This weekend is shaping up to be a big one, with Kiwis competing in motorsport events all over the world.
Supercars finally return to action with Shane van Gisbergen, Andre Heimgartner and Matt Payne taking to the track in Sydney, whilst the Kiwi Porsche Sprint Challenge trio of Zach Stichbury, Marco Giltrap, and Ronan Murphy join them in the support categories. Richie Stanaway will also be competing, racing for Triple Eight Race Engineering in the GT World Challenge.
There’s also a double-header, championship-deciding London E-Prix where both Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans remain a chance for the title.
Throw in Callum Hedge in Formula Regional Americas, Louis Sharp in British Formula 4, Brendon Leitch in Super Trofeo, Ryan Yardley in the Porsche Carrera Cup America, and Hayden Paddon at Rally di Roma Capitale then we’re in for a good weekend.
There’s also Red Bull Romaniacs on, with 31 Kiwis taking part in the gruelling five-day enduro in Romania. With all the action, don’t forget there’s also the Belgium Grand Prix.
All the details you need to know are below.
Supercars are finally back, with Shane van Gisbergen, Matt Payne and Andre Heimgartner flying the New Zealand flag at the Sydney SuperNight.
Van Gisbergen is the best-placed in the championship standings, sitting fourth but less than 100 points off leader Will Brown. Heimgartner is sixth, and Payne is 18th, as the best rookie.
Just two races will take place this weekend, the opener being a 200km, 51-lap challenge at night, which will require refuelling. Sunday’s race is of a more traditional sprint format, lasting just 140km for 36 laps.
Nick Cassidy or Mitch Evans could be a world champion by the end of this weekend.
The London E-Prix double-header concludes the 2023 season, and Cassidy is currently second, 24 points behind leader Jake Dennis. Evans is third, 44 points off Dennis. A maximum of 58 points are up for grabs over the weekend, meaning both will be relying on other results to go their way.
The London E-Prixs will be run on the 2.09km, 20-turn track, which runs through an indoor section at the ExCeL Events Arena in the historic Docklands district in London.
Hayden Paddon and John Kennard will team up for this weekend’s Rally di Roma Capitale in the lead of the European Rally Championship.
Paddon is driving BRC Racing Team’s Hyundai i20 N for the 13-stage asphalt rally.
Brendon Leitch returns to Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe with a slender half-point lead in the Pro standings.
Leitch is driving the #86 Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 for Leipert Motorsport in two 50-minute races.
Richie Stanaway returns to Australia to compete for Triple Eight Race Engineering in the GT World Challenge, running in support of the Supercars Sydney SuperNight. Stanaway is partnering Prince Jefro Ibrahim in the Pro-Am class, driving the #888 Mercedes AMG-GT3.
Andrew Fawcett will be racing an Audi R8 LMS Evo 2 with Dylan O’Keefe, while Miles will run as a sole entry in a Mercedes AMG-GT3.
Louis Sharp enters this weekend’s round at Croft sitting second in the British Formula 4 standings, 28 points behind leader William Macintyre.
The series will compete in three 20-minute races, in support of the British Touring Cars, around the 2.1-mile circuit on a former airfield.
Callum Hedge has returned to the United States to compete in Round 4 of the Formula Regional Americas Championship on the 2.25-mile, 12-turn road course in New Jersey.
Hedge has won the last seven races and leads the championship by 25 points over Ryan Shehan. The championship winner receives a seat in Super Formula next season, the same competition Liam Lawson currently competes.
A three-strong Kiwi contingent will be in action in the Porsche Sprint Challenge as they race in support of the Supercars Sydney SuperNight.
Marco Giltrap is currently the championship leader but has Ronan Murphy hot on his tail. Zac Stichbury has also been impressive and is currently fourth in the standings.
Race 1 and 2 are both 14 laps, with Race 3 slightly longer at 25. All three will be shown on Sky Sport.
Ryan Yardley has been on a strong points-scoring run of late and sits sixth in the Pro class standings.
Both of this weekend’s races are 40 minutes long, with the Carrera Cup racing in support of the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Road America.
Thirty-one Kiwis are in Romania competing in Red Bull Romaniacs, a gruelling five-day Hard Enduro run through the Carpathian Mountains.
Seven New Zealanders are competing in the Silver class, 20 in Bronze and a further four in Iron.
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