Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix Stellar Line-Up

macau grand prix

Book your hotel reservation early to avoid disappointment!

The Macau Grand Prix has once again assembled the next generation of Formula 1 drivers for the 28th running of the prestigious FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup.

A grid of 30 of the finest young racing drivers in the world will line up to contest the much-coveted prize on November 21st, all hoping to emulate the success of motorsport legends such as Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher.

Indeed, a staggering 19 of this season's F1 drivers have contested the Macau GP in the past, underlining its position as the premier event for F1 hopefuls all over the planet.

Once again, the champions of the world's three major Formula 3 categories will go up against each other. The F3 Euro Series is represented by eight of its top nine championship finishers, while British F3 sends four of its top five, and Japan five of its top six. The German F3 series has also enjoyed a prosperous season and two of its front runners will also make the trip to Macau.

But there can only be one winner, and one driver who knows that all too well is F3 Euro Series champion Edoardo Mortara. The Swiss-born Italian won last year's event with the Signature team and this will be his fourth entry at Macau. He is aiming to become the first driver to win back-to-back Macau Grand Prix titles since the event became a Formula 3 race way back in 1983.

Japanese F3 champion Yuji Kunimoto is also familiar with the Guia streets, having raced here last year. The TOM's driver is hoping to join an illustrious club with victory. He and his brother, 2008 winner Keisuke Kunimoto, would join Michael and Ralf Schumacher as the only brothers to triumph in Macau.

British series champion, Jean-Eric Vergne will be making the trip for the first time, as will fellow British F3 racer and Carlin team-mate James Calado, and Fortec Motorsport's Oliver Webb. Räikkönen Robertson Racing with Manor Motorsport’s Luiz Felipe Nasr, Fortec's William Buller and Carlin's Jazeman Jaafar will enter the Macau GP for the first time, but the trio has experience of the unique track having contested the Formula BMW Pacific support race at last year's event.

Mortara's Euro Series rivals at Macau will include Roberto Merhi (Prema), Alexander Sims (Räikkönen Robertson) and Laurens Vanthoor (Signature) who make their third appearances at Macau (though one of Sims' was in the 2008 Formula BMW Pacific support race), and debutants Marco Wittman (Signature), Antonio Felix da Costa (Carlin) and Dani Juncadella (Prema). As well as Kunimoto, Japan is represented by his TOM's team-mate Rafael Suzuki, Yuhi Sekiguchi (Three Bond Racing), Alexandre Imperatori (Toda Racing) and Hideki Yamauchi (Hanashima Racing). German F3 sends front runner Daniel Abt with last year's winning team Signature, and Swede Felix Rosenqvist with native team Performance Racing.

The wildcard entries also include a couple of Macau heavy hitters, with Brendon Hartley and Renger van der Zande each returning to the event for the fourth time. New Zealander Hartley set the fastest lap back in 2008, but has suffered ill fortune in the races for the last two years, so the GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 racer is hoping to set the record straight this year, partnering Carlos Munoz at Hitech Racing. As is Dutchman van der Zande - who stormed through the pack from 25th to fifth in the '08 race - alongside Kimiya Sato and Aaron Filguera at Motopark Academy.

Other entries include GP3 racers Rio Haryanto (Räikkönen Robertson Racing) - who has competed on the Guia streets before in Formula BMW Pacific - and Lucas Foresti (Fortec Motorsport), and local racers Michael Ho (Räikkönen Robertson Racing) from Macau and British F3 racer Adderly Fong (Sino Vision Racing), from Hong Kong.

Source: Macau Grand Prix Committee

Resources

The streets of the Guia Hill of Macau (Map) will be turned into a race track for two days of motor racing. The Macau Grand Prix will include Formula Three, sportcars, motorcycle races throughout the weekend.

The circuit runs for 3.8 miles around picturesque Macanese streets and is considered one of the most challenging courses on the international scene. The red, blue and yellow flags are often brought out.

The race can be viewed from various spots around the circuit, and the noise of the engines can be heard all over Macau.

The Macau Grand Prix begun in 1954 as an amateur event for local motoring enthusiasts.

Today the highlight of the Macau Grand Prix is the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix. Up to 30 young national championship drivers compete to take the chequered flag.

The Macau Grand Prix is seen as a stepping stone for future Formula 1 drivers. This list includes names such as Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, David Coulthard and Ralf Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jarno Trulli.

These Formula 1 stars are winners of the Macau Grand Prix and have graduated from the narrow, twisting Guia street circuit.

The Guia Race of the Macau Grand Prix is the premiere touring car event in the Asia-Pacific region and a showcase for the top champions of the world.

Interesting Webpages on the Macau Grand Prix

Ayrton Senna
The end of the year 1983 for Formula Three was celebrated in the Portuguese enclave of Macau at the Macau Grand Prix with drivers from all of the national series. Senna won and negotiations between him and a number of Formula One teams became serious.

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