Motorsport Diary: Kiwis racing overseas this weekend

We’re into the Month of May action at Indianapolis!

Kiwis are competing in three classes on the Indianapolis Road Course this weekend, with Liam Sceats, Callum Hedge, Scott Dixon, Scott McLaughlin, Marcus Armstrong and Tom Blomqvist all in action.

Sunday morning will be a busy one for Kiwi fans, with Shane van Gisbergen’s Xfinity Series race in North Carolina goes green just 90 minutes before the IndyCar Sonsio Grand Prix.

Two top-tier competitions also see Kiwis in action in Europe: Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy race in the Formula E Berlin E-Prix double-header and Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley race in the World Endurance Championship’s 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.

Slightly closer to home, we see Jono Lester and Jaxon Evans in the GT World Challenge in Thailand.

There’s plenty of action this weekend, so sit back, relax, and enjoy!

For viewing times and information, see below.

Shane van Gisbergen: Xfinity Series

• Where? Darlington Raceway, North Carolina
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 9.30 am
  • Race: Sunday 5.30 am
• How to watch: ThreeNow (Race only)

Shane van Gisbergen is running a Marcos Ambrose-inspired livery in this weekend’s throwback round at Darlington Raceway.

The 2024 Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 covers 147 laps of the 1.366-mile (2.198km) egg-shaped oval in North Carolina. Van Gisbergen is 15th in the Xfinity Series standings.

Scott Dixon, Scott McLaughlin, Marcus Armstrong and Tom Blomqvist: IndyCar

• Where? Indianapolis Road Course
• NZ Times:
  • Practice 1: Saturday 1.30 am
  • Practice 2: Saturday 5.10 am
  • Qualifying: Saturday 8.20 am
  • Final Warmup: Sunday 3.15 am
  • Race: Sunday 7.00 am
• How to watch: Sky Sport

The IndyCar month of May begins with the road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Scott Dixon is the top-placed Kiwi in the championship standings in fourth, just seven points behind leader Colton Herta.

Scott McLaughlin overcame his St Petersburg disqualification for victory at Barber, which moved him to ninth in the standings.

Marcus Armstrong is 19th, while Tom Blomqvist is 22nd.

Mitch Evans & Nick Cassidy: Formula E

• Where? Tempelhof Airport Circuit, Berlin, Germany.
• NZ Times:
  • Practice 1: Saturday 2.55 am
  • Practice 2: Saturday 5.55 pm
  • Race 1 Qualifying: Saturday 8.00 pm
  • Race 1: Sunday 12.00 am
  • Practice 3: Sunday 5.55 pm
  • Race 2 Qualifying: Sunday 8.00 pm
  • Race 2: Monday 12.00 am
• How to watch: Sky Sport

Form is on the side of Jaguar TCS Racing’s all-Kiwi lineup for this weekend’s Formula E double-header in Germany. Mitch Evans led home Nick Cassidy for a one-two in Monaco and won one of last year’s races in Berlin. Cassidy won the other with his previous team, Envision Racing.

Pascal Wehrlein holds a seven-point advantage over Cassidy in the Drivers’ Championship, while Evans is fifth, 25 points in arrears of the Porsche driver.

Jaguar holds a 44-point lead over Porsche in the Teams’ Championship.

Brendon Hartley & Earl Bamber: World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Spa

• Where? Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 12.25 am
  • Race: Saturday 11.00 pm- Sunday 5.00 am
• How to watch: Official FIA WEC App (Paid subscription)

The World Endurance Championship returns for its final hitout before the 24 Hours of Le Mans with this weekend’s 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

Brendon Hartley and his Toyota Gazoo Racing teammates in the #8 GR010 Hybrid sit seventh in the championship, achieving a season-best result of fifth in Round 2 at Imola last outing.

Cadillac Racing’s Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn are 14th following their disqualification from the Qatar 1812km for a technical infringement.

Callum Hedge: Indy NXT

• Where? Indianapolis Road Course
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 6.30 am
  • Race 1: Saturday 10.10 am
  • Race 2: Sunday 5.00 am
• How to watch: Paid subscription

Callum Hedge enters this weekend’s Indy NXT double-header after a maiden top-ten finish last round at Barber but has work to do to chase down championship leaders Nolan Siegal and Jacob Abel.

The two Americans have put 30 points on the field after just two events, with Hedge 11th in the standings, 54 points off the joint leaders.

Jaxon Evans & Jono Lester: GT World Challenge Asia

• Where? Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 4.00 pm
  • Race 1: Saturday 8.00 pm
  • Race 2: Sunday 3.45 pm
• How to watch: Free live stream (YouTube)

Jaxon Evans returns to a Porsche for Phantom Global Racing, partnering with Chinese competitor Sun JungZu for the twin one-hour races in Thailand.

Jono Lester rejoins Team KRC with Ruan Cun Fan in a BMW M4 GT3.

Liam Sceats: USF Pro 2000

• Where? Indianapolis Road Course
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 12.40 am
  • Race 1: Saturday 7.15 am
  • Race 2: Saturday 11.55 pm
  • Race 3: Sunday 4.00 am
• How to watch: Free live stream (YouTube)

A triple-header of races and seven on-track sessions await Liam Sceats as he returns for TJ Speed Motorsports at Indianapolis this weekend.

Sceats is ninth in the championship standings, 78 points behind leader Nikita Johnson.

Header Image: Joe Skibinski (Penske Entertainment)