Thomas Randle will make a long-awaited full-time step up to the Repco Supercars Championship grid next year with Tickford Racing, Speedcafe.com can reveal.

Randle, who is racing this weekend at the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown as a Tickford wildcard entry, has long been on the cusp of cracking into the main game full-time.

The 25-year-old previously spent two years in the Tickford stable in the Super2 Series across 2018 and 2019

His development series programme was dovetailed with an Enduro Cup drive in 2019, scoring a podium at the Sandown 500 alongside Lee Holdsworth that year

He then moved to MW Motorsport with whom he won the 2020 Super2 Series title.

Randle returned to Tickford on a two-year deal starting 2021 but was unable to secure a permanent place on the grid this season as the Ford squad shrunk to three cars.

With a fourth Racing Entitlements Contract now secured for next year, Tickford CEO Tim Edwards has confirmed that will translate to a promotion for Randle.

“We’ve made no secret of the fact that we believe in him and believe in our long-term future with him,” Edwards told Speedcafe.com.

“We just feel that he fits well with the team as part of our programme.

“I think from the outset we said we’d sign him on a multi-year deal, so it was always the goal from the very point that we first started running him in Super2.

“I’ve said many times, we don’t compete in Super2 just to make up numbers. We’re competing in that championship to find our next Cam Waters. That’s why we do it.

“We’ve had a very successful run of that, even dating back to Frosty [Mark Winterbottom] and Chaz [Mostert].

“It’s always been part of our business model to try and find new and exciting drivers and we believe in Thomas, which is why we committed to him earlier this year on a long-term deal.”

Castrol has backed Randle in this year’s wildcard programme, though Edwards said it’s not a given that the brand will take primary backing of the Victorian in 2022.

However, the oil brand has been a big supporter of Randle, who sported Castrol colours in this year’s VHT S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship.

“We’re still working on all of our programmes for next year,” said Edwards.

“So nothing is locked in sponsor-wise for next year at all. They’ve agreed to support him for these three wildcards.”

Randle will drive the #55 Castrol Racing Ford Mustang at Hidden Valley Raceway this weekend, the second in three wildcard appearances.