Two-time Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix champion Edoardo Mortara will start from pole position in his Audi R8 LMS in tomorrow’s Star River • Windsor Arch Macau GT Cup. The Italian proved he is master of the 6.2km Guia street circuit with an impressive lap of 2:21.254 in Saturday’s second qualifying session, more than three seconds faster than his closest rival.Starting alongside Mortara on the front row for tomorrow’s 12-lap race is two-time and defending Macau GT Cup champion Keita Sawa of Japan. Sawa, in a Lamborghini LP-560, set his best time late in second session.Briton Danny Watts, who is making the Asian racing debut of the McLaren MP4 this weekend, was third quickest and will start from the second row alongside Macau driver Rodolfo Avila. Avila, in his Team Jebsen Porsche 911 GT3 R, significantly improved upon his qualifying time in the second session.

Singapore’s Mok Weng Sun, in a Ferrari F458 GT3, was fifth fastest, ahead of Akihiro Tsuzuki in an Audi R8 LMS GT3.

The fourth row will be comprised of Tomonobu Fujii of Japan in an Aston Martin DBRS9 GT3 and Briton Richard Meins, also in an Audi R8 LMS GT3.

Saturday’s qualifying session was halted six minutes in following an incident involving Hong Kong driver Samson Chan in a Ford GT3. The session resumed 20 minutes later. With three minutes to run, Mortara threw down the gauntlet by grabbing provisional pole and, while many of the drivers were able to set their fastest laps in the final minutes, none were able to match of the Italian.

 Representing Macau in the race are Keith Vong in a Porsche 997 GT Cup 3.8, who will start from 14th on the grid, Ivo Yiu in a Porsche GT Cup 3.6, and lady driver Diana Rosario in a Ferrari F430 GT, who will start 26th and 27th respectively.