16/11/2015

FIA GT World Cup, Guia Circuit, Macau

20-22 November, 2015

 

Although it may not be included in the 2015 GT Asia Series calendar for the first time in five years, the entry list for the inaugural FIA GT World Cup includes a big selection of the top teams and drivers from the region’s leading GT series.

 

Typically the Macau event has been the closing round on the GT Asia Series program, but for 2015 the decision was made to conclude the championship prior to the single driver event, providing teams the first opportunity to contest the title battle with team-mates in contention for the crown.

 

Just three weeks ago, local hero Darryl O’Young was crowned the 2015 GT Asia Series champion after defeating Bentley’s Keita Sawa and Adderly Fong by just four points, the Hong Kong veteran will return to Macau this weekend to lead the Craft-Bamboo Racing assault as one of three Aston Martin Vantage entries with team-mates Richard Lyons and Stefan Mucke. 

 

Also providing three entries for the GT World Cup will be 2015 GT Asia Series debutantes FFF Racing Team by ACM, with McLaren’s Alvaro Parente and Kevin Estre joined by former Macau F3 Grand Prix winner and local hero, Andre Couto.

 

Both Couto and Parente made cameos for the team during the 2015 GT Asia Series season, Parente instrumental in the team claiming second place in Thailand, to add to their round win in Japan earlier in the season.

 

The three McLarens will be well supported by the FFF Racing team and their high-profile team principal, Andrea Caldarelli who will come to the Macanese event the week after concluding his SuperGT season in GT500, a series which crowned Couto the 2015 GT300 champion.

 

Bentley will again be present at Macau, with GT Asia Series runners-up Adderly Fong and Keita Sawa sharing a pair of Bentley Team Absolute Continental GT3s with 2015 Bentley recruit - and two-time GT Asia GTM class champion - Jacky Yeung making it a trio of Bentleys in the field.

 

Three-time GT Asia Series champion Mok Weng Sun will return to Macau for his fifth GT event, the former series pole-sitter and race winner at the event will be representing Ferrari for Clearwater Racing, alongside former series round winner and newly crowned International GT Open runner-up Pasin Lathouras who will be looking to make amends for an early exit in 2014.

 

Former winners Audi will be well represented by factory stars Edoardo Mortara and René Rast, who will be joined by a trio of experienced GT Asia Series veterans, former round winners Jeffrey Lee and Marchy Lee in their new Audi R8 LMS GT3s, and experienced Macau competitor Philip Ma in his current Audi R8 LMS ultra entry.

 

Porsche will again feature strongly, represented by a trio of drivers with GT Asia Series credentials, including reigning Le Mans 24 Hour LMP1 champion Earl Bamber, back in the LKM Racing GT3-R, the New Zealander will be joined by 2015 GT Asia GTM Class Teams Champions Gulf Racing JP, who have entered reigning Belgian GT champion Dylan Derdaele in their GT3-R. Thailand’s Vuttikhorn Inthraphuvasak will drive a third GT3-R with GT Asia veteran John Shen campaigning a fourth Porsche under the banner of long-time campaigners Modena Motorsport.

 

For the GT Asia Series regulars on the Guia Circuit, 2015 will present a different challenge to past years, with a second - longer - feature race added on Sunday, giving teams two opportunities to compete on the challenging 6.12-kilometre 22-turn street circuit, whilst they will also be faced with a new tyre this year, with Blancpain Series provider Pirelli making their debut as control tyre supplier for the event.

 

All the action will be played out online this weekend, with Twitter, Facebook and the new GT Asia Series website  - www.gtasiaseries.com - hosting information, images and video from every day. Keep an eye on www.facebook.com/GTAsiaSeries for more details and involve yourself in the conversation through www.twitter.com/GTAsiaSeries

 

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Traditionally Macau has been the host of the final round of the GT Asia Series, in fact over the last four seasons, Macau has crowned the series champion with some incredible races to close out the season. 

 

1. Maro Engel (Mercedes AMG Driving Academy Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3)

2. Renger van der Zande (Mercedes AMG Driving Academy Mercedes SLS AMG GT3)

3. Mok Weng Sun (Clearwater Racing Ferrari 458 Italia GT3)*

5. Andre Couto (FFF Racing Team by ACM McLaren 650S GT3)*

6. Edoardo Mortara (Audi Sport Team Pheonix Audi R8 LMS GT3)

7. Rene Rast (Audi Sport Team Pheonix Audi R8 LMS GT3)

8. Adderly Fong (Bentley Team Absolute Bentley Continental GT3)*

9. Vuttikhorn Inthraphuvasak (Est Cola Racing Team Porsche GT3-R)

10. Pasin Lathouras (AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia GT3)

15. Kevin Estre (FFF Racing Team by ACM McLaren 650S GT3)*

19. Earl Bamber (LKM Racing Porsche GT3-R)*

20. Dylan Derdaele (Gulf Racing JP Porsche GT3-R)*

25. Alvaro Parente (FFF Racing Team by ACM McLaren 650S GT3)*

30. Marchy Lee (Audi Hong Kong Audi R8 LMS GT3)

33. Jeffrey Lee (Absolute Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3)*

55. Darryl O’Young (Craft-Bamboo Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3)*

68. John Shen (Modena Motorsports Porsche GT3-R)

77. Jacky Yeung (Bentley Team Absolute Bentley Continental GT3)*


88. Keita Sawa (Bentley Team Absolute Bentley Continental GT3)*

97. Stefan Mūcke (Craft-Bamboo Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3)*

98. Phillip Ma (Absolute Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra GT3)*

99. Richard Lyons (Craft-Bamboo Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3)*

* GT Asia Series competitors

 

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GT3 Class (after round 11 of 11)

1. Darryl O’Young (155-points), 2. Adderly Fong/Keita Sawa (151), 3. Anthony Liu/Davide Rizzo (134) 4. Piti Bhirom Bhakdi (104), 5. Duncan Tappy (96), 5. Carlo Van Dam (94), 7. Daniel Lloyd (92), 9 Hiroshi Hamaguchi (79), 8. Mok Weng Sun (76), 10. Richard Lyons/Frank Yu (72)

 

GTM Class (after round 11 of 11)

1. Jerry Wang (144-points), 2. Hisashi Kunie (130), 3. Kenneth Lim/James Cai (75), 4. Dylan Derdaele (74), 5. Takuma Aoki/Ken Urata (61), 6. Kimihiro Yashiro (58), 7. Craig Liu (50), 8. Warren Luff (36), 9. Tetsuya Makino, Ryo Fukuda (34), 10. Melvin Moh/Keong Wee Lim, Keiichi Mori (32)

 

GT3 Teams Trophy (after round 11 of 11)

1. Bentley Team Absolute (261-points), 2. Craft-Bamboo Racing (234), 3. Clearwater Racing (152), 4. BBT Racing (136), 5. FFF Racing Team by ACM (122), 6. Singha Motorsport Team (104), 7. Team OD Racing (48), 8. NB Team (31), 9. Dilango Racing (22), 9. Absolute Racing (22), Gulf Racing JP (22), 10. Spirit of Race (14), 10. Nexus Infinity (10)

 

GTM Teams Trophy (after round 11 of 11)

1. Gulf Racing JP (164-points), 2. Absolute Racing (144), 3. Taiwan Top Speed (93), 4. Dilango Racing (62), 5. GDL Racing (60), 6. Golden CMT RT (50)

 

The GT Asia Series is sanctioned by the FIA as an International Series and is clearly recognised as the Region’s leading GT Championship. It is jointly managed and promoted by Motorsport Asia Ltd and the Supercar Club Hong Kong and is backed by Michelin, GRAHAM London, KW Automotive, Motul, Auto Art, Race Room, Panta and SEL.

 

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Track length: 6.12-kilometres

Corners: 22

Rotation: clockwise

Circuit first used: 1954

2:20.441 - Race (Renger van der Zande - Mercedes- SLS AMG GT3 - November, 2014)

2:18.230 - Qualifying (Edoardo Mortara - Audi R8 LMS ultra - November, 2014)

Support classes: Formula 3 Grand Prix, TCR Series, Motorcycle Grand Prix, Lotus, Macau Touring Car Cup, Macau Road Sport Challenge

 

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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)

 

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Rnd#1/#2, 15-17 May - Korea International Circuit (South Korea)

Rnd#3/#4, 26-28 June - Okayama International Circuit (Japan)

Rnd#5/#6, 17-19 July - Fuji International Speedway (Japan)

Rnd#7, 4-5 September - Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia) - 3-Hour

Rnd#8/#9, 25-27 September - Shanghai International Circuit (China)

Rnd#10/#11, 23-25 October - Buriram International Circuit (Thailand)

NON-CHAMP, 20-22 November - Guia Circuit, Macau (MGP)