Three-time Formula 1 grand prix winner Giancarlo Fisichella will join the Australian S5000 Championship grid over the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix weekend.

The Italian won the 2005 Australian Grand Prix while driving for Renault, but also had spells at Jordan, Force India, Sauber, Benetton, Minardi, and Ferrari.

“I am very excited about coming back to a city and a street circuit which mean so much to me,” said Fisichella.

“My Grand Prix win will stay in my heart forever as well as the warmth of the many Australian fans who come every year to Melbourne for a great motor sport spectacle.

“It is also a full comeback to an open wheeler for me, after 10 solid years of GT racing and for this I can’t wait until I am going to be behind the wheel of a S5000.”

Australian Racing Group CEO Matt Braid added: “We are excited to welcome Giancarlo to Australia and this is another great coup for the S5000 class at the Australian Grand Prix.

“Giancarlo is loved by all Formula 1 fans for not only his success on the track, but his passion for the sport. While he might have stopped racing Formula 1, he is still very active, and we feel that he is going to adapt very quickly to the S5000s.

“It will be great to rekindle an an old F1 rivalry too, seeing Giancarlo and Rubens Barrichello back at a Formula 1 event, in single seater race cars. It is everything that public want to see and we are pleased to bring this to the Melbourne fans.”

Since retiring from Formula 1 at the end of 2009 Fisichella has moved into sportscar racing, winning the 2012 and 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans with AF Corse.

He also competed in the Australian GT support event at the 2018 Australian Grand Prix, driving a Maranello Motorsport Ferrari 488 GT3.

The S5000 category will kick off its AGP track time with two practice sessions and qualifying on Thursday, followed by one race on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the four-day event.