Edoardo Mortara heads to Macau this weekend with the aim of scoring a historical back-to-back victory in the Macau Grand Prix.
The 23-year-old Italian won the prestigious race last year on his return to Formula Three, and went on to dominate the F3 Euro Series in 2010. He is now attempting to do what no driver has done before and win the Macau Grand Prix twice.
In a Q&A on his website, Mortara attempted to explain why he is always so quick around the circuit. “I don’t know really, I just feel comfortable at this track,” he said. “I have no fear of the walls, I have the confidence to push incredibly hard. Maybe that’s not the case for some others. Also, the atmosphere is really fun. If you can go, I’d urge every race fan to come, and if you can’t then you should definitely watch it on TV.
“The Circuito da Guia is a pretty unique track. You’ve got a very, very long straight where you need top speed. But the mountain section is tight and twisty, so the challenge is to find the correct balance between high downforce and low downforce.”
When asked what there was to prove by returning to Macau, he answered: “Nothing really. But I’m not going to Macau to prove something. I’m going because I absolutely love racing there. I’ve raced at Monaco, Monza and Spa. For me, this is the greatest track in the world. End of story. On top of that, I know we have a strong package and I can win this important race for a second time. It’s a nice position to be in.
“To be the only driver to win there twice would be magic. I’m not really focusing on that, I’m just going there to give it my maximum. We’ll see for the rest. As for my ambitions, the first Macau win didn’t result in loads of calls from F1 and GP2 teams – not without them wanting lots of money, anyway, which I don’t have – so I’m not expecting another Macau victory to be any different really.
“It’s been an incredible 12 months for me, winning Macau a year ago, winning the Euro Series, and yes, getting engaged – all life changing stuff. Best year ever, I’d say, and another Macau victory this week would bookend it nicely. But even if I don’t win, it’s not the end of the world. Life is very good at the moment. I’m really happy. And I’m really excited about revisiting ‘my’ circuit.”
