Tickford wanted to 'nip it in the bud' with snap meeting

Thomas Randle says it's eyes forward to Perth at Tickford Racing after team management moved quickly to amend late-race frustration in Tasmania.

Cam Waters and Randle will arrive in Perth fourth and sixth in the points, having both claimed podiums on Saturday at Symmons Plains.

In the second race, Waters emerged on fresher tyres after stopping latest of the leaders, with Randle ceding position. Randle let Waters free to chase Broc Feeney and Nick Percat, on the proviso that they would swap back if Waters couldn't get by.

However, Waters finished than two seconds ahead by race's end, with Randle fourth. As a consequence, Tickford co-owner Rod Nash called a snap meeting after the race.

Waters insisted he will "repay" Randle, adding: "We've just got to keep pushing together and make sure we're beating these other guys."

Waters and Randle are close friends off-track, with their relationship often depicted by the team in humorous social media videos. However, no team is immune to tough times on- and off-track, with Waters also aggrieved over team orders at The Bend in 2023.

When asked about the Tasmania meeting by Supercars.com in the lead-up to Perth, Randle said: “It was a different meeting. This was more of a management meeting, if you like.

“We just wanted to nip it in the bud, I guess. We always debrief after a race, but that was just an extra meeting to discuss what occurred there between the team communications.”

Tickford has been winless since Waters' triple triumph in Sydney, with Triple Eight opening up a 342-point lead over the Ford squad across Melbourne, New Zealand and Tasmania.

In what has proven a wildly competitive and unpredictable season, the top four drivers are split by 91 points, with 12 drivers already claiming at least one podium. Two races have also been decided by less that 0.05s.

Given the tight margins, Randle knows there's no room for complacency.

“Look at Sydney, how strong Cam was. To win three races was obviously a dream for Cam and for the team. Since then, we haven't been able to repeat that,” Randle told Supercars.com.

“Look at New Zealand. Triple Eight were dominant there last year and rolled out with pretty much the same set-ups last year — because why wouldn't you — and it wasn't as strong for them.

"I think by Sunday they were a lot more competitive and Broc was quite fast in that Sunday race, just qualified out of position. But whether Broc will be as strong in Perth as he was in Tasmania, we don’t know.

“Then look at Chaz [Mostert] — he won a race in New Zealand, and then he really struggled in Tassie.

"This year has offered really good variables and that's what the sport needs. That's what the fans wanna see. We're not rocking up at the track and we already know the winner before you get there.

“We've seen so many people on the podium. We've seen different winners. We've seen cracking racing. It just shows the level that this category's at — you can't afford to have any small niggles, because it can be so costly."

Tickets for the Perth event, on June 6-8, are on sale now.