FIA F3 World Cup – Juri Vips wins qualifying race in Macau

Juri Vips (Hitech GP) brilliantly converted his pole position from the day before into victory in the FIA ​​World Cup qualifying race F3 from Macau this Saturday morning.

The poleman had maintained his qualifying advantage until the Lisboa corner at the start, holding off Robert Shwartzman (SJM Prema Theodore Racing) and Christian Lundgaard (ART Grand Prix), who came to get the better of Callum Ilott (Sauber Junior Team by Charouz) .

But the Lisboa turn will be fatal to Arjun Maini (Jenzer), slightly affected by Logan sargeant (Carlin Buzz Racing), which hits the barriers and causes a chain reaction, the main victims of which will be Jake Hughes (HWA) and Dan Ticktum (Carlin Buzz Racing).

The safety car was deployed while Ticktum returned to the pits to change a link, when Hughes and Maini were definitively eliminated. When the debates resumed, the order did not change between Vips, Shwartzman and Lundgaard.

If the leader widens a small gap, the 3 FIA F2019 champion does not let himself be left behind and comes back little by little, accumulating the best laps in the race. Vips responded with three laps to go, however, as Felipe Drugovich (Carlin Buzz Racing) hit the protective wall outside Lisboa on the penultimate lap.

The hierarchy will not evolve, and Juri Vips wins ahead of Shwartzman and Lundgaard, securing pole position for the main race of the FIA ​​F3 World Cup tomorrow Sunday. Richard Verschoor (MP Motorsport) finished 4th after having the advantage at the end of the event over Callum Ilott, who completed the top 5.

Logan Sargeant, Alessio Lorandi (Trident), Ferdinand Habsburg (ART Grand Prix), David Beckmann (Trident) and Leonardo Pulcini (Campos Racing) enter the top 10. Double outgoing winner, Dan Ticktum finishes 27th and last classified.