S5000 go for short burst season in 2021

Thursday 12 November, 2020

The S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship will have four rounds in 2021.

The 2021 S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship calendar has been confirmed with four rounds to make up the season.

Scheduled to begin in January, the championship will then run in the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships at Phillip Island for its second round.

While the destination of March’s third round is yet to be confirmed, the season will wrap up at the start of May at Sydney Motorsport Park with the championship to once again join up with the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships. The Championship will then run as a ‘summer series’, with the 2021/2022 Championship to start in September next year at Sandown.

Adding to the honour of winning the category’s inaugural season, the 2021 champion will be awarded with the prestigious Motorsport Australia Gold Star award.

With the list of recipients including a number of famous names such as Mark Skaife, Will Power and Kevin Bartlett, it will be the first time the award has been contested since 2014.

Category manager Chris Lambden was thrilled to announce the start date for the new championship.

“After the frustration of last March’s Grand Prix cancellation, where S5000 was poised to make a serious statement, and the extended COVID-19 shut-down since, it really is exciting to confirm the re-launch of the S5000 Australian Drivers Championship (Gold Star) series, across the upcoming summer," Lambden said.

“This series, slimmed back to four championship rounds in four months due to the delayed start and aimed at keeping series entrant costs down while the country gets back on its feet, will decide the first S5000 Gold Star Champion.

“Firming up the calendar allows our existing, and new, competitors the certainty they need to prepare well for the first Gold Star Championship for several years. The four rounds are at four of the very best race tracks in the country, and S5000 will provide a spectacular contest.

“The grid is taking shape again, teams will be starting pre-season testing shortly, and we’re ready to provide real motorsport fans with something spectacular over the summer. It’s just so good to be able to go racing again.”