The 72nd Macau Grand Prix (MGP) is slated to run from November 13 to 16, with racers set to compete in seven race categories at the Guia Circuit.
The seven race categories comprise the Macau Grand Prix – FIA FR World Cup, which saw its inaugural race last year; Macau GT Cup – FIA GT World Cup; Macau Guia Race – Kumho FIA TCR World Tour Event of Macau; the newly added Macau F4 Grand Prix – FIA F4 World Cup; Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 57th Edition; Greater Bay Area GT Cup (GT4); and Macau Roadsport Challenge.
A joint statement by the Sports Bureau (ID) and Macau Grand Prix Organising Committee (MGPOC) released yesterday noted that ID President and MGPOC Coordinator Luís Gomes pointed out that events like the Macau Grand Prix attract substantial numbers of tourists from overseas and the Chinese mainland, stimulating the tourism economy and propelling the development of related industries such as hospitality, transportation, dining and retail.
The local government will continue to enhance event organisation through elevated race quality and standards, intensified regional and international promotions, and expanded surrounding activities to amplify the impact of the Macau Grand Prix, the statement quoted Gomes as saying.
Meanwhile, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Mohammed Ben Sulayem, a former rally driver who launched his career in the 1980s, also said during a visit to the Macau Grand Prix Museum in Zape that last year saw a significant milestone with the debut of the FIA FR World Cup, which represents more than just a competition as, he insisted, it safeguards the future of motorsport.
Formula Regional (FR) has replaced the Macau Grand Prix’s long-running Formula 3 races.
Ben Sulayem, according to the statement, underlined that the FIA FR World Cup is a perfect example of how FIA can make the single-seater pyramid more mobile, providing a clear and competitive pathway for emerging talent. He was also quoted as saying that the excitement continues with this year’s races seeing the first-ever FIA F4 World Cup racing on Macau’s Guia Circuit.
More information can be found on www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo and the “Macau GP” app.
This handout photo taken and provided yesterday by the Sports Bureau (ID) and the Macau Grand Prix Organising Committee (MGPOC) shows ID President and MGPOC Coordinator Luís Gomes (eighth from left) and Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) President Mohammed Ben Sulayem (seventh from left) and Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes (ninth from left) posing for a group photo with other FIA representatives as well as MGPOC members and subcommittee members.
