There will be an entire grid between them when Jamie Whincup and Marcos Ambrose start their V8 Supercars season on Saturday but the current champ says the former winner deserves a fair go.

As Whincup took poles for both Saturday’s 125km races at the Clipsal 500, Ambrose sputtered to 24th place in each.

It was an underwhelming return to the sport for the two-time champion, especially considering Ambrose took two race wins from his last visit to the Adelaide street circuit in 2005.

Six-time winner Whincup has a long enough memory to remember that and suggests fans cut him some slack on his return from the US NASCAR series.

“We’ve got to give him a break,” Whincup said.

“It’s hard work coming back in.

“Give him three or four months, don’t go too hard on the bloke, he’s one of the best Australia has produced.

“Come mid-season I’m sure he’ll be right on the pace.”

Whincup was in irrepressible form in Friday’s two qualifying sessions and said he was rapt after an off-season spent drinking beer and not driving.

“At the test day we were unsure where our pace was (or) if the work we put in over the break was enough,” he said.

“No championship points, pay day is (Saturday), but good to know we’re very quick.”

Ambrose has kept a low profile in Adelaide, leaving the talking to his fellow Ford drivers in the new FG X.

Chaz Mostert was the quickest of the Fords, earning two top-ten finishes on the first day of the season.

Teammate Mark Winterbottom, who will start 12th and 10th, said he was struggling but knew the areas that needed fixing.

“It’s only the little bits that we need to fix but it adds up to a lot,” he said.

“If we can get it we’ll be okay.”