What’s on this week
We all know when and where Formula 1 is on TV, right? Autosport has dug out other great series and events you can and should be watching on TV and online this year
SUPER FORMULA MOTORSPORT.TV
Considering it’s in effect an Indycar Series of the east – one chassis, two engines, push-to-pass – Super Formula has struggled to gain much recognition in Europe, largely because it hadn’t enjoyed much of a presence on television.
That changed last year once Motorsport TV started airing coverage, and in recent weeks the channel has been showing full race replays. The standard of driving and the quality of the cars is on par with anything in single-seaters outside Formula 1, and some of the tracks are fantastically old-school.
If you’ve no idea how good the likes of Hiroaki Ishiura or Yuhi Sekiguchi are, there’s now no excuse for remaining in the dark.
WORLD RALLYCROSS FREE-TO-AIR TBA
It’s short and sharp, but brilliantly exciting. World Rallycross has gone from strength to strength since its inaugural season in 2014, and each year it brings a bigger manufacturer or works driver to add to its appeal.
The finals are excellent. A mixture of loose surface and asphalt tests the drivers’ capabilities when the going gets tough (or smooth), and superstars such as Sebastien Loeb from world rallying and Mattias Ekstrom from DTM have made the championship a home. Speaking of making a new home, the championship visits Silverstone instead of Lydden Hill for the first time in 2018. A big event is planned – but can it beat Lydden, the spiritual home of rallycross?
GOODWOOD MEMBERS’ MEETING AUTOSPORT.COM
Goodwood puts on some of the most exciting races every year and always features great machinery. The Revival, which is 20 years old in 2018, is the most well-known, but the Members’ Meeting is a gem. It’s only open to Goodwood Road Racing Club members and fellows and, as such, is less busy than the Revival. That means you can get around the paddock and circuit more easily.
The Gerry Marshall Trophy for Group 1 touring cars is always a highlight, and there’s the usual mix of sportscars and single-seaters. Additions for 2018 include the Ronnie Hoare Trophy (for sports and GT cars raced between 1963 and ’66) and the Bolster Cup (British specials built either side of the Second World War).
NASCAR PREMIER SPORTS AND FREESPORTS
Free! It’s free! There’s no excuse to miss the Daytona 500, the ‘Great American Race’, this year because NASCAR’S showpiece season opener is being shown live by Premier Sport sister channel Freesports. But don’t just watch that and then skip the rest of the season, which will be broadcast live on Premier Sports.
There’s a changing of the guard occurring in NASCAR currently, as long-time heroes including Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart have been replaced by up-andcomers such as Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney. These young guns can shift and have brought a new vigour to the American series, which can thrill right up until the last lap. That’s usually when the race is decided.
FIA EUROPEAN F3 YOUTUBE
The Formula 3 European Championship’s Youtube channel has been screening live coverage of every race since the series started. So as long as you’ve got a smartphone to hand, you can watch it wherever you are.
British commentary (BTCC duo David Addison and Chris Hartley are among the revolving cast) makes for an easy viewing-and-listening experience, and the live screening usually cuts in a few minutes before the formation lap, so you won’t miss a thing. And you’ll be in good company: apparently the F1 team bosses, in the paddock at the 2014 Austrian GP, were glued to the epic F3 action from Spa, where two youngsters named Verstappen and Ocon appeared on their radars…