2018 FIA GT World Cup
Augusto Farfus of BMW Team Schnitzer won the main race from pole position in a BMW M6 GT3. After winning the Qualification Race the afternoon before, Farfus led every lap of the main race to achieve his fourth Macau victory and his first since the 2009 Guia Race of Macau. BMW became the third manufacturer to win the race. Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing's Maro Engel finished second, and his teammate Edoardo Mortara finished third.
Background and entry list
The 2018 FIA GT World Cup was confirmed at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting on March 9. The event was held in the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Macau thanks to a contract extension with race organisers. It was the race's fourth staging and the eleventh GT3 event in Macau, taking place on the 6.120 km (3.803 mi) Guia Circuit in the streets of Macau on November 18, 2018, after three days of practice and qualifying. The Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO) collaborated with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to promote the race; the SRO was appointed by the promoter Associação Geral Automóvel de Macau-China to form a field of cars. The manufacturers' championship was presented to the maker of the winning participant's car, in accordance with the event regulations. The FIA nominated tyre manufacturer Pirelli as the race's control tyre supplier for the fourth successive year.
Drivers had to have competed in an FIA-regulated championship race based on GT3 regulations in the previous two seasons or have significant experience in Grand Touring (GT) cars to enter the race. Only those with a platinum or gold racing licence could automatically enter. Silver-ranked drivers were also permitted, but they had to be approved individually by the FIA GT World Cup Committee. Bronze-rated competitors were not permitted to compete. Entries were open from 6 July to 31 August. The FIA released the entry list on 18 October. The entry list included 15 drivers from 11 different countries, and they came from series such as the ADAC GT Masters and the Blancpain GT Series. Maro Engel, Laurens Vanthoor and Edoardo Mortara, as well as 2007 Macau Grand Prix winner Oliver Jarvis, were all former FIA GT World Cup winners.
The FIA imposed a balance of performance to ensure a high level of parity. The Audi R8 LMS had 10 kg (22 lb) of ballast added. Meanwhile, the weight of the BMW M6 GT3 was decreased by 10 kg (22 lb) but the turbocharger boost was reduced. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 gained handling with a 20 kg (44 lb) reduction in ballast but lost performance due to a 1 mm (0.039 in) reduction in air restrictor size. The Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 debuted in Macau, weighing 1,305 kg (2,877 lb), while the Porsche 911 GT3 R received no performance changes.
Practice
There were two half-an-hour practice sessions preceding the 18 November race. Robin Frijns's No. 66 Team WRT Speedstar Audi R8 LMS lapped fastest in the first practice session on the afternoon of 15 November at 2 minutes, 18.588 seconds, ahead of Mortara, Christopher Haase, Augusto Farfus and Earl Bamber. Four manufacturers were represented in the first five. The session was stopped for separate accidents at the Melco hairpin. Dries Vanthoor, Frijns' teammate, hit the outside wall and lost control, coming to a stop sideways across the circuit. His car's front-left bodywork was damaged, and the spoiler was removed. While attempting to avoid Dries Vanthoor, Mathieu Jaminet was unsighted and crashed into a wall, sustaining minor damage to his car's left door. Farfus was forced to stop after that. Four manufacturers occupied the first five positions in the second practice session on the morning of November 16th, with Bamber setting the fastest lap in the No. 912 Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R at 2 minutes, 17.436 seconds with three minutes remaining after adjustments and tyre changes. Second through fifth were Engel, Frijns, Laurens Vanthoor, and Farfus. When Haase lost control of his vehicle and collided with the barrier at the R Bend turn, the session ended prematurely.
Qualifying
![Raffaele Marciello in white fireproof racing clothing](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Raffaele_Marciello_2017.jpg/170px-Raffaele_Marciello_2017.jpg)
Friday afternoon's half-hour qualifying session determined the qualification race's starting order through each driver's fastest lap times. Conditions were cool for qualifying. Raffaele Marciello's No. 999 GruppeM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 took pole position in his second race in Macau, as the only driver to go under 2 minutes, 17 seconds on his final timed lap at 2 minutes, 16.8 seconds time on his final timed lap. It was his second pole position in Macau since the 2013 Macau Grand Prix. Marciello demoted Farfus from pole to second, despite the latter lapping faster with two minutes remaining. Following late-session improvements and a battle between both drivers, Engel took third and Mortara was fourth, giving Mercedes three positions in the top four. Manthey's Bamber and Laurens Vanthoor were fifth and sixth, with Audi drivers Frijns, Haase, and Dries Vanthoor seventh through ninth. Jaminet qualified tenth. Alexandre Imperatori took 11th, followed by Adderly Fong and Darryl O'Young from Hong Kong in 12th and 13th. Jarvis qualified 14th in his first Macau race since winning the 2007 Macau Grand Prix and Tsugio Matsuda in 15th completed the starting order. Frijns outbraked himself at Lisboa corner and crashed into the barrier during qualifying, necessitating the use of a localised yellow flag with less than three minutes remaining.
Post-qualifying
The FIA changed the performance balance again before the qualifying race, reducing the minimum ballast of the three KCMG-fielded Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3s by 20 kg (44 lb) for better handling. The vehicles' performance was also improved, with turbocharger boost increases across the board. O'Young started from the back of the field after changing engines after qualifying.
Qualifying classification
|
|
Qualifying race
![Augusto Farfus speaking to an audience at a race track with two adult women behind him in 2018](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Augusto_Farfus%2C_Brands_Hatch_2018_%2845568475721%29.jpg/220px-Augusto_Farfus%2C_Brands_Hatch_2018_%2845568475721%29.jpg)
The qualifying race to determine the main race's starting order began at 13:05 Macau Standard Time (UTC+08:00) on November 17 under overcast conditions of 23 °C (73 °F). Matsuda failed to start because smoke billowed from the front of his car as the formation lap began. Farfus had a better start than Marciello and took the lead on the outside into Mandarin Bend corner. The safety car was dispatched almost immediately for a three-car collision. Laurens Vanthoor and Mortara collided as Mortara was defending from Vanthoor and Bamber on both sides into Mandarin Bend turn. Mortara swerved to the right as Bamber did the same, colliding with Laurens Vanthoor. Vanthoor went into a half-spin, crashing sideways into the outside barrier and rolling back across the circuit. He was unhurt. Two laps were completed under safety car conditions to allow Laurens Vanthoor's car to be removed from the track before it was withdrawn for the third lap restart.
Farfus took longer than usual to resume racing speeds after steering his car from side to side on the back straight before the final turn. By the end of the third lap, he had a second's advantage over Marciello after a clean start., subsequently extendinb it to 21⁄2 seconds. Marciello set the race's fastest lap of 2 minutes, 17.989 seconds on lap seven to briefly threaten a comeback, but Farfus quickly responded by lapping four-tenths of a second faster on lap eight and then by seven-tenths of a second faster on lap nine, resetting the fastest lap to 2 minutes, 17.987 seconds. Farfus could then gradually extend his lead, even though Marciello and his teammate Engel were faster in the track's mountain section. He won the 12-lap qualifying race, claiming pole position for the main race by 3.812 seconds over Marciello. The final classified finishers were Engel, Mortara, Bamber, Frijns, Haase, Dries Vanthoor, Jaminet, Imperatori, Fong, Jarvis and O'Young.
Qualification Race classification
Pos. | Class | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Time/Retired |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | P | 42 | ![]() |
BMW Team Schnitzer | BMW | 12 | 29:35.782 |
2 | P | 999 | ![]() |
Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing | Mercedes-Benz | 12 | +3.812 |
3 | P | 888 | ![]() |
Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing | Mercedes-Benz | 12 | +5.022 |
4 | P | 1 | ![]() |
Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing | Mercedes-Benz | 12 | +5.706 |
5 | P | 912 | ![]() |
Manthey Racing | Porsche | 12 | +6.296 |
6 | P | 66 | ![]() |
Audi Sport Team WRT Speedstar | Audi | 12 | +13.102 |
7 | P | 28 | ![]() |
Audi Sport Team Rutronik | Audi | 12 | +13.652 |
8 | G | 88 | ![]() |
Audi Sport Team WRT Speedstar | Audi | 12 | +14.232 |
9 | G | 991 | ![]() |
Craft-Bamboo Racing | Porsche | 12 | +21.393 |
10 | G | 18 | ![]() |
KCMG | Nissan | 12 | +25.067 |
11 | G | 77 | ![]() |
Zun Motorsport Crew | Audi | 12 | +28.790 |
12 | P | 35 | ![]() |
KCMG | Nissan | 12 | +32.084 |
13 | S | 55 | ![]() |
Craft-Bamboo Racing | Porsche | 12 | +41.794 |
Ret | P | 911 | ![]() |
Manthey Racing | Porsche | 0 | Accident |
Ret | P | 23 | ![]() |
KCMG | Nissan | 0 | Engine |
Source: |
Main race
"This is a fantastic victory. It is 29 years to the day that my dad gave me my first motorcycle and to be here now winning the FIA GT World Cup is a very special moment. It's all the more special because Charly (Lamm) is here. We brought a small team to Macau but everyone here for BMW Motorsport has done a fantastic job. We had a plan and I think we executed it perfectly. I think it's the first time the GT has had a full green race as well. I knew I had the pace, I knew I had the package and that the start would be crucial for a good race. So, a lot of effort when into turn one; I wanted to keep the lead and that was pretty much it. I was just committed, fully committed to keeping my car on the track. In the last sector I got a good run on to the straight and we made it! It's our first GT World Cup."
Augusto Farfus on winning the 2018 FIA GT World Cup.
On November 18, at 12:25 p.m. local time, the race began in overcast conditions. Laurens Vanthoor was forced to withdraw from the rest of the event due to chassis damage sustained in his first lap accident with Mortara in the previous day's qualification race, resulting in his second consecutive weekend-ending crash. Farfus made a quick start from pole position and steered to the inside to maintain the lead over Marciello entering the first turn. As Farfus entered Lisboa corner, Maricello applied pressure, but he was unable to overtake him and remained second. Behind Farfus and Maricello, Mortara and his teammate Engel were third and fourth with Bamber fifth. Bamber collided with the barrier at the Solitude Esses on the second lap but continued without damaging his vehicle. Farfus had opened up a more than one-second lead over Marciello by the lap's conclusion. Following the first four laps, Marciello drew close to Farfus and was able to put pressure on the race leader by closely following him. Marciello was able to lap faster in the circuit's mountain areas, but he failed to close up enough to Farfus to attempt a pass. Marciello hit the barrier while attempting to turn into Lisboa turn on the eighth lap after braking late for the turn. He returned to the track without necessitating the yellow flags and dropped to tenth. The accident promoted Engel to second, behind Farfus.
To distract Farfus, Engel frequently used light flashing. Throughout most of the rest of the race, he stayed within a second of Farfus, who countered with his BMW's higher straightline speed over Engel's Mercedes-Benz. Matsuda passed O'Young for 13th on lap 11, while Marciello passed Imperatori for ninth and Jaminet passed Dries Vanthoor for seventh on the following lap. With two laps remaining, Engel made a braking error for the Melco hairpin, increasing Farfus' lead. Farfus eventually led all 18 laps to achieve his first Macau victory since the 2009 Guia Race of Macau, his fourth in Macau, and his first GT victory on the Guia Circuit. BMW became the third manufacturer to win the FIA GT World Cup. Engel followed 0.981 seconds later in second. His teammate Mortara, whose car lacked downforce and pace, finished third after overcoming an early race error at Police bend. Bamber in fourth was the final car in the lead pack. Frijns was the highest-placed Audi driver, finishing fifth, giving four manufacturers a presence in the top five. Frijns finished two seconds ahead of Haase, who was sixth. Jaminet and Dries Vanthoor finished seventh and eighth, respectively, with Marciello ninth. Imperatori was the highest-finishing Nissan driver, finishing tenth. The final four finishers were Fong, Jarvis, Matuda, and O'Young. During a race with no safety car deployments, only three overtakes happened.
Main Race classification
Pos. | Class | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Time/Retired |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | P | 42 | ![]() |
BMW Team Schnitzer | BMW | 18 | 41:45.992 |
2 | P | 888 | ![]() |
Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing | Mercedes-Benz | 18 | +0.981 |
3 | P | 1 | ![]() |
Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing | Mercedes-Benz | 18 | +1.823 |
4 | P | 912 | ![]() |
Manthey Racing | Porsche | 18 | +3.283 |
5 | P | 66 | ![]() |
Audi Sport Team WRT Speedstar | Audi | 18 | +4.549 |
6 | P | 28 | ![]() |
Audi Sport Team Rutronik | Audi | 18 | +6.588 |
7 | G | 991 | ![]() |
Craft-Bamboo Racing | Porsche | 18 | +20.504 |
8 | G | 88 | ![]() |
Audi Sport Team WRT Speedstar | Audi | 18 | +21.449 |
9 | P | 999 | ![]() |
Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing | Mercedes-Benz | 18 | +23.009 |
10 | G | 18 | ![]() |
KCMG | Nissan | 18 | +31.147 |
11 | G | 77 | ![]() |
Zun Motorsport Crew | Audi | 18 | +41.960 |
12 | P | 35 | ![]() |
KCMG | Nissan | 18 | +43.391 |
13 | P | 23 | ![]() |
KCMG | Nissan | 18 | +1:03.531 |
14 | S | 55 | ![]() |
Craft-Bamboo Racing | Porsche | 18 | +1:08.268 |
DNS | P | 911 | ![]() |
Manthey Racing | Porsche | 0 | Accident |
Source: |
See also
Notes and references
Notes
- ^ Lamborghini was not present because its main Asian-based team was preparing to relocate to Europe, and Honda was not present because they did not prioritise the GT3 category. Aston Martin and McLaren were preparing to launch new GT3 cars, while Bentley was delivering new Continental GT3s to teams.
- ^ Darryl O'Young began from the back of the field for the Qualification Race due to an engine switch.
- ^ Laurens Vanthoor did not start the Main Race because the chassis of his car sustained too much damage in an accident during the Qualification Race.
References
- ^ "Results Booklet – SJM Macau GT Cup – Circuito Da Guia – 15–18 November 2018". ITS Events. 16 November 2018. pp. 18, 25–28, 36–38, 48. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Pirelli heads towards the jewel in the crown of GT racing". Endurance-Info. 13 November 2018. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (9 March 2018). "Macau FIA GT World Cup Return Confirmed". SportsCar365. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Ebner, Tobias (10 March 2018). "Macau Grand Prix: 2018 weiter mit FIA GT Weltcup und Formel 3" [Macau Grand Prix: 2018 continue with FIA GT World Cup and Formula 3]. Motorsport Magazin (in German). Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Suncity Group 65th Macau Grand Prix! Bumper Programme" (PDF). Macau Grand Prix Gazette (2): 2, 8. 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (16 November 2018). "Macau Friday Notebook". SportsCar365. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Crisis? No Crisis. – SJM Macau GT Cup – FIA GT World Cup". Macau Business. 18 November 2018. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ Marques, Renato (14 November 2018). "Preview GT World Cup – Big Names Seeking Major Achievements". Macau Daily Times. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Pirelli to Supply FIA GT World Cup, Nations Cup Events". SportsCar365. 20 September 2018. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ FIA GT World Cup – 2018 Sporting Regulations. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 6 June 2018. pp. 6–7.
- ^ "GT World Cup – 2018 FIA GT World Cup Entries Open". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 6 July 2018. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (18 October 2018). "Disappointing 15 Car Entry For FIA GT World Cup". DailySportsCar. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Five star entry for FIA GT World Cup". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 18 October 2020. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (18 October 2018). "15-Car FIA GT World Cup Entry List Released". SportsCar365. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (15 November 2018). "Macau Thursday Notebook". SportsCar365. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (15 November 2018). "Frijns Quickest in Free Practice 1 in Macau". SportsCar365. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Marques, Renato (16 November 2018). "GT | Frijns Takes Audi to Top on First Run". Macau Daily Times. Archived from the original on 16 September 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Frijns Tops Opening Practice for SJM Macau GT Cup – FIA GT World Cup". Macau Grand Prix Committee. 15 November 2018. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (16 November 2018). "Bamber Quickest; Haase Crashes in FP2". SportsCar365. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Bamber Heads Second Practice in Macao". Macau Grand Prix Committee. 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Porsche scores fourth at Macau" (Press release). Porsche. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Moura, Nelson (16 November 2018). "Macau | Marciello fastest in first FIA GT World Cup qualifying race – Grand Prix". Macau Business. Macau News Agency. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (16 November 2018). "Marciello Takes Last-Gasp Pole in Macau". SportsCar365. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Marciello Grabs Last-Grasp in Macao". Macau Grand Prix Committee. 16 November 2018. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Cozens, Jack (16 November 2018). "Macau FIA GT World Cup: Raffaele Marciello puts Mercedes on pole". Autosport. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "GT World Cup – Raffaele Marciello Snatches Pole Position". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (16 November 2018). "KCMG Nissans Given Double BoP Break Ahead of Qualifying Race". SportsCar365. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "VLT and Craft-Bamboo Racing complete another successful campaign at the 65th Macau Grand Prix" (Press release). Craft-Bamboo Racing. 18 November 2018. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Cozens, Jack (17 November 2018). "Macau GT World Cup: Farfus beats Mercedes trio in qualification race". Autosport. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Müller, Oliver (17 November 2018). "Augusto Farfus gewinnt das Qualifying-Rennen in Macau" [Augusto Farfus wins the qualifying race in Macau] (in German). Speedweek. Archived from the original on 31 October 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Farfus Takes Qualification Race Win for BMW in Macao". Macau Grand Prix Committee. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (18 November 2018). "Farfus Takes FIA GT World Cup in Macau For BMW Team Schnitzer". DailySportsCar. Archived from the original on 5 January 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Seiwart, Robert; Wester, Arno (17 November 2018). "Macau 2018: Augusto Farfus feiert emotionalen BMW-Sieg" [Macau 2018: Augusto Farfus celebrates emotional BMW victory]. Motorsport Magazin (in German). Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (17 November 2018). "Macau Saturday Notebook". SportsCar365. Archived from the original on 17 May 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ "Farfus Takes Emotional Victory in Macao". Macau Grand Prix Committee. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Müller, Oliver (18 November 2018). "BMW triumphiert bei viertem FIA GT World Cup in Macau" [BMW triumphs in fourth FIA GT World Cup in Macau] (in German). Speedweek. Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Cozens, Jack (18 November 2020). "Macau GT World Cup: Farfus wins from pole, resists Mercedes pressure". Autosport. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Jackson, Connor (18 November 2018). "Farfus Takes Honours for BMW at FIA GT World Cup". The Checkered Flag. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Marques, Renato (19 November 2018). "Farfus wins GT World Cup in an emotional day for BMW Schnitzer". Macau Daily Times. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (18 November 2018). "Farfus, BMW Win Emotional FIA GT World Cup in Macau". SportsCar365. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Atkin, Nick (18 November 2020). "Macau Grand Prix 2018 results: Augusto Farfus takes GT World Cup as Charly Lamm savours 'dream come true' on farewell". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.