Macau GP: Provisional entry list reveals an army of Audis and Mr Macau Edoardo Mortara returns

By Johan Laubscher

The sixtieth Macau Grand Prix is set to take place in November. The annual Macau GP press conference was held today, along with the release of the provisional entry lists, which includes an army of twenty-seven Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars.

The big news is the return of Mr Macau, Edoardo Mortara, the two-time reigning Macau GT Cup champion. He has been unbeaten at Macau for the previous four seasons: two years in Formula 3 and then 2011 and 2012 in the GT Cup with Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars fielded by Absolute Racing.

Audi race cars will be seen in two sets of events at Macau this year: the Macau GT Cup and the Audi R8 LMS Cup.

Macau GT Cup

The 2013 Macau GT Cup is the premiere GT event at the Macau Grand Prix and also features the finale of the 2013 GT Asia Series season. The entry list includes seven Audi R8 LMS / ultra cars. Edoardo Mortara will be leading the Audi Sport customer racing squad in the #1 Audi R8 LMS ultra, entered under the name of Audi R8 LMS Cup, run by Absolute Racing. He will be joined by the Team R8 LMS ultra squad from GT Asia, which will include all three of the regular GT Asia Absolute Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra cars, to be driven by Jeffrey Lee, Francis Hideki Onda and Philip Ma. Marchy Lee, Jeffrey Lee’s teammate in GT Asia, will be entered in the #38 Audi R8 LMS ultra, which is also run by Absolute Racing under the Audi Hong Kong Team entrant name.

Two more Audi R8 LMS cars will be joining the grid. The first is from the Finnish LMS Racing team, who are entering the #4 Audi R8 LMS for Antti Buri. The seventh Audi entry is the IMS team, entering the #78 R8 LMS for Shim Ching.

2013 Macau GT Cup provisional entry list (as of 2013/10/09)

Audi R8 LMS Cup

The Audi R8 LMS Cup will also be racing at Macau, hosting its season finale on the famous street circuit. A total of twenty Audi R8 LMS cars, all run and prepared by Absolute Racing, will be lining up on the grid. Most of the notable regular drivers are listed on the entry list, along with a number of additions. Edoardo Mortara will be driving the #5 Brothers Racing Team (BRT) Audi R8 LMS. Mortara has previously competed in the series, when he dominated the final round of the 2012 season at Shanghai last year. Other notable additions this weekend include: Rahel Frey, Philip Ma and Francis Hideki Onda.

Audi R8 LMS Cup at Macau provisional entry list (as of 2013/10/09)

Macau is a very special annual event and the sights and sounds of Audi R8 LMS cars on this circuit is certainly an annual highlight for Audi motorsport fans. The event is scheduled for 9-10 and 14-17 November 2013. 

Photo credit: Absolute Racing