Get ready for a jam-packed weekend of international motorsports, featuring Kiwi drivers across a range of prestigious series! From St. Petersburg to the Circuit of the Americas and the season-opening WEC race in Qatar, this weekend’s racing action boasts a strong New Zealand presence.
NASCAR Cup Series – Circuit of the Americas:
Shane Van Gisbergen returns for Round 3 of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series at COTA, a track he favors following his 2024 road course success. Though last year’s race at COTA presented challenges; he qualified 12th, ran a relatively quiet race before receiving a penalty for speeding on pit row, and subsequently lost first gear in the final stage, resulting in a 21st-place finish.
This year’s race features a revised COTA layout, shifting from the 5.513km Grand Prix configuration to a shortened 3.7km NASCAR track, reminiscent of the National Circuit used during Supercars’ 2013 visit.
IndyCar, Indy NXT, USF Pro 2000 and Mazda MX5 Cup – Streets of St. Petersburg:
An impressive eight New Zealanders will be racing in St. Petersburg across four series, with three series beginning their 2025 seasons this weekend.
IndyCar:
Scott Dixon embarks on his 23rd consecutive IndyCar season, aiming for a comeback after finishing outside the top five in 2024 for only the second time in the last 19 years.
Scott McLaughlin enters his fifth season in the series, building on a stellar 2024 campaign that included a pole position for the iconic Indy 500 and his first oval race win at Iowa Speedway, ultimately securing a third-place finish in the championship standings for the second consecutive year.
2023 Rookie of the Year Marcus Armstrong joins Meyer Shank Racing in the #66 car for 2025, following his departure from Chip Ganassi Racing after two years.
Indy NXT:
Callum Hedge enters his second season in the series, this time with Abel Motorsports, after a successful rookie year with HMD Motorsports where he achieved five top-five finishes, including a podium finish in Detroit, to finish fourth overall.
He’ll be joined by Liam Sceats, who is making his Indy NXT debut with HMD Motorsports. While this is currently his only confirmed event, Sceats hopes to compete in the full 2025 campaign, moving up from USF Pro 2000 where he secured five podium finishes and a victory, culminating in a fifth-place championship finish.
USF Pro 2000:
Jacob Douglas (Pabst Racing) and Sebastian Manson (TJ Speed Motorsports) are both set to make their USF Pro 2000 debut this weekend.
Douglas, who showed great promise in USF Pro 2000 pre-season testing, joins the series after a six-race stint in the GB3 Championship last year.
Manson brings experience from a successful 2024 season, achieving second place in both the NZ Formula Ford Championship and the Formula Regional Japanese Championship. He’s already begun his 2025 campaign, winning two races in the Formula Regional Oceania Championship en route to a sixth-place finish.
Mazda MX5 Cup:
Teenager Bailey Cruse will compete in Round 2 of the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Cup this weekend. His series debut last month in Daytona saw him finish 20th and 14th in the fiercely competitive 36-car field. Cruse is aiming for another nice clean weekend in the #11 Hixon Motor Sports Mazda in Florida.
FIA World Endurance Championship – Lusail International Circuit (Qatar):
Pre-season testing offered a fascinating glimpse into the competitive landscape. Cadillac emerged as a strong contender, achieving a 1-2 finish on the opening day and securing second place overall the following day. Toyota, despite completing significant mileage, appeared to lack overall pace. The competition promises to be fierce in the season opener, with Cadillac, Ferrari, and BMW all demonstrating impressive speed and closing the gap during testing. The outcome remains uncertain, making it anyone’s race.
Brendon Hartley returns for his sixth consecutive season with Toyota Gazoo Racing, again partnering Sébastien Buemi and Ryō Hirakawa in the #8 entry. Earl Bamber continues his WEC career with the Cadillac V-Series.R, now driving for Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA (#38 entry) alongside Sébastien Bourdais and Jenson Button.
Moto3 World Championship – Chang International Circuit:
18-year-old Cormac Buchanan will also be in action this weekend, lining up for his debut in the Moto3 World Championship, following his impressive JuniorPro season last year. Buchanan becomes this first New Zealander to begin a season in the motorcycle world championship as a full-time rider since Simon Crafar started the 1999 500cc World Championship. Buchanan’s season kicks off this weekend at Chang International Circuit supporting the Thailand Grand Prix.
Weekend Schedule (NZT):
| Day | Time (NZT) | Session | Series |
| Saturday | 00:00 | Qatar 1812km | WEC |
| 03:10 | Practice | USF Pro 2000 | |
| 04:00 | Practice 1 | Mazda MX5 Cup | |
| 05:35 | Qualifying | USF Pro 2000 | |
| 06:20 | Practice 2 | Mazda MX5 Cup | |
| 08:00 | Practice 1 | IndyNXT | |
| 09:00 | Practice 1 | Indycar Series | |
| 14:40 | Free Practice 2 | Moto3 | |
| 18:50 | Qualifying | Moto3 | |
| Sunday | 02:05 | Qualifying | Mazda MX5 Cup |
| 03:00 | Practice 2 | IndyNXT | |
| 04:15 | Practice 2 | Indycar Series | |
| 05:00 | Practice 1 | NASCAR Cup Seies | |
| 05:35 | Race 1 (25 Laps) | USF Pro 2000 | |
| 05:45 | Practice 2 | NASCAR Cup Series | |
| 06:30 | Qualifying | NASCAR Cup Series | |
| 07:30 | Qualifying | IndyNXT | |
| 08:30 | Qualifying | Indycar Series | |
| 10:25 | Race 1 | Mazda MX5 Cup | |
| 18:00 | Race (19 Laps) | Moto3 | |
| Monday | 02:00 | Race 2 (25 Laps) | USF Pro 2000 |
| 03:00 | Warm Up | Indycar Series | |
| 04:00 | Race (45 Laps) | IndyNXT | |
| 06:00 | Race (100 Laps) | Indycar Series | |
| 08:30 | Race 2 | Mazda MX5 Cup | |
| 09:30 | Race (95 Laps) | NASCAR Cup Series |
Where to Watch:
NASCAR Cup: ThreeNow
Indycar Series: SkySport
Indy NXT: Indycar Live
USF Pro 2000: YouTube
Mazda MX5 Cup: YouTube
World Endurance Championship: FIA WEC App
Moto3 World Championship: ThreeNow
Header Image: Scott Dixon Facebook
I think Cormac Buchanan is making his (and NZs) debut in Moto3 this weekend. It should be on ThreeNow from 3pm Friday.