This article first appeared in the Nov/Dec 2016 issue of WGM.
After an eventful summer that saw long-time organizer Barry Bland walk away from the Macau Grand Prix, the famous race is ready to roar again with defending champion Felix Rosenqvist looking to create history.
It seems absurdly paradoxical that the future of the Macau Grand Prix could appear so promising and so questionable at precisely the same time. Yet barely two months before the 63rd running of the famous race, this was exactly the conundrum facing fans, drivers and teams alike.
In early September, news broke that veteran consultant Barry Bland was walking away from the Macau Grand Prix with immediate effect after 33 years. Bland’s company, Motor Race Consultants, has played a pivotal role in the evolution of the event – from overseeing the transition to Formula 3 in 1983 to making sure the field is there at the start line every year since.
While local organizers focussed on putting the necessary infrastructure in place, Bland was the one compiling the entry list, arranging for cars and equipment to be shipped and booking teams into Macau hotels. He could even help with sponsorship, if required.
So when Bland suddenly walked away citing frustration with how the Macau Grand Prix was being governed, it caused quite a panic. There was even talk that the race might not go ahead at all.
But having acted swiftly to quash any such concerns, motor racing’s governing body – the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) – has added some extra spice to the race by giving it FIA F3 World Cup status. Eventually, it is believed, the Macau Grand Prix will become one of two season-ending World Cup races pitting the best drivers from each year’s F3 champions in Europe and Asia against one another.
Much of the confusion of recent months has been the result of changes to how the Macau Grand Prix is regulated. With the former Macau Grand Prix Committee disbanded following the 2015 race, the FIA itself will now lead and coordinate all regulations, entries and registration, with assistance from Macau’s Automobile General Association Macau-China and the Macau Sports Bureau.
It resulted in the FIA having to extend the deadline for entries by an extra month due to the late release of this year’s regulations, however it certainly hasn’t impacted upon the quality of the field.
Leading the way in this year’s headline race will be none other than defending champion Felix Rosenqvist. Having won the race in both 2014 and 2015, the rising Swedish star will not only be aiming for a historic third consecutive win but will also become the first driver to win the race three times should he claim the chequered flag on 20 November.
“Just saying the words ‘Macau’ and ‘Formula 3’ brings a smile to my face, so I’m absolutely thrilled to be racing there once again this year,” Rosenqvist said upon confirmation of his return. “It’s the one race in the world that has had the greatest impact on me and my career and when the prospect of doing it again with SJM Theodore Racing by Prema came up, it was simply too tempting an opportunity. I really can’t wait to get back out on track in Macau and experience that driving sensation again; you can’t get it anywhere else.”
His team SJM Theodore Racing by Prema, who will be aiming for a record ninth Macau Grand Prix victory, will field three cars in 2016 with 2015 Japanese Formula 3 champion Nick Cassidy and this year’s European F3 Championship runner-up Maximillion Gunther set to provide Rosenqvist’s main competition.
There will also be a strong Japanese presence in this year’s Macau Grand Prix – headed by 2016 All-Japan Formula 3 champion, Kenta Yamashita. Competing for the third time at the famous Guia Circuit, Yamashita will suit up for T-Sport Racing looking to improve on his ninth place finish in 2014.
Five-time Macau Grand Prix winners TOM’S will be represented by Sho Tsuboi, who finished third in this year’s All-Japan Formula 3 Championship in his rookie season with 15 podium finishes. And B-Max Racing’s Daiki Sasaki could be one to watch on debut in Macau. Despite competing in only a handful of Formula 3 races in Japan this year, he showed his potential with a clean sweep at Fuji Speedway in just his second start of the season.
No doubt all will be well aware of the Macau Grand Prix’s esteemed history, which has seen some of the greatest drivers of all time enjoy success here during their formative years.
Past winners include the great Ayrton Senna in 1983 and Michael Schumacher in 1990 as well as David Coulthard, Ralf Schumacher, David Brabham and Takuma Sato. Others to have taken part include Sebastian Vettel, Damon Hill, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Mark Webber, Alan Jones and Mika Häkkinen while 2016 Formula 1 rookie Max Verstappen competed as recently as 2014.
This year represents the 63rd running of the Macau Grand Prix and the 34th year under Formula 3 rules.
