Macao
Mercedes driver Maro Engel triumphed in a dramatic FIA GT World Cup at the Guia Circuit, securing his second title in the event nine years after his first. The wet and challenging track set the stage for a thrilling battle among the leading contenders, with Engel capitalizing on late-race mistakes to take the win.
The race began cautiously with four laps under the safety car, leaving 12 laps of intense competition to decide the 2024 champion. Polesitter Raffaele Marciello in a BMW M4 GT3 led the field early on, closely followed by Dries Vanthoor, Ferrari’s Antonio Fuoco, and Engel in his Mercedes-AMG.
As the race unfolded, Fuoco overtook Vanthoor with a daring move at the R Bend, pushing Vanthoor into a defensive battle against Engel. This resulted in contact between Engel and Vanthoor in the mountain section, forcing Vanthoor to retire after brushing the wall.
Fuoco then closed the gap to Marciello and managed to overtake him three laps from the finish, raising hopes for Ferrari. However, both Fuoco and Marciello misjudged their braking at the Lisboa corner, allowing Engel to seize the lead. Engel crossed the finish line with an 11-second advantage, despite a five-second penalty for his earlier incident with Vanthoor.
Augusto Farfus, the 2018 FIA GT World Cup winner, finished second for Macau-based Team KRC in his BMW M4 GT3. Sheldon van der Linde completed the podium in another BMW, ensuring a strong showing for the manufacturer.
