Audi locks front row in the FIA GT World Cup qualify


Audi has a tradition of well balanced GT3 cars and Edoardo Mortara has a tradition to do good races at Macau, and it will be him to have a premium view of the track in the qualifying race of the FIA GT World Cup as he conquered the pole position.

The first fastest was done by Mirko Bortolotti, but with his time being in the 2:23 range, smashed by Maro Engel and then by Edoardo Mortara, when the Audi driver lapped in 2:17.617. Earl Bamber beat Mortara with 2:17.575, only to see Laurens Vanthoor outclass them all with a lap of 2:17.440. With 18 minutes to go, Pasin Lathouras carried too much speed through the Mandarin corner, lost the rear end and crashed into the guard-rail, then bringing the first red flag of the session.

Action returned a few minutes later with at least four drivers being direct contenders for pole position, but when all the favorites were in the way for their fastest laps, the second red flag was on, as Richard Lyons clipped the kerb at Mandarin, lost the rear wing in the barrier and then kept going to a heavy rear impact to the guard-rail.

Session resumed and the Mercedes duo was the first in line, and Maro Engel in fact took pole for a brief moment with a 2:17.147 lap, just to be thrown to third by Mortara with a time of 2:16.862 and Laurens Vanthoor with a lap of 2:17.016. Bamber still found his way to third with 2:17.133, and while the other cars were in route to the pits, the Manthey Racing Porsches and Renger van der Zande were able to do an extra lap before the timer goes to zero. Neither of the three cars improved their times, so Audi locked the front row with Mortara in front and Vanthoor in second.
Here are the complete results of the FIA GT World Cup qualifying:



Comments