‘Super Pole’ a significant addition to edition marked by Mercedes’ absence

After several years of following the same format, the FIA GT World Cup has introduced a significant change this year: the “Super Pole.”

This new qualifying session allows the 10 fastest racers from the regular 30-minute qualifying round to compete individually for two “time attack” laps to record their best possible time without interference from other drivers.

If it runs as expected, spectators could see record laps around the Guia Circuit in GT3 machinery fall one after another.

This year is also marked by the complete absence of Mercedes-AMG, the most successful manufacturer since the inception of the FIA GT World Cup.

According to sources cited by major motorsport news outlets, Mercedes-AMG is not participating in the GT World Cup in Macau because the brand’s racing department deemed its newest model, the “C192,” unsuitable for competition.

Compared with the current GT3 racing-specification car based on the “C190,” there is a significant structural difference arising from the fact that the new C192 is a 2+2-seater instead of a two-seater like its predecessor.

Mercedes-AMG is developing an entirely new GT3 model to replace the current one from the ground up, based on the production AMG GT 63.

However, such a project is only expected to be ready by 2027. This means that the manufacturer will miss this year’s edition of the GT World Cup and most likely the 2026 one, with its return expected in 2027.
First introduced in 2016, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is one of the oldest models in GT3 racing, having recently completed more than eight years in service. In 2020, the car received an Evo update, but most of its mechanical and structural parts are still derived from the original 2016 model.

Without Mercedes-AMG, the Macau GT World Cup loses not only the most successful brand in Macau GT races – which holds a record of recent wins, including the last five editions of the FIA GT World Cup/Macau GT Cup – but also its standout drivers, such as Maro Engel, winner in 2014, 2015, 2022, and 2024.

This year, the GT World Cup features six manufacturers, including McLaren (although represented by just one car). Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche continue to battle for the title.

Raffaele Marciello, a former Mercedes winner, returns to the Guia Circuit in a BMW M4 (as in 2024), this time with ROWE Racing, one of the favorites to win.

Also returning is “Mr. Macau” Edoardo Mortara, who will be on the grid in an Absolute Corse Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2. The Swiss star will be looking for a fifth Macau GT Cup crown, which would restore his status as the race’s outright record-holding champion after Maro Engel matched him on four wins last year.
Luca Engstler, in a second Lamborghini, rounds out a strong lineup for Absolute Corse.

Joining Marciello in the BMW camp will be Sheldon van der Linde from Team WRT, who is among those looking for a breakthrough victory in a car that has already proven capable of winning.

Also notable in this edition is the smaller GT3 field, which now includes only 16 cars, down from 23 last year.

Porsche is now the brand with the most cars on the grid, with five 911 GT3 Rs. Ferrari has expanded its participation to three 296 GT3s, driven by Antonio Fuoco, Deng Yi, and Ye Yifei, who were part of the winning team at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Two Porsche contenders come from the Tempo by Absolute Racing team, including 2016 champion Laurens Vanthoor, who is joined in the second car by another experienced racer, Alessio Picariello.

Schumacher CLRT adds two more Porsches to the field, one of them driven by 2025 DTM champion Ayhancan Güven.

GT cars will be on track today for two free practice sessions, the first around noon and the second scheduled to take place around 3 p.m.

GT3 cars return to Guia tomorrow at 3:40 p.m. for two consecutive qualifying sessions. The second will be attended by the 10 fastest racers from Q1 in “Super Pole” mode.

The Qualification Race takes place on Saturday before Sunday’s 16-lap finale, which will decide this year’s FIA GT World Cup champion, who will succeed Engel as titleholder of Macau’s GT race.