Ticktum, who gained the race in 2017 and 2018, agreed phrases on Tuesday with Rodin Carlin and his name was added to the entry for the 18-19 November event simply a few hours earlier than it was unveiled.
The 24-year-old has been a daily in Components E with NIO 333 since his final season on the junior single-seater ladder in 2021, when he completed fourth within the FIA Components 2 Championship with Carlin.
Earlier than then, he competed with the crew within the Macau GP in 2019, and in addition had a one-off F3 European Championship outing with the squad in 2016 to be able to be eligible to make his Macau debut later that yr.
Ticktum joins Rodin Carlin F2 racer Zane Maloney within the crew for Macau, with the opposite seat but to be stuffed.
“Whenever you’re an occasion and also you need to go and win it, you then have a look at who can win it,” Rodin Carlin boss Trevor Carlin instructed Autosport.
“I used to be beginning to consider who that may be, and clearly Dan’s top-of-the-line potential drivers you may get for Macau.
“He’s actually good mates with ‘Boyo’ [Anthony Hieatt, head of Double R Racing, with which Ticktum competed in Macau in 2016], so I requested him to have a chat with Dan, and he mentioned in precept he’d be fairly eager.
“Dan responded yesterday and mentioned he’d like to do it – so it’s sport on!”
Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz
Dan Ticktum, Carlin Buzz Racing
Though the crew has a profitable Macau document, Rodin Carlin doesn’t have latest document within the Components 1-supporting FIA F3 rounds.
“Clearly they’ve been struggling a little bit bit this yr, and the automotive might be higher than what it’s been ending this season,” Ticktum instructed Autosport.
“ run at Macau makes it look quite a bit higher, and I feel he [Carlin] desires a driver to get in who’s confirmed there and ship what the automotive is able to.”
Carlin added that he had thought of contacting Components E and sportscar star Antonio Felix da Costa, who has additionally gained twice in Macau – each instances with Carlin in 2012 and 2016.
“I wished to ask Antonio to return again, however I assumed, ‘I can’t now’,” he mentioned. “He’s knowledgeable driver now in sportscars and also you would possibly suppose that his time has handed [for competing in F3 in Macau].
“The time hasn’t handed for Dan, however it will be a dream to do it with Antonio too – if he mentioned he wished to, I’d take him!
“Macau continues to be the best race, and we do it as a little bit of a showcase for the crew and for the game – for the best causes.”
Carlin mentioned that he has no worries about Ticktum adapting to the present FIA F3 automotive, which he has not pushed since Macau 2019.
“He’ll be high-quality – he’s an actual driver, and actual drivers simply get in and get on with it,” he mentioned.
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Dan Ticktum, Carlin, third place
“Actually by the top of quali one he’ll be completely in tune with the automotive after which he’ll simply drive the hell out of it.
“Hopefully this could be a springboard for Dan to remind everybody of what he can do.”
Ticktum additionally has no issues in regards to the lack of testing alternative.
“I’m going to attempt to get in one thing else if I can but it surely’s all a bit late discover and the possibilities are I gained’t run something,” he mentioned.
“However I’ve been good previously at getting in and getting used to issues shortly. Macau is such a unique kettle of fish to anything.
“I simply need to drive a comparatively mild, not unhealthy single-seater automotive round one of the best monitor on the planet. It’s my favorite monitor.
“The provide to do it, I’m not going to show it down that’s for positive, and I’ll in all probability hold doing it till I’m 30 or no matter.”
Extra reporting by Stefan Mackley