The duo had been touted as one of the combinations to beat ever since Winterbottom announced a fairytale return to Tickford Racing late last year.

Waters qualified on the front-row and was leading the race 66 laps in after coming out on top in a thrilling battle with Brodie Kostecki as rain fell.

He pitted that lap for a move to wets and to hand the car over to Winterbottom. It proved the beginning of the end for the Monster Mustang’s chances.

“We just lost our way a little bit. I’m not sure what happened,” surmised Winterbottom, who was sent out on wets, called in again for slicks and then switched back to wets within just four laps.

“We pitted and we were pitting, we weren’t pitting, then we pitted and couldn’t get the [seat] belt on because it fell down the side. Sort of one thing flowed onto the next.

“And then I went on to slicks and then I went on to wets and ultimately, at the end of the day, I made a mistake and cost Cam a chance of fighting at the end.”

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Winterbottom found the fence at Forrest’s Elbow while down in 22nd place and on cold wet tyres on lap 70, damaging the car’s right-front corner.

“I’m pretty gutted in myself to be honest,” Winterbottom continued. “You know, you pride yourself on not making mistakes and locking a tyre and nudging the fence is on me.”

Winterbottom rejoined the race a lap down following repairs and, later receiving a Safety Car wave-around, they eventually finished on the lead lap in 12th place.

The result leaves Waters still chasing his first Great Race victory after 14 attempts.

“We were looking really good there for a bit,” Waters surmised. “Shit happens, but we’ll conquer this place one day.”

The sister Thomas Randle/James Moffat Tickford Mustang was classified just one spot further up in 11th after a wild day that included two penalties.

That result, though, was enough to ensure Randle joins Waters in the inaugural Finals Series that kicks off on the Gold Coast in less than a fortnight.