Mark Winterbottom is confident his Supercars future will take care of itself, ensuring he will have a place on the grid next year.
The Tickford Racing driver is in the final season of a current three-year agreement with the Ford outfit he has raced for since arriving at Campbellfield in 2006.
Winterbottom is arguably the highest profile driver on the grid yet to secure his future, while his team-mates Chaz Mostert, Cameron Waters and Richie Stanaway have all recently penned multi-year deals at the operation.
The 37-year-old has scored Tickford’s only podium to date this season amid a trying campaign for the perennial championship contenders that has seen all four cars struggle for outright pace and consistency.
Despite the slump in form, the 2015 Supercars champion believes he is still capable of winning races and that a new contract for next season will eventuate in time.
However, his immediate focus is to help the team arrest its performances and return to the top step of the podium.
“We see what happens it all sorts itself out eventually,” Winterbottom told Speedcafe.com when asked about his contract discussions.
“Everyone from the outside creates the spectacle of who is going where but behind the scenes it is not normally that exciting.
“We will be on the grid next year.
“My focus is to try and get this car to the front as quickly as possible.
“I’m doing a lot of work behind the scenes but when the cars do become competitive we are going to feel rewarded.
“If the car was a bit quicker I would be winning races and I don’t lack confidence in myself. I know in the right car I can win races.
“I out-qualified the other (Tickford) guys in Darwin on Saturday and it was a good lap and I know I did a good job but it doesn’t look good on the timesheets.
“I know I’m still driving ok but the hard thing at moment is we are trying to turn a 15th position car into a P1 car.”
Although frustrated by the slow start to the season, Winterbottom is adamant the team will turn its fortunes around and will be in a position to win a race before the campaign is over.
“We have been these positions before and we have dug ourselves out,” he said.
“The people we have got at the team have won a championship. I think we will turn it around.
“We are all struggling with similar problems, all four drivers are in it together and we have got to pull ourselves out of it.
“I really think this year we can still win a race and I know it doesn’t look that way at the moment.
“I don’t think we are as far away as what it looks and I think it will come good at some stage this year and then everyone is happy.”
Winterbottom is hopeful the squad will pick up its form when the championship continues at next weekend’s Watpac Townsville 400.
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