THE covers are off the brand new look the long-awaited S5000 class will have when the championship begins in 2019.

Category managers have revealed a new name along with the final iteration of its race weapon, with a brand new chassis powered by a quad-cam, five-litre Ford V8 engine.

The car uses a bespoke carbon composite chassis produced by French manufacturer Onroak-Ligier, with many of the other components controlled by the class to keep costs down.

The new S5000 cars should be, outside of F1, the fastest circuit racecars on Australian soil, the 560 horsepower winged beasts expected to give track records a nudge wherever they visit.

Rather than a retro bent, the class is now framed as a fully-modern category aimed at experienced pro racers as well as giving young drivers their first taste of top-line open wheel racing.

The project is the end product of two separate groups, Formula Thunder 5000 and Super5000, that developed V8-powered open-wheel racers inspired by the Formula 5000 cars that raced in Australia and around the world in the 1970s.

But there is nothing retro about the new S5000 car, which category managers, the Australian Racing Group which is also behind the new TCR Series, hope will grow to become the premier open wheel class in the Australasian region.

“Since the original presentation of the S5000 concept as a new, premier open-wheel racing series, interest in bringing the category to life has been extremely strong from fans, teams and potential drivers, and has continued to grow as each prototype car has been displayed,” Matt Braid, director of the Australian Racing Group, said.

“Given the significant interest and support for launching the S5000 category, Australian Racing Group is extremely pleased to finally confirm the specification of the car and to have S5000 endorsed and confirmed as an official category by CAMS for 2019.

“The 2019 specification S5000 car not only looks great, but will be extremely safe, fast and spectacular on track, foregoing technical driving aids to ensure driver talent shines through and provide a level of excitement on track that open wheel fans in Australia and the world have not experienced in some time.

“We can’t wait to see the spectacle of a strong field of S5000 cars racing wheel-to-wheel on the track in 2019.”

LOW BUDGET, HIGH PERFORMANCE
“It’s been an interesting pathway over the past three-and-a-half years to get to this point,” Chris Lambden, category manager for S5000 and the originator of the Formula Thunder 5000 project, said.

“But what we’re now going to be able to offer Australian motorsport is actually better than I had ever thought we could achieve.”

The new car is closer in philosophy to the FT5000 car than the initial Super5000 machine, using a bespoke carbon composite chassis — complete with all the latest FIA-spec safety provisions, including the controversial ‘halo’ cockpit safety brace.

But instead of using the same engine and drivetrain used by the current generation of Supercars, the new S5000 will be powered by an off-the-shelf Ford V8 crate engine and use an Australian-designed and developed Holinger six-speed transaxle. Many parts will be specified across the category in order to minimise running costs.

Completing the package is what is described as a “moderate” downforce package in order to place an emphasis on driver skill.

“The 2018 FIA-spec Onroak-Ligier tub, amalgamated with the V8 engine and Holinger rear end makes up a totally contemporary S5000 car that is going to blow people away,” Lambden added.

“It will retain the modest downforce and mechanical grip elements that we have aimed for, so it’s going to be fast and safe.

“And, at last, we have a serious, spectacular, high-level open wheeler category — perhaps Australia’s version of IndyCar …”

COMING TO A RACE CIRCUIT NEAR YOU IN 2019
The category has received approval from motorsport governing body CAMS, with ARG set to manage the inaugural CAMS Australian S5000 Championship next year.

While no calendar has been revealed, it is expected that ARG will look for S5000 to feature on the support bill at Supercars and Shannons Nationals events in 2019.

“There have been a lot of people expressing interest in getting involved, and with CAMS now ticking off the car and the championship series, it is well and truly on,” Lambden said.

CAMS CEO Eugene Arocca added: “The introduction of the CAMS S5000 Australian Championship to our growing motor sport landscape is a very welcome addition.

“The ARG team have put forward some very exciting plans to ensure this open-wheel category is a great success.

“We are of course also pleased to see the FIA approved safety features incorporated, including the halo. We look forward to working closely with Matt, Chris and the entire team at ARG as this category prepares for its competitive debut in 2019.”