Race Rap: Monday, March 24

Welcome to Oz. Kiwi raider Hayden Paddon learned the hard way about the challenges of Australian forests at the first round of the national championship in Canberra. He took a first-up win in the Saturday heat but was eliminated early on Sunday after hitting a kangaroo. Paddon's exit, and troubles for Harry Bates and speedy Scott Pedder, meant it was Lewis Bates in the second of the factory Toyota GR Yaris who took the overall victory and the championship lead.

Lewis is out. Too much wear on the slid block of his Ferrari has seen Lewis Hamilton scrubbed from the results of the Chinese Grand Prix. But he was not alone, as his team mate Charles Leclerc was also disqualified for an underweight car, the same problem which took Alpine driver Pierre Gasly out of the results. Leclerc lost fifth, Hamilton lost sixth and Gasly lost 11th, with the disqualifications costing Ferrari a total of 18 championship points.

Hazelwood takes it all. Reigning champion Todd Hazelwood was unbeatable at Symmons Plains in Tasmania as the TransAm championship resumed for 2025. He took pole position and four wins, leaving Ben Grice and Tom Davies to fill the next two positions in the title standings.

Evans tames the Safari. A dominant win on the Safari Rally, his second of the season, makes Elfyn Evans the runaway leader of the World Rally Championship after three events. He dominated in conditions which ranged from dry-and-dusty to wet-and-boggy to win for Toyota, ahead of Ott Tanak and Thierry Neuville of Hyundai, to win by more than a minute.

Points paid in Palm Springs. Alex Palou took top spot as the IndyCar circus visited the Thermal Club in California for the first time as a championship race. Pato O'Ward was the runner-up, ahead of Chrisian Lundgaard.

Wheeler dealer is done. He was described by Mercedes-AMG team boss as a "loveable gangster" and that was a fitting tribute to Eddie Jordan, who died in Capetown in South Africa from prostate cancer. Jordan began as a driver, became a team boss, then a Formula One powerhouse who eventually sold his Jordan squad to what is now known as the Aston Martin team. Lively and enthusiastic until the end, Jordan went out on a massive high after negotiating the deal with Aston Martin to sign super-designer Adrian Newey for an estimated $60 million a year.

TCR not dead yet. Team boss Barry Morcom is staying committed to TCR racing in Australia by landing another new Hyundai i30. The 2025-model i30 N sedan will be raced by Josh Buchanan as the Hyundai team looks to claim a hat trick of championship titles.