FORMULA 3: Vips wins eventful Macau Qualifying Race

Juri Vips may have missed out on the 2019 Formula 3 drivers’ championship, but the Hitech GP racer has been making up for that in Macau this weekend, perfectly executing a lights-to-flag victory in the Qualifying Race, on his second appearance at the FIA F3 World Cup.

Debuting in the new F3 machinery, the Red Bull F1 junior took his time getting to grips with the Guia Circuit at a faster pace, with the new car bringing higher horsepower and lower downforce to one of the most daunting tracks on the planet.

Having finished P26 and P3 on Day 1, Vips was relentless on Friday, topping both the second Free Practice and Qualifying sessions, handing him pole position for the Qualifying Race.

The Estonian got off the line cleanly when the lights went out, despite carrying both Robert Shwartzman and Christian Lundgaard in tow. Shwartzman attempted to reel him in, but Vips was faultless round the tight city streets and comfortably held him off.

Elsewhere, there was heartbreak for two-time Macau winner Daniel Ticktum, who clipped Arjun Maini at the first corner. This former Red Bull junior struggled back to the pits for repairs, but the Indian wasn’t so lucky. Neither was Jake Hughes nor Enaam Ahmed, who got caught up in the collision and retired alongside Maini.

Starting on pole, Vips will be battling to add his name to the illustrious list of former Macau Grand Prix winners, at 1530 local time tomorrow.

For full results and more F3 news, visit the official site.