Macau GT Cup: Edoardo Mortara Audi R8 LMS ultra on the podium

By Johan Laubscher

The Macau GT Cup took place at 09h00 local time on Sunday morning. It was an Audi front row lockout with Edoardo Mortara on pole position alongside his Audi race experience teammate, Laurens Vanthoor.

A total of six Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars lined up on the grid, the two from Audi race experience and four from Absolute Racing.

The twelve lap race got underway with the two Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 cars launching at the start and moving up to first and second, Maro Engel (#5) leading Renger van der Zande (#6). Mortara and Vanthoor held third and fourth and the chase began.

With a top speed advantage the Mercedes-Benz duo held their own in the first sector and the Audi race experience pairing were unable to make a pass in the mid-field where the Audi R8 LMS ultra was stronger. Edoardo Mortara drove very hard and remained within touching distance of Renger van der Zande’s SLS, but was unable to pass.

Ultimately Maro Engel won the 2014 Macau GT Cup with the #5 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, ahead of his teammate, van der Zande. The Audi race experience team finished third and fourth with Mortara and Vanthoor.

The Absolute Racing entries were led by Adderly Fong (Audi #17) who, despite an unfortunate pitstop for a front right puncture, was able to recover from last to finish twentieth.

Philip Ma (Audi #98) and Jeffrey Lee (Audi #7) finished twenty-third and twenty-fourth with the pair of white Absolute Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra cars.

Jacky Yeung, who was crowned as the 2014 GT Asia GTM class champion, piloted his #77 Tiger Racing Team (Absolute Racing) Audi R8 LMS to thirty-first position.

Mak Hing Tak did not start the race in the #68 Audi R8 LMS after not qualifying within the maximum qualifying time.

It was a strong weekend from the Audi teams, but unfortunately it was not to be a fourth consecutive Macau GT Cup victory for Edoardo Mortara and Audi.

Photo credit: 
Audi R8 LMS Cup
Audi Communications - Motorsport