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Lapierre tastes victory in 50th Macau GP on virgin visit
Macau, Nov 18: Nicolas Lapierre of France won the 50th Macau GP. Nicolas Lapierre of France won the 50th Macau Grand Prix for Formula Three cars on Sunday (November 16) on his first visit to the circuit.
Macau, Nov 18: Nicolas Lapierre of France won the 50th Macau GP. Nicolas Lapierre of France won the 50th Macau Grand Prix for Formula Three cars on Sunday (November 16) on his first visit to the circuit.
Australia's James Courtney, the Japanese Formula 3 champion, was two seconds ahead of the Frenchman with four laps to go when he retired with a puncture, paving the way for Lapierre to win ahead of Brazil's Fabio Carbone.
Carbone was 5.416 seconds behind Lapierre in second place, with Japan's Katsuyuki Hiranaka third.
Courtney had stormed away from pole position in the second heat ahead of Lapierre. Behind them on the first lap, Robert Kubica of Poland crashed and, as he bounced across the track, several cars collided in avoidance, including American Richard Antinucci who had finished third in the first heat. The accident brought out the safety car, and after the track was cleared, Courtney continued to lead holding off intense pressure from Lapierre. But on the 11th lap, as the Australian held nearly almost a two-second lead, a stray piece of carbon fibre punctured one of his tyres, causing him to hit the barriers, ripping off the right-front suspension.
That left the way clear for Lapierre to cruise to victory over his Signature Plus team-mate Fabio Carbone.
Of the 30 drivers who started the race on the twisting 6.2-kilometre Guia street circuit, only nine completed the two legs of the race, which totalled 25 laps. Placings were judged according to times clocked for the final 15 laps.
The Macau event attained Formula Three status in 1983 when the late Ayrton Senna came first. Previous winners include Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, his brother Ralf and David Coulthard.
Result (positions judged according to times for the last 15 laps): 1. Nicolas Lapierre (France) 37 minutes 00.778 seconds 2. Fabio Carbone (Brazil) 37:06.194 3. Katsuyuki Hiranaka (Japan) 37:16.160 4. Ronnie Quintarelli (Italy) 37:17.389 5. Ryan Briscoe (Australia) 37:28:427 6. Hiroki Yoshimoto (Japan) 37:52.591 7. Michael Ho (Macau) 38:50.027 8. Robert Austin (UK) 39:06.374 9. Fairuz Fauzy (Malaysia) 39:12.529 10. Pedro Barral (Spain) 38:47.863
Bureau Report
Courtney had stormed away from pole position in the second heat ahead of Lapierre. Behind them on the first lap, Robert Kubica of Poland crashed and, as he bounced across the track, several cars collided in avoidance, including American Richard Antinucci who had finished third in the first heat. The accident brought out the safety car, and after the track was cleared, Courtney continued to lead holding off intense pressure from Lapierre. But on the 11th lap, as the Australian held nearly almost a two-second lead, a stray piece of carbon fibre punctured one of his tyres, causing him to hit the barriers, ripping off the right-front suspension.
That left the way clear for Lapierre to cruise to victory over his Signature Plus team-mate Fabio Carbone.
Of the 30 drivers who started the race on the twisting 6.2-kilometre Guia street circuit, only nine completed the two legs of the race, which totalled 25 laps. Placings were judged according to times clocked for the final 15 laps.
The Macau event attained Formula Three status in 1983 when the late Ayrton Senna came first. Previous winners include Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, his brother Ralf and David Coulthard.
Result (positions judged according to times for the last 15 laps): 1. Nicolas Lapierre (France) 37 minutes 00.778 seconds 2. Fabio Carbone (Brazil) 37:06.194 3. Katsuyuki Hiranaka (Japan) 37:16.160 4. Ronnie Quintarelli (Italy) 37:17.389 5. Ryan Briscoe (Australia) 37:28:427 6. Hiroki Yoshimoto (Japan) 37:52.591 7. Michael Ho (Macau) 38:50.027 8. Robert Austin (UK) 39:06.374 9. Fairuz Fauzy (Malaysia) 39:12.529 10. Pedro Barral (Spain) 38:47.863
Bureau Report