Rubens Barrichello back in open wheelers in Melbourne! S5000 Series Opener wildcard

Never heard of S5000? That’s the whole point of this story – that’s the whole reason the series organisers have signed Rubens Barrichello to race in the opening event for the category – so you start to hear about it!

S5000 is a brand new open-wheel category for Australia with over a dozen cars currently under construction at Gary Rogers Motorsport.

Their first event is on the weekend of September 20-22 in Melbourne at Sandown alongside the TCR series and other support categories.

How better to draw attention to the event and the series than with a legendary name like Rubens Barrichello.

As a F1 racer between ’93 and ’11, he won 11 races, took 14 pole positions and had 68 podium finishes, five of which were in Melbourne to he doesn’t exactly have a problem with Australia.

He now competes in Stock Car racing in his home country Brazil – winning the 2014 series, running 4th this year and winning the latest round just last weekend.

Coming to Australia for the S5000 will mark Rubens’ first competitive race in an open-wheeler category since he raced IndyCar in 2012.

S5000 cars are beefy V8’s with a decent sound, big wings and fat tyres – everything we miss in modern F1 really:)

Rubens seems keen “Having been to Australia many times during my F1 career, I’m excited to be coming back for the first ever race for S5000, in Melbourne,”

“The concept of the S5000 formula is a very interesting one, the car looks to be a real challenge, and I look forward to playing my part in its launch.

“It’s great to see what will be a resurgence in serious open-wheeler racing in Australia. I hear the sight and sound of a 5-litre V8 in the back of the S5000 is pretty awesome.

“I’ve never been to the Sandown circuit before, so there will be much to absorb, but it looks like a great venue for the S5000s to make their debut. It’s going to be a great experience.”

What do you reckon? Make you wanna head to Sandown to check it out?