Antonio Fuoco and Ferrari first success in Macau

FIAGT

Nov 16

The AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3, driven by Antonio Fuoco, wins the FIA GT World Cup in Macau, sealing a weekend dominated by the Ferrari official driver, who secured the Super Pole, victory in the Qualifying Race, victory in the Main Race and the fastest lap.

Macau FIA GT Podium — 📷 © Macau Grand Prix. Fuoco first, Marciello second (left) and Heinrich third (right).

First success for Ferrari in Macau

After safety car restart, Antonio Fuoco managed to avoid any possible threat from Marciello pulling out valuable tenths which, over the following laps, grew to almost five seconds, thanks also to an impressive sequence of fast laps, the best of which in 2’16”581.

Ferrari #50 — 📷 © Macau Grand Prix. Antonio Fuoco in AF Corse #50 Ferrari 296 GT3 ahead of Yeffe Ye with #83 Harmony Racing Ferrari 296 GT3

In the press conference held at the end of the race, Antonio Fuoco said: “It is really special to win here in Macau, particularly after what happened last year. We came back with a clear objective and I think we did an excellent job throughout the whole weekend. Today we managed every phase of the race with clarity and determination and I am happy to share this success with the team. After yesterday’s good start we tried to repeat that today, although I was concerned when I saw Marciello behind me. At the restart after the Safety Car, I almost lost the car at Mandarin just to create the margin needed not to be attacked at Lisboa, but everything went well and I am very happy.” Source: Ferrari

Marciello second

Raffaele Marciello secured second place on the Macau podium in the #53 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of ROWE Racing. Marciello seized his chance immediately at the start and sprinted up to second place – a podium position he held until the finish line.

📷 © Macau Grand Prix. Marciello overtake Picariello (left); Marciello’s #53 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO (right).

Raffaele Marciello (ROWE Racing, #53 BMW M4 GT3 EVO): “Our qualifying was not the best, for sure. When you start from fifth it’s always difficult to fight your way to the front. But we had a good first sector and in the main race, there was the opportunity to overtake at the start. But in the end we also need to admit that the Ferrari was too quick. I tried my best and second place was the maximum I could do today.” Source: BMW Group

Heinrich third

📷 © Macau Grand Prix. Ayhancan Guven (#11 Porsche 911 GT3 R) ended in the barriers at Lisboa

After Ayhancan Guven (#11 Porsche 911 GT3 R) briefly ran third but ended in the barriers at Lisboa after being nudged by Laurin Heinrich (#22 Schumacher CLRT Porsche), who kept his third place until the end of the race (after race restart following Guven - Engstler - Boccolacci pile-up).

📷 © Macau Grand Prix. Porsche #22 - Schumacher CLRT.

Ye fourth

Yeffe Ye managed to limit the damage, emerging fifth from the multi-car incident at Lisboa. Ye tried launched several attacks on Eriksson, fourth but Ye finished fifth with #83 Harmony Racing Ferrari 296 GT3. After the race, the decision by the stewards to penalize Eriksson, promoted Yifei Ye to the fourth place.

#83 Ferrari — 📷 © Macau Grand Prix. #83 Harmony Racing Ferrari 296 GT3

Yifei Ye: “It was a difficult race. I had a good reaction at the start and the initial getaway was positive, but at Mandarin I was alongside and then overtaken by a car that could count on a higher top speed. At that moment I made contact, lost momentum and several positions before Lisboa. From then on everything was difficult because in the traffic I didn’t have the momentum to fight back. It’s a pity because we were competitive in all the sessions, but I still want to thank the team and congratulate Ferrari on winning the FIA GT World Cup.” Source: Ferrari

Erikkson fifth and van der Linde sixth

As written above, Eriksson lost his P4 to be classified fifth while Sheldon van der Linde gained several positions in the turbulent opening stage and later executed a brilliant overtaking manoeuvre on the tight street circuit to take sixth place.

Sheldon van der Linde (Team WRT, #31 BMW M4 GT3 EVO): “Unfortunately it has not been the weekend we came here for. We obviously wanted to try to win the race, that was my main goal coming into the weekend. But it started off on the wrong foot in qualifying with a mistake that I take responsibility for. We had to start at the back of the field in the qualifying race, had a very good start but then unfortunately got spun around in turn three. So that was another rollercoaster we had to go through. But in the main race, we gained a lot of places at the start and I was able to capitalise on others making mistakes. So, yes, we are happy with the end, even if it didn’t start how we wanted it to. But from P16 to P6: we would have signed that before the race.” Source: BMW Group

RACE FINAL CLASSIFICATION