BMW manufacturing unit driver Raffaele Marciello will defend his FIA GT World Cup title in subsequent month’s Macau GT3 showpiece, which options all earlier winners on the entry listing.
Victorious final 12 months with Mercedes, Marciello will line up as a part of a 23-car subject comprising illustration from six producers as he seeks a 3rd victory within the occasion he additionally conquered in 2019, the final version held earlier than a three-year hiatus induced by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Marciello (Toro Racing powered by MCG) can be joined in BMW’s four-car roster by Augusto Farfus (Staff KRC), who scored BMW’s solely earlier GT World Cup win in 2018, together with WRT pair Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor.
“I’ve received the final two editions of the FIA GT World Cup, however this time the state of affairs is totally new for me as I can be driving the BMW M4 GT3 there for the primary time,” stated Marciello.
“I’ve all the time had good fights with BMW prior to now, particularly with Augusto in 2018 and in addition in 2017. Now I’m very a lot trying ahead to being on the opposite aspect.
“I’ll do all the things in my energy to carry the trophy again to Munich.”
Race winner Raffaele Marciello, Mercedes-AMG Staff Landgraf Mercedes-AMG GT3
Picture by: Mercedes AMG
Different earlier winners on the entry listing embrace Maro Engel (2015), Laurens Vanthoor (2016) and Edoardo Mortara (2017) with Mercedes, Porsche and Lamborghini respectively.
Newly-crowned GT World Problem Europe Dash champion Engel (GMR) is joined within the four-car Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo roster by Ralf Aron (Toro Racing), 2011 Macau Grand Prix winner Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon (each Craft-Bamboo).
WEC Hypercar factors chief Vanthoor and Alessio Picariello will each be entered in Porsche 911 GT3 Rs by Absolute Racing, with newly-crowned IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD Professional winner Laurin Henrich (Schumacher CLRT) and outgoing DTM champion Thomas Preining (Origine) additionally in search of to turn out to be Porsche’s first GT World Cup victors.
Lamborghini too has its sights set on a primary victory within the occasion, and returns with works drivers for the primary time since 2017.
Mortara and Matteo Cairoli’s Huracan GT3 Evo 2s can be run by Vincenzo Sospiri Racing beneath the VSR Theodore Racing banner, with DTM race winner Luca Engstler in a 3rd Lamborghini entered by his family-run workforce.
Ferrari can also be in search of a maiden victory within the occasion 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 workforce that operates his works 499P within the WEC, whereas Ye and fellow works driver Daniel Serra are fielded by Concord Racing.
Audi can also be current with R8 LMS GT3 Evo2s for works aces Christopher Haase (Phantom World) and Ricardo Feller (FAW).