Wendl: Mercedes-AMG “Needs to Find a Way” to Return to Macau

Photo: Mercedes-AMG

Mercedes-AMG has vowed to return to the FIA GT World Cup in the future, with its head of customer racing Stefan Wendl admitting they “need to find a way” to be present again in Macau by as early as next year.

The German manufacturer, which is a five-time and reigning GT World Cup champion, having won the last six editions of the event when including the three-year run as a national Macau GT Cup, is notably absent from this weekend’s event at the Guia Circuit following the FIA’s decision to implement torque sensors as a method to have more precise data for Balance of Performance purposes.

Wendl, who previously spoke out against the implementation of torque sensors, which are attached onto each GT3 car’s driveshaft, has clarified the technical challenges for this year’s event, in his belief, is down to the calibration of the control unit and not the sensors themselves.

“On one end, what I’ve said about the whole situation about the driveshaft is still in place, and it probably will also not change [in the future],” he told Sportscar365.

“On the other hand, and to maybe make it clear, the problem is not the driveshaft itself. Because the driveshaft costs a certain amount but then it’s used for 8,000-10,000 kms.

“It’s more about the control unit for the engine, which is a system that needs some effort and learnings, and also how to work with it.

“This is the learning, which is one thing you need to experience as a team, in how to deal with it.”

He said the fact that both of its longtime Asian partner teams, GruppeM Racing and Craft-Bamboo Racing, had no prior experience running with torque sensors was a determining factor in its decision to forgo the event this year.

“In the past we always had Asian teams running and being successful for us,” said Wendl. “Those teams have no experience. None of their staff have ever seen this control unit.

“It’s hard to believe how to get competitive on the short term.

“But still, it’s a fantastic race. It’s a fantastic event. We still have teams that are very keen to [make a] once-in-a-lifetime or even several times in Macau and to win this World Cup race.

“This means we’re looking year by year into options available with teams. Maybe we can find an option where we have teams with the necessary experience or at least where we collect the right things together to be part of the grid again.

“The race is still interesting for sure.”

Wendl suggested that had other Mercedes-AMG customer teams, such as Winward Racing or Iron Lynx, which have experience with the entire system from its efforts in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship, respectively, had expressed interest in Macau, the situation could have been different.

“It makes it easier if we can find an organization or staff with [torque sensor] experience that joins an [Asian] team,” he said. “That’s also a possibility.

“We will have more experience next season with our support staff.

“It’s just not been easy to spread it out, to have a number of cars. Two years ago, we had seven cars in Macau.

“From my position it wouldn’t have been possible for now to service on the right level, the World Cup, with those seven cars with our current setup. It’s not possible.

“It takes some time but we take it year by year and look at it and we’ll see how it develops.

“First of all we look into this year’s event, we’ll for sure watch it.”

While understanding that the torque sensor mandate will not likely go away for future editions, Wendl expressed optimism of Mercedes-AMG returning next year, with more experience and time with the system under its belt.

“The whole system [next year] will be more established in the market,” he explained.

“The Macau Grand Prix, in the end, the most iconic race in Asia, maybe the only one that’s really settled.

“That’s why as a brand, Mercedes-AMG, having won it the last six times, we need to find a way to come back to this.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John