Sports Bureau (ID) President Pun Weng Kun said yesterday evening that this year’s six-day Macau Grand Prix (MGP) had recorded around 145,000 spectators, about 99,000 of whom were recorded during the second and final week’s four days, adding that the number of 99,000 was “significantly higher” than the one recorded in the race’s four days in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic year of 2019.
This year’s 70th MGP comprised six days, i.e., the first week’s two days and the second week’s four days, while the event had only four consecutive days in 2019.
According to previous official data, 2019’s 66th four-day MGP recorded around 86,000 spectators.
This year’s MGP was the first held after the three-year COVID-19 pandemic which affected Macau from 2020 through 2022.
Pun briefed reporters yesterday evening about this year’s MGP, which ended yesterday afternoon with the Formula 3 signature race.
Pun, coordinator of the Macau Grand Prix Organising Committee (MGPOC), underlined that this year’s MGP, which he said had been held “very smoothly”, had achieved the government’s expectations and goals.
Pun was quick to add that “we can say that this year’s MGP has not only achieved the expected goals but has even exceeded our expected goals”.
Pun said that the 99,000 spectators recorded in the second week’s four-day period was “significantly higher” than the number of spectators recorded in pre-pandemic 2019’s four-day MGP. He did not elaborate. According to official data checked by The Macau Post Daily, the figure rose by 15 percent. The sports chief also underlined that the number of spectators at this year’s MGP, even just the second week’s four-day period, hit a new record.
In 2018, the 65th MGP, which lasted four days, recorded around 83,000 spectators, according to previous official data.
According to MGPOC data, the 145,000 spectators recorded during this year’s MGP comprised 46,000 in the first week’s two-day period and 99,000 in the second week’s four-day period. Among the six days, yesterday recorded the highest number of spectators at 36,000.
Pun also said yesterday that the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) had “praised” this year’s MGP organisation. The sports chief underlined that this year’s MGP has boosted the performance of the city’s various tourism-related sectors such as hotels and restaurants, adding that many of stalls selling MGP souvenirs, i.e., the ones outside the MGP complex near the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, had told the MGPOC that they enjoyed “good” sales.
Pun said that the city recorded a “very ideal” number of visitor arrivals during this year’s two-week MGP period.
Pun said that the MGPOC had still to come up with the data of ticket revenues from this year’s MGP. He added that this year’s MGP was sponsored by the city’s six gaming operators, with 20 million patacas from each.
Pun also said that by yesterday evening none of the injured racers were in a serious condition.
Sports Bureau (ID) President Pun Weng Kun talks to reporters at the Macau Grand Prix media centre yesterday evening. – Photo: Tony Wong
