CTCC

Macau racers bid to the podium

Andre Couto

The Macau Touring Car Cup will be running this year with cars and drivers from the China Touring Car Championship (CTCC).

The entry list for this race includes well-known local motorsport names such as André Couto and Filipe Souza who will certainly try to make their experience around the Guia Circuit count to achieve spots at the podium.

At the top of the favorites will be Couto, who has been away from races for some time due to the pandemic restriction measures. Couto has used this time to prepare himself physically and mentally for the new challenges. The local racer looks in stronger shape than ever at the wheel of the very competitive and well-prepared Honda Civic FL5 TCR. He is a serious contender and may win first place.

Couto has defied any doubts with his podium finishes in Ningbo and Zhuzhou.

The championship is led by Couto’s teammate Jack Young in another Honda Civic FL5 TCR who will certainly be determined to be crowned champion. His closest competitor, Cao Hongwei, is just 6 points down.

As usual, Cao will be racing the very competitive Hyundai Elantra N TCR.

Zhang Zhiqiang is another top competitor in one of the Lynk & Co 03 TCR from Shell Teamwork Lynk & Co Racing.

Placing third in the championship, Zhang has a lot of Macau experience already and has proven very competitive. Teammate David Zhu is also competitive in another Lynk & Co 03 TCR.

As a bit of an outsider, Souza comes to this race to prove his worth once more. The local racer has scored some great results driving TCR cars around Guia and this year he returns in a Comtoyou Racing Audi RS3 LMS TCR. His experience may prove to be decisive particularly on Race 2 on Sunday.

After the first day yesterday, dedicated to two Free Practice sessions, the CTCC cars will be ready to compete in the qualifying race today from 10:30 a.m.

Races will take place tomorrow and Sunday with the first happening at 10:05 a.m. on Saturday (9 laps) and another 9 laps for Race 2 at 8:20 a.m. early morning Sunday.

Roadsport cars return to Guia for the Anniversary Challenge

Already featured on the first weekend of the event, the Macau Roadsport Challenge cars will return to Guia Circuit this weekend for the 70th Anniversary Challenge race.

The Toyotas GR86 and Subarus BRZ will be back on track but with different racers from the first weekend as the field was split into two for this celebratory event.

Two 8-lap races are to be raced on Saturday and Sunday with a field filled solely with Macau and Hong Kong racers, including local names such as Rui Valente, Mou Chi Fai, and Lei Kit Meng. RM

Categories Macau