KIWIS RACING ABROAD | 1-4 MAY WEEKEND PREVIEW 🏁
It’s one of the busiest weekends of the year on the global motorsport stage with the famous Month of May kickstarting this weekend, with Kiwi drivers spread across Formula 1, endurance racing, GT competition, NASCAR, and more—spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia in a packed few days of action.
At the top level, Miami Grand Prix hosts Formula 1’s return, effectively Round 4 of the season following the cancelled Middle East rounds. All eyes will be on Kiwi driver Liam Lawson as he continues to establish himself on the world stage on the Miami Street Circuit with Racing Bulls.
Meanwhile, the all-electric championship heads to Germany for the Berlin E-Prix, hosting Rounds 7 and 8 of the season. Kiwi stars Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans will both be aiming to capitalise on the unique, abrasive Tempelhof circuit, where tyre management and energy strategy are critical to success.
Across in the United States, it’s a massive weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, with multiple categories featuring Kiwi talent. Earl Bamber returns for Round 5 of the IMSA SportsCar Championship with Cadillac Whelen, while his brother Will Bamber lines up in Round 2 of Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America alongside American co-driver Darius Trinka.
Kiwi driver Madeline Stewart is also in action in the Porsche Michelin Pilot Challenge, adding to the strong New Zealand presence at the iconic Californian circuit.
Back on oval racing duties, Shane van Gisbergen faces another major test in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway. The high-speed intermediate oval presents a very different challenge to recent rounds, placing a premium on car balance, tyre wear, and long-run pace as he continues his up-and-down second-year Cup Series campaign with Trackhouse Racing.
In Asia, GT World Challenge Asia heads to the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit for Rounds 3 and 4. Brendon Leitch and Jaxon Evans will both compete in Pro-Am machinery, taking on a highly competitive GT3 field in what is shaping as a crucial weekend for championship momentum.
Supporting the Formula 1 action in Miami, Callum Hedge continues his Porsche Carrera Cup North America campaign, racing on the same high-profile stage as the Grand Prix in Round 3 of the season.
In Europe, the Michelin Le Mans Cup heads to Le Castellet in France for Round 3, where Kiwi driver Zack Scoular continues his season with R-ace GP, gaining valuable experience on one of Europe’s premier endurance racing platforms.
Across the Tasman, the Australian endurance scene fires up at Queensland Raceway with the Ipswich 3 Hour, opening the Australian Endurance Championship. Experienced campaigners Fabian Coulthard, Matt McCutcheon, and Tony Quinn headline the Kiwi contingent in what is expected to be a fiercely contested long-distance battle.
Also at Queensland Raceway, the TA2 Racing Muscle Car Series hosts its Tag Team Enduro event, featuring a strong New Zealand lineup. Supercars driver Ryan Wood makes his TA2 debut, joined by NZ TA2 champion Caleb Byers and Super2 driver Ayrton Hodson in what promises to be a hard-fought and physical contest.
From Formula 1 in Miami to endurance battles in Australia, GT racing in Asia, and stock car action in Texas, it’s a truly global showcase of Kiwi talent. With multiple categories running across the same weekend—and several drivers competing at the sharp end—this shapes as one of the most action-packed and significant weekends of the season so far for New Zealand motorsport.
Check out our detailed weekend preview below for everything you need to know, including session times, how to watch, and who’s racing where. ⬇️
Liam Lawson | Formula 1
- Where? Miami International Autodrome, Florida
NZ Times:- Practice: Saturday 4:00 AM
- Sprint Qualifying: Saturday 8:30 AM
- Sprint Race: Sunday 4:00 AM
- Qualifying: Sunday 8:00 AM
- Grand Prix: Monday 8:00 AM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports or F1TV
Liam Lawson returns to Formula 1 action this weekend at the Miami Grand Prix following a month-long break, as teams face a crucial challenge with limited preparation time.
With the cancelled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds creating a long gap between races, Miami’s sprint format means just one practice session—leaving teams scrambling to gather data and dial in setups before competitive running begins.
Lawson heads into the weekend off the back of a composed recovery drive at the Japanese Grand Prix. After a difficult qualifying, the Kiwi capitalised on strategy and a well-timed safety car to move into the top ten, before producing a standout defensive effort to hold off sustained pressure and secure ninth.
➡️ Japanese Grand Prix Recap HERE
Now sitting on 10 points for the season, Lawson will be looking to carry that momentum into a high-pressure Miami weekend where adaptability will be key.
Mitch Evans & Nick Cassidy | Formula E
- Where? Flughafen Tempelhof, Berlin
- NZ Times:
- Round 7:
- Free Practice 1: Saturday 2:00 AM
- Free Practice 2: Saturday 7:30 PM
- Qualifying: Saturday 9:40 PM
- Race: Sunday 2:05 AM
- Round 8:
- Free Practice 3: Sunday 7:30 PM
- Qualifying: Sunday 9:40 PM
- Race: Monday 2:05 AM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
Kiwi Formula E duo Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans head to the Berlin E-Prix for a crucial double-header off the back of a dramatic Round 6 in Madrid.
Cassidy was the standout in qualifying, securing pole position and delivering Citroën Racing’s first-ever Formula E pole, continuing his strong one-lap form and boosting himself up the championship order. However, the race proved far more challenging, with strategy and energy management dropping him out of contention, eventually finishing a frustrating 17th after leading early.
In contrast, Evans surged through the field in a clinical drive to secure second place, completing a dominant Jaguar one-two and underlining his race pace as a key strength.
➡️ Madrid E-Prix Recap HERE
Heading into Berlin’s back-to-back races, consistency will be critical. Cassidy will be looking to convert his qualifying speed into race results, while Evans aims to build on his momentum as the championship fight intensifies.
Earl Bamber | IMSA Sportscar Championship
- Where? WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, California
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Saturday 10:20 AM
- Practice 2: Sunday 4:55 AM
- Qualifying: Sunday 10:15 AM
- Race: Monday 8:10 AM
- How to Watch? IMSA Official YouTube
Earl Bamber returns to IMSA SportsCar Championship action this weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca aiming to bounce back after a frustrating run of circumstances.
Last time out at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Bamber and the Cadillac Whelen squad were right in the fight for a podium in the GTP class, only to fall agonisingly short by just half a second after 12 gruelling hours of racing.
The Kiwi then missed the following round at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, leaving him eager to return to the cockpit and regain momentum in the championship.
Now back in action at Laguna Seca for Round 5, Bamber will be targeting a strong result at the demanding Californian circuit, where execution across the race distance will be crucial.
Will Bamber | Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America
- Where? WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, California
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Saturday 5:25 AM
- Practice 2: Saturday 9:15 AM
- Qualifying: Sunday 3:00 AM
- Race 1: Sunday 11:30 AM
- Race 2: Monday 5:35 AM
- How to Watch? IMSA Official YouTube
Will Bamber heads into Round 2 of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on the back of a dominant opening round.
At Sebring, Bamber and co-driver Elias De La Torre delivered a clean sweep with TR3 Racing, converting pole into victory in Race 1 before backing it up with another win in a more chaotic second race. A decisive late move after the pit cycle proved the difference, capping off a perfect weekend and putting the Kiwi at the top of the standings.
➡️ Round 1 Sebring Recap HERE
This weekend, Bamber lines up with XONINE Racing alongside Darius Trinka, marking a change in line-up heading into Laguna Seca.
With strong early-season form behind him, he’ll be looking to carry that momentum into Round 2 and stay firmly in the fight at one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar.
Madeline Stewart | IMSA Porsche Michelin Pilot Challenge
- Where? WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, California
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Saturday 4:10 AM
- Practice 2: Saturday 8:00 AM
- Qualifying: Saturday 12:40 PM
- Race: Sunday 7:45 AM
- How to Watch? IMSA Official YouTube
Madeline Stewart heads into Round 3 of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca looking to bounce back with Czabok-Simpson Motorsport (CSM).
Stewart opened her season with a solid top 10 finish at Daytona, showing encouraging pace in the opening round, before a difficult Sebring weekend ended in a DNF for Round 2.
Now back in action with CSM, the Kiwi will be aiming to turn that early speed into a clean, points-paying result at Laguna Seca and get her championship campaign back on track.
Shane Van Gisbergen | NASCAR Cup Series
- Where? Texas Motor Speedway, U.S.
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Sunday 4:30 AM
- Qualifying: Sunday 5:40 AM
- Race: Monday 7:30 AM
- How to Watch?
Shane van Gisbergen heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the next round of the NASCAR Cup Series looking to move on from a tough outing at Talladega Superspeedway.
At Talladega, the Kiwi endured a bruising race in the pack, running inside the top 10 early before being caught up in a major 26-car crash in Stage 2. After sustaining damage and returning to the race following lengthy repairs, van Gisbergen fought through a reduced field, only to be caught in another final-lap incident that ended his chances of a strong result and left him classified 20th.
Despite the setbacks, the race added valuable superspeedway experience in one of the most unpredictable environments in NASCAR.
➡️ Talladega Recap HERE
Now heading to Texas, van Gisbergen faces a very different challenge on the intermediate oval, where tyre wear, car balance and long-run pace will be the key factors rather than pack racing chaos.
Brendon Leitch & Jaxon Evans | GT World Challenge Asia
- Where? Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit, Indonesia
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Friday 2:20 PM
- Pre-Qualifying: Friday 6:45 PM
- Qualifying 1: Saturday 1:15 PM
- Qualifying 2: Saturday 1:37 PM
- Race 1: Saturday 5:30 PM
- Race 2: Sunday 3:30 PM
- How to Watch? GT World YouTube
Kiwi drivers Brendon Leitch and Jaxon Evans continue their GT World Challenge Asia campaigns this weekend with Rounds 3 and 4 at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit after a mixed opening round at Sebring.
At Sebring International Raceway, Evans made a strong start to the season alongside Andrés Pato in the Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II, finishing Race 1 in 7th overall and 4th in the Pro-Am class. Leitch, driving for Winhere Harmony Racing alongside Jiajun Song in a Ferrari 296 GT3, came home 16th overall and 8th in class.
Race 2 saw the order shuffle, with Leitch and Song improving to 11th overall and 6th in Pro-Am, while Evans and Pato finished 16th overall and 8th in class after a tougher outing.
Now heading to Mandalika for the double-header, both Kiwi crews will be aiming for cleaner weekends and stronger points as they look to build consistency early in the season.
Callum Hedge | Porsche Carrera Cup North America
- Where? Miami International Autodrome, Florida
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Friday 9:35 AM
- Practice 2: Saturday 7:25 AM
- Qualifying: Saturday 11:10 AM
- Race 1: Sunday 6:50 AM
- Race 2: Monday 3:10 AM
- How to Watch? Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube
Callum Hedge continues his strong start to the Porsche Carrera Cup North America season this weekend in Round 3 at the Miami Grand Prix support program, racing on the streets of Miami alongside Formula 1.
The Kiwi arrives with JDX Racing in excellent form after two highly competitive opening rounds in his debut season.
At Sebring, Hedge made an immediate impact with a fourth-place finish in Race 1 before stepping onto the podium in Race 2, quickly adapting to Porsche machinery. He backed that up at Long Beach with another standout weekend, qualifying on the front row and converting both races into third-place finishes despite intense street circuit battles.
That run of form has seen Hedge climb to third in the championship standings after Round 2, just 19 points off the lead.
➡️ Long Beach Recap HERE
Now heading to Miami, the Kiwi faces another new street circuit challenge, but will do so carrying momentum from three consecutive podium finishes as he looks to stay firmly in the title fight.
Zack Scoular | Michelin Le Mans Cup
- Where? Circuit Paul Ricard, France
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 7:50 PM
- Practice 2: Saturday 4:40 AM
- Qualifying: Saturday 10:30 PM
- Race: Sunday 4:20 AM
- How to Watch? FIAWEC+
Zack Scoular heads into Round 2 of the Michelin Le Mans Cup this weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard with R-ace GP, looking to build on a standout debut in European endurance racing.
At Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Round 1, Scoular immediately made his mark alongside Swiss co-driver Lena Bühler. The pair qualified on the front row in second before converting that pace into a strong third-place finish in a chaotic, safety car-heavy two-hour race.
Despite multiple interruptions and constant reshuffling of the order, Scoular delivered a composed and competitive stint in the LMP3 field, holding off late pressure to secure a podium on debut and underline his potential on the international stage.
➡️Barcelona Round 1 Recap HERE
Now heading to Le Castellet, the Kiwi will be aiming to carry that momentum forward and take another step in what has already been a promising start to his European campaign.
Fabian Coulthard, Matt McCutcheon & Tony Quinn | Australian Endurance Championship
- Where? Queensland Raceway, Australia
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 2:15 PM
- Practice 2: Friday 6:35 PM
- Qualifying: Saturday 12:45 PM
- 3 Hour Enduro: Saturday 7:25 PM
- How to Watch? YouTube (Only 3-Hour Race)
Fabian Coulthard, Matt McCutcheon and Tony Quinn are all set to feature in the opening round of the Australian Endurance Championship this weekend, the Ipswich 3 Hour at Queensland Raceway.
Coulthard returns to endurance competition, sharing a Mercedes-AMG GT with John Nikolovski under the AR Nineteen banner, bringing experience and stability to a competitive multi-class GT field.
McCutcheon will also be in the mix, teaming up with Queensland Raceway owner Tony Quinn in a Toyota Supra entry, adding further Kiwi representation across the endurance grid as the championship kicks off.
The Ipswich 3 Hour opens the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series “2 Days of Thunder” event, with a diverse field expected across GT-style and production-based machinery in what is shaping up to be a tightly contested season opener.
Ryan Wood, Caleb Byers and Ayrton Hodson | TA2 Racing Muscle Car Series
- Where? Queensland Raceway, Australia
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 5:20 PM
- Qualifying Driver A: Saturday 11:00 AM
- Qualifying Driver B: Saturday 11:15 AM
- Race 1 (Driver A): Saturday 1:15 PM
- Race 1 (Driver B): Saturday 3:10 PM
- Enduro Race 1: Saturday 6:00 PM
- Race 2 (Driver A): Sunday 12:40 PM
- Race 2 (Driver B): Sunday 3:00 PM
- Enduro Race 2: Sunday 6:10 PM
- How to Watch? YouTube (Shorter races livestreamed except for Race 2 Driver B on Sunday afternoon, longer Enduro races only available via Fox Sports, Kayo and SBS)
The TA2 Racing Muscle Car Series heads to Queensland Raceway this weekend for the Tag Team Enduro, Round 2 of the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series, with three Kiwi drivers set to feature across the field.
Supercars driver Ryan Wood makes his TA2 debut alongside Walkinshaw TWG Junior driver Pip Casabene, stepping into the Ford Mustang machinery for a new challenge in the competitive muscle car category.
“I’ve had my eye on the TA2 Series for a while and was keen to get involved. A lot of Supercars drivers have raced in the category, but I’ve never had the opportunity until now, so when Pip asked me about teaming up for the enduro, it was an easy yes. I’m really looking forward to the weekend,” said Wood
NZ TA2 Champion Caleb Byers also makes a major step onto the Australian stage this weekend, making his debut at Queensland Raceway after winning the 2025/26 TA2NZ title. As part of his prize package, Byers teams up with reigning TA2 Australia champion Jarrod Hughes for the Tag Team Enduro, taking on a strong field of established driver pairings in a two-driver endurance format.
Supported by TA2NZ, TA2 Australia, HCC and Howe Racing USA, the Kiwi steps into unfamiliar territory with a new circuit and tyre package, but is focused on learning quickly and executing cleanly alongside his experienced teammate.
Also in action is Super2 driver Ayrton Hodson, who partners with Kody Garland in another strong Kiwi presence across the endurance-style tag team format.
With driver changes, strategy and close racing expected throughout, the Tag Team Enduro adds another busy chapter to a packed weekend at Queensland Raceway.
Header Image: R-ace GP
