Asia SuperCar Challenge 2008 champion Rodolfo Avila will race a Ferrari 430 GT at the Macau GP in the brand new Macau GT Cup race.
After celebrating the ASCC title at the wheel of a Ferrari 360 GT, Mastercar Italy and Avila’s sponsors decide to line up a much more competitive car in the most important race of the year.
“It was a tough season, but in the end, I was the champion and we knew the 360 was not the very best car around. My opponents got very good cars and now we need to the prepared for the challenge”, said the 21 years old driver from Macau.
The 6.2km circuit is like no other track in the world, varying in width from 14 meters along the main straight, to just seven meters as it twists through the back streets of the former Portuguese colony.
In keeping with the high calibre of the blue riband Macau GP, the support programme has undergone major enhancements for 2008, with no fewer than four new races. The Macau GT Cup is a 10-lap invitational race for popular grand touring racing cars. Thirty six of these impressive machines will line up on the grid to take the start on the Sunday of the Grand Prix week.
“This is going to be one of the most interesting races to follow. It will be a dream cars grid, and I am sure it will surprise many people. I don’t like to try to predict my results when you are talking about a race at Circuito da Guia. I am aiming high but my opponents are well equipped and there are a couple of European drivers that are looking forward to achieve strong results too”, held Avila.
Speaking about the Macau race, Mastercar Team Manager, Paolo Candusso said, “Rodolfo has been a very good surprise for us this season. We knew his curriculum and past experience but we were also aware of the fact that he didn't race GT cars before. He fully deserved the ASCC 2008 championship title. Now we’re working hard to prepare the best car and team assistance for him at Macau. This is his home race, and I'm sure he will be very motivated."
Mastercar Team Principal Mario Crugnola added “This is the third season for us in Asia and we won every single edition of ASCC since we arrived. I'm very happy with the increasing quality levels of drivers and cars this season. Anyway we kept our competitive level high and Rodolfo was a huge help. He is a young driver but he is not merely quick; he races with intelligence which can be very useful in Macau GP."
Since 2002 Avila has been racing single seaters in Macau GP. This is going to be the very first time that the Macanese sportsman will try a closed cockpit car. “It will be a different experience from last years. I love single seaters and I will miss F3 race but I don’t regret my choice. This year I am focus in GT racing and I have a very good chance to score a historic result for Macau and for everyone who trusted us from the beginning, giving us the opportunity to write a chapter of Macau motor sport history”, said the driver sponsored by Macau Government, MacauSlot.com, BNU, TsingTao, Fat Siu Lau Restaurant, Sujika Crafts and RP Macau.
Avila will shake down his new car in Italy before the Macau GP. After the test the car will be transported immediately to Asia.
