Share this article on LinkedIn Email

Roberto Merhi is hoping to prove that talent is still more valuable than money in motor racing by delivering victory in this weekend's Macau F3 Grand Prix, after hitting out at the number of pay drivers that were signed up for this week's rookie Formula 1 test.

The Spaniard has delivered a sensational campaign this year - capturing the F3 Euro Series title and also securing the FIA F3 International Trophy ahead of the finale in Macau this weekend.

But although focused on gunning for victory in Macau, he has expressed his frustration that there was no opportunity to join this week's F1 rookie test because he does not have big-money sponsors behind him.

"The situation is really hard," he told AUTOSPORT. "When you see now with the rookie test, who are the drivers that are doing it, I think it is not really fair for all the good drivers that are around here in motorsport. It looks like you only need a lot of money to drive.

"I think for the rookie test you should need to have a super licence to do it, otherwise it is going to become a joke to do it in the future. Well, it is already a joke and in the future it is going to be even worse I reckon.

"But F1 is a different world and we need to accept it. And anyway, I really like to do this race. If somebody came to me and said to me, would you do this race or do the F1 test, then I will say do Macau..."

Merhi thinks that his previous experience at Macau, which has been frustrated by incidents, will prove useful as he guns for the biggest race victory of his career.

"Last year I got into the top three, but had a crash and I lost all my chances for winning," he said. "But this year I am much stronger mentally, and I am used to the team more than before.

"Last year was my first race with Prema and now this will be my last with them - and I want to finish in the best way possible.

"It would mean a lot to win here. I like the track, the city, the ambiance - it is really beautiful. And I think to win here would be a huge plus on the year - it would make it a hat trick. I will try for it, but I think it is going to be hard.

"There are a lot of people who have raced here before, and that is why it is going to make it hard - because everybody knows the circuit.

"I think it is going to be a really good level - people are saying it is going to be one of the hardest, if not the hardest, and I think that is why you will need to do everything right to win. If you make a mistake then you will not do it and you will lose the chance to do it."