WRC: FOCUS SWITCHES EASTFollow the FIA World Rally Championship on Motors TV with three special programmes every round.
After the opening rally of the season on the Swedish snow and round 2 on the hot and dusty roads of Mexico, the WRC heads east.
First up is round 3 in Jordan, a rally held on the banks of the Dead Sea in the south of capital city Amman. In 2008, during the first edition of this event, Sebastien Loeb was on his way to a comfortable victory when he was forced to retire after an accident with one of his team-mates on a road section! Kept off the calendar in 2009, the event makes its comeback this year with a revised course. Notably, the rally will run from Thursday until Saturday and not the usual Friday-Sunday format.
Two weeks later and the competitors will meet again on Rally Turkey, the sixth time the event has been part of the WRC.Unlike previous editions, however, the event will not take place in the Antalya region in the South West of the country, but in Istanbul, the fifth largest city in Europe. A jump into the unknown for all the competitors, something that Kimi Raikkonen, a newcomer to the discipline, might be able to use to his advantage.
Motors TV will screen one-hour highlights on the evening of each day’s leg.
FIA World Rally Championship:
Rally Jordan:Day 1 – Thursday 1 April at 10.20pmDay 2 – Friday 2 April at 10.20pmDay 3 – Saturday 3 April at 10.20pm
Rally Turkey:Day 1 – Friday 16 April at 10.20pmDay 2 – Saturday 17 April at 10.20pmDay 3 – Sunday 18 April at 10.20pmTHE MX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IS BACK!Motors TV is again the exclusive broadcaster of the Motocross World Championships this year, and has LIVE coverage of the entire MX1, MX2 and Women’s MX championships. 16 rounds are scheduled in 2010, with the first three all coming in April. The title holders are Antonio Cairoli (MX1) and Frenchman Marvin Musquin (MX2), one of the country’s rare 2009 world champions! Musquin stays with KTM to defend his title, but will be wary of another Frenchman, Gauthier Paulin, as well as German rider Ken Roczen. In MX1, Cairoli leaves Yamaha to join KTM and will face stern competition, patricularly from Sebastien Pourcel.
MX World Championship:Round 1, Sevlievo (Bulgaria) – Sunday 4 April starting at 9am.Round 2, Fermo (Italy) – Sunday 11 April starting at 11am.Round 3, Valkenswaard (Holland) – Sunday 25 April starting at 10am. INSIDE GP: CHINAEvery Monday before each F1 Grand Prix, Motors TV screens Inside GP, a special programme containing circuit previews, interviews with drivers and the sport’s key figures, backstage access, paddock gossip and the latest news. The programme deals with the actuality of F1 while revealing one or two trade secrets!
April is an opportunity to find out everything you need to know about the Chinese GP in Shanghai.
Inside GP, China Special – 12 April at 9.15pm.ALMS: LEGENDARY LONG BEACHA month after the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring, which included an appearance from Peugeot, the American Le Mans Series heads to California for round 2 at Long Beach. Peugeot won’t be there, but Aston Martin will be present with its LMP1 prototype, along with a flood of famous marques in GT2 in the shape of Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette, BMW and Jaguar.
ALMS, Long Beach - Sunday 25 April at 6pm. V8 SUPERCARS: NEXT UP NEW ZEALAND The Australian-based V8 Supercar Championship likes to spread its wings overseas. After starting the season in the Middle East with races in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, round 4 takes place in New Zealand and the city of Hamilton. As has become a tradition, Motors TV is the main European broadcaster for this incredible series, screening two hours of highlights after every round.
Last year, Jamie Whincup won both races in Hamilton, and he may have to repeat that feat if he wants to win a third successive title, something only two other drivers have ever achieved in the history of Australian Touring Car racing!
V8 Supercars, Hamilton – Sunday 25 April at 4pm.NOT TO BE MISSED…BRITISH F3 – Two years ago the British F3 champion was Jaime Alguesuari, who now races in F1 with Toro Rosso. Last year, Australian Daniel Ricciardo won the title and has now been named as Red Bull Racing’s F1 tester this year. It’s logical to conclude therefore, that Red Bull knows that the British series is the proving ground for young drivers. This season, Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne is well aware what awaits him as he becomes the latest Red Bull-backed driver to join the series, keen to follow in the footsteps of Alguersuari and Ricciardo in the Red Bull family.The 2010 season starts at Oulton Park with highlights of the three races to be found on Motors TV on Sunday 11 April at 8.40pm.
BRITISH GT – Running alongside British F3, coverage of the British GT Championship can also be found on the ‘High Speed Television’ channel. With exciting on-track battles, this spectacular series is often made even more entertaining due to the unpredictable British weather.Watch one hour highlights of the opening round at Oulton Park on Sunday 18 April at 8.40pm.
INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES – The Italian-based Touring Car series returns with the first two rounds of the season taking place at Monza and Imola. The series contains a healthy smattering of highly prestigious manufacturers and action-packed racing.Round 1, Monza, Saturday 3 April at 5.30pm.Round 2, Imola, Saturday 24 April at 5.30pm.
MOBIL 1 THE GRID - Sunday evenings at 9.45pm on Motors TV are quickly becoming a must in any motorsport fan’s diary. MOBIL 1 THE GRID brings news from around the motorsport world including NASCAR, DTM, WRC, GP2, WTCC, MotoGP and many more.Every Sunday at 9.45pm.BEST OF BRITISH MOTORSPORT…MSA ASPHALT RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP – New to Motors TV, the six-round tarmac-based rally series kicks off with the Tour of Epynt. Based in South Wales, the event covers approximately 80 special stage miles over six stages with a central service area in Llandovery on the Epynt Ranges.Round 1, Tour of Epynt, Saturday 10 April at 10.20pm
AAA SALOONS – A brand new series established this winter for production All Wheel Drive cars. The inaugural season kicks off at Castle Combe and Motors TV has coverage of both races. Expect plenty of no-holds-barred action with Subaru Imprezas and Mitsubishi Evos expected to challenge at the front of the field.Round 1, Race 1, Castle Combe, Friday 16 April at 7.35pmRound 1, Race 2, Castle Combe, Friday 23 April at 7.35pm
750 MOTOR CLUB – Dedicated coverage of the plethora of series running under the 81-year-old 750 Motor Club banner. Action from the opening meeting of 2010 at Snetterton includes Formula 4, 750 Formula, Formula Vee, Kit Cars, RGB, Stock Hatch, Saxmax, Super GT and more.Snetterton, Wednesday 21 April at 7.05pm
FORD FIESTA CHAMPIONSHIP – Another new addition to the Motors TV schedule is the Ford Fiesta Championship. Three models of the popular hatchback are catered for in this action-packed low cost racing series. Round 1 is from Lydden.Round 1, Lydden, Saturday 24 April at 1pm
MA5DA MX5 CHAMPIONSHIP – One of the UK’s most popular championships has seen another surge in entries this year with 90 cars registered. That means split grids and qualifying races, while a new category for the new Mk5 model adds even more interest. Round 1 action comes from Brands Hatch.Round 1, Brands Hatch, Wednesday 28 April at 7.05pm
