Motorsport Diary: Kiwis competing abroad this weekend

Where has the year gone?

IndyCar and Indy NXT both conclude their 2023 seasons this weekend, while the World Endurance Championship has its penultimate round in Japan.

In addition to these events, Kiwis are also competing in ADAC GT Masters (Jaxon Evans), the Formula Regional Japanese Championship (Liam Sceats), Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia (Marco Giltrap and Chris van der Drift) and the Toyota 86 Scholarship Series (Ben Stewart).

If you find the time in between all this, there are also a couple of other major events worth checking out. The renowned Goodwood Revival festival takes place this weekend in the United Kingdom and will be live-streamed on Goodwood’s YouTube channel.

On our shores, there’s also the South Island Endurance Series at Ruapuna, which features some incredible machinery and top drivers, including Shane van Gisbergen taking to the track in a Brabham BT62. The Pits Media will be live-streaming the event.

To see how you can follow our Kiwis abroad and at what times, see below!

Scott Dixon, Scott McLaughlin, Tom Blomqvist & Marcus Armstrong: IndyCar Grand Prix of Monterey

• Where? Laguna Seca, Monterey, California
• NZ Times:
  • Practice 1: Saturday 9.30 am
  • Practice 2: Sunday 5.00 am
  • Qualifying: Sunday 9.00 am
  • Final Warm-Up: Monday 4.00 am
  • Race: Monday 6.30 am
• How to watch: Sky Sport 5 (055)

While Alex Palou has already claimed the 2023 IndyCar championship and Scott Dixon has secured second, there’s still plenty to play for in the Grand Prix of Monterey.

Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward and Scott McLaughlin are only separated by 22 points in the fight for third overall, while Agustin Canapino needs to outscore Marcus Armstrong by 36 points to win the Rookie Championship.

Tom Blomqvist returns for his third IndyCar outing as he continues to prepare for a full-time campaign in 2024.

Brendon Hartley & Earl Bamber: World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Fuji

• Where? Fuji International Speedway, Japan
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 5.40 pm
  • Race: Sunday 2.00 pm- 8.00pm
• How to watch: Sky Sport 5 (Race only)

The World Endurance Championship returns for the penultimate round of 2023; the 6 Hours of Fuji.

Brendon Hartley and Toyota Gazoo Racing teammates Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa hold a 23-point advantage over teammates Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and Jose Maria Lopez and Le Mans winners Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi and James Calado, who are tied on points in the Drivers Championship.

Earl Bamber and teammates Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook sit fifth, with the Team Cadillac entry challenging Ferrari and Toyota on occasion throughout the year.

A total of 12 Hypercars will contest this weekend’s 6 Hours of Fuji.

Marco Giltrap & Chris van der Drift: Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia

• Where? Shanghai International Circuit, China
• NZ Times:
  • Race 1: TBC
  • Race 2: TBC
• How to watch: Lamborghini Squadra Corse YouTube

Chris van der Drift and Marco Giltrap have secured the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia title with two rounds to spare, having won six of the eight races in the Lamborghini Auckland-entered, Absolut Racing-run Huracan.

This weekend’s round in Shanghai is the final in Asia for the 2023 season, with the final round to be run at Vallelunga ahead of the world finals in November.

Angus Fogg: Australian Sports Sedans

• Where? Sydney Motorsport Park
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 11.10 am
  • Race 1: Saturday 1.00 pm (approx)
  • Race 2: Sunday 11.45 am (approx)
  • Race 3: Sunday 2.00 pm (approx)
• How to watch: Free live stream (Sunday only)

Fogg and his iconic Black & Gold J. A. Russell Ltd 1970 Fastback Mustang will compete in their first of three Australian Sports Sedans rounds at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The times listed are only approximate, so we suggest tuning in early on Sunday’s live stream so you don’t miss any action.

Hunter McElrea: Indy NXT

• Where? Laguna Seca, Monterey, California
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Sunday 4.05 am
  • Race 1: Sunday 7.25 am
  • Race 2: Monday 4.50 am
• How to watch: Free live stream (free to create an account on Indycarlive.com)

Hunter McElrea is still a chance to be the 2023 Indy NXT Champion but will need other results to fall in his favour to secure the title.

The Andretti Autosport driver is 65 points behind leader Christian Rasmussen, with a maximum of 108 points available in the season-concluding double-header at Laguna Seca.

Jaxon Evans: ADAC GT Masters

• Where? Sachsenring, Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying 1: Saturday 6.30 pm
  • Race 1: Sunday 1.15 am
  • Qualifying 2: Sunday 6.30 pm
  • Race 2: Monday 1.15 am
• How to watch: ADAC Motorsports YouTube

Jaxon Evans and Tim Zimmermann rejoin forces for Round 4 of the ADAC GT Masters, only seven points behind championship-leading duo Finn Gehrsitz and Sven Muller.

The pair will share Hubert Racing’s Porsche 911 GT3 R for two 1-Hour long races.

Liam Sceats: Formula Regional Japanese Championship

• Where? Fuji International Speedway, Japan
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 12.00 pm
  • Race 1: Saturday 3.50 pm
  • Race 2: Saturday 7.30 pm
• How to watch: Formula Regional Japanese Championship YouTube

Liam Sceats returns to Japan for the penultimate round of the Formula Regional Japanese Championship, run in support of the World Endurance Championship at Fuji.

Sceats is second in the standings, 47 points behind Sota Ogawa.

Ben Stewart: Toyota 86 Australia Scholarship Series

• Where? Sydney Motorsport Park, Australia
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 12.55 pm
  • Race 1: Saturday mid-afternoon (Race 7 on schedule)
  • Race 2: Sunday midday (Race 6 of Day 2)
  • Race 3: Sunday evening (Event closing race)
• How to watch: Free live stream (Sunday only)

Ben Stewart takes part in three Toyota 86 Scholarship Series races at the Sydney Master Blast event. It’s Stewart’s second round in the series, having made his debut in Queensland last month.

Each race is 12 laps, with Stewart driving for 99 Racing.

Cormac Buchanan: Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup

• Where? Misano, Italy
• NZ Times:
  • Race 1: Sunday 2.50 am
  • Race 2: Sunday 6.40 pm
• How to watch: Red Bull TV

17-year-old Southlander Cormac Buchanan returns to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup for the season finale at Misano, sitting 16th in the standings.

Header Image: Toyota Gazoo Racing