1979 Rothmans International Series

The 1979 Rothmans International Series was an Australian motor racing series open to Australian Formula 5000, World Formula 1 and Australian Formula Pacific cars. It was the fourth and final Rothmans International Series.

Despite his best placing in the series being a 2nd in the final round at Oran Park, the series was won by ex-F1 driver Larry Perkins driving an Australian designed and Elfin MR8 Chevrolet.

The series included three Formula One cars, though only one featured prominently in the series. Irishman David Kennedy drove a Wolf WR4 powered by the Cosworth DFV to 4th place in the series including winning the Surfers Paradise round and setting the circuits outright lap record of 1:04.400 seconds (this record wasn't beaten until 1986). English driver Geoff Lees drove a Cosworth powered Ensign MN09, though luck deserted him after a second place finished in the opening round at Sandown in Melbourne and he only finished 11th in the series. The third F1 car was driven by Adelaide based driver John McCormack. His was a McLaren M23, converted to F5000 specification and powered by a Repco-Leyland V8. The 1973 British Grand Prix winning McLaren suffering unreliability until the final round at Oran Park where it scored a 5th placed finish giving McCormack 9th place in the series.

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