Cameron Waters has shrugged off the pressure of heading to Bathurst in the reigning race winning car after scoring a first career podium in the Sandown 500.

This year marks 21-year-old Waters’ second Pirtek Enduro Cup campaign, having shared Prodrive’s fourth car alongside Jack Perkins in the three events last season.

Entering the enduros alongside Chaz Mostert has brought with it far greater expectations, as well as the ever present responsibility of the full-timer’s title quest.

Currently dominating the Dunlop Series, Waters is expected to graduate to the main championship next year and did his stocks no harm at Sandown.

“There’s obviously a little bit more pressure but you’ve got to look at the other side of it,” he said after finishing second alongside Mostert.

“Chaz is obviously really quick, the car set-up is really good and the team is awesome. It makes my job a fair bit easier.

“I just slot in, do my job, give it back to him and then hopefully he can bring it home.

“I think the most nervous part of the race was when I was out of the car watching Chaz.”

Running fourth in the early laps, Prodrive threw Waters a challenge as it long-filled at the first pitstops, returning the #6 Falcon to the track in 10th.

The youngster dragged the car back up to fourth in little over 20 laps, making a series of clean and calculated passes on his fellow co-drivers.

Waters’ efforts were enough to see the #6 Ford move ahead of its sister #5 entry in the second stops.

Mostert however lost the hard earned track position to team-mate Mark Winterbottom during the penultimate stint, ultimately locking in the order of the one-two finish.

“It was good for me to do a long stint in the car,” he said, having pitted from fourth despite an off at Turn 2 late in his run.

“As the stints went on I kind of worked out what to do with the car and how to get the most out of it.

“It was just a bit of fun for me to drive around the other co-drivers and pass them and pull away.

“I was pretty happy and I’m really looking forward to Bathurst.”

Waters will be on double duties at Bathurst as he also continues his Dunlop Series campaign in the Enzed-backed Prodrive FG.