Vernay wins Macau qualifying race

Jean-Karl Vernay took the opening victory at the Macau Grand Prix qualification race.

The Signature team driver started from second on the grid and snatched the lead early from pole-sitter Marcus Ericsson. Ericsson quickly passed him back before a Safety Car was called for a heavy crash of Jake Rosenzweig.

Vernay moved back to the front when he dived past Ericsson into Lisboa at the restart on lap four. He established an immediate gap and did not surrender the lead from there.

Ericsson was left to deal with the pressing attention of Edoardo Mortara. Mortara got past Ericsson on lap eight, however, the pass was affected under yellow flag conditions, so Mortara was forced to hand the position back.

The race finished behind the Safety Car when Wayne Boyd crashed his Hitech car at the exit of Mandarin.



Ericsson took second behind Vernay. Mortara was third from 
Vallteri Bottas, Laurens Vanthoor and Australian racer Daniel Ricciardo in sixth place.

New Zealander Brendon Hartley finished 24th after crashing onto the back of Stefano Coletti at Lisboa while battling for eighth.