Whanganui motor racing expat Earl Bamber was left frustrated at the FIA GT World Cup in China after the big flip crash by Belgium's Laurens Vanthoor saw racing abandoned and the upside down car declared the winner.
Bamber, who was leading the race at the time of the accident, wasthen relegated back down to fourth as he was trying to extend his lead at the time to overcome a five-second penalty handed down at the start.
The decision by the race stewards at the Macau course regarding the final placings has infuriated Bamber's bosses at Porsche.
Vanthoor addressed his bizarre victory online.
"I'm ok, just a bit shocked. I guess I won the World Cup but it doesn't feel like it's supposed to feel," the 25-year-old Belgium tweeted.
"We drove a fair race and yet we were penalised. I don't understand it," he said.
"We deserved to win this race."
He took it further on Twitter.
"Can't put into words how gutted I am about what happened to us today. Congrats to Laurens and glad he is ok after that big crash."
Bamber, who was being followed by fellow Porsche driver Kévin Estre (France), had just overtaken Vanthoor, passing him clean on the inside.
The Belgium settled back in between the two Porsche cars, but mistimed his turn and smashed into the left-side wall after the next turn, flipping over and travelling on his roof for several hundred metres down the track.
All cars had been going flat out as there was only 15 minutes left on the clock due to a delay caused by another crash on the fourth lap, which caused a lengthy delay to fix the damaged guardrails.
Both the Porsche crews had been confident after Estre and Bamber qualified at 1-2 on the starters grid of the 6.115km long course.
"While drivers in the pits and the fans in grandstands waited for the race to restart, the officials announced that the event would be terminated," said the Porsche press release.
"In accordance with the regulations, to determine the result of the race, the classification of the lap before the halting of the race was applied.
"What was clear at this time, however, was who was leading prior to the final red-flagging of the race - and that was Earl Bamber."
Estre was awarded second place, while Mercedes driver Maro Engel was elevated to third ahead of the Whanganui driver.
Bamber and Kévin Estre had to settle for fourth and second respectively after the race was backdated one lap following the crash of Belgium's Laurens Vanthoor.
Porsche were obviously of the view the race should have been restarted again, with their two drivers in the leading positions.
"We saw a clear result on the track," said the manufacturer's head of motorsport, Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser.
"Earl fought hard for the lead spot with a sensational overtaking manoeuvre, it all went without a hitch, without any cars touching.
"The accident with the Audi unfortunately led to the race being stopped.
"Our drivers and the team put in an extremely strong performance in Macau, but they haven't been rewarded with the well-earned result," said Dr Walliser.
"We have won everyone's hearts, but in the face of such bitter moments, this is poor consolation."
The last factory outing for the Porsche 911 GT3 R this season will be the 12-hour race in Sepang, Malaysia on December 10.
