Ugochukwu wins Macau GP qualification race in mixed conditions

Photo: FIA

Ugo Ugochukwu won the Macau Grand Prix qualification race from pole, putting him first on the grid for the FIA Formula Regional World Cup-awarding main race.

There was drama before the race, with spots of rain falling at one corner, then KCMG by Pinnacle Motorsport’s Mari Boya being unable to get his car going on the formation lap from fifth on the grid. Marshals helped him get moving after everyone had passed, and he then broke the rules by overtaking (earning himself a black flag) before heading to the pits for the start.

R-ace GP’s Ugochukwu started well, but MP Motorsport’s Oliver Goethe was able to get alongside through Reservoir and turn two. Both Sota Ogawa (TGM Grand Prix) and Tuukka Taponen (R-ace) carried too much speed through there and crashed, with the safety car called once drivers reached Melco hairpin – the slowest point on the track.

Green flags waved again at the end of lap three, and Ugochukwu put a second between himself and Goethe before reaching the start/finish line while Boya set the fastest lap in last place.

Sainteloc Racing’s Theophile Nael was able to pass Evans GP’s Cooper Webster for sixth on the restart lap, while ART Grand Prix’s James Wharton found out he would have to give up 10th place at some point as he had a 10-second stop-go penalty.

Ugochukwu was 1.329s clear by the end of lap four, with Goethe and KCMG by Pinnacle’s Noel Leon still in his sights between the barriers while everyone else was gapped.

On the next lap Goethe cut the gap back down to 0.757s by setting the fastest lap, and Ugochukwu had to get defensive into Lisboa. Webster nurfed into the rear of Nael there and sent him down the escape road, and he rejoined just ahead of the battle for 13th between Alex Dunne (Prema) and Jin Nakamura (TOM’S).

Racing was neutralised at Melco again on lap six due to MP’s Mattia Colnaghi going off, and just before that Prema’s Freddie Slater had passed R-ace’s Enzo Deligny for fourth. Wharton sat eighth, having not taken his penalty, and when rain began to fall in more areas of the track the race was red flagged a lap later so drivers could switch to wet weather tyres.

There was a 14-minute break, and mechanics did not rush to change tyres on any of the leading cars. But with no tyre warmers, it meant the slicks attached got colder as cars sat in the pitlane. Teams were then prompted into action when race control informed them wet tyres were mandatory.

The order when the race was stopped was used for the restart, with lap seven considered complete and with three laps to go. The safety car led the field through all three laps, with soaking wet conditions at Lisboa but a completely dry second half of the lap that made it difficult to assess whether returning to racing speeds was appropiate.

Ugochukwu was therefore guaranteed victory, while Wharton’s penalty appeared to be converted into a 30s penalty that dropped him to 23rd although he remained eighth in the provisional classification.

Race results (10 laps)