KIWIS RACING ABROAD | 22-25 MAY WEEKEND PREVIEW 🏁
It’s another huge weekend for Kiwi motorsport talent around the globe, with New Zealand drivers competing across some of the biggest stages in world motorsport — including the legendary Indianapolis 500, Formula 1, NASCAR, Supercars, and international GT racing.
One of the biggest events on the global motorsport calendar takes centre stage in the United States with the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kiwi trio Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, and Marcus Armstrong will all take on the world-famous event as the NTT IndyCar Series reaches Round 7 of the season.
Also in the United States, Shane van Gisbergen faces another busy NASCAR weekend as he tackles double duty at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Kiwi star will compete in both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series across the Coca-Cola 600 weekend.
Young Kiwi talent will also be in action on the Indianapolis Grand Prix Circuit, with Jacob Douglas and Sebastian Manson contesting Round 5 of the USF Pro 2000 Championship.
Over in Canada, Liam Lawson returns to Formula 1 action for the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, as the championship heads to one of the sport’s most iconic venues for Round 5 of the season.
Across the Tasman, the Supercars Championship heads to Tasmania for the Tasmania Super 440 at Symmons Plains Raceway. Kiwi drivers Matt Payne, Ryan Wood, and Andre Heimgartner will all be chasing strong results at one of the category’s shortest and most challenging circuits.
In Europe, Kiwi-British rising star Emily Cotty continues her Italian F4 Championship campaign at Vallelunga for Round 2 of the season, while Bryn Jones competes in the Ponte de Lima Rally in Portugal.
Meanwhile, in Asia, Chris van der Drift and Liam Sceats will line up for Round 2 of Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia at Ningbo in China.
From Indianapolis and Montreal to Tasmania, Portugal, and China, Kiwi drivers will once again fly the New Zealand flag across another action-packed weekend of international 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. ⬇️
Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon & Marcus Armstrong | NTT IndyCar Series
- Where? Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis
- NZ Times:
- Final Practice: Saturday 3:00 AM
- Indy500 Race: Monday 4:30 AM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
The biggest race of the IndyCar season has arrived, with Kiwi drivers Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, and Marcus Armstrong set for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend.
The three head into the famous event after a mixed Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Road Course two weeks ago.
Dixon recovered from opening-lap contact and front wing damage to finish sixth after another strong strategy drive from the Chip Ganassi Racing team.
Armstrong also moved forward well during the race, climbing from twentieth on the grid to finish eleventh in a solid recovery effort.
For McLaughlin, it was a tougher afternoon. A blocking penalty dropped the Team Penske driver down the order before he eventually finished sixteenth.
➡️Sonsio Grand Prix Recap HERE
Focus has now fully shifted to the Indy 500, where the Kiwi trio secured good starting positions in qualifying. McLaughlin will start ninth, Dixon tenth, and Armstrong sixteenth for Monday’s race.
Shane Van Gisbergen | NASCAR Cup Series & NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
- Where? Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, North Carolina
- NZ Times:
- Truck Series Practice: Saturday 7:30 AM
- Truck Series Qualifying: Saturday 8:35 AM
- Truck Series Race: Saturday 11:30 AM
- Cup Series Practice: Sunday 6:40 AM
- Cup Series Qualifying: Sunday 7:50 AM
- Cup Series Race: Monday 10:00 AM
- How to Watch? ThreeNow
Shane van Gisbergen returns to action this weekend for another busy NASCAR schedule, taking on double duty at Charlotte Motor Speedway across both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The Kiwi will race for Trackhouse Racing in the Coca-Cola 600 weekend Cup Series event, while also competing in the Truck Series with Spire Motorsports.
Van Gisbergen heads to Charlotte looking to bounce back after a frustrating NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover last weekend.
After finishing 20th in the opening segment, the unique race format flipped the order for the second segment, briefly putting the Kiwi on the front row and into the race lead battle alongside AJ Allmendinger.
However, the momentum was short-lived when van Gisbergen spun from the lead battle on Lap 15 of the second segment. The incident dropped him to the back of the field, with the #97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet eventually finishing 19th and three laps down.
Despite the result, van Gisbergen said the team learned plenty over the weekend and quickly shifted focus to Charlotte.
Now, the three-time Supercars champion prepares for another important NASCAR weekend as he continues building experience on American ovals while balancing duties across two national series.
Jacob Douglas and Sebastian Manson | USF Pro 2000
- Where? Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Friday 5:45 AM
- Qualifying: Friday 8:15 AM
- Race: Friday 11:30 AM
- How to Watch? USF Pro Championships YouTube
Kiwi drivers Jacob Douglas and Sebastian Manson return to the Indianapolis Grand Prix Circuit this weekend for Round 5 of the USF Pro 2000 Championship, racing in the support categories for the Indianapolis 500.
The young New Zealand pair head into the weekend after an action-packed previous round at Indianapolis earlier this month.
Douglas was one of the standout performers of the weekend, claiming a superb Race 1 victory for Pabst Racing in difficult mixed weather conditions. After switching from wet tyres to slicks at the perfect time, the Kiwi charged through the field before controlling the closing stages to take the win by over a second.
Race 2 proved more difficult for Douglas, despite again showing strong pace throughout. After running inside the top three early, the Kiwi got caught in heavy midfield battling and eventually came home ninth.
For Manson, the weekend was a story of recovery. An early incident ended his Race 1 before the Kiwi bounced back strongly in Race 2 with an impressive drive to fourth place, including a bold outside move into Turn 1 during one of the race’s many restarts.
➡️Rounds 3 & 4 Recap HERE
Douglas currently sits sixth in the championship standings, while Manson will be looking to build momentum after showing strong pace despite tough luck so far this season.
Now, both Kiwis return to Indianapolis looking for another strong weekend on one of the biggest stages in junior open-wheel racing.
Liam Lawson | Formula 1
- Where? Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Canada
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Saturday 4:30 AM
- Sprint Qualifying: Saturday 8:30 AM
- Sprint Race: Sunday 4:00 AM
- Qualifying: Sunday 8:00 AM
- Race: Monday 8:00 AM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
Liam Lawson returns to Formula 1 action this weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after a difficult and heartbreaking Miami Grand Prix before the three-week break.
The Kiwi looked set for one of his strongest races of the season in Miami after gaining positions early and climbing into eighth place by the end of the opening lap.
However, Lawson soon began struggling with suspected transmission issues, which dropped him back into traffic. The problems ultimately ended his race in dramatic fashion when the Racing Bulls driver collided with Pierre Gasly after his car reportedly went into anti-stall under braking, leaving Lawson unable to slow the car.
The incident brought out an early safety car and forced Lawson into retirement just laps later, ending what had started as a promising race weekend.
➡️Miami Grand Prix Recap HERE
Despite the disappointment, the break has given Lawson and the Racing Bulls team time to regroup ahead of Montreal — a circuit known for close walls, heavy braking zones, and unpredictable racing.
Now, the Kiwi will be hoping for a cleaner weekend as he looks to get his Formula 1 campaign back on track in Canada.
Matt Payne, Ryan Wood & Andre Heimgartner | Supercars
- Where? Symmons Plains Raceway, Tasmania
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 4:05 PM
- Practice 2: Friday 4:45 PM
- Qualifying (Race 14): Saturday 12:00 PM
- Qualifying (Race 15): Saturday 12:50 PM
- Race 14: Saturday 3:00 PM
- Race 15: Saturday 6:00 PM
- Qualifying (Race 16): Sunday 1:35 PM
- Top 10 Shootout: Sunday 2:30 PM
- Race 16: Sunday 4:45 PM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
Kiwi Supercars drivers Matt Payne, Ryan Wood, and Andre Heimgartner return to action this weekend for the Tasmania Super 440 at Symmons Plains Raceway after a five-week break following the championship’s trip to Christchurch.
The New Zealand round at Ruapuna proved to be a memorable one for the Kiwi contingent, particularly for Payne, who enjoyed one of the strongest weekends of his Supercars career.
After heartbreak in Race 11 when a loose wheel ended his shot at victory, Payne bounced back in style in Race 12 with a dominant win in front of a home crowd, finishing nearly 12 seconds clear of the field.
The Grove Racing driver backed it up again in Race 13, sweeping qualifying, the Top Ten Shootout, and the race itself to complete a near-perfect weekend in Christchurch and lead home a Grove Racing 1-2.
Wood was also one of the standout performers across the weekend. The Walkinshaw TWG Racing driver claimed another podium in Race 11 and remained firmly in contention for the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy before late heartbreak in Race 13, when his car stopped on the main straight while running inside the top 10.
For Heimgartner, the Ruapuna round was a tougher one overall. Steering damage in Race 11 and engine concerns in Race 12 hampered his weekend, although the Brad Jones Racing driver recovered strongly in the final race to finish eighth after starting twentieth.
➡️Race 11 Ruapuna Recap HERE
➡️Race 12 Ruapuna Recap HERE
➡️Race 13 Ruapuna Recap HERE
Now, after a month away from racing, the Kiwi trio return to Australia looking to carry that Ruapuna speed and momentum into Tasmania at one of Supercars’ most challenging short circuits.
Emily Cotty | Italian F4 Championship
- Where? Autodromo Piero Taruffi di Vallelunga, Italy
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 6:30 PM
- Practice 2: Friday 10:50 PM
- Qualifying: Saturday 4:10 AM
- Race 1: Saturday 9:40 PM
- Race 2: Sunday 4:00 AM
- Race 3: Sunday 7:00 PM
- Race 4: Monday 1:45 AM
- How to Watch? Italian F4 Championship YouTube Channel
Kiwi-British driver Emily Cotty returns to action this weekend for Round 2 of the Italian F4 Championship at Autodromo Piero Taruffi di Vallelunga after a promising start to her season at Misano.
The 16-year-old showed strong racecraft throughout the opening round while competing against one of the toughest junior fields in world motorsport, featuring a 47-car grid packed with Formula 1 junior drivers.
Cotty claimed her first point of the season in the opening race after charging forward early and navigating multiple incidents around the Misano circuit. She followed that up with another clean drive later in the day before securing a place in the weekend-ending final race, where she finished 23rd after avoiding opening-lap chaos.
The weekend continued Cotty’s steady rise in one of Europe’s most competitive feeder series, with the Kiwi-British teenager once again showing composure and consistency under pressure.
➡️Round 1 Recap HERE
Now, attention shifts to Vallelunga as Cotty looks to build momentum in her second season of Italian F4 competition.
Bryn Jones | Ponte de Lima Rally
- Where? Ponte De Lima, Portugal
- NZ Times:
- Shakedown: Sunday 2:00 AM
- SS1: Sunday 9:03 PM
- SS2: Sunday 9:44 PM
- SS3: Sunday 10:42 PM
- SS4: Sunday 11:23 PM
- SS5: Monday 12:33 AM
- SS6: Monday 1:21 AM
- SS7: Monday 2:04 AM
- SS8: Monday 3:07 AM
- How to Watch? No coverage
- Live Timing/Results HERE
Bryn Jones returns to tarmac rallying this weekend when he competes in the Ponte de Lima Rally in Portugal ahead of the next round of the Peugeot Rally Cup Portugal.
After spending much of the season on gravel, the event will act as an important preparation run for Rally de Lisboa next weekend, giving the Kiwi valuable seat time back on sealed roads.
Jones showed strong pace on tarmac during last year’s Rali da Agua and is hoping to quickly get back into rhythm as he continues building toward the second round of the championship.
The rally will also mark a special moment for the Kiwi, with sister Zoe Jones stepping in as co-driver for her international rally debut while regular co-driver Max Freeman is unavailable.
It will be the first time the siblings have competed together in seven years as Jones looks to gain momentum ahead of a key stage of his Peugeot Rally Cup Portugal campaign.
Chris Van Der Drift & Liam Sceats | Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia
- Where? Ningbo International Track, China
- NZ Times:
- Race 1: Saturday 6:45 PM
- Race 2: Sunday 3:00 PM
- How to Watch? Lamborghini Squadra Corse YouTube Channel
Kiwi drivers Liam Sceats and Chris van der Drift return to action this weekend for Round 2 of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Championship at Ningbo International Track in China after a standout opening round in Sepang.
The Kiwi pair made an immediate impact in the season opener, with both cars featuring right at the front of the field across a highly competitive double-header.
In Race 1, van der Drift and Sceats both fought their way into podium contention before van der Drift delivered a strong closing stint to take the win, while Sceats impressed on debut to secure second in class and third overall.
➡️Race 1 Recap HERE
Race 2 proved even better for the New Zealanders, with Sceats producing a superb final stint to snatch victory on the final lap after intense pressure from van der Drift’s co-driver, sealing a dramatic win in just his second race in the category.
Van der Drift was once again at the sharp end throughout, controlling much of the race and helping set up the winning position before finishing second in a tightly fought finish.
➡️Race 2 Recap HERE
Now, after a perfect start to the season, both Kiwis head to Ningbo with momentum on their side as they look to continue their strong form in Round 2 of the championship.
Header Image: Penske Entertainment – James Black
