Tickford Racing has issued a statement on the fire which ignited in Cameron Waters’ Ford Mustang at the Darwin Supercars event.

Waters had qualified on pole position and was leading Race 13 of the Repco Supercars Championship when the #6 Monster Energy Mustang caught fire on Lap 4.

He pulled off near a fire marshal and the blaze was put out quickly enough such that Tickford was able to repair the car after a herculean effort which saw work continue until Sunday morning at 03:30.

Team Principal Tim Edwards confirmed that a loose fuel fitting was responsible, rather than a repeat of the breathing issues which saw fumes ignite underneath the bonnet of another of their Mustangs and one of Walkinshaw Andretti United’s at Albert Park, three events earlier.

Tickford’s latest statement, issued via social media, reiterates that the cause was “a component the team is not responsible for”, although there is no confirmation yet of whether or not the fitting/installation will be redesigned in some way.

The fuel fitting, or at least how it is installed, is understood to not be a homologated part, but there are suggestions that other Ford teams were found to have had loose fittings when their Mustangs were checked post-Race 13.

“We would like to thank every single one of you who reached out with messages of support for Cam and the entire team following the fire and rebuild of the Monster Energy Mustang in Darwin,” Tickford’s statement began.

“It’s something no team wants to experience, but to have it happen twice was heartbreaking.

“The team has investigated and determined the cause to be a component the team is not responsible for.

“Eyes forward now to Townsville and hopefully some better luck awaits.”

Waters qualified 25th and then seventh for Sunday’s two races, having carried braking issues into those sessions, before driving to 12th and fifth respectively in those 35-lap encounters.

A message from the Team 👊 pic.twitter.com/gsFDqAKJe2

— Tickford Racing (@TickfordRacing) June 21, 2023