F4 World Cup: Olivieri wins the qualifying race, Jules Roussel snatches P2

To win this qualifying race – crucial for determining the starting grid order for the actual F4 World Cup taking place this Sunday – taking risks at the start was clearly essential. Third before the lights went out, Emanuele Olivieri got the best start of the leading trio, managing to overtake both Kean Nakamura-Berta and Sebastian Wheldon, the two who made up the front row. With a daring maneuver that could easily have ended in the wall, the Italian perfectly executed his move and never relinquished the lead. Finishing second, Jules Roussel proved the fastest in the first half of the field, also benefiting from the events unfolding ahead. The Frenchman capped off his impressive performance with a final overtake on Rintaro Sato, allowing him to cross the finish line 94 thousandths of a second ahead of the Japanese driver.

Capable of overtaking from the very first laps, the French driver saw Kean Nakamura-Berta and Sebastian Wheldon crash into the wall at the first corner. Having been overtaken by Emanuele Oliveira, the two men pushed hard down the straight, but neither was quick enough to brake in the narrow section. The Italian F4 champion appeared particularly disappointed in his car, thus leaving the field open to his competitors for the rest of the weekend, despite his status as favorite.

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While these various events highlighted the impressive third-place finish achieved by Frenchman Rayan Caretti, who climbed from 15th to a superb fourth before Rintaro Sato's penalty, Alexandre Munoz was not so fortunate. Despite a very good start, the reigning French champion was ultimately forced to retire due to a mechanical problem with his car.

Another notable retirement at the very end of this qualifying race in Macau was that of Fionn McLaughlin. Second for a good part of the race, the Irishman, supported by Red Bull He put pressure on Emanuele Olivieri and looked capable of taking the lead on several occasions. However, making a misjudgment on the final lap, the British F4 champion ultimately hit a barrier with his right rear wheel, forcing him to retire just a few kilometers from the finish.

The 18 F4 drivers selected in this order will start the F4 World Cup this Sunday, determining the winner of this inaugural event. The race will be broadcast live from 2:15 AM (French time).

F4 World Cup – Macau Grand Prix
The qualifying race standings