Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific will send four Porsche 911 GT3 R to tackle the FIA GT World Cup at the legendary Guia Circuit next month as part of the 73rd Macau Grand Prix.
After taking podiums across both the qualification and main races last year, Porsche names another star-studded line-up for the 2026 edition, aiming to secure the marque’s first victory on the streets of Macau.
Tempo by Absolute Racing once again sends two entries to the event, with Alessio Picariello returning for the outfit. The Porsche driver clinched third in the 2025 Qualification Race and since then has claimed victory at the 2026 Suzuka 1000km.
On the other side of the garage, Thomas Preining is back at the Guia Circuit after previously competing in both 2023 and 2024. The Austrian is enjoying a strong 2026 campaign, clinching an excellent win at the 79th running of the 24 Hours of Spa, as well as being crowned the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) Drivers’ Champion last weekend.
Following the success at Suzuka 1000km last month, securing Porsche’s first victory at the enduro since 1994, AO Racing and Absolute Racing join forces again to take on another iconic event. Laurin Heinrich, who was part of the winning trio, steps into the AO by Absolute Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R for his third visit to Macau, after earning a podium in the FIA GT World Cup during last year’s edition.
Completing the quartet is Dorian Boccolacci for Absolute Racing, who makes his second consecutive appearance at the Guia Circuit. He was the Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver at the time and since moving to his factory role, has scored Intercontinental GT Challenge podiums at Bathurst and more recently in the Suzuka 1000km with the Shanghai-based outfit.
The Macau Grand Prix takes place on 19-22 November at one of the most iconic tracks in world motorsport, Guia Circuit. Across the 6.12-kilometres, the drivers are tested throughout the narrow sections and tight corners as well as the long straights and fast, flowing parts. The layout has remained unmodified since 1957, with the Melco Hairpin being the narrowest part of the circuit at just seven metres wide. The full timetable for the weekend will be released in due course.
Alessio Picariello, Tempo by Absolute Racing: “I’m very much looking forward to what is one of the most special weeks of the season at the Macau Grand Prix. It’s amazing to be there for a fourth consecutive year with Porsche and I’m proud to represent Tempo by Absolute Racing once again. We had a very solid weekend in 2025, securing a podium in the Qualification Race, so I’m more eager than ever to get back out there.”
Thomas Preining, Tempo by Absolute Racing: “I’m really excited to return to Macau for my third entry into the FIA GT World Cup with Porsche. I’m confident that the team will deliver a great car and we’re now working on being as prepared as possible to ensure we have a successful weekend next month. It’s been a great season for me in Europe and the United States, so I’m aiming to extend this into the Asia-Pacific region and finish the year on a high.”
Laurin Heinrich, AO by Absolute Racing: “I’m very happy to be back in Macau! It’s a massive race for Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific and it will be my third time competing there. The podium I picked up last year has made me even hungrier for success as we now aim for the top step. My first race with AO by Absolute Racing was our incredible success at Suzuka 1000km last month so hopefully we can continue this strong performance. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to race Rexy on the streets of Macau and I’m confident that the team will once again provide me with a competitive car.”
Dorian Boccolacci, Absolute Racing: “I’m delighted to be racing in Macau for the second consecutive year! I learned a lot there in 2025 and I’m confident that with the experience gained we can have a positive weekend. Anything can happen in Macau as there are a lot of competitive teams and drivers, so everyone has a chance. It’s always incredibly special to compete at this circuit, being so close to the barriers at such high speeds. It will be great to drive for Absolute Racing again after our podium finish together at the Suzuka 1000km last month as we aim to continue this positive momentum.”
Fabien Fior, Director, Absolute Racing: “We’re pleased to be back in Macau with Porsche, this time with four competitive entries aiming for success! This event is very special and we were happy to stand on the podium in the Qualification Race during last year’s edition. This time with Alessio, Thomas, Laurin and Dorian we have an incredible line-up and we’ll be hoping to use their previous experience around Guia Circuit to deliver us a strong set of results. We’re looking forward to once again collaborating with Tempo, JD and AR Box and to partner once again with AO Racing for this amazing event as we look to achieve another positive performance.”
Gunnar Jeannette, AO Racing Team Principal: “Rexy isn't ready for the off season quite yet! After a great start to our partnership with Absolute Racing in Suzuka, we are looking forward to watching Laurin race the streets of Macau in our crimson and gold T-Rex.”
Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.: “We’re looking forward to heading to Macau with four top class entries ready to take on the FIA GT World Cup. We’re looking forward to working together once again with Absolute Racing and to welcome back the partnership between AO by Absolute Racing, after their success at Suzuka 1000km. All four of our drivers have experience around the Guia Circuit so we’re hopeful that together, with the combination of an excellent team supported by a robust technical infrastructure, we can fight towards the front again. The Macau Grand Prix is a prestigious event in the Asia-Pacific region and it’s one we are keen to take success at, so we can’t wait to get out on track there next month and aim for victory.”
