Race day in the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Macau began far from ideal for four of the five Porsche 911 GT3 R drivers: Alessio Picariello found himself in the barriers already in Turn 1. For the Belgian, who had secured third place in Saturday’s qualifying race, the main race ended prematurely. His teammate from the Absolute Racing squad also suffered. Porsche factory driver Laurens Vanthoor was hit from behind by a competitor while trying to navigate through the accident zone. The significant damage to his 911 GT3 R left him unable to fight competitively, though the Belgian still battled his way into the top 10, finishing ninth. DTM champion Ayhancan Güven from Turkey and Frenchman Dorian Boccolacci lost all chances of success after another first‑lap incident on the six‑kilometre Guia Circuit in Macau’s gaming metropolis.
“Typical Macau: lots of drama, huge tension, and plenty of action on track,” summarises Sebastian Golz. The Project Manager Porsche 911 GT3 R adds: “P3 for Alessio Picariello in the qualifying race, P3 for Laurin Heinrich in the main race – that’s decent, but once again victory slipped away from us despite strong performances from our teams and drivers. Second place might have been on the table for Laurin, but overtaking on the very tight Guia Circuit is extremely difficult. Macau still remains missing from Porsche Motorsport’s list of triumphs. I hope that changes next year.”
Drivers’ quotes after the race
Laurin Heinrich (Porsche 911 GT3 R #22): “Maybe it was a good thing that I had a tough start in the qualifying race and learned something from it. Things went much better for me in the main race. The opening lap was chaotic, and I also had a bit of luck on my side. Going from P8 to the podium is definitely something to be proud of. In the early stages, I was quicker than the BMW ahead, but I couldn’t find a way past. He was faster on the straights; I was faster in the twisty mountain section – but overtaking there is impossible. Still, I’m going home with some silverware from Macau. It’s a great ending to an eventful weekend.”
Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche 911 GT3 R #992): “Luck wasn’t on my side in the main race either. After Alessio’s accident, I had to brake hard because I couldn’t see where a gap would open to make it past the wreckage. Another car slammed into the rear of mine – the diffuser, exhaust, and a lot of other parts were completely destroyed. After the restart, I tried to move forward again, but it just wasn’t possible. A shame – this simply wasn’t my weekend.”
Alessio Picariello (Porsche 911 GT3 R #911): “The result is obviously extremely disappointing. I don’t regret the way I approached the start. I absolutely wanted to stay ahead of the BMW to keep my shot at a podium. Unfortunately, he didn’t leave me enough room. A light touch was enough to send me into the Turn 1 barriers. I feel very sorry for our team. They deserved a better result. Both cars were strong, but in the end we leave empty‑handed. Sadly, that’s how motorsport sometimes goes.”
FIA GT World Cup results
1. Antonio Fuoco (ITA), Ferrari #50, 16 laps
2. Raffaele Marciello (ITA), BMW #53, + 3.960 seconds
3. Laurin Heinrich (DEU), Porsche 911 GT3 R #22, + 4.609 seconds
9. Laurens Vanthoor (BEL), Porsche 911 GT3 R #992, + 18.640 seconds
13. Ayhancan Güven (TUR), Porsche 911 GT3 R #11, - 16 laps
15. Dorian Boccolacci (FRA), Porsche 911 GT3 R #23, - 16 laps
16. Alessio Picariello (BEL), Porsche 911 GT3R #911, -16 laps
Find all the results here: https://www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo/en/info/result.
