FIA F3 Intercontinental Cup - Macau : 26th Edtion,2008

[Monkey Head]

We may start preperation of Macau F3 now as Japan and Briton F3 has one event to go.In Japan Tom's will make their annual trip and defend their title for sure.For this year teams may prefer stay their one year experianced car in europe may makes big team big fewer car(last year we have only 6 teams held 70% of total entries)but we still can make it.

Vam Dam has crowned as champion and he will bringing #1 car for defence,#2 driver should be either Kumimoto or Iguchi,Depends on who will be in 2nd in Championship.Honda teams won't be in there as usual and there are one more slot for non-honda team,Yasuda or Italian Kei Cozzolino are candidates on it.

In British championship Carlin should bring 4 cars to Macau,two should be belongs to Red Bull duo and Hartley will use his experiance to take the race win.Master's line up makes me dobut about Turvey as his few budget,drivers from euroseries Division may be seen once again.

For Hitech Walter has came last year and he should be come again,will they operate 3 cars once again for locals?

In Fortec Hohenthal has claim he is raising budget for Macau ,I think he would like to join the party as he visited Macau GP last year as tourist.(may be they rent their car to Japanese ahha).

Double R only Atte has Macau experiance and other drivers is in bad conition(out of top10).I predict they are welcome to some one off appearance driver(Red Bull driver once again?).

T-Sport has never visited and I don't think they will make breakthrough this year.

In Euroseries ART Grandprix are engar to take their F3 big-slam,which they can't complete in Macau.Jakes is regular of Macau he should makes his third appearance,their ace Hulkenberg has crashed serval times from practice to race last year,and his frequence off season testing also makes his question on Macau trip IMO.Biachi or Lanchester should have off from there as ART usally brings 3 cars.

All driver from Manor motorsport has visted last year and two of them are podium finisher,Japanese duo Tsukokashi and Oshima should make return and Tsukokashi will be a black horse of winner contention as his strong fightback last year.

Happy to see Signature bring us first visit of VW engine comback to F3 and continues VW excellent history in Macau(Schumi won 1990 victory with them).Mortara made stunning qualify last year but ruined the weeknd himself with latebrake in lisboa,he may makes a revenge this year.Maileux visited last year ,he may be makes a comeback this year.the 3rd driver will be a surpise you will see.for Prema I just pretty sure Zande will comeback this year.

beside above 3 series we may be Ombra also interested in Far east trip,they have 2 F308 chassis and compete in BF3 Monza race,not sure on their line-up

Share opinions and insider information are welcomed

[META4]

Any chance to see Marko Asmer back in Macau?

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by META4

Any chance to see Marko Asmer back in Macau?

possible if he wants to show off in front of Dr.T(and vanish his bad GP2 outfit)and Hayles needs a decent driver for win,but nobody know except themselves.

[Lam Pak]

macau racers are gonna be michael ho hon keong and jo rosa merszei.
michael has a chance to disturbe the europeans. top-10 for him.

[META4]

Originally Posted by Lam Pak

michael has a chance to disturbe the europeans. top-10 for him.

Even if your "boss" Michael Ho does not do stupid mistakes like he did last year , by spunning under safetycar i do not believe he will finish in the Top Ten. I guess you will see again a conspiracy against "your" asian Drivers

What about Rodolfo Avila? I reckon he will be part of the event once again

[Lam Pak]

no more sorrow. michael spun cause of technical failure in hitech car. he have to react but he wasnt luck. when he gets tense he is very quick.

avila is gonna do gts race. he is paid to drive a ferrari

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by Lam Pak

michael has a chance to disturbe the europeans. top-10 for him.

England national team prediction style...

[wannab-aracer]

Not at alot of news yet, but here's the link for the official website -

http://gp.macau.grandprix.gov.mo/

I know it's early, but is there any sort of confirmed entry list yet ?

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by wannab-aracer

Not at alot of news yet, but here's the link for the official website -

http://gp.macau.grandprix.gov.mo/

I know it's early, but is there any sort of confirmed entry list yet ?

mid-october

[strider]

I am as big a fan as anyone of Macau, but nowadays it has two problems.

The first is cost. Apart from anything else, there is always accident damage and increasingly the insurance companies either don't want to know or put a very high excess on any claim.

The second is that GP2 teams test around the same time and some drivers wanting to move up might prefer to spend their money on that.

It's a shame because Macau remains the best F3 race on the calendar and nowadays the only one that provides a fair comparison between the various championships and drivers.

I would like to see a strong representation from the UK, but this year I'm not sure.

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by strider

I am as big a fan as anyone of Macau, but nowadays it has two problems.

The first is cost. Apart from anything else, there is always accident damage and increasingly the insurance companies either don't want to know or put a very high excess on any claim.

The second is that GP2 teams test around the same time and some drivers wanting to move up might prefer to spend their money on that.

It's a shame because Macau remains the best F3 race on the calendar and nowadays the only one that provides a fair comparison between the various championships and drivers.

I would like to see a strong representation from the UK, but this year I'm not sure.

May be is may be not
last year you can see most of outstanding drivers in F3 has taken part in Macau


However I think there are potential problem in next year is Asian GP2 likely to be support Abu Dhabi GrandPrix next year,which is on same day of Macau.
Unless Macau going to switch their dates....

[kfsracer]

Originally Posted by Lam Pak

michael has a chance to disturbe the europeans. top-10 for him.

Hahahahahaha. Nice joke, really made me laugh good. Even if it is true that he had mechanical failure and spun under safety car because of that there is no way he would compete on the same level with the other "real" drivers. Mr. Ho is a pure gentleman driver and were he not macanese he couldn't enter the event...

I don't think Avila will be back so fewer macanese this year. Good news has it could open grid invitations for more young european/japanese drivers. Let's wait and see for an entry list.

In Japan, Saga also trying to get a slot even though not really deserved...will depend on what yasuda and cozzolino do. Kunimoto got second in championship so he should team up with Van Dam in Macau.

[kfsracer]

Anyone heard from drivers from spanish F3 coming? (Cortes came last year)

[N.A-D.R]

I've never heard of this F3 Intercontinental Cup before... Can someone tell me about it?

[META4]

are you sarcastic?

[N.A-D.R]

Oh ****, sorry! i just realised that i know what it is, i really don't know what i was thinking lol, sorry guys.

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by kfsracer

Anyone heard from drivers from spanish F3 coming? (Cortes came last year)

Cortes has visited in 2006.

yeh,it has.Jaime Alguersuari At least(don't forget he has taken part with serval Spanish F3 race with victory,ahahaha)

[META4]

Any Information Lam Pak regarding the participation of Michael Ho ? Whith which team he will enter?

[Lam Pak]

i dunno yet. the ocean is big and blue. its macau comission to give him a team. hope he doesnt go hitech. they did very bad work in 07. out on the highway.

[runshaw]

Marko Asmer finished 4th last year for Hitech, beating all the Euroseries and British regulars, how can that be bad work? Hitech have always gone well in the season ending blue-riband events over the past few years.

[META4]

Originally Posted by runshaw

Marko Asmer finished 4th last year for Hitech, beating all the Euroseries and British regulars, how can that be bad work? Hitech have always gone well in the season ending blue-riband events over the past few years.

Hitech is a good team, there is no point to provide a top prepared Formula 3 car to a driver who is just average and drives once a year for his "Home race", who would not feel any set-up change. I guess they just put fuel, tight the wheels and send him...

That is probably the reason why some top teams prefer to not get any "Wild Card", because they have so many chances to end up in the whole, and smash-up a top prepared car

Macau drivers at Macau GP are just easy way to make good money for European Formula 3 Teams.

[Lam Pak]

hitech never won macaugp. it is a fact. michael ho did 9th.

[runshaw]

Who said they did win it?

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by Monkey Head

However I think there are potential problem in next year is Asian GP2 likely to be support Abu Dhabi GrandPrix next year,which is on same day of Macau.
Unless Macau going to switch their dates....

oops,They have delayed a week later(19-22 November 2009) to avoid clash to Abu Dhabi GP

[wannab-aracer]

There were rumours this week in autosport, that Ultimate Motorsport will be dropping the Mygale and taking the Dallara chasis to Macau. This meaning they will not take part in the final BF3 round at Donington.