Pasin all set for the streets of Macau
Pasin Lathouras is all set for one of the biggest challenges of his career as the second edition of the FIA GT World Cup is about to get underway in Macau and the 22-year-old Thai driver will race a Ferrari 488 GT3 for AF Corse in the prestigious end of season street race.
The FIA GT World Cup is an ambitious new annual initiative that aims to bring the best in sportscar drivers, teams and cars in the world together for an explosive end of year showdown.
The world-famous Macau Grand Prix event needs very little introduction. It’s grown over a lifespan of more than six decades into one of the world’s leading street races, a name that is every bit as iconic as Monaco, Singapore or Long Beach. It’s held around the 6.2 km, 19 turn Guia Circuit, a dramatic mix of very high speed straights and ultra tight, twisty and narrow corners.
The FIA GT World Cup arrived in the Macau Grand Prix for the first time last year and Pasin gained an entry. It proved to be a successful ‘world cup’ debut for the Thai driver in his third year racing ‘GT’ sportscars at Macau as he kept away from the walls and worked his way up the order to finish tenth, the only non-professional driver in the top ten as well as being the youngest competitor on the race.
After just one edition the FIA GT World Cup has really caught the imagination and the second year sees more factory teams and drivers taking part. The FIA explains the concept behind the ‘World Cup’ initiative in a statement to accompany this year’s second edition, which reads: “The creation of a GT World Cup is a way of harmonising all GT Championships taking place all over the world, since it is imperative to contest a series recognised by the FIA and based on the FIA technical regulations in order to be eligible for qualification to the GT World Cup. FIA GT World Cup has become a reference event for GT drivers or manufacturers – an event that absolutely must feature among their record of achievement.”
It now really is a reference event. To say the entry list is of a ‘world class’ level is an understatement and there will be four full factory teams in action in Macau – Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Lamborghini – with factory drivers as well as a string of further factory supported teams. The winners of the last five GT races to be held at the Macau Grand Prix are included on the entry list.The FIA GT World Cup has brought the best of the best together and it’s certainly going to be a tough test for Pasin to mix it up with these drivers, but it’s a challenge he’s relishing and learning with the best has been the target of the young driver’s career path.
The FIA GT World Cup falls during a very difficult period of time for Thailand as the country is mourning the loss of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Pasin’s Ferrari is carrying a specially revised livery in Macau this week to pay respects to King Rama IX.
The programme on track for the FIA GT World Cup starts on Thursday, November 17 with a 30 minute Free Practice 1 session (1230-1300). Free Practice 2, which is also of 30 minutes duration, will take place the next day (Friday, November 18) at 1040-1110. The action will then wind up in the afternoon with the 30 minute official Qualifying session at 1455-1525. The weekend kicks off on Saturday (November 19) with the Qualification Race, which is scheduled for 12 laps (1210-1310), before the FIA GT World Cup goes to green lights at 1255 on Sunday (November 20) and is scheduled for 18 laps.
Pasin Lathouras: “I love to race at Macau, it’s just one of the most amazing circuits in the world and to be back in the GT World Cup for a second year and share the track with the best sportscar racing pro drivers is a great privilege. Obviously with a lot of factory cars on the entry we have to fight on our own level but I will aim like last year to keep pushing hard, keep out of trouble and hopefully be in a good position to get a strong result in the final. It’s been a very sad time over the last month for Thailand so I’m very proud to be carrying a livery to pay respects this weekend and I will do my very best to try to secure a good result for Thailand.”
