Formula One may be taking a break this weekend. But that isn't to mean there isn't motorsport worth watching. Here is a pair of events you can watch for free which promise epic racing.
Image credit: Porsche Newsroom
A week after the Formula One Miami Grand Prix and the paddock is taking a much needed rest. But that doesn't mean you should be spending the weekend with your family and friends. Instead, there is plenty of racing taking place around the world for you to watch.
Whilst the majority of motorsport events are starting to charge viewers with a fee. These sports car racing events are entirely free to view. If that wasn't enough, they will provide more action than an entire season of F1.
Make sure to tune in to the opening GT World Challenge Europe Sprint action at Brands Hatch this weekend. Racing fans outside of the USA can also catch a thrilling IMSA race at Laguna Seca featuring top class prototypes as they prepare for Le Mans next month.
What motorsport action will you be watching this weekend?
Image credit: Porsche Newsroom
A week after the Formula One Miami Grand Prix and the paddock is taking a much needed rest. But that doesn't mean you should be spending the weekend with your family and friends. Instead, there is plenty of racing taking place around the world for you to watch.
Whilst the majority of motorsport events are starting to charge viewers with a fee. These sports car racing events are entirely free to view. If that wasn't enough, they will provide more action than an entire season of F1.
Make sure to tune in to the opening GT World Challenge Europe Sprint action at Brands Hatch this weekend. Racing fans outside of the USA can also catch a thrilling IMSA race at Laguna Seca featuring top class prototypes as they prepare for Le Mans next month.
What motorsport action will you be watching this weekend?
How to Watch the GTWC at Brands Hatch
After an enthralling endurance race at Monza, the GTWC Europe field heads to Brands Hatch for the first Sprint Cup round of 2023.
Image credit: GTWC on Newspress
A few weeks ago, we took a look at the opening GT World Challenge round at Monza. This endurance race saw a 50-car-strong field tackle three hours at the Temple of Speed. The European SRO cars will face a different challenge this weekend as the smaller Sprint paddock heads to Brands Hatch.
For the teams competing in both the Sprint and Endurance rounds of this year's GT World Challenge Europe season, this weekend will be a culture shock. Whereas Monza is a fast, flat-out Grade 1 circuit, Brands Hatch is a twisty, undulating historic race track flanked by grass and barriers.
Furthermore, with this being the first Sprint round of the year, the weekend will feature shorter racing action. Two one-hour races over the two days will see drivers pushing from the get-go. Although the GT3 cars could easily complete the single hour sprint without stopping in the pits, teams are mandated to change drivers at the half-way mark. A ten-minute pit window will open in the middle of each race allowing the teams to come in, change tyres and drivers and head back out.
Whilst the race length is a big change compared to the Monza round, the grid size is also significantly reduced. For the rest of the Sprint season, numbers are set to match those of Endurance rounds. But with a smaller pit lane and paddock at Brands Hatch, a limit of 29 cars are allowed to compete this weekend. Plenty to fill the small venue, this certainly won't detract from the fun.
Both races will take place on Sunday, 14 May. Race 1 will get underway at 11:00 am GMT whilst the light go green on Race 2 at 4:05 pm GMT.
Will you watch GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup from Brands Hatch this weekend?
Image credit: GTWC on Newspress
A few weeks ago, we took a look at the opening GT World Challenge round at Monza. This endurance race saw a 50-car-strong field tackle three hours at the Temple of Speed. The European SRO cars will face a different challenge this weekend as the smaller Sprint paddock heads to Brands Hatch.
For the teams competing in both the Sprint and Endurance rounds of this year's GT World Challenge Europe season, this weekend will be a culture shock. Whereas Monza is a fast, flat-out Grade 1 circuit, Brands Hatch is a twisty, undulating historic race track flanked by grass and barriers.
Furthermore, with this being the first Sprint round of the year, the weekend will feature shorter racing action. Two one-hour races over the two days will see drivers pushing from the get-go. Although the GT3 cars could easily complete the single hour sprint without stopping in the pits, teams are mandated to change drivers at the half-way mark. A ten-minute pit window will open in the middle of each race allowing the teams to come in, change tyres and drivers and head back out.
Whilst the race length is a big change compared to the Monza round, the grid size is also significantly reduced. For the rest of the Sprint season, numbers are set to match those of Endurance rounds. But with a smaller pit lane and paddock at Brands Hatch, a limit of 29 cars are allowed to compete this weekend. Plenty to fill the small venue, this certainly won't detract from the fun.
Both races will take place on Sunday, 14 May. Race 1 will get underway at 11:00 am GMT whilst the light go green on Race 2 at 4:05 pm GMT.
Will you watch GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup from Brands Hatch this weekend?
How to Watch IMSA at Laguna Seca
With the GTP grid back to record-equalling numbers, expect a thrilling IMSA Sportscar race at Laguna Seca.
Image credit: BMW Press site
Across the pond, the IMSA Sportscar Championship will also be providing heaps of action this weekend. The all-new GTP cars join the GTD Pro, GTD and LMP2 classes at Laguna Seca for the Course de Monterey.
A 2h40 race, this is the first standard-length IMSA race of the year. It is also the first time we get to see a customer GTP car running in the hands of JDC-Miller Motorsport. The yellow Porsche 963 will attempt to take on the existing eight GTP cars on the legendary course.
With four classes going hammer and tong around Laguna Seca for almost three hours, traffic will be a big thing to look out for this weekend. In IMSA competition, GTP is the top class, it is the equivalent of Hypercar in the international WEC as it too welcomes the Le Mans-bound LMDh and LMH racers. The GT classes both feature GT3 machinery but distinction between the two comes from the experience of drivers within each car. Fully professional line ups compete in GTD Pro whilst those featuring amateur drivers (a bronze or silver ranked driver) take to GTD.
In total, 38 cars will compete for the win: 9 in GTP, 8 in LMP2, 5 in GTD Pro and 16 in GTD. Going into the weekend, BMW is the only GTP manufacturer not to get a race win following Porsche's triumph on the streets of Long Beach. But with rapidly improving pace in the M Hybrid V8, the Bavarian squad may well be strong at Monterey. Dicing through traffic, this fight is sure to be another epic battle for the history books.
Further down and in GTD, the largest field this time out, it is surely anyone's game. The Paul Miller Racing pairing of Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow go into the Laguna round with their BMW M4 at the top of the standings. But close behind is the Heart of Racing #27 Aston Martin and #12 Lexus RC-F of Vasser Sullivan Racing. This battle is certainly one to look out for. As is the nose-to-tail action of the all-professional GTD Pro quintet.
Who will come out on top? We'll have to find out on Sunday night at 8:00 pm GMT. You can catch all the action for free on the IMSA TV website.
Will you watch the IMSA Course de Monterey this weekend?
Image credit: BMW Press site
Across the pond, the IMSA Sportscar Championship will also be providing heaps of action this weekend. The all-new GTP cars join the GTD Pro, GTD and LMP2 classes at Laguna Seca for the Course de Monterey.
A 2h40 race, this is the first standard-length IMSA race of the year. It is also the first time we get to see a customer GTP car running in the hands of JDC-Miller Motorsport. The yellow Porsche 963 will attempt to take on the existing eight GTP cars on the legendary course.
With four classes going hammer and tong around Laguna Seca for almost three hours, traffic will be a big thing to look out for this weekend. In IMSA competition, GTP is the top class, it is the equivalent of Hypercar in the international WEC as it too welcomes the Le Mans-bound LMDh and LMH racers. The GT classes both feature GT3 machinery but distinction between the two comes from the experience of drivers within each car. Fully professional line ups compete in GTD Pro whilst those featuring amateur drivers (a bronze or silver ranked driver) take to GTD.
In total, 38 cars will compete for the win: 9 in GTP, 8 in LMP2, 5 in GTD Pro and 16 in GTD. Going into the weekend, BMW is the only GTP manufacturer not to get a race win following Porsche's triumph on the streets of Long Beach. But with rapidly improving pace in the M Hybrid V8, the Bavarian squad may well be strong at Monterey. Dicing through traffic, this fight is sure to be another epic battle for the history books.
Further down and in GTD, the largest field this time out, it is surely anyone's game. The Paul Miller Racing pairing of Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow go into the Laguna round with their BMW M4 at the top of the standings. But close behind is the Heart of Racing #27 Aston Martin and #12 Lexus RC-F of Vasser Sullivan Racing. This battle is certainly one to look out for. As is the nose-to-tail action of the all-professional GTD Pro quintet.
Who will come out on top? We'll have to find out on Sunday night at 8:00 pm GMT. You can catch all the action for free on the IMSA TV website.
Will you watch the IMSA Course de Monterey this weekend?
