Which features more talent, Macau GP or Abu Dhabi test?

Formula 3 hot-shoe Roberto Merhi is hoping to prove that talent is still more valuable than money in motor racing by delivering victory in this weekend's Macau Grand Prix – after hitting out at the number of pay drivers that were signed up for this week's rookie Formula 1 test.

The Spaniard has had a sensational campaign in the F3 category this year, capturing the F3 Euro Series title and also securing the FIA F3 International Trophy ahead of its finale in Macau this weekend. Despite all that, there was no opportunity for Merhi to join this week's F1 rookie test because he does not have big-money sponsors behind him – and he's not happy about that.

"The situation is really hard," he told AUTOSPORT. "When you see now with the rookie test, who are the drivers doing it, I think it is not really fair for all the good drivers around here. It looks like you only need a lot of money to drive.

"I think for the [young driver] test you should need to have a superlicense to do it, otherwise it is going to become a joke to do it in the future. Well, it is already a joke and in the future it is going to be even worse, I reckon.

"But F1 is a different world and we need to accept it. And, anyway, I really like to do this race. If somebody came to me and said, 'Would you do this race or do the F1 test?', then I will say, 'Do Macau..."

GP2 race winner Dani Clos, who is participating in the Abu Dhabi test and hopes to land an F1 race seat with HRT next season – finances permitting – defended F1's smaller teams' pursuit of ride-buyers as inevitable.

"For a driver to get into F1, many things are involved," Clos said. "The team has to want you, and I think that is the case. But there is also the economic side.

"It's not that teams want to ask for money, but they need to. The economic situation in every sector is very hard. We are in the situation that we would love to step up but we need some support on the economic side. It's not impossible."

Meanwhile, Merhi is focusing on Macau as his best possible audition. He thinks that his previous experience at Macau, which has been frustrated by incidents, will prove useful as he guns for the biggest race victory of his career.

"Last year I got into the top three, but had a crash and I lost all my chances for winning," he said. "But this year I am much stronger mentally, and I am used to the team more than before. Last year was my first race with Prema and now this will be my last with them, and I want to finish in the best way possible.

"It would mean a lot to win here. I like the track, the city, the ambiance – it is really beautiful. And I think to win here would be a huge plus on the year; it would make it a hat trick. I will try for it, but I think it is going to be hard. There are a lot of people who have raced here before, who know the circuit.

"I think it is going to be a really good level – people are saying it is going to be one of the hardest, if not the hardest races, and I think that is why you will need to do everything right to win. If you make a mistake then you will lose the chance to do it."

Provisional Entry List – 58th Macau Grand Prix

*FIA Formula 3 International Trophy Drivers