2024 FIA FR World Cup Preview – Aspiring young drivers set to battle for 71st Macau Grand Prix

The stage is set for the 71st running of the renowned Macau Grand Prix, with 27 drivers ready to take on the challenge of the 6.1km Guia Circuit and battle for the honours of the FIA FR World Cup.

This year’s grid is packed full of champions from across the junior single-seater racing scene – nine national-level FIA-certified Formula 4 honours and three Formula Regional titles demonstrating the quality through the field.

The Macau Grand Prix has always been a highlight on the racing calendar as an opportunity for drivers to demonstrate their skills around one of the world’s most challenging circuits, and the switch to Formula Regional machinery this year has led to an incredibly diverse grid of drivers, with 15 different nationalities represented.

The FIA FR World Cup will mark a crucial juncture for many of the young hopefuls as they look to step up from regional to global competition. Five of the contenders vying for the top positions this weekend are already a part of a Formula 1 team junior driver development programme.

Dino Beganovic (Ferrari Driver Academy) and Alexander Dunne (McLaren Driver Development Programme) are both coming to Macau for the second time, Beganovic having raced with SJM Theodore Prema last year and Dunne switching to the hugely-successful outfit for the first time.

Oliver Goethe (Red Bull Junior Team) likewise returns for a second attempt to take the top step on Sunday, this year driving for MP Motorsport, and Ugo Ugochukwu (McLaren Driver Development Programme) is also back following his first Macau outing in 2023, now driving for R-ace GP. Finally, Ugochukwu’s R-ace GP stablemate Tuukka Taponen (Ferrari Driver Academy) will experience the magic of the Guia Circuit for the first time in Thursday’s free practice session.

For these drivers, and indeed the whole 27-strong grid, a convincing showing in Macau could be a crucial factor as they look to progress to higher categories. Beganovic, Dunne and Goethe have already made the move up to the FIA Formula 3 Championship and have sights set on FIA Formula 2, while Taponen and Ugochukwu are set to follow along the pathway to F3 next season.

Red Bull Junior, Goethe, who scored a top ten in the 2023 Macau Grand Prix, is certainly gunning for glory, and said ahead of the event: “I’m really looking forward to racing Macau this year again. Aiming to win it of course – it’s a one-off race so I’m just going to give it my all and try to be on the top step of the podium this year. The race really means a lot to me. It’s such a special, challenging track.”

There are certainly huge opportunities for all drivers competing in the FIA FR World Cup to go on to further glory, but with changeable weather in the offing for practice and qualifying, the 71st edition of the Macau Grand Prix will be as exciting and unpredictable as ever.