FIA World Endurance Championship
With only three races remaining and the end almost in sight, the battle for the FIA World Endurance Championship will step up another level in October with a visit to Fuji in Japan, a home event for the Toyota team. However, it was in the 2014 champion’s own back yard where Porsche really made their straight-line speed advantage pay last year, as the German marque recorded a routine 1-2 finish. With no manufacturer able to establish a clear advantage in the opening four rounds this year, could Fuji prove to be a pivotal turning point in the title chase? Signatech-Alpine’s pursuers in LMP2 will certainly hope so after the French squad took three consecutive victories at Spa, Le Mans and the Nürburgring, while Ferrari, Aston Martin, Ford and Porsche will continue their epic scrap for GTE-Pro and GTE-Am honours.
• LIVE, Rd 7, 6 Hours of Fuji – Sunday 16 October at 02:30.
SMX Rider’s Cup
After the conclusion of the FIM MXGP season, motocross fans’ winter blues will be temporarily postponed as the SMX Rider's Cup comes to the Veltins Arena in Germany. This two-wheeled equivalent to the Race of Champions features all seven MXGP manufacturers, with each entering a team of four riders, who can choose between two and four-stroke engines. With a €50,000 prize at stake for the top rider and manufacturer, this is no ordinary end of season jolly…
• LIVE, Veltins-Arena, Germany – Saturday 8 October at 19:30 – 20:30- 21:20.
European Le Mans Series
Anyone expecting an easy ride in the final act of the 2016 European Le Mans Series had better prepare themselves to be disappointed, with Estoril providing arguably the sternest test on the calendar. Just ask Simon Dolan, who was caught out last year by a sudden downpour and floated into the gravel, allowing Greaves Motorsport to steal in at the death and take the title. After brake problems cost them the 2014 crown at the same track, will this be the year that G-Drive finally put their Estoril demons to bed? Get set for more thrilling battles at the front in LMP2 as they negotiate the swarm of LMP3 cars and fierce inter-manufacturer rivalry between Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin in GTE.
• LIVE, Rd 6, Estoril – Sunday 23 October at 13:45.
FIA European F3 Championship
Arguably the best-regarded of all junior single-seater series, the FIA F3 European Championship boasts an unparalleled reputation as a training ground for the next generation of Formula 1 stars, including Spanish Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen and new kid on the block Esteban Ocon, who raced in the category as recently as 2014. Series leader Lance Stroll already has a foot in the door with Williams and will look to fend off his Prema team-mate Maximillian Gunther in the final run-in, where there's also the matter of the rookie championship to be decided. Promising Briton Ben Barnicoat will battle it out against Anthoine Hubert, Jimmy Eriksson and Ralf Aron to win €100,000 towards next year's budget and the bragging rights as next year’s odds-on favourite.
• LIVE, Rd 9, Imola – Saturday 1 October at TBC (Race 1), TBC (Race 2) and Sunday 2 October at TBC (Race 3).• LIVE, Rd 10, Hockenheim – Saturday 15 October at TBC (Race 1), TBC (Race 2) and Sunday 16 October at TBC (Race 3).
Euro Formula Open
This F3-based championship is targeted as a budget alternative to the FIA F3 European Championship to prepare drivers for the rigours of slicks and wings racing at some of Europe's most famed venues. While others have shone on occasion, the season has largely been a two-way fight between the relentlessly consistent Leonardo Pulcini and rookie Ferdinand Habsburg, both of whom appear destined for big things in the sport. But with Pulcini opening out a considerable margin in the first half of the season, can the Austrian get on terms with his Italian rival?
• LIVE, Rd 6, Monza – Saturday 1st October at 14:05 (Race 1).• Delayed-as-Live, Rd 6, Monza – Sunday 2nd October at 16:40 (Race 2).• LIVE, Rd 7, Jerez – Saturday 29 October at 14:05 (Race 1) and Sunday 30 October at 12:05 (Race 2).
TCR International Series
Returning to where it all began back in March 2015, the penultimate round of the TCR International Series season from Sepang provides the ideal opportunity to see how far the low-cost touring car series has come. Grid numbers are around the same, but where the championship was a SEAT benefit one year ago, 2016 has seen VW join Honda as credible championship challengers. Alfa Romeo, Subaru and Sebastian Loeb Racing-run Peugeots have also made cameos ahead of possible full-season campaigns next year.
• LIVE, Rd 10, Sepang – Sunday 2 October at TBC.
International GT Open
GT3 racing is growing at an impressive rate across the world, but it’s in the European heartlands where it was first conceived that the formula remains strongest of all. Series like the Pro-Am GT Open are an important reason for that, bringing together enthusiastic amateurs and established Pros in a competitive environment featuring the latest machinery from Ferrari, Lamborghini and BMW. After scoring a maiden victory at Silverstone, can TF Sport Aston Martin duo Euan Hankey and Salih Yoluc stay on their perch, or can Phil Keen and Shaun Balfe notch a first win with their new McLaren?• LIVE, Rd 6, Monza – Saturday 1 October at 15:00 (Race 1).• Delayed-as-Live, Rd 6, Monza – Sunday 2 October at 17:40 (Race 2).
24H Series
Creventic's popular 24H Series reaches its conclusion in October with the now customary visit to Brno, albeit this time for a 24 Hour race instead of the usual 12, meaning twice as many opportunities for action and incident! The A6 class for GT3 cars promises to be well supported, with representation from the Herberth Motorsport Porsche 991 GT3 R, winners of the 24H Paul Ricard, as well as the throaty Mercedes-AMG GT3 of RAM Racing, Scuderia Praha’s immaculate Ferrari 488 GT3, all-Danish Massive Motorsport Aston Martin and even a Browns Lane Racing-entered Jaguar XKR-S GT3. Intrigue extends far beyond the GT3s however, with everything from Porsche 991 Cup cars, fire-spitting SP2 Marc Ford Focus V8s, Ginetta GT4s, TCR SEATs and even race-spec Renault Clio Cup machinery embarking on the daunting twice-around-the-clock challenge.
• LIVE, Brno 24 Hours – Saturday 15 October at 10:30 and 21:55.
Blancpain GT Sports Club
With four wins from six starts, Michal Broniszewski wrapped up this gentleman’s-only GT3 series at Spa-Francorchamps, but there’s still plenty of action to be had at Barcelona, with the battle between Misano winner Mario Cordoni and Nicolas Vandierendonck for second in the points and the over-60s Iron Cup still to be decided.
• LIVE, Rd 5, Barcelona – Saturday 1st October at 10:20 (Race 1) and Sunday 2nd at 14:30 (Race 2).
