AUSTRALIAN Racing Group supremo Barry Rogers has indicated ex-Formula 1 driver Roberto Merhi is working towards contesting the full 2023 S5000 season.
The Spaniard, who raced for Manor Marussia in the 2015 F1 world championship, has started to become a semi-regular face in S5000 circles.
He was runner-up to Aaron Cameron in the 2021 Tasman Series, which included a visit to Bathurst, and made a surprise return for Round 1 this year at Symmons Plains in February.
Driving for Garry Rogers Motorsport, Merhi finished third in Race 2 and otherwise ran in the mid-pack at Race Tasmania.
He could well be back for the remaining six rounds this year, according to Rogers.
“I was speaking to him last week and his plans are to come back,” Rogers told V8 Sleuth.
“He is in Japan and is trying to line up a few things but he wants to come back and do it and we’d love him back.
“Having those sort of guys driving the cars and the feedback they give, and for these guys to compete against a Roberto and a Joey Mawson, it’s pretty top-level racing at the pointy end.
“The plan is to try to get Roberto back.”
Merhi’s Japanese activities centre around the 2023 Super GT Series, in which he is again driving an Audi R8 LMS Evo II for Team LeMans.
Promisingly, there are no clashes between the Super GT and S5000 calendars this year, although the latter still has one event without dates assigned as yet.
That TBC event is one of the two TCR World Tour rounds being held in Australia; Mount Panorama has already been confirmed to host the other.
Mawson leads the standings after sweeping the Symmons Plains round.
