Motorsport Diary: Kiwis racing overseas this weekend

Motorsport action slows down slightly during the Olympic period but several Kiwis will still take on the world on four wheels this weekend.

Hayden Paddon’s European Rally Championship title defence continues in Rome, with a stacked entry list of 90 competitors confirmed for the all-asphalt event.

Rodin Motorsports’s Louis Sharp returns to the GB3 Championship at Silverstone and is joined by compatriot Jacob Douglas, making his series debut with Chris Dittman Racing.

Alex Crosbie is also competing in the United States in the F4 US Championship at New Jersey Motorsport Park.

If that’s not enough, the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is also sure to be a good one.

Viewing times and information can be found below.

Enjoy the weekend!

Hayden Paddon: Rally di Roma Capitale

• Where? Rome, Italy
• NZ Times:
  • SSS1: Saturday 6.00 am
  • SS2-SS7: Saturday 6.14 pm
  • SS8-SS13: Sunday 5.50 pm
• How to watch: Paid subscription (rally.tv) or free live updates

Hayden Paddon enters this weekend’s Rally di Roma Capitale in the lead of the European Rally Championship with a 10-point advantage over Mathieu Franceschi.

The all-asphalt rally covers 189.52 km of time action across 13 special stages, beginning with a special 1.30 km timed run through Rome in front of the Colosseum.

Louis Sharp & Jacob Douglas: GB3 Championship

• Where? Silverstone, UK
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 8.00 pm
  • Race 1: Saturday 11.05 pm
  • Race 2: Sunday 9.55 pm
  • Race 3: Sunday 11.00 pm
• How to watch: Free live stream (YouTube)

A difficult round in the Netherlands dropped Louis Sharp to second in the GB3 Championship, but the Kiwi teenager remains firmly in title contention, only 20 points off leader Tymek Kucharczyk.

Sharp will have a compatriot in the field this weekend, with Jacob Douglas making his GB3 Championship debut with Chris Dittman Racing.

Alex Crosbie: F4 US Championship

• Where? New Jersey Motorsport Park
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Sunday 3.45 am
  • Race 1: Sunday 9.50 am
  • Race 2: Monday 3.05 am
  • Race 3: Monday 8.25 am
• How to watch: Free live stream

Alex Crosbie returns to action in the F4 US Championship, having secured his maiden podium in the series last round at Mid-Ohio.

Crosbie is fifth in the standings ahead of this weekend’s three races at New Jersey Motorsport Park.

Header Image: European Rally Championship