Raffaele Marciello Wins FIA GT World Cup Qualifier in Macau

Raffaele Marciello secured pole position for the FIA GT World Cup Qualifying Race in Macau, edging out teammate Dries Vanthoor by just 0.053 seconds, marking his third consecutive pole at this event. Marciello, driving the BMW M4 GT3, briefly lost the lead at the start to Vanthoor but quickly regained it and maintained his dominance throughout the 12-lap race, finishing with a 0.666-second lead. Antonio Fuoco completed the podium in third place, driving an AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3, while Augusto Farfus and Sheldon van der Linde rounded out the top five in BMWs. The race was incident-free, allowing all 22 starters to finish, despite earlier qualifying sessions being marred by accidents, including a significant crash involving Luca Engstler. The BMWs showcased their speed and resilience, even after a Balance of Performance adjustment prior to the race. Marciello's victory positions him favorably as he aims for a potential third FIA GT World Cup title.