Ugo Ugochukwu Orlandi becomes the First American driver since 1981 to win the Macau Grand Prix 2024 FIA FR World Cup
Ugochukwu (the son of Nigerian model Oluchi Onweagba and Italian fashion designer Luca Orlandi) has won the 2024 FIA FR World Cup – and the 71st Macau Grand Prix – with a faultless performance throughout the entire weekend. The 17-year-old becomes the first driver from the USA to win this prestigious event since Bob Earl in 1981.
Ugochukwu led from start to finish for R-ace GP ahead of Olivier Goethe for MP Motorsport and Noel León for KCMG IXO by Pinnacle Motorsport in a race that saw multiple safety car interventions.
Ultimately the first running of the FIA FR World Cup in Macau allowed talents to shine, and provided plenty to learn from for the years ahead.
Ugochukwu will be buoyed by his performance as he heads to FIA Formula 3 in 2025
FIA FR World Cup Winner, Ugo Ugochukwu, R-ace GP: “I can’t describe the feeling, of course I’m super happy. It was quite a tricky race, I was pushing the whole way, but I was confident in the pace – ever since Q2 we’ve been really quick, of course we won the Quali race as well, but there was still one more thing to do which was win the main race, and we managed to do it. I can’t thank the R-ace GP team enough – we had a great weekend and yeah, super happy to finally get the job done.”
With this victory, Ugochukwu adds his name to an illustrious list and proved to the watching world that he has the talent and composure to surely see future success in the FIA’s senior single-seater categories
FIA FR World Cup second place, Oliver Goethe, MP Motorsport: “It’s a bittersweet feeling, I really wanted to win this weekend, I had it in me to win. It came down to the 1 hundredth from qualifying that maybe decided the weekend, but full credit to Ugo he did a great job. I hope to be here again.”
FIA FR World Cup Third Place, Noel León, KCMG IXO by Pinnacle Motorsport: “Obviously when you are the last spot on the podium, everyone behind wants to send it to be on the podium! So, it was a tricky race especially for me in the last two corners. It was super difficult, but I’m super happy to finish on the podium here in Macau.”
FIA President of the Single-Seater Committee, Emanuele Pirro, said: “Overall, this first running of the FIA FR World Cup has been successful. There have of course been some challenges – the conditions since Thursday have made something of a ‘perfect storm’ that meant we had more interventions and crashes than I would like to see, but I think all of us – the FIA, the teams and the drivers, will have a lot to analyse and learn from for when we return next year. Fundamentally, the concept of bringing Formula Regional drivers from around the world together for a one-off event at the end of the year is in the true spirit of the Macau Grand Prix, and it is now up to us to develop the category and the event further.”
