The Rothmans International Series was an Australian Formula 5000

Formula 5000

Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...

 motor racing series which ran from 1976 to 1979.

History

When the joint Australian-New Zealand open-wheeler series, the Tasman Series

Tasman Series

The Tasman Series was a motor racing series held from 1964 to 1975, in Australia and New Zealand, and named after the Tasman Sea between the two countries...

 was discontinued after the 1975 series, the four Australian former Tasman races became the Rothmans International Series.

The Rothmans Series was run during February at circuits such as Sandown

Sandown Raceway

Sandown International Raceway is a motor racing circuit in Melbourne, Victoria, approximately south east of the city centre. It is considered a power circuit with its front straight being 899m long and back straight 910m long.-History:...

, Adelaide International Raceway

Adelaide International Raceway

The Adelaide International Raceway is a permanent circuit owned by Australian Motorsport Club Limited under the auspices of the Bob Jane Corporation. It is located on Port Wakefield Road at Virginia, a small town just north of Adelaide, South Australia, and is round the corner from Speedway City...

, Oran Park

Oran Park Raceway

Oran Park Raceway was a motor racing circuit at Narellan in southwestern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia which was operational from 1962 to 2010....

 and Surfers Paradise International Raceway

Surfers Paradise International Raceway

Surfers Paradise International Raceway was a motor racing complex at Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The circuit was designed and built by Keith Williams, a motor racing enthusiast. It was located opposite the Surfers Paradise Ski Gardens at Carrara...

.

Sports car champion Vern Schuppan

Vern Schuppan

Vernon "Vern" Schuppan is a racing driver from Whyalla, South Australia. Schuppan drove in various categories, participating in Formula One, the Indianapolis 500 and most successfully in sports car racing.-Formula One:...

 won the 1976 Rothmans International Series in a Lola T332

Lola T332

The Lola T332 was a race car designed and built by Lola Cars for use in Formula 5000 racing and made its racing debut in 1973. Commonly using the 5.0L Chevrolet V8 engine, the T332 was successful around the globe with race victories in places such as Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and...

-Chevrolet

Chevrolet

Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...

 with the final round at Surfers Paradise being washed out. Former Tasman Series winner Warwick Brown

Warwick Brown

Warwick Brown is a former racing driver from Australia.Brown participated in a single Formula One Grand Prix, on 10 October 1976. He drove a Williams-Wolf at the US GP and finished 14th....

 won the 1977 and 1978 Rothmans titles driving the Lola for the VDS team. Larry Perkins

Larry Perkins

Larry Clifton Perkins is a former racing driver and V8 Supercar team owner from Australia.-Career:...

 was the final Rothmans Series champion in 1979 in an Elfin MR8.

Some notable drivers who competed in the Rothmans International Series included future Formula One

Formula One

Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

 World Champion Alan Jones, former Tasman Series champion Englishman Peter Gethin

Peter Gethin

Peter Kenneth Gethin is a former racing driver.He participated in 31 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 21 June 1970. He won the 1971 Italian Grand Prix in the fastest average speed in Formula One history , but this was his only podium finish...

, Australian Grand Prix

Australian Grand Prix

The Australian Grand Prix is a motor race held annually and is held to be the pinnacle of motor racing in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 76 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has...

 winner John Goss

John Goss (race driver)

John Goss is the only Australian racing driver to win Australia's two most prestigious races, the Bathurst 1000 , and the Australian Grand Prix .-Early career:...

, twice Gold Star Champion

Australian Drivers' Championship

The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula...

 Kevin Bartlett

Kevin Bartlett (race driver)

Kevin Bartlett , often known by his nickname "KB", is an Australian former open wheel and touring car racing driver who won the CAMS Gold Star in 1968 and 1969, as well as the prestigious Bathurst 1000. Bartlett was named in Wheels magazine's annual yearbook in 2004 as one of Australia's 50...

, triple Tasman Series champion Graham McRae

Graham McRae

Graham McRae is a former racing driver from New Zealand.McRae's single outing in the Formula One World Championship was at the 1973 British Grand Prix on 14 July 1973, where he retired in the first lap...

 and future four-time Australian Drivers Championship winner Alfredo Costanzo

Alfredo Costanzo

Alfredo Costanzo is a retired Australian racing driver.The Italian-Australian was Australia's foremost domestic open wheeler driver in the late 70s and early 80s, proving equally adapt at winning races in the powerful Formula 5000 class as much as the nimble Formula Pacific cars that replaced them...

. Also touring car and rally champion Colin Bond

Colin Bond

Colin John Bond is a retired Australian racing driver. Bond reached the highest levels in Australian motorsport in 1969 when he was recruited by Harry Firth to the newly formed Holden Dealer Team...

 drove in the 1979 series.

List of champions

Year	Driver	Car	Team
1976	Vern Schuppan Vern Schuppan Vernon "Vern" Schuppan is a racing driver from Whyalla, South Australia. Schuppan drove in various categories, participating in Formula One, the Indianapolis 500 and most successfully in sports car racing.-Formula One:...	Lola T332 Lola T332 The Lola T332 was a race car designed and built by Lola Cars for use in Formula 5000 racing and made its racing debut in 1973. Commonly using the 5.0L Chevrolet V8 engine, the T332 was successful around the globe with race victories in places such as Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...	Theodore Racing Theodore Racing Theodore Racing was a Formula One constructor from Hong Kong founded by real estate magnate and millionaire Teddy Yip. They participated in 51 grands prix, entering a total of 64 cars. They scored 2 championship points.-History:...
1977	Warwick Brown Warwick Brown Warwick Brown is a former racing driver from Australia.Brown participated in a single Formula One Grand Prix, on 10 October 1976. He drove a Williams-Wolf at the US GP and finished 14th....	Lola T430-Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...	Racing Team VDS
1978	Warwick Brown Warwick Brown Warwick Brown is a former racing driver from Australia.Brown participated in a single Formula One Grand Prix, on 10 October 1976. He drove a Williams-Wolf at the US GP and finished 14th....	Lola T333CS-Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...	Racing Team VDS
1979	Larry Perkins Larry Perkins Larry Clifton Perkins is a former racing driver and V8 Supercar team owner from Australia.-Career:...	Elfin MR8-Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...	Ansett Team Elfin