| Category | Single seaters Formula 5000 |
|---|---|
| Country or region | Australia |
| Inaugural season | 1976 |
| Folded | 1979 |
| Last Drivers' champion | Larry Perkins |
| Last Teams' champion | Ansett Team Elfin |
The Rothmans International Series was an Australian Formula 5000 motor racing series which ran from 1976 to 1979.
When the joint Australian-New Zealand open-wheeler series, the Tasman Series 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, Adelaide International Raceway, Oran Park and Surfers Paradise International Raceway.
Sports car champion Vern Schuppan won the 1976 Rothmans International Series in a Lola T332-Chevrolet with the final round at Surfers Paradise being washed out. Former Tasman Series winner Warwick Brown won the 1977 and 1978 Rothmans titles driving the Lola for the VDS team. Larry Perkins 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 World Champion Alan Jones, former Tasman Series champion Englishman Peter Gethin, Australian Grand Prix winner John Goss, twice Gold Star Champion Kevin Bartlett, triple Tasman Series champion Graham McRae and future four-time Australian Drivers Championship winner Alfredo Costanzo. Also touring car and rally champion Colin Bond drove in the 1979 series.
| Year | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Vern Schuppan | Lola T332-Chevrolet | Theodore Racing |
| 1977 | Warwick Brown | Lola T430-Chevrolet | Racing Team VDS |
| 1978 | Warwick Brown | Lola T333CS-Chevrolet | Racing Team VDS |
| 1979 | Larry Perkins | Elfin MR8-Chevrolet | Ansett Team Elfin |