Thompson To Make his Macau Bow
Teenage single-seater star Gary Thompson is getting set to make his debut in one of the most important theatres of world motor racing as the Formula BMW Pacific series gears up for the final round of the 2009 championship in Macau.
Dubliner Thompson, already confirmed as the winner of the Formula BMW Pacific Rookie Cup and overall runner up in the series in his debut season in cars, heads to the former Portuguese colony knowing that points considerations are no longer of concern and he can focus entirely on his first experience of one of the world’s most demanding street circuits.
The 17-year-old Leaving Cert student tuned up for his first experience of the fabled 6.2km Guia Circuit by testing for two days in Batangas, Philippines last week in an Aran Racing run Dallara-TOMS Toyota F3 car. The test was also a precursor to the Dubliner’s planned move to the Japanese Formula 3 Championship next season.
Thompson will formally sign a contract to race with top Japanese F3 team Achievement by KCMG in Macau this weekend. He is also investigating the possibility of dovetailing next year’s F3 commitments with some European racing and will be having meetings with prospective squads in Macau ahead of planned testing in a Formula Masters car at Valencia in early December.
This weekend’s 15th and final round of the Formula BMW Pacific Championship in Macau marks the conclusion of a hectic and very rewarding first season of racing cars for Thompson who has taken overall and class victories as well as ten podium finishes from 14 starts in Asia.
He has raced at four FIA World Championship events, in Malaysia, Britain, Hungary and Singapore and is now preparing to make his bow at one of the most iconic venues on the international motor racing.
Thompson is looking forward to an opportunity to race at Macau in his first season in cars and looks upon it not just as an opportunity for glory this weekend, but also as a chance to gain much needed track knowledge for next year’s Macau Grand Prix FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup event with team Achievement by KCMG.
“I’m really pumped about racing in Macau this weekend,” says the Cebu Pacific and Aviation Display supported racer.
“It’s just my first season in cars and it’s going to be a thrill to race at a circuit that pretty much every driver in the world wants to compete on at some stage in their career. It won’t be easy to make an impression because we have just one short untimed session before qualifying and the main objective, more so than at any other track, is to maximise track time.
“The walls and barriers are very close and staying on track is going to be a challenge but I’ve shown before that I can get the hang of tracks reasonably quickly so I’m looking forward to it. I suppose it’s a great opportunity to race there in my first season and learn the circuit for the future when I hope I can race in the Macau Grand Prix F3 race.”
Thompson and his team travelled to Macau this week courtesy of Asia’s third largest low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific. Cebu Pacific flies from Macau to Manila daily and to Clark four times weekly. Passengers can avail of its trademark low fares and extensive Philippine network through www.cebupacificair.com.
Add our news to your Google homepage!
Add our news to your My Yahoo! homepage!
Subscribe to our RSS news feed
