The odds of the Motorcycle Grand Prix (GP) returning to the annual Macau GP are on the rise, president Pun Weng Kun of the Sports Bureau (ID) revealed over the weekend.
In addition to the possible resumption of the motorcycle race, foreign racers are also considering returning to Macau for the races.
Despite this news, the Formula 3 World Cup and GT World Cup will not be returning to the Guia Circuit this year, Pun noted.
Pun emphasized that his bureau was still striving to bring the Motorcycle GP back to Macau and he saw an increasing probability of achieving this. This particular race has been suspended for two years due to border restrictions.
Negotiations are currently being conducted with prospective racers. Pun said that local racers were ready for the race and foreign racers had expressed their desire to come to Macau, but admitted that quarantine was still a hurdle.
At least one motorcycle racer expressed his lack of interest in racing in Macau this year.
According to a report by the UK media outlet News Letter, racer Michael Sweeney – who raced in Macau in 2012 – admitted that the organizers of the Macau GP had approached him to ask if he would return to Macau this year.
However, the racer said, “I’m not [going] because [I] need to quarantine [there].” Moreover, he commented on the unattractiveness of the quarantine requirements, stating, “You can’t expect lads to go all the way over there and spend […] time in quarantine,” as cited in the article.
He further disclosed that he had discussed the matter with big names such as John McGuinness, Peter Hickman and Michael Rutter, and “none of them are going to quarantine for ten days,” according to the report.
The current requirement to quarantine-upon-arrival lasts for seven days, with an additional three days during which entrants will be assigned a yellow health code, when in practice they will be unable to enter public venues such as restaurants, bars, government offices, and the airport.
