Your guide to… The Macau Grand Prix

The prestigious FIA Formula 3 World Cup will make its highly anticipated return this week, for the 66th annual Macau Grand Prix. The non-Championship event, which will use F3 machinery, is set to take place across four days, beginning on Thursday, November 14.

The Setting

Set around the Guia Circuit on the streets of Macau, the 3.8-mile long track is heralded by drivers as one of the most enjoyable and challenging circuits in the motor racing world, requiring absolute precision and incredible skill to manoeuvre its intensely tight city streets.

Combining a mixture of snug corners, long-straights and up-hill climbs, the Guia Circuit guarantees action, with its famous Melco hairpin a mere seven metres wide.

With a list of previous winners, which includes Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard, the stand-alone event will provide this season’s F3 drivers with a stern test of what they have learned across the campaign, while those who didn’t compete in F3 will be granted a chance to impress teams ahead of a potential season in the Championship in 2020.

The Story

In 2018, Dan Ticktum became just the 10th driver in the 65-year history of the Macau Grand Prix to win two or more titles, and just the fifth to win the event in successive years.

The McLaren Autosport BRDC Award winner started the race on pole and was sensational off the line, battling off a strong challenge from Sacha Fenestraz, as well as Callum Ilott and Joel Eriksson.

The Challengers

Ticktum will be attempting a hat-trick of victories in 2019, as he returns to the event with Carlin Buzz Racing. The former Red Bull junior will be looking to remind the world of his racing abilities, after a tough debut campaign in Japanese Super Formula ended with his departure from the F1 team’s young driver programme. Ticktum will be joined at Carlin by Logan Sargeant and Felipe Drugovich.

Also returning to Macau will be Ferrari F1 junior Callum Ilott, who has never raced or tested this year’s F3 car. The Briton is set to remain with his 2019 Formula 2 team, Sauber Junior Team by Charouz, alongside Enzo Fittipaldi and David Schumacher. The German will be the fourth Schumacher to enter the event, which his father, Ralf Schumacher, won in 1995.

Robert Shwartzman and Marcus Armstrong will be amongst the favourites in 2019, having dominated the inaugural FIA Formula 3 season, finishing first and second in the Championship, as PREMA Racing took the Team’s Championship. Joining them will be the 2019 Formula Regional European Champion Frederik Vesti.

Following a strong showing in post-season testing at Valencia in October, Christian Lundgaard will be another name tipped to impress at Macau with ART Grand Prix. The Dane will be making his debut at the event, alongside Ferdinand Habsburg and Sebastian Fernandez.

2019 will also see an inspirational return to the circuit for Sophia Flörsch, just a year after a serious accident saw her suffer a spinal fracture in the same event. The German will race with HWA RACELAB, alongside Jake Hughes and Keyvan Andres.

Other notable names include Jüri Vips, Max Fewtrell and Yuki Tsunoda, all at Hitech Grand Prix, Campos Racing’s Leonardo Pulcini and Arjun Maini at Jenzer Motorsport, who is the other driver to have never raced or tested the current F3 car.

The Timetable (local time)

Thursday, November 14 10am: Free Practice 1 2.30pm: Qualifying 1

Friday, November 15 11.30am: Free Practice 2 3.10pm: Qualifying 2

Saturday, November 16 9am: Qualifying Race

Sunday, November 17 3.30pm: Race