It was a warm and humid day in Macau, and by the time qualifying began, the track had finally dried out, setting the stage for an action packed session. Unlike the previous day’s wet conditions, drivers were eager to make their mark on the slick surface.
The first driver to go out was Oliver Goethe, who clocked an initial time of 2:23.235. His effort quickly set the tone for what would become a fiercely competitive session. However, Ugo Ugochukwu of R-ace GP was determined to take the pole. He swiftly bested Goethe’s time with a blistering 2:23.076, before KCMG’s Mari Boya stepped in with an impressive 2:22.377.
As the session progressed, the tension mounted. Dino Beganovic from Prema Racing took the lead with a time of 2:22.199, showcasing his ability on the track. James Wharton and Evan Giltaire also made notable strides, with Wharton moving into fourth place and Giltaire not far behind.
The qualifying session took a dramatic turn 32 minutes in when TGM Grand Prix’s Rintaro Sato slid into the barriers at Turn 14, resulting in the first red flag. Unfortunately, Alex Dunne and Beganovic collided with Sato’s stranded car, causing significant damage to both Prema machines. This was particularly unfortunate for Beganovic, who had been leading just moments before.
Sato going sideways into the barriers, leaving no option to Alex Dunne and Dino Beganovic. Tough time for the Prema team. Slater remaining on track. Red Flag.
— FIA (@fia) November 15, 2024
Watch the Qualifiying session n.2, live now on the FIA YouTube channel. #FIA #MacauGP #FIAFRWorldCup pic.twitter.com/CII9hpxoc6
Once the track was cleared, the session resumed, but drama struck again when Tuukka Taponen hit the same barrier as Sato, prompting yet another red flag. With only 25 minutes remaining, drivers were anxious to clock in their times before further interruptions could occur.
Goethe regained the lead with a time of 2:20.761, but he was quickly challenged by Noel León, who posted a 2:20.199. Freddie Slater, the last remaining PREMA driver, was not far behind, clocking a time just 0.096 seconds slower than León.
With just 20 minutes left in the session, the drama continued as Jin Nakamura hit the barrier in the final corner, bringing out the third red flag. After repairs were made to the barrier at the pit entry, the session resumed once again.
In the final moments of the session, Ugochukwu surged ahead, setting a stunning time of 2:19.610, overtaking Goethe by a mere 0.014 seconds. As he crossed the line, yet another red flag was waved when Rikuto Kobayashi crashed into the barriers, halting the session once more.
With only minutes remaining, the tension escalated. The session was brought to a halt for the final time when Jett Bowling collided with the barriers, ensuring that no further laps could be completed. Ultimately, Ugochukwu secured pole position for the 2024 Macau Grand Prix, while early pacesetter Beganovic was relegated to 15th place.
As the teams prepared for the upcoming race, an extra drivers’ briefing was called, likely due to the numerous incidents during the qualifying session. Fans are eagerly awaiting what promises to be a spectacular race, with Ugochukwu, Goethe and León at the forefront.
