Motorsport Diary: Kiwis racing overseas this weekend

There’s a good weekend of action on the cards, where Kiwis will feature in Formula 1, Formula E and the Asian Le Mans Series.

Liam Lawson wraps up his 2024 Formula 1 campaign in Abu Dhabi, with his team, RB, locked in a fierce midfield battle for sixth overall.

Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans begin their 2024/25 Formula E seasons with a singular race in Brazil. They are looking to defend the Team’s Championship as an all-Kiwi line-up at Jaguar TCS Racing.

In Asia, Dan Gaunt, Brendon Leitch, Chris Van der Drift, Jono Lester and Heremana Malmezac begin the 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series at Sepang. Rounds one and two are both scheduled for four hours. A spot on the grid in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is on the line for the series winner, giving plenty to play for.

There’s more to follow, and some top-class Kiwis representing New Zealand on the world stage.

For viewing times and information, see below.

Enjoy!

Liam Lawson: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

• Where? Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, UAE
• NZ Times:
  • FP1: Friday 10.30 pm
  • FP2: Saturday 2.00 am
  • FP3: Saturday 11.30 pm
  • Qualifying: Sunday 3.00 am
  • Race: Monday 2.00 am
• How to watch: Sky Sport

While Max Verstappen has already wrapped up the Driver’s Championship, there’s plenty to play for in Abu Dhabi for the Manufacturer’s title.

At current, McLaren lead the standings but are just 21 points to the good of Ferrari, setting up a final round showdown for global supremacy.

The fight for sixth is just as tight, with Alpine, Haas and RB separated by just 13 points. The payout difference between sixth and eighth is an estimated US$20 million. That makes the midfield battle one to keep an eye on over the weekend.

Nick Cassidy & Mitch Evans: Formula E Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

• Where? Anhembi Sambadrome Sao Paulo, Brazil
• NZ Times:
  • Practice 1: Saturday 8.55 am
  • Practice 2: Saturday 11.25 pm
  • Qualifying: Sunday 1.30 am
  • Race: Sunday 6.05 am
• How to watch: Sky Sport

The Kiwi dream team at Jaguar TCS Racing of Nick Cassidy begins its 2024/25 Formula E World Championship campaign with a single race in Brazil.

Jaguar TCS Racing is the defending team’s champion, while Cassidy and Evans will be looking to bounce back from their Driver’s Championship heartbreak. Pascal Wehrlein’s final race weekend heroics overturned a 12-point deficit to Cassidy to clinch the title. Evans had entered the London E-Prix double-header tied on points with the German driver, also 12 points adrift of his compatriot.

Leitch, Van der Drift, Gaunt, Lester & Malmezac: Asian Le Mans Series

• Where? Sepang, Malaysia
• NZ Times:
  • Practice 1: Friday 6.00 pm
  • Practice 2: Friday 9.00 pm
  • Qualifying: Saturday 2.50 pm
  • Round 1: Saturday 7.00 pm
  • Round 2: Sunday 7.00 pm
• How to watch: Free live stream (Qualifying and Races only)

Five Kiwi drivers and two Kiwi teams will line up for the opening two rounds of the 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series. A spot in the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans is on the line for the winner.

Brendon Leitch, Daniel Gaunt, Chris Van der Drift, Heremana Malmezac and Jono Lester will compete across four teams, all in the GT class.

Gaunt will drive for Tsunami RT, sharing a Porsche 911 GT3 R with Italians Johannes Zelger and Fabio Babini.

Leitch joins Anderson Tanoto and Marco Sorensen in an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 for renowned Kiwi team Earl Bamber Motorsport.

Van der Drift links up with Absolute Racing to share a Ferrari 296 with father & son duo Carl and Gregory Bennett.

New Zealand team Prime Speed Sport will race their new Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO 2, where Lester and French-Kiwi Malmezac are joined by Australia’s Nick Foster. The team are also sending over a crew from New Zealand for each round.