Macau F3 GP – Pole for Raffaele Marciello

Raffaele Marciello had a superb 2013 season, taking the crown of FIA F3 European Champion not without having gleaned 13 victories, 12 pole positions, 19 podiums and 7 fastest laps in the race. Satisfied, the 18-year-old Italian? Certainly not. Because if there is a race of Formula 3 that all drivers dream of adding to their list of achievements, it is indeed the Macau Grand Prix, an event which notably saw Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher to name just two.

And in Macau, qualifications are of crucial importance. Raffaele Marciello knows this, and that's why he didn't let anyone else take pole position. At the wheel of his car of the Prema Powerteam, the little protégé of the Team Ferrari completed a lap in 2'11"555. “I didn’t hide my game, he admits, recalling previous riding sessions. But deliberately I have always kept some under my feet until then. I always kept some margin because I absolutely didn't want to hit the rail. We nevertheless worked well with my team and knowing this circuit I generally know where the limit is. I had a good lap, I took advantage of the slipstream when necessary. The race nevertheless promises to be difficult, because in addition to the pitfalls of Macau, this long straight line is not necessarily favorable to the first, especially at the start. You have to have a good race on Saturday, but it is especially on Sunday that it is important to finish in front, before that there is no point! »

Coincidence or logic, as you wish, the leading quartet of the starting grid is similar to… that of the general classification of the 2013 edition of the FIA ​​F3 European Championship. Thus, alongside him on the first row of the starting grid for the qualifying round, Marciello will meet his runner-up Felix Rosenqvist tomorrow. “It didn’t go far, regrets the Swede from the GR Asia with Mücke team, who yesterday signed the best time of the first qualifying session. I did a good lap, with good vacuum, the second sector went well but it was in the last two corners that I lost a little time by trying to do too much. I thought I would take pole anyway, but Raffaele did better. Victory nevertheless remains within my reach. I believe the top 4 has its chances. Is this getting off to a good start? »

Behind the duellists, we will find the Briton Alex Lynn and the Austrian Lucas Auer, both residents of Theodore Racing By Prema. Tomorrow, the start of the qualifying race will be at 14 p.m. local time (7 a.m. French time). Their final ranking will determine the starting grid for the 2013 Macau Grand Prix, which will start on Sunday at 15:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. French time). At the end we will know who will succeed the Portuguese Antonio Félix da Costa, fifth fastest in qualifying today…