Ambrose: "I offered to drive"

Marcos Ambrose has spoken about getting back behind the wheel of the DJR Team Penske V8 Supercar, but the goal of yesterday's test day was to help young gun Scott Pye progress with the Ford Falcon FG X.

The team has branded the exercise - which saw it use its single independent test day allocated for the season - positive, and with the assistance of Prodrive Racing's Adam DeBorre, who engineers 2014 Bathurst winner Chaz Mostert, on-track as part of the Ford teams' technical alliance, there was a full regime to work through at Queensland Raceway.

Ambrose was on-hand in case the opportunity for a drive arose yesterday, and has been coaching Pye behind the scenes, helping improve his feedback and communication with the technical group.

"I was there if they needed me. But they had so much stuff to run through. And they wanted to give Scott the best possible chance for Perth," Ambrose told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

"I offered to drive. But I'm OK with it. It's only been three weeks."

"I stood aside and I know that when you do something like that it's hard to get back."

He believes there is a big hill for the team to climb as it works to improve the car, which battles in such a tight field - 0.59 seconds separated 24 cars in the final qualifying session in Tasmania, and while Pye was 21st he was only half a second from quickest qualifier Craig Lowndes. Just 0.04sec separated Lowndes from second-placed David Reynolds, in a Prodrive FG X.

"It's pretty tough for the team to catch up. And I'm not sure how or when I can get back in," Ambrose told the Bulletin.

"But we're all in this to get DJR-Penske turned around and as far ahead as possible."

Despite missing out on a steer yesterday - making it Ambrose's first test without driving, which he said was "different" - it has been confirmed that he will get behind the wheel at DJR Team Penske's ride day on Monday May 4 at Barbagallo Raceway, after the Perth SuperSprint, which Pye will contest in the chassis crashed and repaired from the Australian Grand Prix.

The V8 Supercar will run in MTU colours, marking the first time it has showcased a Penske-affiliated brand, as the team is joined by 'The Captain' Roger Penske for the round in what is an important market for his business.

"I'm doing a ride day for VIPs after Perth," Ambrose said.

"I'll get some laps, for sure. But it won't be set up like a race car or anything."

The next V8 Supercars event, the Perth SuperSprint, kicks off in a week's time at Barbagallo Raceway. Tickets are available now.