1990: Michael Schumacher (above)
Polesitter Mika Häkkinen was heading for Macau glory on aggregate time having won the first leg in 1990. That was until a final lap collision with Michael Schumacher let in the German to take first place with Mika Salo and Eddie Irvine second and third respectively. When Schumacher was injured racing in the 1999 British Grand Prix, Salo was recruited as his Ferrari replacement alongside team-mate Irvine.

2004: Lewis Hamilton
Hopes were high for a first British Macau Grand Prix winner in five years when Lewis Hamilton won the Qualification Race ahead of Nico Rosberg. But it all went wrong the following day for a driver who would win the first of his current seven FIA Formula One world titles four years later. A slower-than-usual start left him trailing before he got out of shape approaching Lisboa Corner and slithered into Rosberg’s stricken car. He rejoined but languished in 14th at the finish.

1983: Ayrton Senna (above)
Having clinched the British F3 crown in 1983, the late Ayrton Senna became the first winner of the Macau Grand Prix for Formula 3 cars, beating Robert Guerrero and Gerhard Berger to top honours. The Brazilian would start his home grand prix – his debut in the FIA Formula One World Championship – four months and five days later.

1991: David Coulthard (below)
Scottish driver David Coulthard made up for missing out on the British F3 title to Rubens Barrichello in 1991 by triumphing in Macau ahead of a field consisting of, amongst others, Barrichello, Luca Badoer and Christian Fittipaldi, who also graduated to Formula One.

1995: Ralf Schumacher
Michael Schumacher’s young brother Ralf Schumacher, who won six times in Formula One in a grand prix career spanning a decade, was the 1995 Macau winner ahead of Kelvin Burt and Jan Magnussen.

Four FIA-sanctioned competitions will take place during the 72nd Macau Grand Prix week: the FIA FR World Cup, the FIA GT World Cup, the inaugural FIA F4 World Cup and the deciding rounds of the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour. The three FIA World Cup events will be streamed live and free of charge via the FIA’s official YouTube channel.

Visit FIA.com soon for Great Macau graduates part two.

Archive photos: GCS