(Sky Channel 413, Virgin Media 545)
WRC: MORE ACTION THAN EVER ON MOTORS TV!This year the ‘High Speed Television’ channel celebrates its coverage of the World Rally Championship with three, 1-hour highlight programmes on each day of the rally (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)In May, the rallies of New Zealand and Portugal will undoubtedly see the intensity of the duel between Sébastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen ratcheted up another notch, but don’t forget to keep an eye on the other stars of the WRC: Kimi Raïkkönen, Petter Solberg, Dani Sordo and Jari-Matti Latvala, not forgetting the other flying Frenchman, Sébastien Ogier. All will play their part in the raging battle between manufacturers, Citroën and Ford.
Note that the time difference means that daily highlights from Rally New Zealand will be screened at 3pm. The timetable for Portugal remains fixed at 10.20pm each day.
Round 5 – Rally New Zealand:Day 1 – Friday 7 May at 3pm and 10.20pm.Day 2 – Saturday 8 May at 3pm and 10.20pm.Day 3 – Sunday 9 May at 2pm and 10.20pm.
Round 6 – Rally Portugal:Day 1 – Friday 28 May at 10.20pm.Day 2 – Saturday 29 May at 10.20pm.Day 3 – Sunday 30 May at 10.20pm.MOTORS TV LIVE RACE DAYA new innovation on Motors TV in 2010 comes in the shape of the ‘High Speed Television’ channel’s live Motors TV Live Race Days. These special, made-for-television events will take place at Mallory Park and feature some of the best racing in UK grass-roots motorsport. A succession of ten-minute sprint races will include the likes of BARC Tin Tops, Kumho BMW, Sports 2000, Formula Ford 1600, 2CVs, Caterham Graduates and more, ensuring a non-stop flow of entertaining live action.
The first event is scheduled for Sunday 16 May with five-hours of live coverage and 14 races throughout the day.
Motors TV Live Race Day, Mallory Park – Sunday 16 May from 1pm.
MX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: THREE ROUNDS LIVEEvery round of the MX World Championships (MX1, MX2 and Women’s MX) is broadcast, live and exclusive, on Motors TV.
The MX1 World Champion, Antonio Cairoli, begins a new challenge by switching to the new 350cc KTM to defend his title. The likes of Philippaerts, Nagl, Ramon and French rider Sebastien Pourcel will give their all to stop the Italian.
In the MX2 category, Frenchman Marvin Musquin is fighting to retain his title, but won’t be having things all his own way. He’ll have to make sure he’s on top of his game, not to mention physical fitness, this May as the calendar throws up a hellish schedule of six races in 20 days!
Round 4, Agueda (Portugal) – Live on Sunday 9 May from 11am.Round 5, Bellpuig (Spain) – Live on Sunday 16 May from 10am.Round 6, Mallory Park (GB) – Live on Sunday 30 May from 12pm.FIA GT3 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP: LIVEThis year, the ‘High Speed Television’ channel will expand its support of the FIA GT3 European Championship with live coverage. Created in 2006, the championship has enjoyed continued success and growth thanks to the quality of entries which includes major manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, Lamborghini and Corvette. The equality of car performance, as decreed by the FIA, promotes close, spectacular racing at every round. The first two events will be screened on Motors TV this May.
Round 1 – Silverstone (GB):Race 1 – Saturday 1 May at 1.45pm.Race 2 – Sunday 2 May at 12pm.
Round 2 – Brno (Czech Republic):Race 1 – Saturday 22 May at 13.30pm.Race 2 – Sunday 23 May at 11am.
RALLYCROSS: SPECTACULAR ACTION GUARANTEED!Fans of rallycross will be delighted! With the European championship, British championship and the impending arrival of the French Rallycross Championship, Motors TV has coverage of the three most important series this discipline has to offer. The race format is very different from circuit racing and gives a fast-paced feel to each event, ideal for the TV viewer. With 100 races of between two and three minutes per weekend on courses that are half gravel and half asphalt, rallycross is always spectacular!
European Rallycross Championship - Round 1, Saturday 8 May at 8.45pm and Round 2, Saturday 15 May at 9.15pm.MSA British Rallycross Championship: Round 2 at Knockhill, Wednesday 12 May at 9.15pm.French Rallycross Championship: Round 2 at Faleyras, Saturday 29 May at 9.45pm.AMA SX: THE FINAL STRAIGHTIt’s back to two wheels with the AMA Supercross Championship – the world’s best national Supercross series. The final three rounds of the 2010 season take place in May and Motors TV has two-hours of coverage from every meeting, with complete highlights of both the Open and Lites categories.
Round 15, Qwest Field, Seattle – Tuesday 4 May at 7.05pm.Round 16, Rice Eccles Field, Utah – Tuesday 11 May at 7.05pm.Round 17, Sam Boyd Stadium, Nevada – Tuesday 18 May at 7.05pm.
BRITISH F3: ON THE ROAD TO F1The British F3 International Series remains a key stepping stone on the road to F1 and 2010 sees a fight to follow the last two champions, Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari (already an F1 driver with Toro Rosso) and Australian Daniel Ricciardo (now reserve driver at Red Bull) into motorsport’s top flight.
Talented Brits like James Calado, Will Buller, Oli Webb and Alex Brundle should all be in the mix for honours, but as ever, a selection of the world’s most promising young drivers will flock to the UK hoping to beat the home stars on their own turf. Watch out for Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne, Brazilian Adriano Buzaid, Colombian Carlos Huertas and Japanese racer Daisuke Nakajima in what will definitely by a keenly fought season to clinch one of junior motorsport’s most prestigious titles. Two rounds are scheduled for May.
Round 2, Silverstone – Sunday 9 May at 11.25pm.Round 3, Magny-Cours – Sunday 30 May at 8.40pm. NOT TO BE MISSED…V8 SUPERCARS: BACK TO THE EAST COAST – After starting the season in the Middle East, the Australian-based V8 Supercars Championship has returned home. The ‘traditional’ season has now begun with a long hard battle ahead until the endurance races, including the Bathurst 1000, in September / October. In the meantime we’re waiting to see if double champion, Jamie Whincup, can become the first driver in the history of Australian touring car racing to win three consecutive titles.Queensland – Sunday 9 May at 5pm.Winton – Sunday 23 May at 3pm.
ALMS: THE LAST RACE BEFORE LE MANS – Everybody involved in endurance racing is preparing for the Le Mans 24 Hours in mid-June. The last race prior to the classic race at La Sarthe will take place in the USA, the six hour American Le Mans Series race at Laguna Seca, California, and can be watched on Motors TV. Round 3, Laguna Seca – Sunday 30 May at 5pm.
GP3: Part of the F1 support-race package, GP3 takes its logical place below GP2 on the ladder to the pinnacle of motorsport. Several stars-of-the-future will be to be on the grid for the first round in Barcelona.Monday 17 May at 9.15pm.
INTERNATIONAL GT OPEN: Based in Spain, the International GT Open is becoming a semi-official European championship. For proof of the quality of the field, watch May’s two rounds at the Nurburgring and Imola.Monday 10 May at 6pm and Monday 31 May at 6pm.
INSIDE GP: Each Monday prior every F1 Grand Prix, the magazine programme, Inside GP, brings backstage news and reports from motorsport’s premier discipline, making it a must for those seeking a complete understanding of the realities of F1. Three programmes are scheduled in May!Spain – Monday 3 May at 9.15pm.Monaco – Monday 10 May at 9.15pm.Turkey – Monday 24 May at 9.15pm.BEST OF BRITISH MOTORSPORT…Each month, Motors TV boasts unrivalled coverage of the very best of the UK’s grass roots motorsport.
GINETTA CHALLENGE: The re-named Ginetta G20 Championship kicks off its 2010 season with a visit to Oulton Park. This season the series will cater for the G20 and the newer G40 model, but the action is set to be as frenetic as ever.Round 1, Oulton Park – Saturday 1 May at 8.10pm
LEGENDS: A feast of Legends racing comes from the both the UK and Scottish Legends Championships. The national series visits Brands Hatch for rounds 2 and 3 of the 2010 season while, north of the border, Knockhill hosts the opening round of the Scottish championship.UK Legends Championship:Round 2, Brands Hatch – Friday 7 May at 7.05pmRound 3, Brands Hatch – Friday 14 May at 7.05pmScottish Legends Championship:Round 1, Knockhill – Thursday 13 May at 8.10pm
MA5DA RACING SERIES: This month sees action from the Ma5da MX5 Championship for Mk1 models and the brand new MX5 Cup which caters for the newer Mk3. The entry is so over-subscribed in 2010 that series organisers have had to split grids, so there should be slip streaming galore in round 2 at the ultra-fast Snetterton. MX5 Championship, Round 2, Snetterton – Wednesday 12 May at 7.05pmMX5 Cup, Round 2, Snetterton – Wednesday 26 May at 7.05pm
SPEED SERIES: The UK’s answer to VdeV caters for CN2 category sports prototype racers and with a series of long distance races, is the perfect stepping stone into the Le Mans Series. The addition of a new class for Bike-Engined Sports prototypes should ensure bigger grids in 2010 as the series continues to grow. Round 1 features two 90-minute races from Silverstone.Round 1, Silverstone – Friday 14 May at 6.30pm
DUNLOP GREAT & BRITISH FESTIVAL: More fantastic action from the Dunlop-backed Great & British Festival as it visits Snetterton in Norfolk. Featured races include the new Autosport Young Guns single-seater series, CSL Cup for BMW M3s, Mini Challenge, Radical Clubman’s Cup and Sport Maxx Championship.Round 2, Snetterton – Saturday 22 May at 5.30pm
