so the goal is to keep that going and bank more points. Leading the championship is a great feeling, but it’s still early in the season, so we just have to keep doing what we’re doing and keep building. The schedule is pretty full-on this weekend, but I’m looking forward to getting stuck in.”

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Thomas Randle – No. 55 Castrol Racing Ford Mustang

“This is a special round for me – racing at Albert Park on the F1 weekend in front of a home crowd is always awesome. We had a great run in Sydney, so the aim is to carry that pace into this weekend and keep pushing forward. The event itself is huge, and having the fans back in the paddock area is going to be great.”

Day one at the Australian Grand Prix was non-stop, with two practice sessions, two qualifying runs, and Race 4 all packed into the day. It was a bit of a rollercoaster, but despite some early challenges, the team showed serious race pace, putting in a massive recovery drive to end the day on a high.

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Qualifying didn’t go to plan, with both Cam and Thomas starting further back than expected. In Qualifying for Race 4, Cam ended up P22 after making a mistake on his flyer, while Thomas was P21, struggling to find the right window. Qualifying for Race 5 was a step forward—Cam put it in P6, setting himself up for a strong Friday, while Thomas improved but still had work to do, starting from P18.

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Race 4 was where the boys really made an impact. From the back end of the grid, both Cam and Thomas charged through the field, making up an incredible 29 positions between them. The race was stacked with great battles, with both drivers pulling off some great overtakes as they carved their way through the pack. Cam fought his way to an impressive P6, while Thomas was right behind in P8. The fastest lap of the race went to Cam, a strong indicator of the team’s race pace heading into the rest of the weekend.

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TEAM MANAGER – MATT ROBERTS
"We started slow, but that was a solid recovery considering where we qualified. The cars came home clean with very little damage, so we’ll take the results and build on them for tomorrow."

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CAM WATERS – No. 6 Monster Energy Ford Mustang
"We had a tough qualifying, so I knew we had to move forward in the race. The car was hooked up, and we were able to pass a lot of cars, which was great. P6 and the fastest lap is a solid way to end the day, and it puts us in a good place to keep building."

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THOMAS RANDLE – No. 55 Castrol Racing Ford Mustang
"We knew qualifying put us on the back foot, so it was all about making the most of the race. The car had great pace, and I had some awesome battles working my way through the pack. P8 is a strong result considering where we started, and we’ll keep pushing to keep climbing the order. Can’t wait to be back on track tomorrow."

A massive effort from the whole team to turn the day around, and with plenty of racing still to come, there’s a lot to look forward to as the weekend continues.

Friday’s running at the Australian Grand Prix featured just one race for the Supercars field, with limited green-flag action due to two safety car periods across the 19-lap race. Cam Waters finished where he started in P6, while Thomas Randle battled through a tough race to come home in P20.

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It was a challenging race for Randle, who dealt with car issues from the outset, making it difficult to move forward. Contact with David Reynolds only added to his struggles, causing damage that left him managing the car to the finish. Despite the difficulties, he fought hard to bring it home and is looking ahead to a stronger showing on Saturday.

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THOMAS RANDLE – No. 55 Castrol Racing Ford Mustang
"That was a tough one. I had a few challenges from the start, and then the contact with Reynolds really didn’t help—it popped the tyre off the rim and made it a bit of a survival race. Not much we could do today, but we’ll reset overnight and come back stronger tomorrow."

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For Waters, it was a relatively uneventful race. After getting away well at the start, he was unable to make much progress, with the limited green running leaving little opportunity to move forward.

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CAM WATERS – No. 6 Monster Energy Ford Mustang
"Not a whole lot to say about that one. Got a good start, but with all the safety cars, there wasn’t much green-flag racing, so we just circulated and finished where we started. Hopefully, we can qualify up the front tomorrow and have a better run in the afternoon."

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With two more races still to come, the team is looking forward to a fresh start on Saturday, aiming for stronger qualifying results and better track position for the races ahead.

Day three at the Australian Grand Prix had a bit of everything—early morning qualifying, a long break between sessions, and a chaotic evening race to wrap it up. With an eight-hour gap, the team took time to reset, connect with sponsors in hospitality, and prepare for the night ahead.

Qualifying saw improvements from Thursday, though there’s still work to do. Cam Waters faced early issues that disrupted his laps, while Thomas Randle made progress but continued chasing pace. For Race 6, Randle secured P13 and Waters P19. In the Race 7 session, Waters delivered a P5 result, with Randle in P12—a promising step forward heading into the race.

Race 6 was a safety-car-heavy affair, with both drivers caught in the thick of the action. Waters charged from P19 to P9, making up ground with strong overtakes. Randle, meanwhile, endured a wild race—spun, hit, and forced to pit for a tyre change. Despite the setbacks, he fought back to bring the #55 Castrol Racing Mustang home in P17. The results weren’t ideal, but the race pace was clear, showing strong potential in race trim.

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CAM WATERS – No. 6 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

“That was a pretty wild one. The safety cars made it a bit stop-start, but the car had strong pace, and I was able to make up quite a few spots. P19 to P9 is a solid result, but we know there’s more in it, so hopefully, we can have a proper crack tomorrow.”

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THOMAS RANDLE – No. 55 Castrol Racing Ford Mustang

“That was a battle! Got caught up in a few incidents, had to pit for a tyre change, and the car took a bit of a beating, but we kept pushing. Definitely not the result we wanted, but the car felt strong, and we’ll have another crack tomorrow.”

With one race left on Sunday morning, the team will be looking to end the weekend on a high and maximise their final shot to climb the order.

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The final day of racing at the Australian Grand Prix was cut short before it ever really began, with Race 7 ultimately declared after just a handful of laps behind the safety car. Heavy rain made conditions undriveable, and with standing water across the circuit, the call was made to red-flag the race before it could properly get underway. While frustrating for the team and drivers, safety was the priority, and the early declaration meant Cam Waters and Thomas Randle were classified where they started—Waters in P5 and Randle in P12.

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With limited running, the championship standings saw some movement, but the team remains firmly in the fight. Waters now sits second in the drivers’ standings, just seven points off the lead, while Randle holds a solid ninth place. The team also sits second in the teams’ championship, and with a long season ahead, there are plenty of opportunities to reclaim the top spot.

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It was a tough weekend overall, with qualifying pace proving to be the biggest challenge. However, the team showed strong race speed, making up significant positions across the four races. The focus now shifts to New Zealand in a couple of weeks, where the goal will be to bounce back and regain momentum.

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CAM WATERS – No. 6 Monster Energy Ford Mustang
"Not the way we wanted to end the weekend, but there was no way we could race in that. Shame we didn’t get a proper run, but that’s how it goes. Always awesome being part of the AGP—now we focus on NZ."

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THOMAS RANDLE – No. 55 Castrol Racing Ford Mustang
"Pretty disappointing not to race, but it was way too wet. Would’ve loved a crack, but it is what it is. Awesome event as always—now we get ready for NZ."

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With Albert Park in the books, all eyes are on Taupō, where the team will be looking to come back stronger and fight for top results.