TCR race winner could return to S5000

S5000’s inaugural pole-sitter John Martin could be lured back to the open-wheel category by its upcoming triple-header concept.

The 2021/22 S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship will compete at Albert Park, Bathurst and Gold Coast in successive weeks, forming Rounds 2 to 4.

Martin took part in the inaugural S5000 event at Sandown in 2019, taking pole position and three podiums from as many races.

The Supercheap Auto TCR Australia race winner is now eyeing a return, even if just for that blockbuster section of the calendar.

“It’s definitely on my radar,” said Martin.

“I’m looking at some options. I’ve raced S5000 before, so I have some connections with the teams so we’ll see if we can make something happen.

“It might be a bit hard at the start to match the guys who have been racing them flat out for the past 12 months, but I still feel like I could jump in one of them and go reasonably well.

“I just gel with those cars.”

Martin is hopeful the triple-header will draw significant interest from international drivers.

“These are three of the best tracks in Australia. You could probably throw Phillip Island in there too that would suit these cars, but the other than that, these three are all world class, and all for different reasons,” he said.

“Albert Park is a Formula 1 circuit, and I reckon that will get some European guys interested in coming out, and it would be cool to race against them.

“They would all be thinking there are going to be future F1 stars, so this is an amazing opportunity for them too get to drive on the circuit if they make it to F1.

“Every kid around the world knows Bathurst. They all have it on iRacing, and it’s just one of those tracks that you want to race at.

“And the Gold Coast has all the IndyCar open-wheel history, so these three circuits are a match made in heaven.

“For them to come here and race on those three tracks, it would make the two-week quarantine worth it.”

The 2021/22 season will open in September at Sandown.

Joey Mawson sealed the inaugural S5000 title – and the revived Gold Star honour – earlier this month.