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The first completed S5000 single-seater has been officially revealed alongside plans for a six round series on the Shannons Nationals bill for its inaugural season next year.

Series organisers took the covers off the car at an official launch at Sydney Motorsport Park where the bespoke chassis logged its first public laps.

The bespoke Onroak-Ligier chassis powered by a sealed 5.0 litre, 560hp V8 Ford Coyote ‘Aluminator’ engine has been dubbed as Australia’s answer to IndyCar and is set to break lap records across the country.

A host of Supercars identities are expected to witness the car’s first laps today including Ryan Walkinshaw, Brad Jones, and Todd Kelly.

Nissan Motorsport’s Andre Heimgartner and former Supercars full-timer Jason Bright were also present at the launch.

The series is yet to announce entrants for 2019 but has attracted plenty of interest.

“This is the motorsport category that is going to shake up the industry,” said Matt Braid, director of promoter Australian Racing Group (ARG).

“For many years, we’ve been yearning for a local, cost-effective, premier open wheel motorsport category, and we have no doubt that the S5000 package is the car to deliver what is needed.”

ARG confirmed that the series will begin at the Shannons Nationals Sydney Motorsport Park season opener from May 17-19 alongside TCR Australia.

The news arrives having investigated the possibility of running as a support series at Supercars events.

S5000 will also take in rounds at Phillip Island, Winton, Sandown, as well as two visits to The Bend Motorsport Park.

The open wheel category is also investigating opportunities to hold non-championship events, pending discussions with other racing promotors.

Other possible calendar inclusions could also see the revival of a Tasman Series, including events in New Zealand over the summer.

Category manager Chris Lambden is hoping the launch will trigger the first confirmed entries, while revealing that talks to feature at Supercars events in the future are ongoing.

“The revealing of the S5000 is truly a landmark day for Australian motorsport,” said Lambden.

“There is now the certainty that teams and drivers have been looking for to enable them to commit and plan for 2019.

“S5000 is going to offer the ‘big-bang’, serious open wheeler racing that Australia hasn’t seen for decades, and there’s no doubt that the car and competition package will excite people.

“Confirmation of the CAMS Australian S5000 Championship schedule for 2019, headlining the Shannons Nationals, is great news all-round.

“It’s the ground base on which the future of S5000 will be built.

“There are discussions also going on with Supercars, among other promotors, with a view to S5000 running at some of their events, which will certainly add some icing to the cake.”

The car is set to make its full public debut at this weekend’s Coates Hire Newcastle 500, where it will be driven by Greg Murphy and John Bowe.

S5000 2019 calendar

Round 1 Sydney Motorsport Park 17-19 May
Round 2 Phillip Island 6-9 June
Round 3 The Bend Motorsport Park 12-14 July
Round 4 Winton 31 August-1 September
Round 5 Sandown 20-22 September
Round 6 The Bend Motorsport Park 15-17 November

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The first Super5000 single seater has been sold ahead of a planned launch for the new category next year.

Prodrive Racing Australia co-owner Rusty French has acquired the first chassis which he plans to field for rising Australian open wheel driver Thomas Randle.

The sale was confirmed at the Wilson Security Sandown 500 where French handed over a $100,000 deposit for the car.

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“I have always been interested in the 5000s, from back in the old days when they were running the Tasman Series and I think it is a fantastic series to be involved in,” said French.

“I have agreed to put Thomas (Randle) in one of these cars in the new category, the Super5000, and I believe that if we could end up with a grid of 16 or 18 of these cars it would be fantastic racing.

“The car that I have purchased is this car, there will be some variation to the mechanical side of it.

“I believe the chassis aero will stay the same, it could very well be that Chris Lambden’s engine could be the choice of the engine package to run, which would keep the cost of these cars down, but for the price of these cars they are similar money to a Carrera Cup car.

“For anybody that wants to go racing in open wheelers and have a big banger V8, I think they are fantastic.”

French sees the category as a perfect opportunity for young drivers like Randle, whom he has backed for several seasons, to hone their skills.

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