Audi Sport Team Comtoyou’s Frédéric Vervisch of Belgium won the second Macau Guia Race – Kumho TCR World Tour Event of Macau, making it his second victory on the Guia Circuit.
Second across the line was Cyan Racing Lynk & Co’s Santiago Urrutia of Uruguay, with his team mate Yann Ehrlacher of France in third. The nine-time race winner Rob Huff of Britain was forced to return to the pits at the end of the ninth lap after his Audi hit the back of Urrutia’s car on the long Dona Maria left-hander which caused the bonnet on his Audi to fly up moments later, according to a statement by the Macau Grand Prix Organising Committee (MGPOC). The 44-year-old Huff finished the race in the 12th place.
The race started from a standstill, with the first 10 drivers placed in reverse order based on the results of the first Macau Guia Race on Saturday.
The 37-year-old Vervisch, who was fourth on the partially reversed grid, had an excellent start to move up to second and executed the crucial overtake on the 27-year-old polesitter Urrutia, in the run up to the Mandarin Oriental Bend on lap eight, the MGPOC statement pointed out.
The safety car was deployed during the first lap to lead the drivers around the circuit, after which Urrutia, who started in pole position, having kept the lead the whole way. Vervisch, who was following Urrutia, repeatedly tried to overtake Urrutia after the restart, but eventually overtook Urrutia on the Mandarin Oriental Bend three laps from home. He won his second Macau Guia Race by 3.714s ahead of Urrutia.
The MGPOC statement pointed out that the 27-year-old Ehrlacher who was at the start of the race survived a wild sideways skid through the Mandarin bend that ended with him making contact with the wall.
Speaking to reporters after the press conference, Vervisch said: “If you’re in the lead, you can control the race, that was the aim,” adding: “We [Huff and him] were succeeding [in slowing the field down as was their original plan so that Huff could overtake and get into first place and win the championship at the final], but unfortunately, he had to retire because of the bonnet. Vervisch also said that he was very disappointed, but he started to focus on the race and tried to slow down, avoiding making any mistakes while having to keep the position, adding that the only target for his team and him was to win the race.
Meanwhile, despite only finishing 8th yesterday, BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse’s Norbert Michelisz of Hungary sealed the TCR World Tour title, held by Ehrlacher 10 points ahead of the latter.
Belgium’s Frédéric Vervisch, 37, poses during yesterday’s prize-giving podium ceremony of second Macau Guia Race – Kumho TCR World Tour Event of Macau in the restricted area of the 70th Macau Grand Prix (MGP) in the Outer Harbour area. – Photos: Rui Pastorin
Frédéric Vervisch races past the Guia Circuit’s Melco Hairpin yesterday.
