Uncharted Waters

A gun in junior formulae, Mildura’s Cameron Waters was brought back to earth last year with a tough rookie season in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship. But he is making a giant leap forward in 2017.

- John Bannon

Without a moment’s hesitation Prodrive Racing Australia (PRA) boss Tim Edwards responds, “Absolutely!” We’ve just asked if his young charger Cameron Waters is a future Supercars champion.

The 22-year-old was a star in the junior formulae. The Mildura native took the Australian Formula Ford championship and Development Series by storm with dominant championship victories in 2011 and 2015 respectively.

Add multiple state/national karting championships and a win in the Shannons Supercar Showdown to that tally, plus becoming the youngest driver to tackle the Bathurst 1000 at just 17 in 2011, and you’ve got an impressive resume.

So to see Waters’ name 19th in the standings at the end of his rookie Supercars season last year may have taken some who’ve followed his career to date by surprise. But to make that judgement would be to misunderstand just how close the Supercars category is.

“As you know it’s a tough category and he came in at a very competitive time,” says Edwards.

“Every year we talk about how it’s more competitive than the last year and no doubt last year was more competitive than the previous years. He came in at a tough time. It’s one of those things as well; if some of the old guard think you’re a bit vulnerable they will pounce on you.

“You’ve got to earn your respect in this category and I think drives like this season will get him that respect.

“He got a little bit roughed up last year, but when things weren’t going quite right you find yourself almost trying to over-drive the car because a little bit of desperation sneaks in.

“It’s a combination of probably him being a bit desperate – that’s probably not quite the right word – and obviously getting beaten up, the combination of the two means it was hard yards for him last year.