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Mathew Scott

'Winning here will be the best way for me to finish the season - on top'

When Darryl O'Young hits the streets of Macau this weekend, he will be going about business as usual. But there will be one big difference - the 26-year-old returns  to the fabled street circuit as a  champion.

In Zuhai last month, O'Young wrapped up his first Porsche Carrera Cup Asia title, his two stunning victories at the mainland circuit giving him an insurmountable lead going into the final race in Macau.

And not only will the  event crown a stellar season for the Team Jebsen driver, he returns as reigning champion as well: he took the chequered flag there for the first time last year, in only his second attempt.

For O'Young, there could not be a better place to celebrate. 'There really is no other circuit like it in the world,' said  the Canadian-born driver who has called Hong Kong home for the past few years.

'When fans get off at the ferry terminal they are right in the action, right next to the pits. So they are caught up in the atmosphere straight away. It's incredible.

'And if you have been to Macau on grand prix weekend you will know what it is like. The next time you are there it's not a let-down - it's never a let-down, going over there - but it's never quite the same after you have been there for a grand prix,' he said.

While he admits the pressure is off  now the championship is in the bag, he would like nothing better than to retain his title there.

'Being so close to Hong Kong, it's a special place for me,' he said.  'Winning in Macau will be the best way for me to finish the season - on top - and it's a great city to go out and celebrate in.'

The street circuit in Macau presents unique challenges  - with its tight corners and a relative paucity of passing opportunities. And that's why O'Young heads over to the enclave earlier than most.

'I usually get there a few days before most people.  I have found a routine I think works and might give me an edge particularly over the European drivers who might not have seen much of the circuit before,' he said.

Once O'Young gets to Macau, his plan of action is quite simple. After checking in to his hotel, he sets out on foot and walks every inch of the circuit.

'I've found that it is the best way to get a feel for things, to soak up the atmosphere and really switch on,' he said.  'You get a feel for the state of the roads as on race day there is no room for mistakes. What this does is lets me take a step back and really relearn the track.'

He also lets a few lucky locals do some work for him.

'It's great to get in a few taxis as well,' he said.  'All the taxi drivers know the exact layout of the circuit so I ask them to take me around. You get a feel for the corners and find out where all the bumps on the road are. And they love it - most of them think they are racers anyway.'

Entering its 53rd edition, the Macau race is somewhat of an enigma on the world motorsport circuit.

It remains, for the most part, the same as it was when it first  began.

'Like Monaco, it's pretty unique in that it hasn't really changed much over the years,'  O'Young said. 'When you get there it is a whole new dog fight. Some drivers can handle it, some can't.

'What it takes is intense focus. It's a track that really deserves respect.  The corners are so tight, there is absolutely no margin for error. You hit one wall and that's just about race over. That's what happened to me in my first race there. I was going really well, clipped a wall and never recovered. The margin for error is tiny. But I learned from that first year,' O'Young said.



O'Young plans Macau encore before uncorking champagne