V8 Supercars champion Jamie Whincup says he is excited by reports ex-champion Marcos Ambrose could return to Australia as part of an American-backed team.
Ambrose has been linked to a possible entry in the 2015 V8 championship by the powerful Penske Racing operation, which currently runs Will Power’s three-car IndyCar team as well as a two-car NASCAR Sprint Cup team.
Team Penske president Tim Cindric has told Australian motorsports website Speedcafe.com he “would like to find a way” for the team to be involved in next year’s V8 series.
Two-time V8s champion Ambrose, who has been racing in the United States since 2006, was also named by Cindric as a driver they’d definitely be interested in getting to headline any V8 operation.
Whincup, who was just beginning his V8 Supercars career when Ambrose was winning back-to-back championships in 2003-04, says he’d relish an opportunity to race the Tasmanian once more.
“I can see where the appeal would be with Marcos, because he knows those guys,” Whincup told AAP.
“He’s certainly got a lot of V8 Supercar experience and he’s an extremely good driver.
“It’s interesting. It’s only rumours at the moment but it’s an interesting concept.
“It’d be great to drive along one of the best V8 Supercar drivers we’ve seen.”
Cindric says any formal planning to try and get a V8 entry together wouldn’t happen until after this year’s Indy 500 in May, an event Team Penske has won 15 times.
Whincup says, whether the American giant does get involved or not, the fact it’s even contemplating an entry is a huge plus for the V8 championship.
“Hopefully it’ll lead to a lot more international events, which is what we want to do,” he said.
“We do want to expand that side of it, maybe with Penske involved it’ll make that transition easier.”
