To pick up where they left off

Always one of the most awaited events, the FIA GT World Cup for GT3 specifications cars has returned this year to pick up from where they left off back in 2019.

After the pandemic that halted the race for three years, the FIA-sanctioned race is returning to the Guia Street Circuit in the first event of a three-year agreement resulting from joint efforts by the FIA, Macau’s FIA member club, Automobile General Association Macao-China, and the Macau Grand Prix Organizing Committee, the FIA said in a statement.

For the first year upon resumption, the Macau headliner will count on a quartet of German manufacturers battling for the win, including Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, BMW, and Audi, which joins the Italians of Ferrari.

The line-up presents a good number of well-known names from the Macau racing scene all bidding for a place at the top of the podium.

Among this group we find Edoardo Mortara (Audi R8 LMS Evo 2), Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG), Augusto Farfus (BMW M4), Earl Bamber (Porsche 911 GT3R), Raffaele Marciello (Mercedes-AMG), Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche 911 GT3R) and Daniel Juncadella (Mercedes-AMG). From these names, only Juncadella has never won the race, although he has lots of track experience.

Joining these is a series of Platinum drivers looking for their first attempt at the title, including Jules Gounon (Mercedes-AMG), Kévin Estre (Porsche 911 GT3R) and the Brazilian Daniel Serra (Ferrari 296).

Mortara is always a serious candidate for the title that slipped from his hands last year with a freak incident at the race start, when he mistakenly followed the Safety Car on track while the grid was at a stand still. Eventually, he finished second behind Engel but there is a feeling of unfinished business and thus an added incentive for him to add a fifth title to his name, this time around with Audi Sport Asia Team Absolute.

Keen to grab any opportunity if it arises will also be the drivers from Asia, with the experienced Hong Kong racers Adderly Fong (Audi R8 LMS Evo 2) and Marchy Lee (Mercedes-AMG) and the Chinese Leo Ye (Porsche 911 GT3R) and David Chen (Ferrari 488 Evo).

The FIA GT World Cup cars will go out on track today for the 30-minute Qualifying from 2:05 p.m. with the Qualification Race (12 laps) to take place at the same time tomorrow.

The final race is scheduled to take place at 12:05 p.m. on Sunday over the course of 16 laps.