Seven manufacturers likely for 2015 FIA GT World Cup in Macau

Stephane Ratel, whose eponymous organisation has been put in charge of assembling the entry for the event on November 19-22, has revealed that the target is to achieve a 21-car entry made up of three cars fielded by each of seven GT3 manufacturers.

"The idea of the FIA is to have three cars per manufacturer," said Ratel, who signed a deal with race promoter the General Association Macau-China on Thursday.

"There are 10 or 11 manufacturers currently involved in GT3 in a proper way and it is not realistic to have all of them, but we think that seven should be possible."

Ratel said that he had received a positive response following initial enquiries sent to each of the manufacturers.

"We have sent an email to everyone and some have already come back and said they will be there - though I can't tell you who — and some still need to be convinced."

The FIA's concept is for the entries to be made through the manufacturers and for the cars competing in the World Cup to be raced exclusively by professional drivers.

"We are not expecting factory teams, except maybe Bentley with M-Sport and maybe one or two others, but we want the manufacturers to send their top customer teams," explained Ratel.

Ratel said that he and Macau organisers would have "to be pragmatic and readjust" should they fail to attract seven manufacturers each wishing to field three cars.

Vincent Vosse, boss of the WRT Audi team, stated that he was motivated to take part in the World Cup.

"For sure I want to do it, but as always, it will depend on finance," he explained.

The World Cup will be made up of two one-driver sprint races and seven places on the grid will be reserved for local entrants who have traditionally competed in the Macau GT Cup, which the new event replaces on the Formula 3 Grand Prix bill.