News
Matthew Brabham puts famous name into historic S5000 Sandown debut
Brabham, a name synonymous with Australian motorsport, will be a part of open wheel history during the inaugural S5000 race meeting at Sandown on September 20-22.
Matthew Brabham will compete in the first-ever race event for the all-new S5000 class, bringing high-performance wings and slicks competition back to Australian shores.
The 25-year-old is the grandson of three-time Formula 1 world champion Sir Jack Brabham and son of Le Mans 24 Hour winner Geoff Brabham.
The Sandown race event will be Brabham’s first drive of an open wheel race car since he competed in the 2016 Indianapolis 500, with PIRTEK Team Murray.
While Matthew Brabham carries a surname filled with motorsport success, the American/Australian has held his own in the industry, winning various classes around the world and testing himself against the best.
He has earned an enviable reputation of being competitive in anything that he drivers, no matter how varied the machinery.
After racing Formula Ford in Australia, Brabham graduated to open wheel competition in the United States, winning the F2000 championship in 2012 and the 2013 Pro-Mazda Championship, before graduating to secure race wins in the Indy Lights Series.
He is one of the winningest drivers in the Road to Indy program, including 13 victories from 16 starts on the way to his Pro-Mazda title.
His experience and speed saw him make an historic appearance in the 2016 Indianapolis Grand Prix and the 100th Indy 500, which was the biggest one-day sporting event in history.
He finished 16th on debut in the grand prix before finishing an impressive 22nd in a memorable Indy 500.
Since then, he has raced in Stadium Super Trucks, finishing second to Paul Morris by a single point before winning the 2018 title, while also taking a class win in the Bathurst 12 Hour that same year in a BMW with touring car legend Tony Longhurst and Aaron Seton.
He currently leads this year’s SST championship and has enjoyed success in sports cars and some historics racing.
Brabham’s experience has seen him employed by several drivers, teams and organisations as a coach and development driver for new machinery.
Brabham shares his time between his base in Indianapolis and the Gold Coast, and will arrive in Australia the week of the S5000 race, getting laps in his 560 horsepower winged weapon at Phillip Island prior to the Sandown event.
Brabham will line-up again as many as 13 other S5000 entries in the category’s debut, including former Formula 1 star Rubens Barrichello, who has already confirmed his place on the grid.
Tickets for the Sandown event are on sale. CLICK HERE for details.
QUOTES
Matthew Brabham
Driver, S5000
“I have obviously kept an eye on the development of the S5000 and was a bit excited when I got the call offering me a drive in the first ever race,” said Brabham.
“I have looked at the bit of vision floating around after the couple of tests the car has had and the S5000 looks like it will be fun to drive.
“To have Rubens Barrichello also in the field is pretty cool and I am looking forward to seeing who else we will be battling against.
“Obviously the Brabham family has had links with open-wheel racing for many decades now and I am proud to be flying the flag in the first race of this new Australian-created formula.
“To be having the race at Sandown International Raceway is also pretty cool, considering its history in Australian motorsport.”
Matt Braid
Director, Australian Racing Group
“It is fantastic to see someone of Matt’s calibre being the first Australian driver confirmed for the inaugural S5000 race,” said Matt Braid.
“Matt has a great background in various open-wheel cars, particularly in the US, and it will be good to see how he comes to terms with the S5000 car at Sandown when he goes up against Rubens Barrichello and other top tier drivers.”