The sight of Russell Ingall in his rear-view mirror has helped convince Marcos Ambrose that he's on the right track with his V8 Supercars comeback.
Two-time champion Ambrose had little to celebrate when he returned to the series as a wildcard in the 2014 season finale in Sydney last weekend following his nine years in NASCAR in the US.
A wet and wild weekend on the tough Sydney street circuit appeared to be an eye opener for him as he prepares for his fulltime return next year with the newly-formed DJR Team Penske.
But Ambrose says he was encouraged by holding his own in several on-track battles, including a tangle with former teammate Ingall.
And he could even see a silver lining to the storm clouds that plagued the Sydney round.
"The weather was great because (it was good) to experience a lot of different things and I feel more rounded," said Ambrose, who finished the weekend's three races 20th, 21st and 16th.
"I've got a long way to go and I just hope the team's patient with me and we can build this thing into a winning combination," he told V8 Supercars website.
He may have to savour that duel with Ingall, as The Enforcer is one of the big names still searching for a co-drive berth in 2015's endurance rounds, having confirmed his retirement from full-time driving after the Sydney round.
Two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Ingall finished 18th overall in the 2014 standings with a fourth placing in Tasmania his best race result for the year.
Ingall and Jack Perkins are the standout candidates still without a part-time drive after several teams appeared to lock up combinations this week.
Paul Dumbrell has reportedly again linked with Holden's six-time champion Jamie Whincup for a fourth consecutive year after they claimed the Enduro Cup this year.
But Ford's Bathurst 1000-winning pairing of Chaz Mostert and Paul Morris appears over.
Morris is believed to have stepped aside, with Cameron Waters and Steve Owen set to co-drive with Mostert and Mark Winterbottom although exact pairings are yet to be decided.
Holden Racing Team's enduro pairings are uncertain after veteran Greg Murphy confirmed he would switch to TV commentary next year.
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