FIA GT World Cup entries strong

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The leading GT3 series drivers from around the world are registered to contest the FIA GT World Cup title on the streets of Macao from November 17 to 20.

The second year with world cup status, the Macau Grand Prix has a history of drawing the best of the best to a street circuit skirmish for GT supremacy.

The field of 22 confirmed drivers (with two still to be announced) represent the best of the GT3 racing world, representing a broad contingent of series and manufacturers.

President of the FIA GT Commission Christian Schacht said the World Cup status of the event was a major drawcard for teams and drivers.

“GT3 race meetings take place on the best circuits in the world, but in holding the FIA GT World Cup event at the Macau Grand Prix we have captured a unique racing heritage and one of the most exciting motorsport backdrops,” Mr Schacht said.

“It is an end-of-year showcase of talent and a showdown for the best manufacturers, customer teams and drivers. Judging by the quality and variety of entries the second running of the race will cement the world cup as a fixture on the global motorsport calendar.”

Drivers will compete in two races over 12 laps in qualifying and 18 laps in the main race around the fast straights and technical turns of Macao’s Guia Circuit.

The FIA GT World Cup sees teams and drivers pushing the limits further than in any other calendar GT race.

In contrast with multi-stint endurance events where compromises are required, Macao’s single driver status means cars are tuned precisely to their driver and specified aggressively for the short event.

The circuit is renowned for its difficulty. With 30 metres of altitude change, sections as narrow as seven metres and one of the longest street circuit straights, some of the 6.2-kilometre Guia circuit’s 19 corners are regarded as among the most challenging in the world.

The 2015 race was contested by a contingent of 22 drivers from 14 teams (representing the Blancpain Endurance Series, GT Asia Series, Super GT, DTM, WEC, Carrera Cup among others) competing in a range of categories. The 2016 race will see a heated battle among a diverse grid.

The field is headed by 2015 FIA GT World Cup winner Maro Engel, chasing a consecutive world cup victory in the Mercedes-AMG Driving Academy AMG-GT3. Engel is joined again by team mate Renger van der Zande, who claimed second in the 2016 Nurburgring 24H and Spa-Francorhamps for AMG, and ran fourth in last year’s world cup.

DTM driver Edoardo Mortara – one of only two drivers to ever claim back to back Macau Grand Prix F3 victories, and winner of the 2013 Macau GT Cup – will battle Engel for the World Cup.

Other headliners on the grid will include:

• 2015 outright winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, two-time Porsche Carrera Cup Asia winner and Porsche Supercup winner .
• FIA World Touring Car Championship race winner .
• Former Super GT Champion .
• 2013 FIA GT Series Champion and 2016 Intercontinental GT Challenge winner .
• 2015 GT Asia Series Champion .
• 2015 Sauber F1 test driver and four-time podium place-getter in the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge season .
• Multiple GT Asia Series race winner .
• Multiple Porsche Carrera Cup Champion .
• International GT Open 2015 Vice Champion and 24 hours of Spa 2015 Pro-Am winner .

Maro Engel said the race was a who’s who of GT racing.

“The biggest manufacturers in the world are throwing their works cars and their best works drivers at it to try and win. The level of competition is incredible,” he said.

Click here to find the official entry list.

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