DAVISON GETS S5000 CALL UP

Alex Davison gets S5000 call up – Photo: Supplied

Former Porsche racer and Supercars co-driver Alex Davison will make his first serious start in a wings and slicks open-wheel race car, after receiving the call up to join the grid historic opening race for S5000 at Sandown next weekend.

Davison will join former Formula 1 star Rubens Barrichello at South Australian-based Team BRM for the event in an Astrontech backed car for the event.

“I’ve enjoyed my time as the Driver Standards Advisor for TCR Australia, but I’d much prefer to be the other side of the fence, so I’m really excited for this opportunity,” said Davison.

“I’ve been watching the developments of the S5000 category with interest, right from the beginning. I remember some discussions I had with Chris Lambden many years ago, and there’s been some twists and turns, but it’s awesome to see his vision come together.

“There’s been a lot of chat in the industry about it, and it’s an honour to be involved in the first ever event.

“This is the first serious open wheel race that I’ve been in since the 1999 Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. I really don’t have any expectations. I’ve never raced wings and slicks, but I’m really excited to be competing.”

The announcement makes Davison the ninth driver locked in for the Sandown S5000 grid, joining Barrichello, Matthew Brabham, TCR drivers Will Brown and John Martin, Tim Macrow, Barton Mawer, Tom Alexander and Michael Gibson.

The race weekend will mark Davison’s first ‘serious’ wings and slicks race meeting. After logging all of his junior racing in Formula Ford, Davison moved into international Porsche racing, before a sustained period in the Supercars Championship – both as a full-time driver and co-driver.

The only wings and slicks competition that he has entered is in a Lola T332 historic Formula 5000 – a car owned by his father Richard.

The drive will not affect Davison’s role as the Driver Standards Advisor for the TCR Australia Series, a role that he has held for the first five events of 2019. It has been confirmed that CAMS race director David Stuart will fill the DSA role for S5000 at Sandown.

Davison will get his first drive of the S5000 car at Phillip Island, joining all of his rivals for a hits-out before practice for S5000 kicks off on Friday, September 20, followed by qualifying and racing on Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets can be pre-purchased or bought at the gate, and for those unable to make it to Sandown for the historic first event, the races will be broadcast live, free and in HD on SBS, or via the Shannons Nationals live stream.

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