3-day race without bikers again
Sports Bureau (ID) President Pun Weng Kun told reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s press conference about the Macau Grand Prix at Macau Science Centre, which will take place on November 19-21, that there will be no foreign racers participating in the races this year due to the city’s COVID-19 prevention and control measures, adding that there will be six races but no Motorcycle GP.
Pun said that there were world-known racers that said they would like to come to Macau despite the mandatory 21-day- quarantine. However, he added, the Macau Grand Prix Organising Committee (MGPOC) had considered the COVID-19 pandemic situation and urged them to join next year’s race instead.
When reporters asked Pun why last year Rob Huff was able to attend the Grand Prix after undergoing quarantine but this year the committee decided against it, he said that as the novel coronavirus pandemic situation varies day to day, the committee weighed the pros and cons before coming to this conclusion.
Pun underlined that this year over 85 percent of the racers and staff members of the Grand Prix have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, adding that detailed COVID-19 guidelines for reporters will be announced later.
Pun also pointed out that this year there will be over 100 racers participating in the six races –SJM Formula 4 Macau Grand Prix, Sands China Macau GT Cup, Galaxy Entertainment Macau Guia Race, Melco Macau Touring Car Cup, MGM Greater Bay Area GT Cup, and Wynn Porsche Carrera Cup Challenge, adding that the drivers will be compatriots from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau. He also noted that this year’s Grand Prix was budgeted at 170 million patacas, which was similar to last year’s.
According to a MGPOC statement provided during yesterday’s press conference, the six races for the 68th Macau Grand Prix will each be sponsored by one of the six integrated tourism and leisure enterprises. The statement added that BMW Concessionaires (Macau) Ltd. will sponsor the safety, medical, rescue and working vehicles while Macau Industrial Ltd. will sponsor beverages.
The statement noted that tickets will be sold from today, with tickets for the qualifiers on November 19 priced at 50 patacas, while tickets for the race days on November 20 and 21 are priced between 400 to 1,000 patacas based on the seating area. The statement added that those who purchase two or more tickets in the same spectator stand on either race day enjoy a 30 percent discount, while students with valid student cards can also purchase tickets at a discounted price. The statement pointed out that tickets can be bought in one of the 17 sales points in Macau, Hong Kong and the mainland, or by telephone, email, mobile applications or online.
The statement underlined that MGPOC will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic situation and make arrangements for its prevention according to the Health Bureau’s (SSM) guidelines.
Details of the event can be found at www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo and on relevant mobile applications or the MGP’s Facebook page, WeChat and Weibo accounts.
Pun Weng Kun, president of the Sports Bureau (ID), speaks with reporters after yesterday’s press conference about the 68th Macau Grand Prix, at the convention hall of the Macau Science Centre. Photo: Rui Pastorin
