In a rain-soaked and action-packed finale to the FIA GT World Cup in Macau, Maro Engel emerged victorious after a dramatic late-race battle with Antonio Fuoco and Raffaele Marciello. The GruppeM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo driver overcame a post-race penalty to claim his second GT World Cup title and fourth Macau triumph, denying Marciello a third championship and a weekend sweep.

A Thrilling Conclusion to the FIA GT World Cup Season

Safety Car Start Sets the Stage

The Main Race in Macau got underway under safety car conditions due to the treacherous wet weather, with Marciello leading the field away from pole position. The Swiss driver maintained his advantage when the race went green, fending off the challenge from fellow BMW factory driver Dries Vanthoor.

Marciello's lead was short-lived, however, as the No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 of Antonio Fuoco made a daring move to take second place on Lap 8. This promoted Engel to third, after Vanthoor had crashed out just a few corners later, ending his day.

Late-Race Drama Decides the Title

The closing stages of the race saw the championship protagonists engage in a thrilling battle for the lead. Fuoco made a bold move to pass Marciello with just three laps remaining, briefly taking the top spot. However, the two drivers ended up in the run-off area as they fought for the lead, paving the way for Engel to capitalize and claim a dramatic victory.

Engel crossed the line with a 6.641-second advantage over the No. 89 KRC BMW M4 GT3 of Augusto Farfus, who secured second place. Sheldon van der Linde completed the podium in the No. 31 Team WRT BMW.

Engel Crowned Champion, Mercedes-AMG Extends Macau Dominance

Engel's victory was not without controversy, as he was handed a five-second post-race penalty for causing a collision with Dries Vanthoor. However, the German driver had built up enough of a lead to still claim the win and the FIA GT World Cup title.

This marked Engel's second GT World Cup championship and his fourth Macau triumph, further cementing Mercedes-AMG's dominance at the Guia Circuit. The German manufacturer has now won six consecutive races at the iconic street circuit, including the national GT Cup events held during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marciello and Fuoco Denied Championship Glory

For Marciello and Fuoco, the late-race drama was a heartbreaking end to their respective championship challenges. Marciello, who was seeking his third GT World Cup title and a weekend sweep, ended the race in the pit lane, while Fuoco was classified in ninth.

Alessio Picariello and Laurens Vanthoor rounded out the top-five in their Absolute Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Rs, with Christopher Haase sixth for Phantom Global Racing in his Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II. Edoardo Mortara, Dani Juncadella, and Ricardo Feller completed the top-ten finishers.