PITSTOP
HOMETOWN HEROES Macau has 57 drivers and riders entered in the 2012 Macau Grand Prix but just two have international reputations: André Couto and Rodolfo Ávila. Both are Portuguese but have lived here since they were youngsters.
The driver: Couto will again make a one-off appearance in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in its Macau Grand Prix season finale. He will drive a SEAT Leon 1.6T. His best in the Macau WTCC event was seventh in Race Two in 2006. Couto is a regular in the Japanese Super GT Series, and was the last Macau driver to win the Formula Three Macau Grand Prix, in 2000. His car: “Compared to the Chevrolet or the BMW, the SEAT engine needs more power, but at the same time the handling of the car is very good,” Couto says. His attitude: “I always believe that it is possible to win. But let’s be realistic: our result will be according to the budget and the material we have at our disposal. On top of that we – the Macau drivers – have to finish the race, so we have to balance the priorities like never before.”
André Couto The driver: Avila made his bid for the Macau GT Cup last year in a 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 R run by Hong Kong’s Team Jebsen. The model had never before been raced anywhere in the world. This year he will drive for Zhuhai’s Asia Racing Team, which he works for as a driver coach. Avila will be behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. His car: “It is the same model I have been racing in the past three seasons in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, so I know it well. However, with limited overtaking opportunities on the Guia Circuit, and against the FIA GT3 spec cars, in the straight lines I will definitely miss the 500 horsepower of the 911 GT3 R I drove last year,” Avila says. His attitude: “The Guia Circuit doesn’t give you room for mistakes. To finish first, first you must finish. It will be impossible to match the pace of the frontrunners, but I believe I have a good chance between the GTM-class cars. A top-ten overall result is within our reach.”
Rodolfo Ávila
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