The WTCC for the weekend at Macau has been bolstered by a wealth of local drivers, joining the series for the prestigious Guia race on the historic street circuit.
No fewer than five Macanese registered drivers are present on the 29 strong entry list, along with two Japanese drivers, all eligible for points in the Independents trophy.
Leading the local charge will the BMWs of Franz Engstler's Liqui Moly team who will see three of the peninsula's drivers joining the team alongside the team's regular driver's Engstler and Kristian Poulsen.
Arguably leading the charge Henry Ho. Ho is a three time Macau Touring Car champion and has already been behind the wheel of the car at the penultimate round in Japan, scoring a point in the independents' championship.
In the other two cars will be a pair of WTCC debutants – Liu Lic Ka and Joe Merszai – Ka having previously raced in the Macau Touring Car series, while Merszai's experience lies primarily in junior single seater formulae.
The other BMW independent teams will also run their own local talent, with the Wiechers-Sport squad welcoming back Japanese Takayuki Aoki, after he ran the final three events a year ago (including a pair of fourth places in the independents in Japan), while Noberteru Taniguchi will join Spaniard Felix Porteiro in the Proteam cars.
Also joining the grid will be a new team name and team with Macanese Lei Kit Meng, another Macau Touring Car Championship regular, driving under the China Dragon Racing banner.
However, perhaps the most promising local driver is going to be found in the third SUNRED backed SEAT Leon – Andre Couto. Couto has a promising history at the Guia Circuit having won the Formula 3 race in 2000, and having previously competed in the WTCC race in an N-Technology Honda Accord last year.