Winterbottom ‘gutted’ with small mistake
By Thomas Miles
Date posted: 14 October 2025
The return of Mark Winterbottom to Tickford appeared to be going so well until the rain arrived at Bathurst.
After impressing with a second-place finish at The Bend, Winterbottom and Cameron Waters were contending for the 2025 Great Race.
Starting on the front row, “Frosty” sat second for the majority of the opening stint before slipping to seventh when the main drivers had their turn after the first round of stops.
When Waters jumped in, the Monster Mustang was back at the front and produced a stunning battle for the lead with Brodie Kostecki.
But once the rain came, the #6 fell back amid the tyre-changing chaos, and unfortunately for Tickford, Winterbottom got caught out in the conditions.
He ran slightly wide, which was just enough to slip head-on into the Forrest’s Elbow tyre barrier.
The incident put the #6 a lap down, and the best they could manage was a fighting 12th amid the late drama.
Proud Bathurst winner and champion Winterbottom was “gutted” to lock up and see his chances of victory disappear, extending Waters’ Great Race wait.
“Got to start and we were going okay, but just needed to tune the car up a little bit,” Winterbottom said on a social media video.
“Then Cam got in and did a really good job.
“He was muscling Brodie there and got the car to the front and then the rain came in.
“I don’t know. We just lost our way a little bit. I’m not sure what happened.
“We pitted and we were pitting, we weren’t pitting, then we pitted and then couldn’t get the 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.
“Ultimately at the end of the day, I made a mistake and cost Cam a chance of fighting at the end.
“I’m pretty gutted in myself to be honest.
“You pride yourself on not making mistakes. Locking a tyre and nudging the fence is on me, so, yeah, tough.”
Winterbottom will be back as Waters enters a Finals fight.
Image: Peter Norton Epic Sports Photography
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