Today the grandstands were full, a fantastic ambience reigned, the full grid was packed with top-level drivers so all the ingredients were on hand to make the qualifying race for the Macau Grand Prix an event not to be missed under any circumstances! 

 

When the lights went out Raffaele Marciello (D88.com Prema Powerteam) made a dog’s breakfast of his start and fell back to fifth. Alex Lynn (Theodore Racing by Prema) shot through from the second row, but under braking for Lisboa the British driver almost lost it completely and Felix Rosenqvist (GR Asia with Mücke) took advantage of this to snatch the lead. 

 

The safety car was deployed immediately to help marshals remove the cars of Tom Blomqvist (Fortec Motorsports), Harry Tincknell (Carlin) and Dennis van der Laar (Kftzeile24 Mücke Motorsport). At that moment Rosenqvist led from Alex Lynn, Lucas Auer (Theodore Racing by Prema), Antonio Felix da Costa (Carlin) and Raffaele Marcciello. 

 

Things turned in Lynn’s favour at the restart as he sliced past Rosenqvist after a spectacular move. He opened up a gap and had an untroubled run to the chequered flag. “Since we’ve arrived here my engineer hasn’t stopped telling me that all that counts is the result on Sunday. All the rest is just a journey,” admitted Lynn. “Yesterday was the first act, today we’ve made another step forward, but tomorrow I’ll have to give everything. So, yes, although I’m happy to have won today I’ll have to stay totally concentrated on tomorrow.”

 

“The thing to remember is that we’ve got a very good car, but I almost lost it all in Lisboa. I braked too late and I had to widen my line. Felix Rosenqvist took advantage of it. On the restart I profited from slipstreaming to retake the lead. Tomorrow, I’m starting from pole and we’ve already seen that first place isn’t necessarily the best option here. I’m going to have to fight. You don’t decide to win in Macau, it’s Macau that chooses you!” 

 

Felix Rosenqvist, who finished second, still has every chance of winning the FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup. “I made a good start and then like last year I didn’t have any grip after the safety car period. Alex overtook me and managed to open up a gap. However, I was able to pull him in at the end of the race as my car was getting better and better. We’ll have to learn the lessons from today’s race for tomorrow. Everything’s still up for grabs.” 

 

Behind these two Raffaele Marciello thrilled the crowd by overtaking Lucas Auer first of all, before the latter’s race ended in the guardrail, and then Felix da Costa. The reigning FIA European Formula 3 Champion hasn’t given up by any means. “I made a really bad start,” admitted the Ferrari Driver Academy protégé. “I found myself in fifth place and I’m very happy to have made it up to third. The car’s very quick so I’m feeling confident for tomorrow. With a good start victory in the Macau Grand Prix is within my grasp.” 

 

Fourth today, Antonio Felix da Costa is also a driver to be watched like fifth-placed Luis Felipe Derani (Fortec Motorsports), who is determined to cause an upset. Alexander Sims (Three Bond with T-Sport) saw the flag in sixth place in front of the best rookie of the day Jordan King (Carlin), Will Buller (Fortec Motosport), Carlos Sainz Jr. (Carlin) and Esteban Ocon (Prema Powerteam).

 

Thus, the qualifying race decided the grid positions for the 60th Macau Grand Prix. On Sunday at 15h30 Alex Lynn will start from pole from Felix Rosenqvist, Raffaele Marciello, and Antonio Felix da Costa.