After a wet practice session, the track was declared wet for the first and only competitive session of the day at the Macau Grand Prix. The 40-minute qualifying session was filled with incidents and red flags, yet MP Motorsport’s Oliver Goethe managed to secure provisional pole position, demonstrating skill and composure amidst the chaos.
The first red flag of the session was triggered by a crash involving PHM Racing’s Liu Ruiqi at the Lisboa Bend. Liu lost control and swung into the barriers while attempting to negotiate the turn, prompting an immediate halt to the action.
With thirty minutes remaining, Goethe was the first driver to embark on a flying lap, setting a remarkable time of 2:32.482s. Just as R-ace GP’s Tuukka Taponen crossed the line to claim the second-fastest time, American driver Jett Bowling crashed at Turn 17, bringing out the second red flag. As marshals worked to clear Bowling’s car, rain began to pour, making track conditions increasingly treacherous.
Valerio Rinicella, Goethe’s teammate at MP Motorsport, was the third and only other driver to post a time during this turbulent phase, placing him in third position. However, as the session restarted, drivers quickly faced difficulties; Rintaro Sato from TGM Grand Prix spun but managed to rejoin without major incident. Later, Evans GP’s Kai Daryanani also went off at the same location.
SJM Theodore PREMA Racing’s strategic decision to keep their drivers in the pits initially backfired, as Freddie Slater, Dino Beganovic, and Alexander Dunne found themselves stuck in traffic, yet to set times. Meanwhile, Mattia Colnaghi kissed the barriers and sustained suspension damage, forcing him to retire early.
Dunne posted a time that placed him five seconds off Goethe in fourth. PHM’s Rashid Al Dhaheri then took that fourth spot, followed by Slater and PHM’s Matteo De Palo, who both surpassed Dunne before yet another red flag was waved with just over 23 minutes remaining to clear Daryanani’s abandoned car.
The green flag was displayed again, allowing drivers to return to the track in pursuit of competitive times. However, another red flag soon followed when Tiago Rodrigues of Evans GP went off into the escape road and stalled, further complicating the session.
After 20 minutes had elapsed, the green flag was once more brought out, but the track conditions continued to deteriorate, making it increasingly challenging for the young drivers. Alexander Abkhazava experienced a close call at the Lisboa Bend, spinning but managing to keep his engine running.
As conditions worsened, 13 drivers ventured out for the restart. Sainteloc Racing’s Alexander Abkhazava went off at Lisboa but managed to rejoin. Colnaghi, starting in 26th, was the first to initiate a flying lap, improving his position to 20th, while Kenato Le rose to 17th as the best late improver.
Rikuto Kobayashi, the slowest of those with valid times in 23rd, brought an early end to the session after also going down the Lisboa escape road and being unable to rejoin. Towards the end, Sainteloc’s Theophile Nael and R-ace GP’s Enzo Deligny and Ugo Ugochukwu were all placed under investigation for crossing the white line at the pit exit.
