Interview by Rui Pastorin
Dark skies and rain did not stop spectators showing up to watch yesterday’s practice and qualifying races of the 71st Macau Grand Prix (MGP), which kicked off yesterday.
The first day of the four-day event saw crashes in its different races, while yesterday morning’s 56th Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix free practice was cancelled* due to the wet track and bad weather conditions. Still, there was excitement among spectators yesterday.
“I think this year’s Grand Prix will be a tight competition since the PREMA Team has very competitive cars”, Catarina, a 14-year-old racing fan and one of the students watching the races, told the Post yesterday as she stood in her raincoat in the Grand Stands. “I think it will be exciting this year and everyone should visit it at least one time”.
For Louisa, who talked to the Post standing next to Catarina, it was the first time she had attended the Macau Grand Prix in person. Having seen [racing] cars for most of her life, mostly on the telly, the 14-year-old remarked that it was “really cool to see these cars [on the circuit] for the first time...the sounds, the experience is kind of emotional for me”.
Both students said they also attended yesterday’s races to support Tiago Rodrigues, who studied at their school and is representing Macau in the Macau Grand Prix - FIA FR (Formula Regional) World Cup as a member of the Evans GP Team. As the rain came down harder, Lousia said that this might make the races more exciting while it was also interesting to see how the drivers react to the circuit’s conditions.
Away from the pouring rain were JB and John Allen, who shared the same excitement of watching the races. The two local Filipinos in their twenties were looking forward to watching the motorbike races the most and were disappointed with yesterday’s cancellation of the free practice. Allen remarked: “It is dangerous, they need to be careful as the circuit is wet. There were a lot of crashes”
JB, who was watching his second MGP up close, said that it was still an enjoyable experience in spite of the inclement weather. “I have to work on the other race days, but I am very lucky my day off matched the first day of the Grand Prix”.
Students Zita and Kavia highlighted that being at the MGP, which they described as one of Macau’s “grand events”, was special. Despite the wind and rain, the 16-year-olds, who were at the MGP for the first time, said that the races were a good sight, adding that they were happy to see the competitions unfold, as well as the efforts of each racer.
Moreover, among the spectators in the Grand Stand was Russell, a New Yorker who used to race cars and is now drives pace cars, i.e., cars used in motorsports to lead the field of racing cars during caution periods or the start of a race. Given yesterday’s adverse weather conditions, he was still happy to see half of the event. “I’m having a great time so far. Saturday and Sunday need to be better”.
Asked about what he was looking forward to watching the most, he said he was a big formula race fan, but also appreciates the Macau GT Cup – FIA GT World Cup.
Yesterday’s first qualification race for the Grand Prix – FIA FR World Cup Qualification Race, which had five red flags in total, concluded with MP Motorsport’s Oliver Goethe from Germany taking the provisional pole position.
Meanwhile, in the second free practice of the Macau GT Cup – FIA GT World Cup, Belgium’s Alessio Picariello from the Absolute Racing team had the best time, while Argentine racer Nestor Girolami from the BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse team finished with the fastest time in the Macau Guia Race – Kumho FIA TCR World Tour Event second free practice session.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing China Team’s Han Lichao had the best time in the Greater Bay Area GT Cup (GT4) practice session and in the Macau Roadsport Challenge practice session, local racer Lei Kit Meng had the best time. Moreover, the Macau Roadsport – Macao SAR Establishment Cup’s practice session ended with Hongkonger Jactin Chung Ho-hin from Team Endless with the quickest time.
As of 11 p.m. last night, all tropical cyclone signals were lowered, according to the local weather bureau.
*According to a statement from the Macau Grand Prix Committee (MGPOC) yesterday, Qualifying 1 will become Free Practice, while Qualifying 2 will become single Qualifying Session. Timings will remain the same.
Students in the Grand Stand watch the races on the first of the four-day 71st Macau Grand Prix. – Photo: Rui Pastorin
