Other Euroseries challengers come in the shape of Italian teams Prema and Ombra, plus the Swiss Racing Team. While Frenchman Franck Perera, who was eighth in the European championship, leads the line for Prema, both SRT and Ombra will focus on local drivers, with Joe Merszei and Lei Kit Meng at the wheel. Current Italian series points leader - with rival Toni Vilander ineligible - Matteo Cressoni joins Lei at Ombra. Michael Ho is the fourth Macau driver for home fans to cheer on, and will partner Jones at TME Racing.
While Quintarelli and team-mate Naoki Yokomizo hold Inging's hopes for the race, there are other Toyota-engined cars from the Japanese series entered. The crack TOM'S team is back, with a strong team featuring last year's Korean Superprix winner Richard Antinucci and
Kazuki Nakajima, son of former Japanese
F1 driver Satoru. Frontrunner Fabio Carbone completes the line-up, driving the race's only Nissan-powered car for Three Bond Racing.
The format of this year's Macau event has been changed, with a ten-lap qualification race scheduled for Saturday afternoon, setting the grid for a 15-lap Grand Prix on Sunday. Previously, drivers had to complete the maximum number of laps over a two-leg event to have a chance of winning, but the new format means they can go all out in the qualification race without fear of being precluded from outright victory in Sunday's race.
