The world governing body for motor sport, the FIA, has ramped up its support for the iconic Macau Grand Prix by endorsing three world title categories at the Guia circuit in November.

The circuit will stage the third FIA GT World Cup, the second FIA F3 World Cup and for the first time in the FIA World Cup regime, a round of the World Touring Car Championship. Details of the strong entry field will be announced in Macao on October 24.

The Macau Grand Prix will be held on November 16-19.

FIA Director of Sports Car and Touring Car Championships, Frederic Bertrand has claimed the tri-partite support to be unprecedented in world motor sport.

“Macau was already the only motor sport venue to simultaneously host two FIA World Cups and the inclusion of the penultimate round of the WTCC increases its significance even more,” Mr Bertrand said.

The FIA and Macau organisers have worked co-operatively to ensure the 6.2km (3.8mile) high speed street circuit is able to meet the intense demands of the world class competition in three categories.

Entry qualifications have been upgraded and restricted to ensure quality fields are able to meet the high demands of the track.

Entry in the FIA GT World Cup has been limited to only platinum and gold standard professional drivers with a maximum field of 25 manufacturer supported entries.

The FIA F3 World Cup field will be restricted to 28 entries.

Safety improvements have been made to several kerbs and debris fences with newly formatted TECPRO barriers. Recovery protocols for stranded cars have also been upgraded.

The FIA will fly in a strong team of specialist delegates to support Macao-based organisers. “The improvements have all been a necessary part of ensuring the race meeting is capable of delivering on the immense pressures brought about by such an ambitious programme,” Mr Bertrand added. “Macau is a jewel in the crown of motor racing not only in the Asian area but in the world and it deserves to flourish and continue to grow.”

The FIA World Cups are one-off events designed to test the best of the best drivers on one of the most challenging race circuits in the world.

The World Touring Car Championship will be an important part of a ten round series.

Macau has previously hosted World Touring Car rounds but not in parallel with the World Cup races.

Maro Engel (Mercedes-Benz) and Laurens Vanthoor (Audi) have won the two FIA GT World Cup races.

Vanthoor’s 2016 victory came in spectacular fashion after just one lap when his car flipped on the circuit’s high speed main straight and he was declared winner under restart regulations.

Last year Antonio Felix da Costa (Carlin) held off a determined challenge from Felix Rosenqvist (Prema Powerteam) to win the inaugural FIA F3 World Cup by just 1.6 seconds.

Emerging talent Zsolt Dávid Szabó is set to contest the remaining four events of the 2017 FIA World Touring Car Championship starting with WTCC Race of China, which takes place at the all-new Ningbo International Speedpark next month.

Szabó was handed his WTCC debut by Zengő Motorsport in Argentina in what was, at the time, a one-off arrangement. However, after impressing with his pace and potential at Circuit Termas de Río Hondo, the 21-year-old is due to partner fellow Hungarian Dániel Nagy in the Zengő line-up for the WTCC races in China, Japan, Macau and Qatar.

“I’m really glad and can’t wait to drive again,” said Szabó, who graduates from the FIA European Touring Car Cup. “My aim in Argentina was to learn as much as I could to hopefully get another chance so it’s really worked out for me.”

While Ningbo is new to all WTCC drivers, the large majority have previous experience of Japan’s Twin Ring Motegi, Circuito da Guia in Macau and the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

Although all venues represent unchartered territory for Szabó, with a background as an accomplished simracer he isn’t troubled by the prospect of spending hours on Zengő’s simulator as he builds his virtual track knowledge.

“I will prepare as best I can and my aim is to be in Qualifying Q2 each time,” said Szabó, who won ETCC Race of Vila Real in Portugal prior to his WTCC graduation.

“It’s going to be a huge challenge because I am using the 2015-specificaiton engine in my car and I don’t have the experience. But I have a great opportunity and maybe if things go my way and I go as fast as possible, I can score some points.”

Zengő Motorsport’s Zoltán Zengő, a recognised talent-spotter who guided factory Honda driver Norbert Michelisz to two WTCC Trophy titles in the past, said: “I am very happy to give Zsolt this chance. He showed he could be very fast and comfortable in the car without the experience and also showed that he could learn the car. He’s a good talent and with Dániel it’s the perfect team.”

WTCC Race of China takes place at the newly-constructed Ningbo International Speedpark south of Shanghai from 13-15 October.

Szabó will also be eligible for WTCC Trophy points, the race within a race for independent drivers.

Ma Qing Hua will return to the FIA World Touring Car Championship at WTCC Race of Macau in a Sébastien Loeb Racing Citroën. In doing so, he will revive a partnership that netted two victories including what was the first for a Chinese driver in an FIA world championship motor race.

After making a winning start to his WTCC career in a Citroën C-Elysée midway through 2014, the 29-year-old tackled the full 2015 season, finishing fourth in the standings and adding a second win on the streets of Vila Real to his debut triumph at the Moscow Raceway the previous year.

While he was entered under the Citroën Total WTCC banner, Sébastien Loeb Racing provided full technical support. And despite not having driven a World Touring Car in anger since November 2015, Ma will be raring to go in Macau, the penultimate event of the WTCC season.

“I’m very positive about this opportunity and really pleased to come back to this championship,” said the Chinese racer. “I have no downside on street circuits. When I raced in 2015 I won in Vila Real. Macau is a legendary place, an amazing city and I really appreciate the chance to do it again this year. It will take a little while for sure to get back into the rhythm but it should be fine and I still have a strong memory from those cars and I still have the feeling.”

Ma will form part of an expanded Sébastien Loeb Racing line-up in Macau that will feature title chasers Mehdi Bennani and Tom Chilton, plus young Frenchman John Filippi. And Ma is braced for the strong competition he will face as one of the most wide-open WTCC seasons for nearly a decade draws to a close on one of the most challenging race tracks in the world.

“I have been watching the WTCC races this season and the competition is very close with the Volvo cars and the fact Honda has improved a lot,” said Ma. “We have seen this year the Citroën can still be at the front and I believe in the team. I’ve worked with them before, they’re more experienced with these cars and they always give me good confidence. The WTCC is a championship where you fight to the end and everything can happen in the races. There is no question I would like to do the full championship again.”

François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the WTCC promoter, said: “It’s great news Ma Qing Hua is coming back to the WTCC in Macau for the benefit of the WTCC in China and Asia. He is a good ambassador of motorsport in the region and I’m certain he comes back in the best possible conditions with the Sébastien Loeb Racing team. With the title race still wide open, the WTCC’s long-awaited return to Macau has just got even better.”

WTCC Race of Macau takes place from 16-19 November with the famous Guia Race contested over an eight-lap Opening Race from 14h10 on Saturday 18 November and the 10-lap Main Race from 10h40 on Sunday 19 November. Meanwhile, the all-new Ningbo International Speedpark hosts WTCC Race of China from 13-15 October.

A new format will mark Macau’s eagerly anticipated return to the FIA World Touring Car Championship later this season.

The legendary street track, a WTCC mainstay from 2005-2014, will host the penultimate event of the wide-open world championship from 16-19 November.

But in a change to the usual routine, the two races will take place on different days with the Opening Race scheduled from 14h10-15h10(07h10-08h10 CET) on Saturday 18 November followed by the Main Race from 10h40-11h40 (03h40-04h40 CET) on Sunday 19 November.

The timetable adjustment will result in a more advantageous international broadcast slot for the Opening Race. Meanwhile, the FIA Formula 3 World Cup and FIA GT World Cup, will benefit from extensive coverage on the Eurosport platforms.

François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the WTCC promoter, said: “We expect Macau to be a season highlight for the WTCC. I’m grateful to the Macau Grand Prix Organizing Committee for accommodating our request to run our Opening Race on Saturday afternoon."

"This will drive a larger international audience in Asia, Europe and the Middle East across which the WTCC benefits from consistent live TV coverage. Macau may well be a decisive for both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships. Every point will count, and we all know how demanding the Macau track is for teams and drivers.”

Macau’s Circuito da Guia blends twisty turns and narrow blasts with long, wide-open straights and sweeping corners, plus gradient changes, to create one of the most challenging and spectacular street circuits on the planet."

"After two years away, the world’s fastest international touring car series returns to the Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, restoring the famous Guia Race to its former glory in the process."

"Previously forming the closing event of the WTCC season, Macau will now host the penultimate weekend of the campaign. Former world champion Rob Huff holds the record of event wins with eight Macau WTCC triumphs to his name." He concluded