Historic FIA triple at Macau

Formula 3, GT and Touring Cars will all take to the famous Guia circuit this week

This weekend’s Macau GP will feature three different FIA categories for the first time.

The FIA F3 World Cup and the FIA GT World Cup will be joined by round nine of the 2017 FIA World Touring Car Championship.

It is the most ambitious program ever undertaken by the Macau circuit in its 64-year history.

Seven Formula Three teams fielding 22 drivers, seven GT manufacturers accounting for 20 entrants and four Touring Car manufacturers in a field of 19 comprise the most diverse and comprehensive line up brought together at one unique event.

Callum Ilott (SJM Theodore Racing by Prema, Robin Frijns (Audi Sport Team WRT) and Ma Qing Hua (Sebastian Loeb Racing Citroen) came together to represent their categories to open the race meeting.

Former FIA Formula E racer and Blancpain GT Sprint series champion Frijns is starting as a Macau rookie, Ma is making his second attempt at the circuit while Ilott is undertaking his third successive bid for the F3 honours.

“Macau is definitely a Monaco for GT cars,” Frijns said after his first track inspection.

I’ve seen the track on video and simulation but experiencing it is something else- it’s very small, very tight.”

Ilott, fourth in this year’s FIA F3 European Championship, will have the added challenge of facing off against seven of the top ten who fought in that title battle including outright winner Lando Norris and runner-up Joel Eriksson.

Ma was the first Chinese driver to win an FIA World Championship race in Russia in 2014. He is having his first race for the Citroen team this season.