Randle: Results aren't 'true indication' of Tickford
Thomas Randle 13th, Cam Waters 15th heading to Perth
Randle, Waters could be as high as fourth after Perth opener
Waters has two poles already, Randle two P4 finishes
Tickford Racing’s results aren’t a “true indication” of where the Ford Supercars squad is, Thomas Randle says.
Randle and Cam Waters will arrive in Perth in 13th and 15th in the championship standings, with a best of finish of fourth between them.
Randle is 376 points from the championship lead, with Waters 388 points down. Tickford, which downsized from four to two cars for 2024, is 633 points behind leaders Red Bull Ampol Racing.
While seemingly buried in the points standings, the Ford team has shown field-leading pace; Waters has already two poles to his name, with Randle finishing fourth twice.
Waters’ campaign was undone by a wheel coming off (Bathurst), collision with Matt Payne (Melbourne) and start-line clash with Tim Slade (Taupō), which led to a sterling comeback drive to eighth.
Randle, meanwhile, was caught up in incidents in the first three Melbourne races, and missed the top 10 in New Zealand despite scoring a second Shootout berth of the season.
Given the logjam in the points, both drivers could end up as high as fourth in the standings after the Perth opener, while Tickford could jump from eighth to second.
"Probably hasn't been the most ideal start to the season for Tickford, or for us,” Randle told Supercars.com.
“Certainly things that I could have done better. But, I think as a whole, as a team, as a collective, we can all step it up, I believe.
“And, I think that the results that are on paper aren't a true indication of where we are.”
Tickford’s luckless start to the year has the team eighth in the garage order at this weekend’s Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint, thanks to the new Live Pit Lane rule.
Randle has form in Perth, claiming his first Super2 pole and podium at the venue.
The 2020 Super2 champion weighed in on the strategy challenges of Perth, given the high degradation — something that will come under the microscope this weekend, with longer races and a reduction of minimum tyre pressure.
“It's such a short track, but there's no real margin for error,” Randle said.
"I've got some good memories there. Got my first pole and my first podium in Super2 there… sort of a happy hunting ground in a way.
"Tyre life is really important… whether you do two tyres in the stop, three tyres or even four tyres, you've got to weigh up faster doing two, but you're going to lose more by not being able to go as fast on the track.
"So, that's a bit of strategy, leave that to the engineers I guess."
Tickets for the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint are on sale now. Track action will commence on Friday. International viewers can follow all the action on Superview.
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