By Johan Laubscher
The Macau Grand Prix is a very special annual race event held on the streets of Macau. The 61st edition of the event is coming up this weekend. The Macau GT Cup will see a total of seven Audi R8 LMS and ultra entries taking part, including Mr Macau Edoardo Mortara, who is aiming for his seventh consecutive victory in Macau.
This year will mark the ninth time that Audi race cars will be taking part in events at the Macau Grand Prix. As a preview to the race coming up this weekend we decided to take a look back at the Audi history at Macau, which began all the way back in 1993 with touring cars, all the way through to 2014 with GT racing.
Audi history at Macau Part 2: Macau GT Cup 2010 - 2014
2010
After the 1999 victory of Michael Bartels in the Super Touring Audi A4, the Audi brand would not be seen at Macau for over a decade. The drought finally came to an end with the introduction of the Audi R8 LMS in 2009. At the end of 2010 the FIA GT3 specification race car from Audi made its Macau debut with United Autosports and Absolute Racing. The cars were competing in the Macau GT Cup. It was a successful debut with two podium places.
2011
In 2011 the victory was the clear goal, and Mr Macau, Edoardo Mortara, did not disappoint. Absolute Racing and Mortara were untouchable on their way to victory. Along with the victorious #66 Audi R8 LMS, two more Audi entries were also entered by United Autosports and Hitotsuyama Racing.
2012
The entry list for the 2012 Macau GT Cup included three Audis on the grid. Two Audi R8 LMS ultra cars from the Audi R8 LMS Cup team were entered, which included Edoardo Mortara and Jeffrey Lee. The third Audi R8 LMS ultra was the Team Hong Kong Racing entry of Phillip Ma. Mortara qualified on pole but lost the lead at the start. He went on to win his second Macau GT Cup after an impressive pass for the lead halfway through the race.
2013
Six Audis lined up on the grid in 2013. Edoardo Mortara and Marchy Lee competed in two factory supported Audi entries and they were joined by three R8 LMS ultra cars from Absolute Racing and on R8 LMS from the IMS team. It was an extremely exciting race. Mortara qualified second on the grid and dropped to fourth during the race. Mortara then moved forward and won the race by taking the lead on the final lap.
2014
A total of seven Audi R8 LMS and ultra entries are entered for the 2014 Macau GT Cup, headlined by the Audi race experience squad with Edoardo Mortara and Laurens Vanthoor. Absolute Racing will also be out in force with five cars, including drivers: Jeffrey Lee, Adderly Fong, Philip Ma, Mak Hing Tak and Jacky Yeung.
The Touring Car (1993 - 1999) era of Audi at Macau can be read in Part 1 of our Audi history at Macau HERE.
Photo credit:
Audi R8 LMS Cup
Absolute Racing
