FIA F3 World Cup: Verschoor storms to Macau Grand Prix victory

Sport news MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor snatched a sensational victory at the 66 th Macau Grand Prix to win the much-coveted FIA F3 World Cup.
Polesitter Juri Vips made a clean getaway and managed to keep fellow front-row starter Robert Shwartzman at bay on the run down to Lisboa for the first time.
Newly crowned FIA Formula 3 Champion, Shwartzman, came under immediate pressure from the fast-charging Christian Lundgaard, who started third on the grid. There was a slight coming together between the SJM Prema Theodore Racing-run Dallara and the ART Grand Prix car of Lundgaard as the two went through the ultra-fast Mandarin right-hander. The impact was enough to damage the front wing on Shwartzman’s car, effectively leading to the Russian’s retirement on the opening lap.
Starting from fourth on the grid, Verschoor capitalised on the situation with his own blistering start, keeping to the inside line to gain two places.
There were a number of minor incidents during the race, but arguably the most significant belonged to Ferdinand Habsburg as he speared his ART Grand Prix car into the barriers through the Esses, bringing out the safety car.
Dutch racer Verschoor kept Vips on his toes throughout but he eyed his opportunity immediately after the restart, launching a successful attack on the Red Bull-backed Estonian under braking into the Lisboa corner with two-thirds of the distance completed.
At the same time, Carlin Buzz Racing’s Logan Sargeant went by Lundgaard to take third overall.
In the closing stages of the race Verschoor managed to withstand the pressure from Vips and went on to clinch the 2019 FIA F3 World Cup, with Vips and Sargeant rounding out the podium.
Lugdgaard crossed the line in fourth, ahead of Alessio Lorandi, Callum Ilot, Liam Lawson, Marcus Armstrong, David Beckmann and Frederick Vesti, who completed the top 10.
Other incident’s included Campos Racing’s Leonardo Pulcini going straight on into the tyre barrier at Lisboa and Sophia Floersch pulling over and retiring her car on the main straight, the latter bringing about a late VSC.
Richard Verschoor said: “To be honest, I am not believing the feeling yet! It hasn’t sunk in that I have just won the Macau Grand Prix! It was a really busy race and I was under a lot of pressure, I had to concentrate so much towards the end and I am still recovering a bit. Both the team and myself are may be not as experienced yet or consistently at the same level as some of the other guys, so this is a huge result for the F3 World Cup
Macau F3 F3 SEASON 2019 Sport Circuit 1SportF3 World CupCircuitF3SEASON 2019MacauF301 Sunday, November 17, 2019 - 11:37am Sunday, November 17, 2019 - 11:37am