BMW factory driver Raffaele Marciello will defend his FIA GT World Cup title in next month’s Macau GT3 showpiece, which features all previous winners on the entry list.
Victorious last year with Mercedes, Marciello will line up as part of a 23-car field comprising representation from six manufacturers as he seeks a third victory in the event he also conquered in 2019, the last edition held before a three-year hiatus induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marciello (Toro Racing powered by MCG) will be joined in BMW’s four-car roster by Augusto Farfus (Team KRC), who scored BMW’s only previous GT World Cup win in 2018, along with WRT pair Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor.
“I have won the last two editions of the FIA GT World Cup, but this time the situation is completely new for me as I will be driving the BMW M4 GT3 there for the first time,” said Marciello.
“I have always had good fights with BMW in the past, especially with Augusto in 2018 and also in 2017. Now I am very much looking forward to being on the other side.
“I will do everything in my power to bring the trophy back to Munich.”
Race winner Raffaele Marciello, Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf Mercedes-AMG GT3
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
Other previous winners on the entry list include Maro Engel (2015), Laurens Vanthoor (2016) and Edoardo Mortara (2017) with Mercedes, Porsche and Lamborghini respectively.
Newly-crowned GT World Challenge Europe Sprint champion Engel (GMR) is joined in the four-car Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo roster by Ralf Aron (Toro Racing), 2011 Macau Grand Prix winner Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon (both Craft-Bamboo).
WEC Hypercar points leader Vanthoor and Alessio Picariello will both be entered in Porsche 911 GT3 Rs by Absolute Racing, with newly crowned IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD Pro winner Laurin Henrich (Schumacher CLRT) and outgoing DTM champion Thomas Preining (Origine) also seeking to become Porsche’s first GT World Cup victors.
Lamborghini too has its sights set on a first victory in the event, and returns with works drivers for the first time since 2017.
Mortara and Matteo Cairoli’s Huracan GT3 Evo 2s will be run by Vincenzo Sospiri Racing under the VSR Theodore Racing banner, with DTM race winner Luca Engstler in a third Lamborghini entered by his family-run team.
Ferrari is also seeking a maiden victory in the event and has entered World Endurance Championship Hypercar drivers Antonio Fuoco and Yi Yifei, making their first GT World Cup appearances.
Fuoco, the outright Le Mans 24 Hours victor in 2023, will race a 296 GT3 run by the AF Corse team that operates his works 499P in the WEC, while Ye and fellow works driver Daniel Serra are fielded by Harmony Racing.
Audi is also present with R8 LMS GT3 Evo2s for works aces Christopher Haase (Phantom Global) and Ricardo Feller (FAW).
