ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2016 Macao Races into Record Books The Suncity Group 63rd Macau Grand Prix has become the only race meeting on the planet to host two FIA World Cups. Designated the FIA GT World Cup for the second consecutive year, the SJM Macau GT Cup joins the iconic Suncity Group Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix, which becomes the official FIA F3 World Cup for 2016. Macao’s own Andy Chang Wing Chung who is racing on his home circuit for the third time. Audi, Porsche, Mercedes and Lamborghini will fight it out for the FIA GT World Cup as the manufacturers who have registered for the governing body of motorsport’s end-of-season shoot-out for GT3 machinery. Each fields two cars as per the regulations. They will be joined on the grid by teams running Audi, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes and Porsche GTs. For the second running of the SJM Macau GT Cup – FIA GT World Cup, Mercedes returns with the same team and drivers that won the inaugural event last year. Factory drivers Maro Engel of Germany, winner of the Macau GT Cup for the past two years, and Dutchman ANTICLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE RIGHT: SPAIN’S DANIEL JUNCADELLA, WINNER IN 2011; 2012 Renger van der Zande drive the two cars for WINNER ANTÓNIO FÉLIX DA COSTA OF PORTUGAL; TWO-TIME AND DEFENDING CHAMPION the Mercedes-AMG Driving Academy team. FELIX ROSENQVIST New for 2016 is the Mercedes-AMG GT3, which replaces the successful Mercedes-Benz he FIA World Cup races join the of proven Guia Circuit champions and exciting SLS AMG. Suncity Group Macau Motorcycle new talent. Returning to the scene of their T Grand Prix – 50th Edition, celebrating victories are three former winners: two-time its Golden Jubilee this year, and the Suncity and defending champion Felix Rosenqvist of Group Macau Guia Race 2.0T as the four Sweden; António Félix da Costa, whose 2012 headline events on the seven-race programme. victory made him the first Portuguese winner of the race since Eduardo de Carvalho won the The Grand Prix has an impressive line-up of inaugural event in 1954; and Spaniard Daniel international drivers and riders to match the Juncadella, winner in 2011. most prestigious programme in its history. While the trio will have the advantage of The entry for the newly-designated FIA F3 experience on the demanding 6.2km street World Cup contains a tantalizing combination circuit, there are plenty of talented newcomers ready to upset the form book. Foremost amongst them are 19-year-old Maximilian Günther, second in the FIA F3 European Championship this year. Third in the series was Briton George Russell who teams up with fellow Macao rookie Nikita Mazepin of Russia and Juncadella on the three-car Hitech GP team. Joel Eriksson of Sweden took the Rookie title in Europe this season, while Jann Mardenborough and Sho Tsuboi were second and third in the Japanese F3 championship this year. China is well represented on the grid by Ferrari Junior Zhou Guanyu and Ye Hongli, TOP: MERCEDES STAR MARO ENGEL; both of whom make their debuts this year, and ABOVE: ‘MR. MACAO’ EDOARDO MORTARA Macau Grand Prix gazette ISSUE 3 NOVEMBER 2016 1 Three-time race winner and double F3 Macau GP winner, the man dubbed ‘Mr. Macao’, Edoardo Mortara returns with Audi. The Italian is joined by Belgian Laurens Vanthoor in the two Audi R8 LMS GT3s registered for the World Cup entered by Audi Sport Team WRT from Belgium. Porsche takes on the challenge of Macao with a pair of 911 GT3-Rs entered by the factory Manthey Racing, which won the 2015 FIA World Endurance Cup for GT Manufacturers. New Zealander Earl Bamber, who won last year’s Le Mans 24 Hours for the German marque, is joined by Frenchman Kévin Estre on the team. Lamborghini is competing for the FIA GT World Cup title for the first time in 2016, although it previously won the Macau GT Cup with Japanese driver Keita Sawa in 2009 and ‘10.The Italian manufacturer is represented by Macao regular FFF Racing, which competes in the GT Asia Series. Factory driver Mirko Bortolotti races one of the Lamborghini Huracán GT3s and André Couto, the only Macao driver to win the F3 Grand Prix, the other. ANTICLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: MICHAEL RUTTER; STUART EASTON; PETER HICKMAN; The Suncity Group Macau Guia Race 2.0T JOHN MCGUINNESS celebrates its 45th running in 2016, and has a fascinating international line-up of James Nash, entered in a SEAT, is another Several former winners have been invited back entries for the occasion. Having tasted strong contender and is joined on the Craft to Macao to help celebrate the 50th edition of victory on his Macao debut last year with Bamboo Racing team by Pepe Oriola of the race: Japan’s Sadeo Asami, who took three a victory in Race 2, Switzerland’s Stefano Spain and Sergey Afanasyev of Russia. Fellow wins in 1978, ’79 and ’80; Briton Mick Grant Comini returns in 2016 hoping to repeat his Russian Mikhail Grachev, who scored a podium found success on the Guia Circuit in 1977 and success, and is joined at Leopard Racing finish in Macao in Race 2, will compete in a ’84; Isle of Man legend Phillip McCallen won Team by talented Frenchman Jean Karl Honda with WestCoast Racing alongside team in 1996; while Steve Plater took two Macao Vernay, runner-up in the 2009 Formula 3 mates Gianni Morbidelli of Italy and Tiago victories in 2006 and ’07. Macau Grand Prix. Monteiro of Portugal, both Macao regulars. BELOW: WINNER LAST YEAR, STEFANO A parade of classic motorcycles will take COMINI RETURNS TO MACAO China Touring Car Championship (CTCC) front to the track on Saturday, November 19th. runner and winner of the 2014 CTM Macau The motorcycles on parade illustrate the Touring Car Cup, Hong Kong’s Andy Yan Cheuk development of the motorcycle over the Wai is entered in a Volkswagen, while the Liqui last half Century, dating from a 1949 BSA Moly Team Engstler squad also includes Tim A7 to a 1995 Honda CBR250RR. The classic Zimmermann of Germany and Davit Kajaia motorcycles will also be on show, along with of Georgia. this year’s competing bikes and the Macau GT Cup cars, at the pre-Grand Prix show at Tap Representing Macao are Ho Hon Keong of Seac Square on November 12th and 13th, to Champ Motorsport in a Honda, Lou Hon Kei which entry is free. of Elegant Racing Team in a SEAT, and Kevin Tse Wing Kin of Team Work Motorsport In addition, Macao Post will issue a set of in a Volkswagen. commemorative stamps on November 18th. Five former champions will line up for the The four headline races are joined on the Golden Jubilee edition of Macao’s legendary programme by a trio of thrilling support races, Motorcycle Grand Prix: defending champion all of which will add greatly to the four-day Peter Hickman; eight-time winner and the spectacle: the CTM Macau Touring Car Cup; the undisputed ‘Two Wheel King of Macao’ Suncity Group Macau Road Sport Challenge; Michael Rutter; four-time winner, Scotsman and the Suncity Group Chinese Racing Cup. Stuart Easton; 2013 winner Ian Hutchinson; and champion in 2001 and multiple-podium Two FIA World Cups and a Golden Jubilee finisher at Macao, Isle of Man TT legend amongst the seven-race line-up, more than John McGuinness. 200 competitors from near and far, and thousands of visitors preparing to descend Joining them will be a host of road racing and upon Macao for its four-day jewel in the endurance specialists from across the globe, international motorsport crown. The Suncity including a number of Macao podium finishers, Group 63rd Macau Grand Prix is a record- all of whom will be gunning for glory in this breaker before it has even begun! milestone race. 2 Macau Grand Prix gazette ISSUE 3 NOVEMBER 2016 Magic Macao Despite a whirlwind year of racing across the globe, when the prospect of a return to Macao was whispered in the ear of two-time and defending Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix champion Felix Rosenqvist, the Swede didn’t think twice. “I had a chance to go there and I couldn’t resist,” Rosenqvist says. “I think if you have the chance to go there you have to take it because it’s such a special race.” hen he arrives in Macao to competing in the Guia Race] gave me his attempt an unprecedented business card and we had a bit of a chat in Wthird victory, Rosenqvist won’t Macao about the possibility of me racing in be the only former winner on the grid for the Formula E,” Rosenqvist says. “We weren’t able Suncity Group Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix, to do anything that year, but after I won Macao which has been elevated to the FIA F3 World again in 2015, we were in contact again and section. “It’s something really different Cup this year: 2011 winner Daniel Juncadella then I started testing with Mahindra, which compared to modern circuits, where you can and 2012 winner António Félix da Costa are went really well. For sure, winning Macao was run off the track and nothing happens or you also part of this year’s line-up. And like the the only reason why it happened.” have an escape road. You don’t have that on a many drivers before him, Rosenqvist firmly street circuit and you cannot make mistakes. attributes the magic of Macao to helping It’s no wonder then that Rosenqvist considers You have to build up your limit and not go him further his career, which this season has his two Macao victories as “the ones I’m most over it.