With Formula 1 hogging motorsport headlines this past weekend with the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, there were prime-time events over in America as well as Africa.
The Thermal Club in California hosted Round 2 of the 2025 Indycar Series, while on the other side of the United States, Round 6 of NASCAR took place at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Also this past weekend, the WRC was in Africa for the legendary Safari Rally.
Indycar: Palou wins Thermal Club Grand Prix to take series lead
Álex Palou claimed victory in the inaugural Thermal Club Grand Prix on Sunday, holding off a strong challenge from Pato O’Ward to take the chequered flag and move into the lead of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series standings.
Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, Palou led the Indycar field home over 65 laps of the 3.067-mile Thermal Club layout, finishing in 1:56:23.2677. The Spaniard kept McLaren’s O’Ward at bay throughout the closing stages, ultimately finishing just over 10 seconds clear of the Mexican driver.
Palou said: “It feels great to get this win. It’s always nice to make history by winning the first race at a new venue, and this track gave us some good racing. The car was fantastic all weekend, and the team did an amazing job on strategy and pit stops. It gives us great momentum.”
O’Ward, who had finished outside the top five in the season opener, was satisfied with his runner-up finish after a consistent drive. Teammate Christian Lundgaard completed the podium in third place, giving McLaren two cars in the top three for the first time this season.
O’Ward said: “We definitely took a step forward from the last race. We pushed Palou hard but he was just out of reach today. Still, it’s a great result for the team and a good points haul.”
Palou now leads the Indycar championship with 102 points, ahead of Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden on 86 points. Newgarden, winner of the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, could only manage eighth at Thermal.
The next round of the championship will take place at Long Beach on 13 April, where Palou will aim to extend his lead in what is already shaping up to be a competitive Indycar title battle.
NASCAR: Larson wins at Homestead to ignite campaign
Kyle Larson took a commanding victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, winning the Straight Talk Wireless 400 to secure his first NASCAR Cup Series win of the 2025 season and reignite his title ambitions.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver started fourth but quickly made his way to the front, leading a race-high 124 laps of the 267-lap contest. Larson fended off late pressure from teammate Alex Bowman to take the chequered flag, with Bubba Wallace finishing third for 23XI Racing.
Larson said: “It’s been a bit of a tough start to the season, so getting this win means a lot. The car was incredible today. Homestead has always been a good track for us, and we nailed the setup. Big thanks to the team—they really delivered.”
Bowman, who had started from pole position with a time of 31.982 seconds in qualifying, was pleased with his second-place result but admitted Larson had the edge.
Bowman said: “We were strong all weekend, but Kyle just had that bit more over a long run. Still, it’s a great 1–2 for Hendrick and a big boost for everyone heading into the next stretch of races.”
Wallace continued his solid form with another top-three finish, helping 23XI Racing maintain its early-season momentum. William Byron, who finished fifth, retains the championship lead with 218 points, but Larson’s win propels him to second overall on 182 points.
The race was marked by long green-flag runs and minimal cautions, allowing strategy and tyre management to play a key role. Ryan Blaney and Ross Chastain both led laps but faded late on, finishing sixth and seventh respectively.
The NASCAR Cup Series now heads to Richmond Raceway for the Toyota Owners 400 on 30 March, with the battle at the top of the standings heating up.
WRC: Rovanperä dominates Safari Rally Kenya for first win of 2025
Kalle Rovanperä delivered a masterclass in control and consistency to win the gruelling Safari Rally Kenya, claiming his first World Rally Championship victory of the 2025 season and boosting his title defence.
The reigning world champion led from Friday afternoon and maintained his advantage through treacherous conditions, finishing 1 minute and 47 seconds ahead of Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville after nearly 370 kilometres of competitive running.
Rovanperä summed up his victory: “It feels amazing to win here. Safari is the toughest rally in the calendar and to come through without major problems is a huge achievement. The team did a great job with the car—it was reliable, fast, and strong, which is what you need here.”
The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver’s victory marked his second career win in Kenya and extended Toyota’s winning streak at the event to four consecutive years.
Neuville, who started the final day over a minute behind, managed to reduce the gap slightly but admitted Rovanperä was out of reach. He said: “We gave it everything, but Kalle was faultless. I’m happy with second place and the points—it keeps us in the fight for the championship.”
M-Sport Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux impressed with a clean and controlled drive to finish third, securing his first WRC podium of the season: “It’s been a fantastic rally for us. Staying out of trouble here is never easy, but we kept our pace and focus. To be on the podium at Safari is very special.”
The event saw several big names suffer misfortune. Elfyn Evans lost time with a puncture on Saturday, while Ott Tänak retired with mechanical issues. Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta also faced multiple setbacks but completed the rally in fifth.
With his victory, Rovanperä moves to the top of the championship standings, overtaking Neuville ahead of the next round in Croatia on 17–20 April.
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