The 2016 edition of the FIA GT World Cup at Macau had a rather wacky situation with Laurens Vanthoor winning the race with the roof in the asphalt, but this year’s Qualifying Race continued the strange tradition by having a gigantic 16-car pileup that blocked the road, from which Edoardo Mortara escaped to win the event.
Maro Engel aligned on three-wide to take over the lead after the start but star of the moment was the superb dash of Augusto Farfus from fifth to third. Things were going smoothly in this initial lap when a spin from Daniel Juncadella created a monster pileup and blocked the road, leaving only the four cars ahead of him in one piece, and the Red Flag was called immediately.
After almost a full hour to retrieve the cars from the crash site and repair what was possible to, the drivers went back to track behind the Safety Car but without more than half of the grid present. To worse things more, the No. 999 GruppeM Mercedes of Maro Engel, who was leading until the pileup, stopped just before leaving the pitlane with problems and went back for further checks.
When the race restarted, Edoardo Mortara was leading the field with Augusto Farfus on his back wing, but Motara blocking all tries of an overtake as his pace was constantly higher, he won the race with certain ease. Raffaele Marcielo completed the podium with Robin Frijns and Chaz Mostert right behind, in a race where only eight cars saw the checkered flag.
Due to damage beyond repair, some entries are already confirmed that will not take part in the Main Race, like Laurens Vanthoor’s Porsche. Others have extensive damage but repairs are being done, even if they prove to be lengthy, as in the case of Renger van der Zande’s Honda NSX.
PHOTO: Mercedes AMG Customer Racing
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