Ugochukwu wins first-ever FIA FR World Cup

McLaren development driver Ugo Ugochukwu claimed victory in the chaotic FIA FR World Cup Race that concluded this year’s Macau Grand Prix program. The race, which was marred by multiple incidents and finished behind the Safety Car, highlighted the importance of securing a strong position in the final qualifying sessions that determine the starting grid.

Starting from pole position, Ugochukwu, who drives for the R-ace GP team, maintained his lead throughout the race, avoiding any mistakes during the three restarts. His performance earned him the win and secured his place in history as the first-ever FR World Champion.

Race officials explained that the start behind the Safety Car was not due to rain, which had affected the weekend’s weather, but rather as a measure of “fairness.” They noted that a standing start could unfairly favor drivers on the racing line, which was drier than the rest of the track.

Having set the fastest lap in Qualifying 2 (Q2) with a time of 2:19.107, Ugochukwu solidified his position by winning Saturday’s Qualifying Race. Oliver Goethe finished second, and Noel León took third, mirroring their results in Q2.

In Sunday’s main race, Goethe, starting from the front row, successfully defended his position despite repeated challenges, particularly from León. However, the top three drivers—Ugochukwu, Goethe, and León—were able to maintain their positions as the gap between them remained small, with most of the race run behind the Safety Car following multiple incidents.

The final incident, which involved Freddie Slater crashing while attempting to overtake León for third place, brought out the Safety Car for the final time. Slater, attempting a late-braking move into Lisboa Bend, misjudged his maneuver and ended up in the barriers.

Enzo Deligny and Matteo de Palo completed the top five. Of the 27 cars that started the race, only 15 managed to finish, as numerous incidents caused several retirements, including a multi-car crash at Lisboa Bend on the opening lap. Local driver Tiago Rodrigues, who started from 17th on the grid, was also involved in the crash.

‘A feeling hard to put in words’, Ugochukwu on triumph in Macau

Ugo Ugochukwu expressed his delight with the win, saying, “Can’t describe the feeling. Of course, I am super happy. It was quite a tricky race.” The young driver said in a press conference after the race. He further elaborated on the challenges he faced, stating, “It was pushing the whole way. But, you know, I was confident in the pace. Ever since Q2 [Qualifying 2], we’ve been really quick.”

The race was marked by numerous safety car periods, which tested the drivers’ ability to maintain their focus and execute perfect restarts. Ugochukwu navigated these challenges with composure.

“Every safety car restart, I had to make sure I got it perfectly. Otherwise, in the slipstream, I would have had to be really defensive into the first braking zone,” Ugochukwu explained. “So, that was my full focus, getting good restarts and then just nailing the last few corners to give myself a bit of a gap.”

Oliver Goethe, who finished in second place, acknowledged the difficulty of the race conditions, saying, “Ugo [Ugochukwu] did a great job with the restarts. Every time I got a bit closer, especially at the end, [I was never] close enough to make a move.” Goethe expressed his struggles with tire temperature and the challenging track conditions.

Third-place finisher Noel León also had his fair share of excitement, fending off a last-lap attack from Freddie Slater to secure the final spot on the podium.

“Everybody wants to send it to be on the podium, you know. So, it was a tricky race, especially for me in the last two corners,” León said. “I knew he was going to do something crazy because, obviously, it’s the last lap and you kind of decide after turn three who’s going to be on the podium,” he concluded. Victoria Chan