Waters dominates Gold Coast opener, costly issue for Mostert

Cam Waters has crushed the field to win Race 21 at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, with Chaz Mostert's championship hopes taking a hit amid car issues.

Waters were peerless from start to finish in Surfers Paradise, winning by 9.4s from Tickford Racing teammate Thomas Randle. Broc Feeney brought home a crucial podium after a late pass on Matt Payne, with Bathurst winner Brodie Kostecki leading home David Reynolds and the recovering Will Brown.

On a day Mostert had a chance to eat into Brown's lead after the latter crashed in qualifying, the Walkinshaw Andretti United driver instead left Saturday 243 points adrift after fighting to 10th, having been delayed by a gear sensor issue.

Brown will arrive on Sunday with a reduced 171-point lead over teammate Feeney, with Waters hanging onto the title fight by his fingernails, trailing by 410 points with 450 remaining.

Saturday's 85-lapper marked just the ninth instance of a Safety Car-free race in 45 championship races, and the first race in Gold Coast history to have a 100 percent finishing rate.

"What a day and what weekend so far," said Waters, who celebrated his fourth win of the season.

"This thing has been an absolute rocket ship all weekend, and even Tommy's car as well, so massive credit to all the boys and girls at Tickford for giving us some jets. It's so awesome to convert that into a race win."

As the lights went out, Waters got the jump, with Richie Stanaway staving off Mostert through the first chicane. Behind them, Payne was squeezed against the pit wall by James Courtney.

Payne was caught in a sandwich between Brown and Kostecki around Turn 4, before Jack Le Brocq and Ryan Wood both ended lap 1 at the end of the train after picking up damage. Le Brocq was forced into the garage with a bent toe link, with Wood understeering into the Turn 11 tyre barriers.

As Waters began to drop Stanaway into the clutches of Mostert, James Golding appeared the driver on the move, getting by Feeney and Randle in the early stages. Behind them, Payne and Brown both got by Courtney, who had also fallen behind Kostecki into 11th by lap 10.

On lap 9, Mostert made his move and got down the inside of Stanaway at Turn 11. By that stage, Waters had skipped away to a 1.9s lead. Golding pressed on and muscled by Stanaway at the same corner on the following lap, bringing Feeney and Randle into play.

Feeney got by the Penrite Ford into Turn 4, with Randle challenging Stanaway into the beach chicane. Randle gave Stanaway a hit at the same corner one lap later, and despite attempting a redress, Reynolds, Payne and Brown closed in. On lap 16, Randle finally got by Stanaway at Turn 4.

Feeney hounded Golding and made his move on lap 21, but the two were unwilling to yield running down to the beach chicane. Golding straight-lined the Turns 8/9/10 section, with Feeney remonstrating over radio to his team. The battle only put more margin to the lead duo, with Waters 3.3s ahead of Mostert, who was 6.4s ahead of the duelling Camaros.

Payne and Reynolds stopped on lap 21 and 22 respectively, with Randle following Feeney in on lap 25. In response, Golding was brought in on lap 26, only for his race to be ruined by a jammed left rear wheel.

Stanaway and Courtney stopped on lap 28, and Brown on lap 29. Waters and Mostert pressed on, the pole-sitter's lead breaching five seconds before they were both pulled in on lap 33.

Waters emerged just ahead of the duelling Feeney and Randle, with Mostert five seconds behind amid his growing issues. Feeney lunged at Waters into Turn 4 on the following lap, only for Randle to force by on the next lap.

At the end of the first pit cycle, Waters and Randle held a Tickford one-two, ahead of Feeney, Mostert, Payne, Reynolds, Brown, Stanaway, Kostecki and Andre Heimgartner. Golding, meanwhile, languished down in 21st.

As Randle stayed with Waters, Mostert caught Feeney despite nursing the issue that cost him time in pit lane. Waters fired in a personal best time to keep Randle at bay, with the latter given pit priority by Tickford. On lap 44, Mostert sliced past Feeney into Turn 11, and had 2.6s to find on the Tickford duo.

As Mostert caught Randle, who had fallen over four seconds behind his teammate, Cameron Hill escaped a wild moment at the first chicane. The Matt Stone Racing driver spun out while trailing behind Wood, who had already copped two penalties for exceeding track limits.

Mostert dived down the inside on Randle on lap 53 and regained second, but was managing a worsening issue in his cockpit, which was reading false information on his dash.

Feeney was first of the front-runners to stop on lap 56, with Mostert brought in on the next lap. The Mobil 1 Optus Ford baulked in the lane and was passed by Payne in the lane, losing several seconds and a swag of positions.

Waters peeled off for his second stop on lap 65, and emerged with a comfortable 11.5s lead over Randle, who had dropped Payne. With all stops completed, Waters led Randle, Payne, Feeney, Kostecki, Reynolds, Brown, Heimgartner, Stanaway, De Pasquale and Mostert, who was trying to fight back.

On lap 72, Mostert forced by De Pasquale into Turn 11 for 10th, with Feeney pouncing on Payne for the final step on the podium at Turn 4 three laps later. Mostert ranged up to Stanaway in the final laps, but was unable to get by, crossing the line 10th.

On track action at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 continues on Sunday with Boost Mobile Qualifying at 10:10am local time/11:10am AEDT. Tickets for the event are on sale now.