The weekend is upon us, bringing another exciting slate of racing action for our Kiwi drivers abroad!
Liam Lawson is back in Formula One for his second consecutive weekend, eager to rebound after a challenging debut with Oracle Red Bull Racing at the Australian Grand Prix.
Shane van Gisbergen continues his NASCAR Cup Series journey at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The Kiwi trio of Scott Dixon, Scott McLaughlin, and Marcus Armstrong return for Round 2 of the IndyCar Series at The Thermal Club.
Adding to the international contingent, Brock Gilchrist starts his Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season this weekend, with the series supporting the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
Hayden Paddon kicks off his 2025 campaign in the Australian Rally Championship, racing in Rally of Canberra. With coverage of the event live and free on YouTube throughout the weekend.
Back home, the NextGen NZ Championship concludes its Summer Series with the Grand Finale at Hampton Downs. The event features the Toyota GR86 Championship, GT New Zealand, Porsche Race Series, GTRNZ, Formula Ford Championship, and Central Muscle Cars. You can catch all the action live and free on Stuff SpeedHub.
Meanwhile, Western Springs Speedway prepares to host what could be its final event, “Legends Night,” marking the end of its storied 96-year history.
With so much to follow, be sure to check out our viewing times and additional information below.
Liam Lawson: Formula One World Championship
- Where? Shanghai International Circuit, China
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Friday 4:30 pm
- Sprint Qualifying: Friday 8:30 pm
- Sprint Race: Saturday 4:00 pm
- Qualifying: Saturday 8:00 pm
- Grand Prix: Sunday 8:00 pm
- How to watch: SkySport 3
Liam Lawson returns to Formula One this weekend for the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, marking his second race of the season. After a challenging debut with Oracle Red Bull Racing at the Australian Grand Prix, Lawson will be eager to bounce back.
As in Melbourne, Lawson will be learning the track on the go, as the Shanghai circuit is new territory for the young Kiwi. To add to the challenge, this weekend is also the first Sprint Round of the 2025 season, meaning the Kiwi will only get a sole Practice session to learn the circuit before heading into Sprint Qualifying.
Shane van Gisbergen: NASCAR Cup Series
- Where? Homestead-Miami Speedway
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Sunday 6:05 am
- Qualifying: Sunday 7:15 am
- Race: Monday 8:00 am
- How to watch: ThreeNow (race only)
Shane van Gisbergen is set for his sixth consecutive weekend in the NASCAR Cup Series, looking to rebound after two challenging races that saw him caught up in race-ending incidents. The Kiwi will be aiming to score valuable points to close the gap to the Playoff cut-off, as he currently sits 31st in the standings after the opening five races.
This race marks van Gisbergen’s first Cup Series start at Homestead, though he has previous experience at the 1.5-mile oval, having competed in the Xfinity Series last year.
Scott Dixon, Scott McLaughlin and Marcus Armstrong: IndyCar Series
- Where? The Thermal Club, California
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Saturday 11:30 am
- Practice 2: Sunday 6:00 am
- Qualifying Round 1: Sunday 10:05 am
- Qualifying Round 2: Sunday 10:55 am
- Qualifying Fast 6: Sunday 11:20 am
- Warmup: Monday 4:00 am
- Race: Monday 8:00 am
- How to watch: SkySport 2
The IndyCar Series returns for Round 2 of the 2025 season this weekend, racing at The Thermal Club in California. This marks the track’s first time hosting a points-paying round, following last year’s non-championship $1 Million Challenge.
After Round 1 in St. Petersburg, Scott Dixon sits second in the standings with 41 points, 10 behind leader Alex Palou. Scott McLaughlin is a further five points back from Dixon, tied for third, while Marcus Armstrong sits 24th after a mechanical retirement in the opening round.
Brock Gilchrist: Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
- Where? Shanghai International Circuit, China
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Friday 5:55 pm
- Qualifying: Saturday 2:10 pm
- Race 1: Saturday 9:55 pm
- Race 2: Sunday 5:00 pm
- How to watch: YouTube
Then finally we have Brock Gilchrist beginning his 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia campaign this weekend, supporting the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit. Gilchrist already has one series appearance under his belt, having competed in the season-ending Shanghai round last year. He made a strong impression, finishing fourth, third, and second in the three races.
Header Image: Hayden Paddon Facebook
