Alex Premat returns to open wheel racing with S5000 drive at Australian Grand Prix

Reigning Bathurst 1000 winner Alex Premat will make his return to open wheel racing at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix, with a one-off appearance in S5000.

Premat will drive for Garry Rogers Motorsport—a return to form for the Frenchman, as he raced there during his two-year Supercars campaign with the team.

He is a regular endurance driver in the category, winning the 2019 Bathurst 1000 with Scott McLaughlin.

Premat’s career began in open-wheel series, making it to GP2, where he was teammates with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at ART Grand Prix in 2005 and 2006.

“I’m pretty excited to join the team GRM for the opening S5000 race in 2020,” he said.

“I think it is going to be pretty cool and pretty fun.

“It has been a long time since I have driven a single seater. The last time was back in 2006 when I drove at ART Grand Prix with Lewis Hamilton. That was actually my last win in an open wheeler at Barcelona, so I’m really looking forward to being back in one of these cars.

“And I’m especially excited to be racing at the Melbourne Formula 1 event. I did two years in the Supercars, and it was pretty good. It’s a great event with a great atmosphere.

“Also, to be back with Garry, Barry and the GRM team is awesome. I need to learn the car, the big engine, big downforce, but it will be a good challenge.

“In one event, it is hard to know what the target is going to be, but for sure, we’ve seen in the other races that the team wants to win and we’ll try and do the best job possible.”