107% rule causes grid anomaly at Macau for Münnich

The two-tier 107% rule, in use this season for the first time with TC1 and TC2T class cars both assessed against the fastest car in each class for qualifying, had caused an oddity for the grid for the season finale in Macau.

René Münnich, running in his Münnich Motorsport Chevrolet RML Cruze, set the 18th fastest time in qualifying, but with a time of 2:37.287, was over the 107% limit against Q1’s fastest driver, the Honda of Norbert Michelisz, who had set a time of 2:25.920.

In the TC2T class however, the two Engstler-run cars of Filipe de Souza and Mak Ka Lok, despite being slower than Münnich, were within 107% of the TC2T class pole-sitter, their team-mate Franz Engstler.

As Münnich was outside of the 107%, the German has to rely on the permission of the stewards to take part in the race, which has been granted, along with the two SEATs of William Lok and Henry Kwong, but will start from the back of the grid, bizarrely behind the two Engstler cars which were in fact slower than him in qualifying.

Münnich will therefore start P20, with the two Campos SEATs of William Lok and Henry Kwong behind, with the Campos Chevrolet of Pepe Oriola withdrawn from the race. This is the first time this has occured this season, and won’t be able to happen again with the TC2T class set to be no longer eligible from 2015.