In a remarkable international race debut at the Macau Grand Prix in China, the Lotus Emira GT4 claimed a stunning ‘1-2 finish.’ TORO Racing drivers Luo Kailuo and Adam Christodoulou secured first and second positions, establishing a commanding 12-second lead over the third-place finisher.
Both Emira GT4 race cars paid homage to Lotus’ 75 years of successful motorsport heritage, featuring the iconic black and gold livery. Dominating the front row of the grid, they led from the start, maintaining control until the race’s premature end due to an on-track incident. The race organizers determined final positions based on the order before the stoppage, resulting in Luo Kailuo and Adam Christodoulou claiming first and second in the GT4 class, with lap times of 2:31.392 and 2:31.724, respectively.
The Lotus Emira GT4, homologated for global GT4 classes, offers versatility with eligibility for non-homologated and specialist race series worldwide. Powered by a Lotus-tuned 3.5-litre V6 with Motec engine management and a Harrop TVS 1900 supercharger, it boasts a Hewland six-speed sequential transmission, paddleshift actuation, and a limited-slip differential. For the Macau Grand Prix, power output (455 bhp) and torque (500Nm) were slightly reduced to ensure fair competition.
Ringo Chong, Team Director at TORO Racing, highlighted the Emira GT4’s strengths, emphasizing its low center of gravity, flexible steering for sharp corners, and tailored tuning for city and mountain tracks.
Feng Qingfeng, CEO of Lotus Group, witnessed the outstanding 1-2 finish trackside and remarked, “A racetrack is the only place better suited for a Lotus than the road. Lotus has been competing on the racetrack for 75 years, and championships have been a long-standing tradition for Lotus.”
Established in 1954, the Macau Grand Prix, renowned for its challenging circuit, provided a fitting stage for the Lotus Emira GT4’s triumphant debut. As one of the oldest street races globally, it tested high-performance cars and drivers with intricate twists, sharp bends, and demanding terrain.
