Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific is gearing up for the 70th running of the Macau Grand Prix in November, with seven Porsche 911 GT3 R (Type 992) set to make their FIA Macau GT World Cup debut.

Held on the iconic Guia Circuit, the event will feature entries from a quintet of Asia Pacific-based Porsche customer teams, with five of the seven Porsche 911 GT3 R running in the hands of Porsche Drivers.

Absolute Racing will bring two cars to the world-famous event, with Porsche Driver Matteo Cairoli competing in the #120 machine, while former Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver Alessio Picariello is in the Absolute Racing-run Team Luanzhou International Circuit car. Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific and Absolute Racing have raced together at almost every running of the Macau GT race since 2018, including the most recent FIA GT World Cup in 2019.

Team Luanzhou International Circuit #15 - Alessio Picariello

Also entering a pair of Porsche 911 GT3 R (Type 992) is HubAuto Racing. Porsche Penske Motorsport driver Kévin Estre will be making his third Macau appearance, while newly crowned 2023 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) champion Thomas Preining will take on the track for the first time. Taipei-based HubAuto Racing last partnered with Porsche to take on the Macau Grand Prix in 2017.

Two-time Le Mans winner with Porsche Earl Bamber will return to Macau in a striking blue and yellow-liveried D2 Racing car, run by Earl Bamber Motorsport. The New Zealander has fond memories of the Guia Circuit in Porsche machinery, having taken Porsche Carrera Cup Asia victory at the venue when the series visited to celebrate the 60th Macau Grand Prix in 2013. Bamber has also competed in Porsche GT3 machinery in the FIA GT World Cup four times, taking podium finishes in 2016 and 2019.

Absolute Racing #120 - Matteo Cairoli

2016 FIA Macau GT World Cup winner Laurens Vanthoor still holds the record as the youngest driver to compete in the Macau Grand Prix when he made his debut at the circuit in 2008, and returns to the event for the first time since 2019. The Belgian Porsche Driver claimed second four years ago and will look to go one better in the #99 TORO Racing car. The Chinese team has recent experience at the Macau Grand Prix, having competed with Porsche in 2021 and 2022, with Leo Ye and Alexandre Imperatori taking podium finishes respectively.

Finally, 2022 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion Leo Ye will take up the challenge with 2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Teams’ Champions R&B Racing. The Chinese driver previously competed at Macau in 2021, clinching a strong second-placed finish, while Shanghai 8 Hours overall winners R&B Racing will be making their debut in Macau.

The 6.12-kilometre Guia Circuit is one of the most iconic in world motorsport, with its narrow track and tight corners mixed with long straight and fast, flowing sections. The layout has remained unmodified since 1957, with the tightest part of the circuit located at the Melco Hairpin, where the track is just seven metres wide. Since its founding in 2017, Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific has a storied history at Macau, supporting customers every year that the race has run. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of when Porsche Carrera Cup Asia last ran in Macau, with Bamber victorious, followed closely by guest driver Sebastian Loeb.

HubAuto Racing #27 - Kévin Estre

Matteo Cairoli, Absolute Racing: “I’m thrilled to be competing in my first ever FIA Macau GT World Cup race. It’s been a long wait but I’m both proud and happy to have this opportunity. I’ve been preparing by studying the track, watching onboards and I’m determined to be as ready as possible. I can’t wait to get started and I’m sure it’s going to be an amazing experience.”

Alessio Picariello, Team Luanzhou International Circuit: “I’m thankful to Absolute Racing for giving me this chance to race in Macau, and also to Luanzhou International Circuit for the tremendous support. Macau is a great challenge and I’m looking forward to tackling it again. Racing once again in Asia this year, as the former Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver, gives me extra motivation.”

Fabien Fior, Absolute Racing Team Principal: “We’re really happy to return to the FIA Macau GT World Cup with two Porsche 911 GT3 R. Alessio and Matteo are two great drivers and we celebrated success with both of them this season. We’re aware that the level of competition will be very high, but we’ll give it our all to secure a strong result.”

HubAuto Racing #27 - Thomas Preining

Kévin Estre, HubAuto Racing: “I’m glad to be heading back to Macau after four years away! It’s one of my favourite tracks and always puts on a stunning event. I can’t wait to work with HubAuto Racing, my best previous result in Macau is second, so I’m hoping to do better this time around.”

Thomas Preining, HubAuto Racing: “Macau is a classic event that I’ve always wanted to take on, and now I finally get the chance to see what makes this event so special. It definitely won’t be easy as a rookie in such a strong field, but I will do my best and enjoy it as much as I can. A huge thanks to HubAuto Racing and Porsche for their trust and I hope to repay it on the track!”

Morris Chen, HubAuto Racing Team Principal: “It’s exciting to return to the FIA GT World Cup in Macau this year. The event is one of the most challenging in Asia and it’s an honour for HubAuto Racing to compete against so many top teams and drivers. Thanks to Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific for the amazing support and we will do our best to achieve positive results with Kévin and Thomas.”

D2 Racing Team #22 - Earl Bamber

Earl Bamber, D2 Racing Team: “I’m really looking forward to the Macau Grand Prix and it’s great to have D2 and TW Racing on board alongside Porsche. Last time I was in Macau I finished third, it’s one of my favourite tracks in the motorsport world so I’m looking for another strong performance. Very proud to bring the Earl Bamber Motorsport team to the event and I can’t wait to represent Porsche and bringing the fight!”

Laurens Vanthoor, TORO Racing: “I’m really looking forward to Macau, it’s been a while since I raced there and is one of my favourite events. It’s a very exciting track and a great way to end the season. I’ve had my fair share of experiences and success in Macau in past years, so I’m looking to add to that. TORO Racing is a strong team and hopefully we’ll be able to end the 2023 campaign on a high.”

Eric Zang, TORO Racing: “It’s been four years since the FIA GT World Cup was in Macau and TORO Racing is eager to compete again on the international stage. Thanks to Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific, we’ve been able to put together a great team, with Laurens behind the wheel of our Porsche 911 GT3 R, and with our knowledge of the Guia Circuit, we feel ready to go!"

TORO Racing #99 - Laurens Vanthoor

Leo Ye, R&B Racing: “Macau is a special place for me, and I have some great memories there. The intensity of competition will go to a new level this year, but I have faith in my team and the car. We’ll do our best to show our true speed and compete near the front.”

Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Motorsport Porsche AG: “I am delighted to see so many Porsche customer teams entering the FIA Macau GT World Cup. Asia Pacific is a very important market for Porsche Motorsport and supporting our customers in strategic events like Macau remains highly important to the brand. We have seen a great Asia Pacific debut of the new 911 GT3 R this year and it’s clear that the teams in the region are performing at a highly competitive level. We are glad to have a strong line-up with drivers who are eager to finish the season on a high. I am looking forward to spending time with our customers and teams in Macau, seeing some excellent racing and hopefully strong results for Porsche.”

Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.: “I’m very pleased by the number of customer entries we have for this year’s FIA Macau GT World Cup. It is a combination of a great number of entries, all of which are high quality. Together with our customer teams and with the attention from the factory, we have put together a line-up that looks very competitive. It will be a strong Porsche presence and we look forward to support our customer teams with the best possible package to succeed in the streets of Macau.”