Mick Schumacher kicked off SJM Theodore Racing by PREMA’s Macau Grand Prix in style by recording the third fastest time in Qualifying 1. Daniel Ticktum edged out Callum Ilott for provisional pole position.
In a session disrupted on three occasions by red flag periods, FIA Formula 3 European Champion Schumacher found clear air to surge towards the summit of the time sheets with ten minutes on the clock remaining.
Placing third at the chequered flag, it means the German racer sits on a provisional second row with Friday’s grid-deciding Qualifying 2 session to come.
With two red flags during the final five minutes of the session alone, it was a tougher afternoon for SJM Theodore Racing by PREMA’s four other drivers after each were caught out by the repeated interruptions.
Making his Macau debut today, Marcus Armstrong placed 13th to end Q1 as the third best-placed rookie on this most demanding of circuits, ahead of Guanyu Zhou who was 14th quickest having run as high as third early on.
“I got a little bit of understeer on some of the corners with the car not rotating too much,” commented Armstrong. “But anyway we should have been at least half a second faster without the disruptions. I caught a red flag when I was half a second quicker, and I had made a small mistake the lap before so both laps had good potential. If it’s dry tomorrow we can do a really good job.”
Ralf Aron sits 18th on the timesheets with Robert Shwartzman in 19th, though with the latter up in seventh after FP1 in his first Macau practice session it is evident there is more speed to come with a little more luck.
Tomorrow [Friday] will see all five drivers return to the Guia circuit for Free Practice 2, which takes place at 11.30 (GMT +8) ahead of the all-important Qualifying 2 session scheduled for 15.10 (GMT +8).
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