12/11/2015

FFF Racing Team by ACM

FIA GT World Cup, Guia Circuit, Macau

20-22 November, 2015

 

With the inaugural FIA GT World Cup fast approaching at the iconic Guia Circuit in Macau, McLaren have revealed that two factory drivers and a former Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix champion will join the Asian-based FFF Racing Team by ACM operation for the demanding event.

 

The three experienced campaigners, will form arguably the strongest combination in the field against an entry list that includes some of the best GT3 drivers in the world.

 

Debuting earlier this year as part of the six-event GT Asia Series program, the FFF team were winners after just their third start with Tonio Liuzzi and experienced GT3 campaigner Hiroshi Hamaguchi sharing driving duties. Just a month ago they concluded their debut season in the region’s leading GT series with another podium shared between Hamaguchi and factory star Alvaro Parente, laying the foundations for what promises to be a strong debut at Macau.

 

Parente will be making his third start at Macau, but his first in a GT car, whilst local hero Couto is the only Macanese driver to have ever claimed victory in the hotly contested Formula 3 Grand Prix, the 38-year old the veteran of more than a dozen starts in Formula 3 and Touring Cars around his home circuit.

 

Couto is also likely to be the new Japanese SuperGT GT300 champion heading into the Macau event, with the Nissan GT3 driver comfortably leading the points heading into the final round of the season just a week out from Macau.

 

As the final member of the team, Estre is no stranger to the McLaren GT, and perhaps the most decorated of the three drivers in the F1-inspired supercar, having taken the new 650S GT3 to victories in both the Blancpain Endurance Series in Europe and the Pirelli World Challenge in the USA.

 

Macau will be the Frenchman’s debut on the challenging 6.12-kilometre 22-turn Guia Circuit, but he will have plenty of experience to draw from sharing data with Couto and McLaren GT factory team-mate Parente.

 

“We are very honoured to have been given the opportunity to represent McLaren GT in Macau, and I think from the pace of the MP4-12C at Macau in past years, and our pace in GT Asia this year, we will have three cars capable of competing for the win,” team-principal Andrea Caldarelli acknowledged.

 

“Andre and Alvaro have past experience at Macau, and both have already competed with our team this year, whilst Kevin is McLaren’s most successful driver this year, and that will be a big advantage with such limited practice available during the event.



 

The FFF Racing Team by ACM - 2015 FIA GT World Cup driver lineup;

 

#5 Andre Couto [MAC] - 38

2015 - points leader Super GT - GT300 (Nissan GT-R)

2013 - 2nd Audi R8 LMS Cup (Macau)

2008-2012 - WTCC - Macau

2001-2015 - SuperGT
2000 - Macau Grand Prix Champion (Formula 3)

1995-2000 - Macau Grand Prix (Formula 3)

 

#15 Kevin Estre [FRA] - 27

2015 - 4th Blancpain Endurance Series (McLaren - 2 wins from 5 races)

2015 - 5th Pirelli World Challenge (McLaren - 4 wins from 10 rounds)

2014  - 3rd Gulf 12-Hours (McLaren GT3)

2013 - Porsche Carrera Cup Germany Champion

2011 - Porsche Carrera Cup France Champion

 

#25 Alvaro Parente [POR] - 30

2013 - 4th FIA GT Series (McLaren MP4-12C)

2007 - Formula Renault 3.5 Champion

2005 - British Formula 3 Champion

2003-2004 - Macau Grand Prix (Formula 3)

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

62nd Macau Grand Prix, Guia Circuit, Macau (19-22 November, 2015)

 

Schedule: [CST - GMT +8]

12:30pm - Practice #1 (30-minutes)

 

10:40am - Practice #2 (30-minutes) 

2:55pm - Qualifying (30-minutes)

 

12:15pm - Qualifying Race (12-laps)

 

12:55pm - Race (18-laps)

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

The FFF Racing team by ACM is proudly supported by Epicuro, FrontiArt, Alpinestars and Info Agency.

 

About FFF Racing Team by ACM; FFF Automobile is a global leader in the Chinese Automotive market and is managed by Fu Songyang. The other - ACM - is owned by Andrea Caldarelli. The Italian, a world-renowned racer, has successfully competed in Asia and Europe in a career that has ranged from single-seaters to GT cars.