The New Year is often a time to reflect on the year past and set some new goals. Do you want to travel more? Get fitter or better at accounting? If those all sound uncomfortably familiar, then why not challenge yourself to go for something more daring. No, we don’t mean jumping off a gorge in New Zealand, but broadening your motorsport horizons by tuning into the High Speed Television Channel.
There’s no shortage of action this weekend on Motors TV, starting with daily highlights of the Africa Eco Race, which can trace its roots back to the legendary Dakar Rally. As the name suggests, where the Dakar moved to a new base in South America, the rally has stayed close to the traditional heritage, traversing the treacherous terrain of the African equator. Stage 5 sees the competitors negotiate the Moroccan coastline from Remz El Quebir to Dakhla, with some 695 km worth of driving certain to separate the men from the boys…It’s equally rough and tumble in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series, which is a bit like rallycross if the cars took steroids. Watch as some of the finest racing trucks in North America – producing upwards of 700 horsepower – tackle dirt courses packed with moguls, banked corners and jumps in front of baying crowds in the hot Arizona sun. Could Kyle LeDuc start his title defence in the best possible manner in Chandler, or would three-time champion Carl Renezeder steal his thunder?
From there, it’s off to Sydney Motorsport Park – formerly known as Eastern Creek – for round five of the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia, where a talented crop of youngsters can test their mettle against old hands from the V8 Supercar Championship. 21-year-old Matt Campbell made a strong start to the year with victories at Adelaide and Melbourne before sweeping round three, also at Sydney, with two dominant performances. Could the rest of the field, led by four-time Bathurst 1000 winner Steven Richards, David Wall and F3 graduate Nick McBride give him a run for his money?
Unless you’ve been under a rock for the last few months, you will probably have seen that Canadian hotshoe Lance Stroll will be graduating to Formula 1 next season with Williams. For a little taster of what to expect from the 18-year-old Canadian many are tipping to be the ‘next Verstappen’, tune into our review of the FIA European F3 Championship to see Stroll vanquish a strong field of future starlets including promising Brits George Russell and Ben Barnicoat, who took two wins apiece.
But that’s not all! We ending with a double bill of classic hillclimbing action from Chateau Impney and the Bo’ness Revival, with a dash of Supercross from the MRF National Championship’s visit to Bangalore added in for good measure. Happy viewing!
Saturday 7th January
08:35 – Africa Eco Race, Stage 5, Remz El Quebir/Dakhla09:25 – MRF National Supercross Championship, Rd 6, Bangalore11:30 – Porsche Carrera Cup Australia, Rd 5, Sydney Motorsports Park13:40 – Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, Best Of14:45 – Scottish Hill Rally15:45 – Bo’ness Hillclimb Revival17:50 – Chateau Impney Hillclimb21:00 – Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series, Rd 1, Chandler (Pro Lite & Pro 2)21:55 – Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series, Rd 1, Chandler (Pro 4 & Pro Buggy)
Sunday 8th January
08:35 – FIA European F3 Championship, Season Review15:45 – Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series, Rd 1, Chandler (Pro Lite & Pro 2)16:50 – Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series, Rd 1, Chandler (Pro 4 & Pro Buggy)18:25 – P1 Aquacross, Rd 3, Puchong
