Motorsport Diary: Kiwis racing overseas this weekend

It’s time.

A New Zealander will race in Formula 1 this weekend.

Liam Lawson begins his 2024 campaign with a Sprint Race weekend at the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, the first of six race weekends he will feature in this year.

Lawson won’t be the only Kiwi in action at CoTA, with Ryan Yardley and Madeline Stewart wrapping up their Porsche Carrera Cup North America campaigns in support of the Grand Prix.

Also in action in the United States is Shane van Gisbergen, who returns to Las Vegas to run double duties in the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series. He is looking to bounce back from a engine-related DNF at the same venue in March this year.

Closer to home, Brendon Leitch, Tim Miles and Jaxon Evans feature in a star-studded GT World Challenge 3-hour enduro at Sydney Motorsport Park. It is the same venue where Kiwis Brock Gilchrist, Clay Osborne and Ayrton Hodson conclude their Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia campaigns. Toyota 86 star Hunter Robb joins the Sprint Challenge field for a one-round cameo.

We’re spoilt for choice this weekend, with some handy viewing times to boot.

All you need to know, including broadcast information, can be found below!

Enjoy!

Liam Lawson: Formula 1 United States Grand Prix

• Where? Circuit of the Americas, Texas
• NZ Times:
  • FP1: Saturday 6.30 am
  • Sprint Qualifying: Saturday 10.30 am
  • Sprint Race: Sunday 7.00 am
  • Qualifying: Sunday 11.00 am
  • Grand Prix: Monday 8.00 am
• How to watch: Sky Sport

Liam Lawson finally makes his long-awaited return to Formula 1 for the final six rounds of 2024. There’s just one practice session before Sprint qualifying, with a busy Saturday bringing the Sprint race and then Grand Prix qualifying.

The North American round makes for great viewing times in New Zealand, albeit an 8.00 am start time on Monday may mean a few are late to the office.

Lawson will take an engine-related grid penalty for the Grand Prix, given he is inheriting the pool of power unit components used by Ricciardo up to this point in the campaign.

RB are currently sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, 53 points behind Aston Martin but only three ahead of Haas.

Shane van Gisbergen: NASCAR Cup & Xfinity Series

• Where? Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nevada
• NZ Times:
  • Xfinity Series Qualifying: Saturday 12.05 pm
  • Cup Series Qualifying: Sunday 10.20 am
  • Xfinity Series Race: Sunday 12.00 pm
  • Cup Series Race: Monday 7.30 am
• How to watch: Three Now (Races only)

It’s a double-duty weekend for Shane van Gisbergen at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with the three-time Supercars champion piloting the #97 in the Xfinity Series and the #16 in the Cup Series.

Van Gisbergen’s only appearance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway came in March, where an engine failure put him out of the race early.

The Kiwi has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Brendon Leitch, Jaxon Evans, & Tim Miles: GT World Challenge Australia

• Where? Sydney Motorsport Park
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 12.40 pm
  • Super Pole Shootout: Saturday 3.30 pm
  • Race: Saturday 8.45 pm
• How to watch: Free live stream

Three Kiwis feature in the penultimate round of the GT World Challenge Australia, a three-hour enduro into the night at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Fresh off two Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe wins in Barcelona, Brendon Leitch joins compatriot Tim Miles in the Melbourne Performance Centre Dayle ITM Audi R8 LMS GT3.

One week after competing the Bathurst 1000, Jaxon Evans returns to action, joining Elliott Schutte in one of Arise Racing GT’s Ferrari 296 GT3.

This weekend’s race in Sydney does not count towards the overall championship standings.

Ryan Yardley & Madeline Stewart: Porsche Carrera Cup North America

• Where? Circuit of the Americas, Texas
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Sunday 3.50 am
  • Race 1: Sunday 9.40 am
  • Race 2: Monday 5.00 am
• How to watch: Free live stream

Liam Lawson is not the only Kiwi in action at Circuit of the Americas, with Ryan Yardley and Madeline Stewart to wrap up their Porsche Carrera Cup North America campaigns in front of an estimated weekend crowd of 400,000 people.

Yardley, who won a race and podiumed in another last round at Road Atlanta, which has moved him to within five points of second place in the standings. Kellymoss’s Loek Hartog was crowned provisional champion at the same event, having built an unassailable lead.

Madeline Stewart will be looking to bounce back from a Race 1 crash at Road Atlanta, which also forced her out of Race 2. The incident ended her run of four consecutive points finishes. She sits 16th in the championship.

Brock Gilchrist, Clay Osborne, Ayrton Hodson & Hunter Robb: Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia

• Where? Sydney Motorsport Park
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Friday 5.55 pm
  • Race 1: Friday 8.55 pm
  • Race 2: Saturday 11.25 am
  • Race 3: Saturday 4.10pm
• How to follow: Free live stream (Race 3 only), Live timing (Race 1, 2 & 3)

A Trans-Tasman battle between Earl Bamber Motorsport drivers Oscar Targett and Brock Gilchrist for Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia honours culminates at Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend.

The pair are the only two who remain in contention for the title, with the Australian entering the round with a 91-point advantage. A maximum of 181 points are up for grabs.

New Zealanders Clay Osborne and Ayrton Hodson will also feature across all three races this weekend, looking to cement their places in the top five of the championship.

Also included on the entry list is a fourth New Zealander, Hunter Robb, the 2023/24 Toyota 86 rookie champion who featured in the GR Cup at Bathurst over the weekend. Robb joins Jones Motorsport for the round, the same squad he tested for in July at Queensland Raceway under the guidance of Carrera Cup championship leader Harri Jones.