Spectacle at the Macau Grand Prix: hard-fought races and P Zero tyres once again centre stage
The Macau Grand Prix never disappoints. This year too, in the 72nd edition of the Asian classic, the long race weekend delivered spectacle and drama across all the most anticipated categories — all equipped with Pirelli tyres. Sunday’s headline winners were Mari Boya in the FIA Formula Regional World Cup, AF Corse’s Antonio Fuoco at the wheel of the Ferrari 296 in the FIA GT World Cup, and Jules Roussel in the FIA F4 World Cup.
Every race featured wheel-to-wheel battles right up to the final lap, as well as multiple brushes with the barriers that kept the crowds packed along the Guia Circuit fully engaged. In Formula Regional, Boya emerged victorious after a fierce duel with pole-sitter Freddie Slater, eventually taking the lead only when the Briton hit the wall in an attempt to reclaim first place. Completing the Formula Regional podium were Enzo Deligny and Théophile Naël, who were locked in a constant fight of their own.
In the GT3 race, Fuoco — winner of Saturday’s qualifying race and recipient of the traditional Pirelli Award — never relinquished the lead, while behind him the battle for second intensified between Raffaele Marciello’s BMW M4, which finished runner-up, and Laurin Heinrich’s Porsche in third.
In F4, young Emanuele Olivieri — also the winner of the previous day’s qualifying race — secured second place, defending to the very end from the attacks of Rayan Caretti.
MATTEO BRAGA, PIRELLI CIRCUIT ACTIVITY MANAGER
“As always, it was an intense weekend in Macau, during which we supported several categories, all marked by extremely high levels of competitiveness. The various products supplied once again proved their reliability and adaptability on a circuit that remains one of the most demanding of the entire season. This edition, besides offering us valuable technical insights for the future, was also an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with the promoter and local authorities, particularly with the Macau Grand Prix Museum, to which we donated — as we did last year — the special tyre featuring the dragon design, a symbol of power, prosperity and heritage in Chinese culture. This tyre will join the Pirelli display area, testifying to a bond with an event that, for us, goes far beyond the role of supplier and technical partner.”
THE TYRES
The event’s highest-performance cars were fitted with P Zero tyres in their various specifications for each category, while the Cinturato wet tyres stayed in the garage thanks to consistently dry conditions. The GT3 cars competing in the FIA GT World Cup and the GT4 entries in the Greater Bay Area GT Cup ran on P Zero DHG; Formula Regional single-seaters used the P Zero DMC; and the F4 field raced on P Zero DMA.
Supporting teams and drivers throughout the weekend was a group of more than 40 Pirelli technicians, engineers and staff — from both the international Motorsport structure and the Chinese organisation — providing continuous assistance from start to finish.