| Matthew Marsh Motor sport industry consultant, racing driver, TV and print journalist, celebrity speaker and performance coach. Date of birth: 24 September 1968 Born: Welwyn, England Resident: Hong Kong (since 1990) Click here to download PDF document of this page |
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| Matthew
Marsh is one of Asia’s best known motor racing personalities. After a
successful career on the track he now works on the commercial side of
the sport. In 2008 Matthew became the only Hong Kong driver to have scored an FIA World Championship point by finishing eighth in the final round of the World Touring Car Championship at the Macau Grand Prix, driving a BMW. Prior to that he was the first driver to represent Hong Kong at the world-famous Le Mans 24-hours race in 2007 (Ferrari 430) and the first to do so at the Monaco Grand Prix in 2005 (Porsche Supercup). Matthew was a front-runner in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia from 2003, winning the region’s premier series in 2004. He took the top step of the podium at Grand Prix supporting races in Britain, China and Malaysia – another benchmark for Hong Kong drivers. He is also the only driver in the world to have competed in the Porsche Supercup and the Carrera Cups in Asia, Great Britain and Japan. A passion for endurance racing led Matthew to score class wins at the Bathurst and Nürburgring 24-hour races – the latter in an historic victory with Aston Martin’s factory team in 2008. He was also a front-runner in the GT class of the Rolex 24-hours of Daytona in both 2008 and ‘09. The 41-year old is a guest commentator and presenter on ESPN Star TV’s coverage of the Formula One World Championship. He attends Grands Prix and various new car launches as an accredited journalist and contributes motor sport and motoring-related lifestyle stories to publications world-wide including a regular column in the China Daily – the largest circulation English language publication in the People’s Republic. The following is selection of the brands and companies which have worked with Matthew to use motor sport as a marketing platform: A-HA Coffee, Clarksons, Melco Crown Entertainment (City of Dreams), Exxon Mobil, FCACA.com, Flex-Box, Franck Muller, Hawaiian Tropic, Holiday Inn Hotel, Michelin, Noble Group, Oakley, Oberon Lubricants, Red Bull Energy Drink, San Miguel Breweries, SC Global Developments, SkyTel paging, United Parcel Service, Valvoline, Vertu. With his wife Jessie – and their Lakeland Terrier dogs, Mui Mui and Parker – Matthew lives in Hong Kong where he is a permanent resident. |
| Matthew Marsh - at the wheel: |
|
| Racing
highlights: |
2009 Le Mans
24-hours – Lola-Mazda LM P2 2009 Le Mans Series (Spa-Francorchamps) 5th in LM P2 class; 2009 Rolex 24 at Daytona – 5th in GT, most laps led; 2008 WTCC Macau – 8th overall (FIA World Championship point); 2008 Nürburgring 24-hours – Aston Martin V8 Vantage, class win; 2007 Le Mans 24-hours - Ferrari 430 LM GT2; 2006 Le Mans Classic - Alfa Romeo TZ1 and Ferrari Daytona; 2006 Nürburgring 24-hours - Porsche GT3, 2nd in class (10th overall); 2005 Le Mans Endurance Series & FIA GT (Zhuhai) – Porsche RSR; 2005 Porsche Supercup Monaco Grand Prix; 2005 Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia, winner Malaysian F1 GP; 2004 Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia, champion (four race wins); 2004 FIA GT Championship Zhuhai Round - Ferrari 360 GTC, 4th (GT2); 2004 British Grand Prix - Trofeo Vodafone Maserati, winner. 2003 Macau Grand Prix - Porsche Carrera Cup, pole and 3rd place. 2002 Bathurst 24-hours - BMW Z3 M, class win (5th overall); 2000 Nürburgring 24-hours - BMW M3, 3rd in class; 2000 Coys Festival - 1968 Brabham BT31 F1, class win (3rd overall); 1998 Caterham championships (UK) - 11 wins, four poles. (Full racing history shown below) |
| Matthew Marsh - personal thoughts: |
|
| Favourite
circuit: |
Snetterton,
England (The Nürburgring Nordschleife is obviously the most incredible track that I have raced upon - and the Guia circuit in Macau is also fabulous - but Snetterton feels like home. It is where I first drove a racing car and where I have often been to drive a car for the first time. When the sun is shining it’s a wonderful place.) |
| Best
race: |
It’s
difficult to beat the Nürburgring 24-hours as an all-round,
totally absorbing experience. In the middle of the night as you head
out into the country it’s really rather special. And I say this after
having raced at Le Mans! |
| Worst race: |
My memory
has erased any particularly bad races… but failing the driving test on
my first attempt will suffice. ‘Over-confident’ was the examiner’s
pronouncement. |
| First
motorsport memory: |
Listening to
the radio report of James Hunt winning the 1976 World Championship at
Fuji in Japan. It was early in the morning and I was eating toast. As a
child I was a spectator at many races in the UK including each year’s
British Grand Prix, the Formula 2 ‘International Trophy’, and the
6-Hour and 1000 kilometre endurance races for sportscars. |
| How I
started racing: |
Since I did
not have the opportunity to race karts as a child I started racing
quite late – aged 18 in 1987 – in Formula Ford 1600. I bought an aged
Crossle and used it in various events around the UK. I spent rather
more time in the garage fixing it than driving it. |
| At the keyboard and in front of the camera: | |
| Print
media: |
Contributor
to the following titles: Aston Martin magazine; Autocar (China), Automobile (Hong Kong), Autosport (UK), C! (Philippines), China Daily, F1 Racing (global), Kee (Hong Kong), Jiefang Daily (Shanghai, China) New Straits Times (Malaysia), Prestige (Hong Kong), South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), Strada (Korea), Tatler (Asia), WestEast (global). |
| Television: |
Guest
presenter on ESPN Star TV's coverage of the F1 World Championship. Interviewer and presenter for Asian Festival of Speed (distributed globally) [www.afos.com] and Japanese GT Championship (ESPN Star Sports). |
| Radio: |
Regular
appearances on Hong Kong's RTHK radio 3 [www.rthk.org.hk] |
| Matthew Marsh - full racing history: | |
| 2009: |
- Le Mans
24-hours – Lola-Mazda LMP2: DNF; - Le Mans Series – Lola-Mazda LMP2: Rd1 (Catalunya) DNF; Rd 2 (Spa) 5th; - Rolex 24 at Daytona – Porsche GT3 Cup: 5th in GT class, 268 laps led. |
| 2008: |
- World
Touring Car Championship: Rnds 21&22 (Okayama): 22nd(7th in
class)/14th (3rd); Rnds 23&24 (Macau) 17th (3rd)/8th (2nd). - Nürburgring 24-hours – Aston Martin V8 Vantage, class win (18th overall); - VLN Nürburgring 4-hours – Aston Martin; - Porsche Carrera Cup Asia: Rnds 1&2 (Sepang) 6th/5th; Rnds 3&4 (Shanghai) 6th/6th; Rnds 5&6 (Zhuhai) 6th/4th; Rnds 7&8 (Sentul) 6th/6th; Rnd 9 (Singapore) DNF; Rnd 10 (Shanghai) 6th; Rnds 11&12 (Bahrain) 7th/5th. - Rolex 24 at Daytona – Ferrari 430, DNF |
| 2007: |
-
Nürburgring 24-hours – Porsche GT3, 97th overall - Le Mans 24-hours – Ferrari 430, DNF |
| 2006: |
- Porsche
Infineon Carrera Cup Asia: Rnds1&2 (Sepang) 6th/3rd; Rnds3&4
(Sepang) 3rd/2nd; Rnds5&6 (Beijing) 2nd/2nd ; Rnds7&8 (Sentul)
7th/8th ; Rnd 9 (Shanghai) 4th; Rnds 10&11 (Zhuhai) DNF/7th; Rnd 12
(Macau) DNF; - Porsche Carrera Cup Japan: Rnd 2 (Motegi) 2nd; - Nürburgring 24-hours – Porsche GT3: 2nd in class (10th overall); - Le Mans Classic – Ferrari Daytona, Alfa Romeo GTZ1; |
| 2005: |
- Le Mans
Endurance Series: Rnd2 (Monza) DNF; Rnd 3 (Silverstone) DNF; Rnd 4
(Nürburgring) 8th in class ; - FIA GT Championship: Round 9 (Zhuhai) 4th in class ; - Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia: Rnd1(Sepang) 1st place; Rnds2&3 (Sepang) 4th /5th; Rnds 4&5(Bira) 5th/6th ; Rnds 6&7(Beijing) 6th/4th; Rnds 8&9 (Taebaek) 4th/3rd ; Rnd 10 (Shanghai F1) 2nd; Rnd 11 (Macau Guia) 3rd; - Asia GT Challenge: Rnds 1&2 (Shanghai) 1st /1st places; - Porsche Michelin Supercup; Rnd3 (Monaco) 14th ; - Vodafone Maserati Trofeo: (Nurburgring) 9th . |
| 2004: |
- Porsche
Infineon Carrera Cup Asia: Rnd1(Sepang) 5th place; Rnds2&3 (Sepang)
2nd /7th places; Rnds 4&5(Bira) 4th/4th places; Rnds
6&7(Beijing) 1st /1st places; Rnd 8 (Shanghai F1) 6th (winner until penalty) ;Rnds 9&10 (Taebaek) 1st/1st places; Rnd 11 (Macau Guia) 2nd. - FIA GT Championship: Round 9 (Zhuhai) 4th in class. - Porsche Carrera Cup GB: Rnds1&2(Thruxton) 9th /6th places. - Zhuhai 1000kms: 2nd place (Lotus Elise). - Vodafone Maserati Trofeo (Silverstone) - winner. |
| 2003: |
- Porsche
Carrera Cup Asia: Rnd1 (Sepang) 4th place; Rnd4 (Johor) 4th place;
Taebaek (Korea) – 3rd place; Beijing (China) – 4th place; Macau – 3rd
place (and pole position); - Merdeka Millennium 12-hour race (Sepang), Amprex BMW M3 GT: 9th; - Asian Touring Car Series, GR Ford Focus: Johor – 2nd place; |
| 2002: |
- Bathurst
24-hours, BMW Z3 M Coupe: 5th place and class win. - Asia Formula 2000, rounds 1&2, Subic Bay. |
| 2001: |
- Macau
Grand Prix, Asia Formula 2000. |
| 2000: |
- Macau
Grand Prix, Supercar Race, Renault Spider. - TVR Tuscan Championship, Silverstone GP circuit. - Coys Festival, Silverstone, Brabham BT31 F1 car. - European Gp N+ Endurance Series, BMW M3: Magny Cours 4-hours; Barcelona 4-hours; A1 Ring 4-hours; Nürburgring 4-hours; Nürburgring 24-hours; Zandvoort 4-hours; Spa 24-hours. |
| 1999: |
-
Spa-Francorchamps 4-hours, Radical Prosport - Cadwell Park 100 miles, Radical Prosport |
| 1998: |
- Caterham
Challenge and 750MC championships (UK). |
| 1997: |
- Macau
Grand Prix, Formula Campus; - Asia Formula 2000 Championship - occasional races; - Caterham Challenge and 750MC championships (UK) ; |
| 1987-89: |
- Formula
Ford - various events. - Ford Fiesta endurance event. - Caterham Challenge - one race. |