Another weekend is upon us, which means plenty more Kiwi motorsport action to keep yourself entertained.
After what seems like an age since they last took to the track, Liam Lawson and Marcus Armstrong are back for the latest FIA Formula 2 round at Monza.
They will also be joined by Jaxon Evans who has his last opportunity to clinch this year’s Porsche Supercup championship.
Scott Dixon will be eager to close the margin to Pato O’Ward as the IndyCar season inches nearer its end. Scott McLaughlin will also be looking to put one hand on the rookie of the year award.
Cormac Buchanan is in Spain for the final Red Bull Rookies Cup round of the season.
And staying with two wheels, Damon Rees and Shane Richardson are at Silverstone for the National Superstock championship as part of the British Superbikes programme.
Marcus Armstrong & Liam Lawson
- What: FIA Formula 2
- Where: Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy
- When: R1 SAT 6.40 pm | R2 SUN 12.45 am | R3 SUN 8.25 pm
- How to follow: Spark Sport
Mid-July was the last time Formula 2 was in action.
A prolonged break has allowed the field to recharge and reflect on the first half of the season and chalk out goals for the remaining four rounds.
Marcus Armstrong had one of his best rounds of the season last time out at Silverstone, scoring a podium in the second sprint race.
The DAMS driver is 14th in the championship but looks to be finally adapting to his new team and car.
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson has been using the break to show off his talent behind the wheel of a GT3 car in the DTM championship.
In fact, Monza was the place Lawson re-wrote DTM history by becoming the youngest ever winning in series history.
He has just come off a double win in Austria, so momentum is strong.
Lawson also picked up a podium at the Italian circuit in 2019 when he was racing in FIA Formula 3.
Jaxon Evans
- What: Porsche Supercup
- Where: Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy
- When: R1 SUN 4.20 am | R2 SUN 10.30 pm
- How to follow: Spark Sport
Two races and 25 points divide Jaxon Evans from Porsche Supercup glory.
The flying Kiwi will need to go all guns blazing this weekend to topple season-long rival Larry ten Voorde for the crown.
Ten Voorde has been Mr Consistent this year and has only finished outside the top five once.
The past two rounds have not been the best for Evans. He was spun around in Spa and struggled for speed at Zandvoort.
But if we know anything from history, it is that Evans will fight until the very last race.
He was in the top-five at Monza last year, so expect him to be up the front again.
Scott Dixon & Scott McLaughlin
- What: IndyCar Grand Prix of Portland
- Where: Portland International Raceway, United States
- When: MON 7.30 am
- How to follow: Sky Sport
Three rounds remain, and as usual, this year’s IndyCar season will come down to the wire.
A wild last round at Gateway meant Scott Dixon slipped down to fourth in the driver’s standings, yet it remains anyone’s game.
Plenty of points are still on offer. But one mistake, one DNF or one poor result could bring the sword down on a driver’s title challenge.
Portland returned to the IndyCar calendar in 2018, with Dixon finishing fifth that race.
He only finished 16th in 2019, and last year’s event was cancelled.
For Scott McLaughlin, this weekend will be another one of learning as he arrives at a foreign circuit once more.
But that doesn’t mean the Penske racer won’t be competitive, and he is coming into the weekend with a stride in his step after finishing fourth last race.
Cormac Buchanan
- What: Red Bull Rookies Cup
- Where: Aragon, Spain
- When: R1 SUN 2.20 am | R2 MON 1.20 am
- How to follow: Red Bull TV (free)
How cool was it to have the New Zealand flag back in the MotoGP paddock this year?
Invercargill teenager Cormac Buchanan became the first Kiwi to be selected for the Red Bull Rookies Cup, which challenged him against the world’s best.
The vast majority of riders in the championship are European, and they had all experienced the circuits the series races at this year.
For Buchanan, the twists and turns of Mugello and the high-speed nature of the Red Bull Ring are a far cry from what he is used to racing on back home.
However, Buchanan stepped up to the task and has delivered some decent rides.
His speed has improved over the year, and he has been on the cusp of scoring points the past few rounds.
A top-15 finish in one of the final two races this weekend will put Buchanan on the score sheet, and no doubt leave him smiling.
Damon Rees and Shane Richardson
- What: National Superstock
- Where: Silverstone, UK
- When: R1 SUN 1.50 am | R2 MON 2 am
- How to follow: Sky Sport
Damon Rees and Shane Richardson cracked the top ten last weekend at Snetterton.
It was his second top ten finish of the year for Richardson, while it was Rees’ first.
This weekend they are at Silverstone, competing on the shorter national circuit layout.
Despite only being six corners, the track can be deceivingly tricky.
It is also super-fast, with high speed turns one and two that lead onto the Wellington straight.
As for rider standings, Rees is currently in 19th, and Richardson is a few places back in 21st.