Keeping up with the Kiwis, your guide to the action: June 18-20

Lock in a date with the couch this weekend and tune in to a jam-packed weekend of Kiwis racing on the world stage.

In Europe, DTM kicks off its first season with GT3-esque cars, and young Cormac Buchanan continues his Red Bull Rookies Cup campaign.

In America, we have IndyCar, Indy Pro 2000, USF2000 and Formula E.

While closer to home, the Supercars championship roars back into life after a long dormant period.

Here is your guide to it all.

Liam Lawson

• What: DTM
• Where: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Italy
• When: R1 SAT 11.33 pm | R2 SUN 11.33 pm
• How to follow: Free live stream (DTM Grid)

Liam Lawson is the new kid on the block this weekend when DTM rolls into the Italian countryside for its season opener.

The Kiwi Formula 2 sensation has only had a handful of test sessions behind the wheel of the Ferrari 488 GT3.

He has also only made one GT race start. That was when he steered an Audi R8 GT3 in last year’s New Zealand Endurance Championship final at Highlands Motorsport Park.

However, Lawson’s pace in pre-season testing was impressive, and he was consistently in the top half of the field.

Since testing concluded, DTM has been working on ensuring its Balance of Performance system is fair and concise.

Monza will be the first real opportunity to see whether BoP has affected the running order.

Lawson’s teammate for the weekend is ex-Formula 1 driver Alex Albon.

Supercars contingent

• What: Darwin Triple Crown
• Where: Hidden Valley Raceway, Australia
• When: R1 SAT 5.55 pm | R2 SUN 2.25 pm | R3 SUN 5.55 pm
• How to follow: Sky Sport

After over a month since the Supercars last hit the track, the Aussie series returns for its annual northern venture to Darwin this weekend.

For our three Kiwis – Shane van Gisbergen, Andre Heimgartner and Fabian Coulthard – this weekend will be one of unknowns as Supercars uses its Super Soft tyres for the first time.

Dunlop anticipates the super soft compound to quickly fall off a cliff if a driver mismanages how hard he pushes through a stint.

Unfortunately, that may result in more processional racing. However, the unknowns surrounding degradation may lead to some surprising results up and down the paddock.

Van Gisbergen continues to lead the championship over teammate Jamie Whincup.

Yet it was Ford domination at the last round in Tailem Bend, with Andre Heimgartner picking up a maiden series win.

He is riding a wave of newly found confidence. Expect him to be near the pointy end of the field this weekend if Kelly Grove Racing can get their set-up on point.

Scott Dixon & Scott McLaughlin

• What: REV Group Grand Prix
• Where: Road America, United States
• When: MON 4.40 am
• How to follow: Sky Sport

After the bumps and grinds of Detroit, Scott Dixon and Scott McLaughlin arrive at Road America this weekend for round nine of the IndyCar championship.

Road America is one of the few remaining circuits in the US that is still in its original configuration and has been a regular occurrence on the calendar since 2016.

Despite bagging a solid number of points in Detroit last week, Dixon still lost some ground in the driver’s championship to leader Pato O’Ward.

However, Road America is one of Dixon’s strongest circuits.

In the six races held at Road America since 2016, the Iceman has two race wins and one further podium.

For McLaughlin, he comes into the weekend with a bit of experience of the Wisconsin track.

He tested here earlier this month, meaning he won’t be completely blind come to the first practice session – something he didn’t have in a bruising weekend in Detroit.

Rain is on the radar for race day, which could throw another spanner in the works.

Mitch Evans & Nick Cassidy

• What: Puebla E-Prix
• Where: Autodromo Miguel E. Abed, Mexico
• When: SUN 9 am
• How to follow: Sky Sport

This could well be the most bizarre circuit Formula E has ever raced on in its short history.

The Mexican circuit doesn’t get much international action besides the World Touring Car Championship.

However, this weekend, the Formula E paddock will descend on the Puebla circuit as the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is used as a Covid-19 hospital.

The circuit utilises part of an oval and has a technical infield section. The most unique aspect of the track is the ‘joker lap’ section, which drivers must use to activate attack mode.

Ultimately, nobody knows who will be the fastest this weekend.

Evans is fresh off a podium in Monaco – a race he felt he could have won. Meanwhile, Nick Cassidy has two point-scoring finishes in the last three races.

Hunter McElrea

What: Indy Pro 2000
Where: Road America, United States
When: R1 SUN 5.10 am | R2 MON 3 am
How to follow: YouTube live stream

Hunter McElrea will be hoping for a fresh start this weekend at Road America.

A tough qualifying for McElrea meant he could only muster a fifth-place result in the last Indy Pro 2000 round at Lucas Oil Raceway.

The round before, set-up dramas led to disappointing finishes.

Road America was a horrible place for McElrea last season. A spin in race one and a crash in race two left him dead last in the driver’s championship.

However, McElrea has repeatedly proven that he could find ways to be within a shot of the title come to the season finale.

His fight back to the top hopefully begins this weekend.

Billy Frazer & Peter Vodanovich

• What: USF2000
• Where: Road America, United States
• When: R1 SUN 4.15 am | R2 MON 1 am
• How to follow: YouTube live stream

Billy Frazer and Peter Vodanovich make it five Kiwis racing at Road America this weekend.

The USF2000 rookies had nearly a month wait between rounds and will be eager to get back to the track.

Frazer headed to Dubai over the break to enjoy some action on the Dubai Autodrome.

He is 11th in the championship at the halfway mark and is the fourth highest series newbie.

Vodanovich sits 23rd in the standings and has been making progress among the midfield runners.

One of the best overtakers in the field, a strong qualifying from Vodanovich should surge him closer to the top ten.

Cormac Buchanan

• What: Red Bull Rookies Cup
• Where: Sachsenring, Germany
• When: R1 SUN 2.20 am | R1 MON 1.20 am
• How to follow: Red Bull TV (free)

Flying youngster Cormac Buchanan heads to the iconic Sachsenring this weekend, officially marking the midpoint of his debut season aboard.

Buchanan picked up his best result of the season with an 18th-place finish in Mugello last time out, as way as some time spent buried in the midfield, which should act as a confidence booster.

A lone Kiwi in a sea of European talent, Buchanan arrives at another foreign track this weekend.

Besides some virtual practice on the PlayStation, Buchanan will have to learn the ins and outs of the testing Sachsenring quickly.

Between each round, Buchanan and his family traverse Europe in their motorhome appropriately nicknamed Burt after two-wheeled Kiwi legend Burt Munro.