![\"Waters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-Supercars-Sydney-500-Sunday-Z81_1324.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTickford Racing’s Cameron Waters. Image: Richard Gresham<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTickford Racing’s Cameron Waters. Image: Richard Gresham<\/p>\n
Waters has carved out a reputation as one of the category\u2019s premier qualifiers over the last decade, scoring 32 pole positions and 18 race wins.<\/p>\n
The form has been flipped in 2026 with Waters failing to qualify inside the top five for any of the first 13 races.<\/p>\n
He and teammate Thomas Randle qualified eighth or worse for all six races across the two-event New Zealand swing, leaving their season averages at 10.6 and 11.8 respectively.<\/p>\n
Race pace though has been strong, highlighted by Waters\u2019 remarkable run from a pit lane start to fifth in the Christchurch finale.<\/p>\n
Waters told MotorRacing 360 on Wednesday night that the season has been a \u201crollercoaster\u201d to date and improving qualifying speed is the top priority.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s definitely things that where we\u2019re ticking off the list and we\u2019re going to work it out eventually,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut in quali, our car is just not producing the grip as it should, where we get into race trim and it\u2019s quite good.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re still a little bit off, but we\u2019re a lot closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will work it out, we\u2019re a good team. It\u2019s just going to take a little bit of time. We\u2019ll get there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tickford led the teams\u2019 championship after Albert Park but slid to fourth by the end of Christchurch.<\/p>\n
Waters is currently fourth in the drivers\u2019 standings with teammate Randle 12th.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was awesome to be leading the teams\u2019 championship for a few rounds,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously we went to New Zealand, we weren\u2019t that strong, and we obviously dropped a few positions.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut there\u2019s not a lot of points in it, so we just had to kind of get our cars back to where they need to be and be a little bit quicker and that\u2019ll sort itself out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe [drivers\u2019] championship, with the finals, it\u2019s wide open, you just have to be strong at the end of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d rather be not strong now and still be in the mix and be strong at the end of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Waters will be on track at Winton next Friday shaking down a new Ford Mustang ahead of its debut at the Tasmania Super440 on May 22-24.<\/p>\n
He started the 2026 campaign in the team\u2019s wildcard chassis following the same of his previous race car to Scott Taylor.<\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/250635.jpeg\")