Another big few days of racing is in store for our Kiwi drivers this weekend.
Scott McLaughlin can clinch the IndyCar Rookie of the Year award in Long Beach.
Liam Lawson and Marcus Armstrong head to Sochi for the latest round of FIA Formula 2.
Brendon Leitch makes his GT Open debut at Monza.
Also making a debut is Ryan Yardley, who is in Virginia for the Formula Regional Americas series.
And Shane Richardson looks to continue making ground in the British National Superstock championship, this time at Oulton Park.
Scott Dixon and Scott McLaughlin
- What: IndyCar Grand Prix of Long Beach
- Where: Long Beach street circuit, United States
- When: MON 8.30 am
- How to follow: Sky Sport
Scott Dixon says he will do everything he can to ensure the IndyCar championship trophy remains in the Chip Ganassi camp.
After the Kiwi was knocked out of the title race last weekend, he can still help teammate Alex Palou claim a maiden championship come Monday’s season finale.
Three drivers are mathematically in championship contention. However, this weekend will primarily be between Palou and Pato O’Ward.
O’Ward is 35 points behind Palou, with a maximum of 54 up for grabs.
Josef Newgarden will need a near-perfect weekend if he is to win a third Astor Cup.
Meanwhile, Scott McLaughlin can claim the Rookie of the Year award this weekend.
The Kiwi is 20 points clear of Romain Grosjean, the other rookie in the field.
Liam Lawson and Marcus Armstrong
- What: FIA Formula 2
- Where: Sochi Autodrom, Russia
- When: R1 SAT 7.30 pm | R2 SUN 1.40 am | R3 SUN 9.30 pm
- How to follow: Spark Sport
After the misfortune of Monza, where his fire extinguisher went off inexplicably midrace, Liam Lawson will be gunning for a bounce-back this weekend.
Lawson last raced in the Russian city in 2019 with MP Motorsport in the Formula 3 championship.
He finished 18th in the feature race before ending his rookie F3 season with a solid eighth-place finish.
That same year, Marcus Armstrong picked up his last F3 victory with a win in the feature race. He came home in P2 in the sprint race to end the season as the championship runner-up.
This weekend is the first event of the year where F1, F2 and F3 are on the same programme.
Brendon Leitch
- What: GT Open
- Where: Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy
- When: R1 SUN 3 am | R2 MON 2.30 am
- How to follow: YouTube Live Stream
Brendon Leitch has had one busy September.
First, he firmed up his deal for the 2022 racing season, which has him competing in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance cup.
Then, he headed to the Hockenheim for a guest weekend in the GTC championship.
Finishing eighth in the one-hour endurance race, Leitch came home a hard-fought sixth in the weekend-ending sprint affair.
Now, he arrives at Monza for one of the biggest GT Open events of the year.
Over 20 GT3 cars are expected to turn up to the Temple of Speed this weekend.
Leitch will be sharing driving duties with American racer Tyler Cooke.
Ryan Yardley
- What: Formula Regional Americas
- Where: Virginia International Raceway, United States
- When: R1 SUN 2.30 am | R2 SUN 8.15 am | R3 6.45 am
- How to follow: Live Timing
Christchurch’s Ryan Yardley has been spending his 2021 competing across the United States in the Formula Pro-Western championship.
This weekend he gets the opportunity to battle against some of the country’s best in the Formula Regionals championship.
The winner of the Formula Regionals championship is awarded a scholarship to race in the Super Formula series in Japan.
While Yardley is, so far, only committed to doing this weekend, no doubt he will be targeting a full campaign in 2022.
Yardley has never raced at Virginia International Raceway before, but he’ll have ample testing time to get up to speed before the first race.
Shane Richardson
- What: National Superstock
- Where: Oulton Park, UK
- When: R1 SUN 1.45 am | R2 MON 1.40 am
- How to follow: Sky Sport
Shane Richardson will be the only Kiwi on the National Superstock grid this weekend.
Damon Rees’ big crash during qualifying at Silverstone last round has sidelined him for, it seems, the rest of the season.
Richardson marginally missed out on points in Silverstone but showed moments of promise.
Oulton Park was the venue for the season’s first race, with Richardson qualifying a standout P9.
Unfortunately, heavy brake fade meant Richardson’s qualifying speed failed to translate into the race, and he finished 21st.
He’ll have two races this weekend, and with three rounds left this year, every race counts.
