Sydney squad AGI Sport has confirmed its first S5000 Series driver, with current carsales TCR Australia Series racer John Martin to also join the open-wheeler field at Sandown this September.
Martin now joins an expanding line-up featuring Rubens Barrichello, Matthew Brabham, Will Brown and Michael Gibson confirmed so far for the Sandown curtain raiser.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Martin, with AGI Sport’s owner Adam Gotch running Australia’s A1 GP entry for Martin more than a decade ago.
“It should be a good challenge. It’s going to be really cool, and it’s quite a thrill to be involved in the very first race,” Martin said.
“Some people are saying that this is Australia’s version of IndyCar, but one thing is for sure, it’s going to be exciting.
“As soon as Rubens Barrichello was announced, I was like ‘I definitely have to be on the grid now’.”
Martin has already had a taste of the S5000 thoroughbred, with demonstration laps in Queensland and a formal test with AGI Sport at Phillip Island in the recent months.
The Queenslander is no stranger to open-wheel racing either, with stints across A1 GP, Formula 3, and Superleague Formula.
“The car is straight out of development, and a real credit to the guys at GRM to have put them all together and done such a good job,” Martin said.
A few teams will get their hands on them and try and extract as much as they can out of them.
“The cars are pretty fast and loose, and the racing should be awesome. Low aero, high horsepower. I can’t wait for Sandown. It’s going to a mega race weekend.”
For those able to make it to Sandown, tickets are now on sale with 10 per cent of all sales going to charity partner Very Special Kids.
Click here to secure your tickets.
S5000 has been confirmed as part of an expanded Shannons Nationals live television coverage on SBS, including carsales TCR Australia Series.