Qi-Meritus.Mahara heads home for the fifth round of the GP2 Asia season in Malaysia with high hopes after its driver line-up of Portugal's Alvaro Parente and Italy's Marco Bonanomi showed so much speed and potential in the last outing in Qatar.

24-year-old Porto-born Parente has just returned from a testing session for his GP2 debut in Barcelona, topping both sessions at the wheel of his new GP2 team: Ocean Racing Technology. Both Parente and teammate Marco Bonanomi are eager to get back behind the wheel for the fifth round of the GP2 Asia Series in Malaysia.

"I am very pleased to have the opportunity to drive again for My Team Qi-Meritus.Mahara at its home race. I last drove on the Malaysian track in 2005 in the first season of A1GP,” Alvaro Parente commented. “I have a record to set straight though after a flat tyre ruined my strong race then. After Doha I felt good physically even if I could feel in my bones that I had not driven for a long time. In Barcelona, my results showed how great I was feeling to be back behind the wheel.”

“The Malaysian track conditions require for a driver to be very fit to deal with the humidity and the very technical track. It is so interesting: the track has a bit of everything: fast, slow and medium speed corners. My goal is to give my best at all times and work hard ahead of the race to set-up the car as well as possible so we have a great result for My Qi-Meritus.Mahara at home! This race I want to fight for the front of the grid and for the win!"

The fifth round of the GP2 Asia 2008-2009 season will take place at Sepang International Circuit on 4-5 April 2009.