Victorian driver Cooper Webster has been confirmed as the first signing for the 2022 S5000 Tasman Series.

Versa Motorsport has confirmed the 19-year-old will continue with the team after impressed in this year’s S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship.

He placed third in that campaign, only two points behind GRM driver James Golding, with race wins at Sydney Motorsport Park and Hidden Valley.

Webster is excited to be on the grid for this year’s Tasman Series.

“It’s fantastic to be locked in for the Tasman Series this early so we can have the best possible preparation,” he Webster.

“The progress we made as a team throughout the championship was incredible and at Darwin we really showcased what we are capable of.

“With a full year’s worth of experience we are confident that we head to the Tasman Series as a contender for the championship, which will be our ultimate goal.”

Versa Motorsport Team Principal Toby Pope heaped praise on Webster, in announcing the signing.

“We have always believed in Cooper’s talent from the first time we saw him race, watching him beat current top level F2 and F3 drivers in his karting days, but now it’s been validated throughout the 2022 S5000 season for everyone else to see,” Pope said.

“At Coopers age, with his talent, I don’t think we will be able to keep him for much longer so doing the best preparation possible to try to win the Tasman series is the focus for the rest of 2022.

“This is the first of a number of announcements for the team moving forward as we count down the streets of the Gold Coast in October.”

In addition to his real-world racing commitments, Webster is currently undertaking a second Cash Converters Supercars Eseries campaign for Team 18, placing third in Race 1 of the season at Winton Motor Raceway.

He finished seventh last year, and his Esports credentials have been on the rise.

Webster was picked up by the powerhouse Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports Team for the Porsche Esports Super Cup, finishing eighth outright and the top rookie in the 2022 series, and competed in the Virtual Le Mans Series for the team.

The 2022 S5000 Tasman Series is set to be be the 14th season of the revived Tasman Series, and the second using S5000 machinery.

It kicks off at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 on the streets of Surfers Paradise in October.