KIWIS RACING ABROAD | 19-23 MARCH WEEKEND PREVIEW 🏁
New Zealand’s motorsport stars are gearing up for another busy weekend on the world stage, with action spread across sportscars, NASCAR, single-seaters and Supercross across North America, South America and Europe.
In the United States, attention centres on the 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway, where a strong Kiwi contingent will tackle one of endurance racing’s toughest events. In the top-tier GTP class, Earl Bamber lines up with Cadillac Whelen, while Scott Dixon joins Acura Meyer Shank Racing. In LMP2, Hunter McElrea represents United Autosports USA.
Supporting categories at Sebring will also feature Kiwi talent, with Callum Hedge making his debut in Porsche Carrera Cup North America with JDX Racing. Madeline Stewart contests the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, while Will Bamber competes in Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America.
Elsewhere in the United States, Shane van Gisbergen continues his NASCAR Cup Series campaign at Darlington Raceway, while on two wheels, Cole Davies lines up in the 250SX East/West Showdown at Protective Stadium after his recent podium at Daytona.
In South America, Cormac Buchanan returns for Round 2 of the Moto3 World Championship at the Grand Prix of Brazil at Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna.
In Europe, Formula E heads to Spain for the Madrid E-Prix at Circuito Permanente del Jarama, where Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy will both be in action.
It’s another globe-trotting weekend for New Zealand’s motorsport stars, competing across some of the world’s biggest categories and events.
Check out our detailed weekend preview below for everything you need to know, including session times, how to watch, and who’s racing where. ⬇️
Earl Bamber, Scott Dixon & Hunter McElrea | IMSA Sportscar Championship
- Where? Sebring International Raceway, Florida
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 3:05 AM
- Practice 2: Friday 9:00 AM
- Practice 3: Friday 12:45 PM
- Qualifying: Saturday 4:25 AM
- 12 Hours of Sebring Race: Sunday 3:10 AM
- How to Watch? IMSA YouTube Channel or IMSA TV
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship continues this weekend with the legendary 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway, where three Kiwi drivers will be in action.
In the GTP class, Earl Bamber heads into the weekend on the back of a strong start to the season. He and the Cadillac Whelen team finished second at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and will be looking to carry that momentum into Sebring.
Scott Dixon also lines up in GTP with Acura Meyer Shank Racing. Daytona proved more difficult for Dixon and his team, finishing ninth in class, but Sebring offers a fresh opportunity to move forward in the championship.
In LMP2, Hunter McElrea returns with United Autosports USA after a tough opening round. He was involved in an incident at the start of the Daytona race, with the car requiring repairs twice and ultimately finishing 45th overall and 10th in class.
Sebring is always one of the toughest events on the calendar, and all three Kiwis will be aiming for a cleaner run across the 12-hour race.
Callum Hedge | Porsche Carrera Cup North America
- Where? Sebring International Raceway, Florida
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Thursday 2:40 AM
- Practice 2: Thursday 7:10 AM
- Qualifying: Friday 2:15 AM
- Race 1: Friday 8:00 AM
- Race 2: Saturday 10:45 AM
- How to Watch? IMSA YouTube Channel or IMSA TV
Callum Hedge is set for a new challenge this weekend as he makes his debut in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America at Sebring International Raceway.
It marks a shift in direction for the Kiwi, who has spent the past two seasons competing in Indy NXT as part of his pathway toward IndyCar. During that time, Hedge finished fourth in the 2024 standings and followed it up with a consistent 2025 campaign to place seventh overall.
Now turning his attention back to GT racing, Hedge links up with JDX Racing for a full season in Carrera Cup North America. Driving the #9 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, he returns to Porsche machinery for the first time since his title-winning campaign in 2023.
The move aligns with his longer-term goals in endurance racing, with ambitions of progressing into categories such as the IMSA SportsCar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Madeline Stewart | IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge
- Where? Sebring International Raceway, Florida
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Thursday 4:25 AM
- Practice 2: Friday 1:00 AM
- Qualifying: Friday 7:10 AM
- Race: Saturday 7:00 AM
- How to Watch? IMSA YouTube Channel or IMSA TV
Madeline Stewart returns to action this weekend for Round 3 of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at Sebring International Raceway.
The Kiwi lines up in the Grand Sport (GS) class with Czabok-Simpson Motorsport, continuing her first season with the team after signing a multi-year deal ahead of 2026. Stewart will pilot a Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport as part of a long-term programme aimed at progressing into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the coming years.
The 25-year-old arrives at Sebring with a strong background in Porsche machinery, having spent the past two seasons competing in Porsche Carrera Cup North America. She also remains part of the Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Program, further strengthening her ties with the brand as she continues her development in GT racing.
Sebring marks another important step in that progression, with the challenging Florida circuit providing a key test for both driver and team as they continue to build experience together in the competitive GS field.
Will Bamber | Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America
- Where? Sebring International Raceway, Florida
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Thursday 3:25 AM
- Practice 2: Thursday 8:05 AM
- Qualifying: Friday 4:55 AM
- Race 1: Friday 11:05 AM
- Race 2: Saturday 9:35 AM
- How to Watch? IMSA YouTube Channel or IMSA TV
Will Bamber gets his 2026 campaign underway this weekend in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America at Sebring International Raceway.
The Kiwi lines up with TR3 Racing as the season kicks off alongside the IMSA support categories, returning to one-make GT competition on one of North America’s most demanding circuits.
Bamber brings a wealth of experience in GT and endurance racing and will be looking to make a strong start to the championship as he begins his latest North American campaign.
Sebring’s opening round features two races across the weekend, giving Bamber an early opportunity to build momentum in what is always a competitive field.
Shane Van Gisbergen | NASCAR Cup Series
- Where? Darlington Raceway, Florida
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Sunday 7:30 AM
- Qualifying: Sunday 8:40 AM
- Race: Monday 8:00 AM
- How to Watch? ThreeNow
Shane van Gisbergen had a tough outing in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where an early incident left his race compromised.
Starting 16th on the grid, van Gisbergen was caught three-wide in the midfield on the opening lap. Contact with Erik Jones sent his No. 97 Chevrolet sideways at high speed, forcing a dramatic save that kept the car off the wall. While he managed to avoid a spin, the impact damaged the front splitter, leaving the car handling unpredictably for the remainder of the 267-lap race.
Despite the team’s efforts to adjust the car during pit stops, van Gisbergen struggled to climb through the field, finishing 36th. The setback drops him down the points standings, but the Kiwi will be looking to rebound at the next round, the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway.
While it was a frustrating result, the weekend also saw veteran Denny Hamlin claim a dramatic, emotional victory, showcasing the resilience and unpredictability of NASCAR competition. Van Gisbergen and Trackhouse Racing now turn their focus to Darlington as they aim to get back on track in the championship.
Cormac Buchanan | Moto3
- Where? Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna, Brazil
- NZ Times:
- Free Practice 1: Saturday 1:00 AM
- Practice: Saturday 5:15 AM
- Free Practice 2: Sunday 12:40 AM
- Qualifying 1: Sunday 4:45 AM
- Qualifying 2: Sunday 5:10 AM
- Race: Monday 4:00 AM
- How to Watch? ThreeNow
Cormac Buchanan is set to return to action this weekend for Round 2 of the Moto3 World Championship at the Grand Prix of Brazil, held at the Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna.
The Kiwi rider heads into Brazil looking to bounce back after a frustrating opening round. On the first lap at Round 1, Buchanan was involved in a collision on the warm-up lap that damaged his bike and caused it to shut off, dropping him to the back of the field. Despite pushing hard to recover, he ultimately crashed out, ending a weekend that had shown clear potential and pace.
Reflecting on the first round, Buchanan highlighted the progress he’s made: feeling calmer, more confident, and competitive, building on the momentum from preseason and improving on his 2025 performance. This weekend, he’ll be aiming to convert that growth into points and a strong finish as he continues his campaign in Moto3.
Cole Davies | AMA Supercross Championship
- Where? Protective Stadium, Birmingham
- NZ Times:
- 250 East Qualifying 1: Sunday 6:04 AM
- 250 East Qualifying 2: Sunday 8:55 AM
- 250 East Heat: Sunday 12:20 PM
- 250 Last Chance Qualifier: Sunday 1:23 PM
- 250 East/West Showdown Main Event: Sunday 1:55 PM
- How to Watch? Super Motocross Video Pass
New Zealand’s rising Supercross talent Cole Davies faces one of his toughest tests of the season this weekend, lining up in the 250SX East/West Showdown at Protective Stadium.
The Birmingham round brings the two coasts together, adding depth and intensity beyond the usual East division battles and giving Davies a chance to measure himself against the full field after building momentum at Daytona Supercross.
Three weeks ago at Daytona International Speedway, the Kiwi charged from outside the top ten to finish second in the main event, showing both speed and composure on one of the toughest tracks on the calendar.
Despite the result, Davies has been clear on where he needs to improve. Starts remain the key focus after another tough launch at Daytona forced him to fight through the pack. With a deeper field this weekend, early track position will be even more important.
The positives are clear — his race pace, line choice and ability to adapt late in races have him firmly in the mix. If he can get off the gate cleanly, Davies has already shown he has what it takes to challenge at the front.
Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy | Formula E
- Where? Circuito Permanente del Jarama, Madrid
- NZ Times:
- Free Practice 1: Saturday 4:30 AM
- Free Practice 2: Saturday 8:30 PM
- Qualifying: Saturday 10:40 PM
- Race: Sunday 3:05 AM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
Kiwi drivers Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy are gearing up for Round 6 of the Formula E this weekend at the Madrid E-Prix, held at the Circuito Permanente del Jarama.
The pair arrived in Spain following a challenging double-header at Jeddah, where Evans and Cassidy showed strong pace but faced mixed results.
In Round 4, Evans climbed through the field to finish third, while Cassidy crossed the line sixth after missing out on the qualifying duels. Round 5 proved tougher, with Evans battling to seventh and Cassidy finishing 14th after a late strategic gamble didn’t pay off.
The results left Cassidy in fourth in the championship, just one point ahead of Evans in fifth, keeping both Kiwis firmly in the title fight.
Both drivers will be looking to turn their momentum into points this weekend as Formula E returns to Europe. Evans aims to build on his recent podium, while Cassidy will be keen to bounce back after a frustrating outing in Jeddah, as the championship heads into its next phase in Madrid.
Header Image: United Autosports/IMSA
