Maro Engel confirms return to Macau with Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing
Star driver line-up to feature 2021 Macau GT Cup champion Darryl O’Young
Hong Kong team Craft-Bamboo Racing has confirmed its entry to the 69th Macau Grand Prix with a 2-car lineup for the Galaxy Entertainment Macau GT Cup to be held from the 17th to the 20th of November 2022. The two single-driver entries will include star Mercedes-AMG driver Maro Engel (GER) in the #77 Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing, marking his highly anticipated return to Macau after a 2-year absence. He will be joined by 2021 Macau GT Cup champion Darryl O’Young (HKG) in the #55 Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. The event is all set to take place at the celebrated Guia Circuit, with international drivers returning to the Asian motorsport scene after a long pandemic-affected break of 3 years. The #77 Mercedes-AMG Performance Team entry, Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing, will be aiming for overall victory in the Macau GT Cup. 2022 will mark the return of international entries after being restricted to drivers from the Greater Bay area for the past 2 editions. The team welcomes back Engel, a double race winner in Macau, to take control of the #77 Mercedes-AMG GT3. Engel has been a team regular for several years, also achieving a hard-fought podium at Bathurst 12 Hour earlier in the year with the Hong Kong squad. He will be driving a striking blue and silver Tarmac Works liveried GT3 that has been uniquely designed by Jon Sibal, a world-famous automotive design artist. Diecast model car producer Tarmac Works has been a long-time partner of the team and will be producing scale models of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 to celebrate this unique partnership with JONSIBAL DesignWorks. Z-Challenger, MPlus Live, HK Asia Medical Group and Aspec will also join as Event Partners for this entry. O’Young will also be heading to the iconic Macau track following his sensational fairy-tale victory last year. Despite a significant crash slipping on oil in Race 1 on Saturday, he took the win in dramatic fashion and finished on the top step of the podium, hustling a taped-up car, narrowly in the lead around the 6.2km track. He is no stranger to success at the narrow street circuit, being a 4-time GT race winner and 2-time Independent class winner in the World Touring Car Championship in the past. 2022 marks O’Young’s 18th entry to the Macau Grand Prix. This year, O’Young will be entering his #55 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Hong Kong brands Z-Challenger, Rev to Vertex and CarGaia as the Title Sponsors in a familiar red and white livery. Z-Challenger is expanding into the Web3 ecosystem with Cargaia, the “Virtual to Reality Motor Metaverse” combining NFT technology with real-world vehicles to create an extension of the virtual world where users can participate in various activities and transactions. The e-sports brand is also developing a racing simulator game called “Rev to Vertex” focusing on road racing and providing a realistic and authentic experience. The entry also welcomes Event Partners Macau Slot, HK Asia Medical Group, Theodore Racing, Tarmac Works, Combustiveis Tak Wo Hong, Aspec and Spicy Hero for their support at this event. Since it first kicked off in 1954, the Macau Grand Prix has been held every year at the highly challenging Guia Circuit. The circuit presents a unique set of challenges as drivers navigate through a series of 24 turns including high-speed corners like Mandarin Bend and super slow corners like the Melco Hairpin. Arguably one of the most anticipated racing events in Asia, the circuit is set to roar to life once again with spectacular racing action and edge-of-the-seat battles. The races will be made available to the worldwide audience via live stream on the website along with broadcasts via TV stations.
Maro Engel | Driver, #77 Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing
“I am really excited and looking forward to heading back to Macau after 2 years where it wasn't possible. I’m really happy to be coming back and especially together with Craft-Bamboo Racing, that is absolutely amazing. It’s going to be a great weekend. I believe we have a strong package together and hopefully will be chasing another win for the team and myself in Macau. I am looking forward to it and getting to work.”
Darryl O’Young | Driver, #55 Craft-Bamboo Racing
“One year later, the race still stands in my mind as one of the most amazing experiences I have had as a race driver. It will be hard to top that, but we definitely don’t want as much action as last year and I want to focus on having a clean and strong performance. On that note, I am really excited to be back at the Macau Grand Prix for the Macau GT Cup. I am really glad that there are more international entries coming this year, which should give the fans a great race to watch. The competition will be tougher but this is what I have always strived for throughout my career - to compete at the top level. My goal will be to drive as well as I can and work with Maro to bring the team another victory here in Macau”
