TICKFORD Racing has expressed frustration over the penalty which extended Cam Waters’ Repco Supercars Championship podium drought.
Waters is in the midst of a 17-race podium-less run – something he has not experienced since 2018.
The Monster Energy star crossed the line third in last night’s Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight feature race but was relegated to fifth.
That was owing to a five-second penalty for a line-ball unsafe release call, ruled because Broc Feeney had to hit the brakes as Waters exited his pit bay.
“Following a request for investigation by Triple Eight Race Engineering that Car 88 was impeded in the Pit Lane by the release of Car 6 into its path, the Stewards conducted an investigation,” read a stewards report.
“Telemetry from Car 88 revealed that Car 88 braked firmly in the fast lane at the point when Car 6 was released in front of it and the brake was released when Car 6 was clear of Car 88. The Stewards were satisfied that Car 88’s path into its Pit Bay was impeded by the release of Car 6 into its path and imposed a 5 second Time Penalty on Car 6.”
Waters was outraged upon being informed of the decision, in a team radio exchange played on the Supercars broadcast.
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Tickford co-owner Sven Burchartz spoke like the lawyer he is when asked for his view on the matter.
“Some would call it ridiculous. Some would call it errant nonsense. I wouldn’t go that far,” he said.
“Perhaps I would say it’s an interesting approach to penalties. Faintly ridiculous, I’ve heard that said. Again, I can’t agree with that.
“The bottom line is, there was no way in our view that you could say objectively that that was an unsafe release.
“There was sufficient distance between the cars. Feeney, yes he had to put the brakes on, but you sort of have to do that when you come in to pit.
“It is difficult enough to run a race team, and work hard, and do what we do up and down pitlane, to have penalties applied like that which are perplexing.
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“Are we bitterly disappointed? Absolutely we are, because as a team, and as a driver, Cam did everything right.”
Burchartz did however take optimism from a step forward in performance.
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Despite the latest parity changes, there were only two Fords in the top 12 – but those two (the other being Chaz Mostert) finished second and third on the road.
“You can take a lot away from that. The team did a good job,” said Burchartz.
“And that’s what I said to Cam afterwards: ‘you did your job, we did our job, that’s all we need to know. The rest of it is out of our control’.
“So from that point of view we have taken a lot of positives away.’’
