V8 Supercars: "I doubted I could lead the team forward," Ambrose admits

A couple of weeks on from the surprise announcement that he was stepping away from his comeback to the V8 Supercars Championship with DJR Team Penske after just two events, Marcos Ambrose has spoken publicly for the first time about the reasons for his decision in interview with the series' official website. The two-time V8 champ and former NASCAR Sprint Cup regular admitted that he questioned his ability to effectively lead the Ford team, which is run jointly by Dick Johnson Racing and Team Penske, after focusing on NASCAR for nine years.

“There’s no doubt that I love racing, I love racing cars and I love being in Australia. Racing V8 Supercars was a ton of fun,” Ambrose told V8SuperCars.com. “What wasn’t fun was having this doubt that I could lead the team forward like I was expected to. That was the challenge for me personally and that’s been the big issue.”

Scott Pye has taken over the team's No. 17 Ford Falcon for this weekend's races in Symmons Plains. Ambrose is expected to return to the team for the Pirtek Enduro Cup later this year, but while the original announcement of his decision emphasized the temporary nature of his sabbatical, Ambrose indicated he did not have a timetable for his return.

“I’m 38 now, I’ve raced all around the world and I’ve done a lot of races. There comes a time when you come back and you’ve got to relearn again – it’s like, 'Well, can I relearn this? Can I do this again?

"Certainly you’d be a fool if you didn’t consider where you’re at and what you’re all about and whether you can step up and take it to them.”

Click here for the full interview.