page_title: 2008 Macau Grand Prix
section_title: Qualifying race
hierarchical_section_title: 2008 Macau Grand Prix / Qualifying race
caption_attribution_description: Abt Sportsline GmbH,DTM,Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters,Edoardo Mortara,Hockenheimring,Motorsport,Pressekonferenz
context_page_description: The 2008 Macau Grand Prix was a motor race for Formula Three cars that was held on the streets of Macau on 16 November 2008. Unlike other races, such as the Masters of Formula 3, the 2008 Macau Grand Prix was not a part of any Formula Three championship, but was open to entries from all Formula Three championships. The race itself was made up of two races: a ten-lap qualifying race that decided the starting grid for the fifteen-lap main race. The 2008 race was the 55th running of the Macau Grand Prix and the 26th for Formula Three cars.
  The Grand Prix was won by TOM'S driver Keisuke Kunimoto on his maiden appearance in Macau, having finished second in the previous day's Qualification Race that was won by Signature-Plus driver Edoardo Mortara. Kunimoto led from the start of the race and held it throughout to become the first Japanese driver to win in Macau since Takuma Sato won the 2001 race and it was the second consecutive victory for TOM'S in the Grand Prix. Second place went to Mortara, while the podium was completed by Carlin driver Brendon Hartley.
context_section_description: The qualifying race to set the grid order for the main race started at 13:45 Macau Standard Time (UTC+08:00) on 15 November. The weather at the start of the qualifying race was dry and sunny with an air temperature of 23 °C (73 °F) and a track temperature at 37 °C (99 °F). On the grid, Van Dam was slow to get going and Kunimoto overtook him for the lead. Van Dam attempted to reclaim the first position from Kunimoto but ran wide and punctured his left-rear tyre from contact with the barriers through Mandarin corner. Mortara then unsuccessfully attempted to overtake Kunimoto and the duo narrowly avoided making contact. Four more cars overtook Van Dam into Lisboa turn, and he later tangled with fellow countryman Van Der Zande at San Francisco Bend. The two drivers' races ended early as a consequence of the contact. Merhi stalled on the grid and ceded several positions. Further down the field on the second lap, Jakes and Hartley glanced each other against the wall heading towards the Reservoir Bend. Jakes moved across the front of Hartley's car and into the wall. Hartley entered the pit lane with suspension damage while Jakes retired.
  A multi-car collision was triggered at Lisboa turn when Bianchi spun entering the corner. He caused a chain reaction involving the trio of Hitech cars of Grubmüller, Chilton and Merhi. Bianchi's spin caused a secondary accident that started when Shaaban went into the rear of his teammate Campos-Hull and was spun into Cheng. The two drivers squeezed Mustonen into the barriers lining the track. While Merhi and Grubmüller rejoined, Chilton, Bianchi, Cheng and Mustonen retired. Since several cars were in the opposite direction and beached on the kerbs, the safety car was deployed so the wreckage could be cleared by marshals. Merhi made a pit stop and Oshima retired. The safety car remained on track for three laps and Kunimoto led the field back up to speed at the restart with Mortara in second. Shaaban set the fastest lap earlier in the race but retired after crashing at Reservoir turn. In his attempt to claim the lead, Mortara began to attack Kunimoto but Kunimoto resisted him. Streit was close behind the two drivers and defended from Turvey who was distracted by Bird, who in turn, battled Alguersuari.
  At the race's halfway point, Ho lost control of his car at Police corner but did not create a traffic jam as only Matsushita was behind him and got past without any trouble. Mortara clung onto Kunimoto's slipstream and then steered left onto the outside line, to brake later than him for the lead at the start of the seventh lap. Mortara started to pull away from Kunimoto while Streit began drawing closer to the latter but was observing Turvey behind him. On the ninth lap, Mäki damaged his car at the Reservoir Bend and debris was littered on the track. He continued driving despite a rear puncture and a detached rear wing and went off the track twice. Mortara kept the lead for the rest of the race to win pole position for the Grand Prix itself. He was joined on the grid's front row by Kunimoto and Streit completed the podium. Turvey followed in fourth with Bird fifth and Alguersuari sixth. Coletti, Ericsson, Campos-Hull and Cozzolino, Winslow, Vanthoor, Lancaster, Saga, Grubmüller, Mäki, Merhi, Matushita, De Marco and Hartley rounded out the 20 classified finishers.
caption: Edoardo Mortara (pictured in 2014) won the qualifying race and pole position in the Grand Prix itself.
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