As an important part of the special celebratory edition of the seven decades of the Macau Grand Prix, the 55th edition of the Macau Motorcycle GP is going ahead on the roads of Macau with the main program of the event that this year spans two weekends.
With the final removal of restrictions related to the pandemic that stopped the Motorcycle race in both 2020 and 2021, all seemed to be set for a great 2023 edition, with the expected return of many of the names that the public in Macau follow as well as the potential return of some relatively new names who made their debut in 2022.
But, according to information that the Times received from several riders and team managers, this scenario has been discarded by the Macau Grand Prix Organizing Committee (MGPOC), which has rejected the entries of most of last year’s participants.
One of the riders, who spoke to the Times on the condition of remaining anonymous, explained that according to the GP organizers, only the Top 4 finalists of last year would be allowed to participate in this year’s event.
This news came as a shock, as he explained, “At the end of last year’s race, I and other riders [were] approached by the organizers [who] told us that we could return this year, so, obviously we started preparing for this.”
He further explained that to take part in the event in November requires months of preparation, especially when it involves long stays, traveling, and shipping the motorcycles, tires, and all other necessary tools and accessories to take part in the race.
“On top of this, the news that our entries have been rejected also carries other consequences as we already started to work on liveries, racing leathers, helmet designs, and many other things. The mechanics also had to prepare and take leave in advance from their year-long jobs to be able to travel to Macau. This is really sad and disappointing.”
Another rider told the Times a similar story, noting also that he had reached out to at least other three racers who said they had been contacted between Monday and Tuesday to be informed that their entries had been rejected.
“As far as I heard, although it is not an official reply [from the MGPOC], the criteria of choice were based on performance – but I have also heard that Nadieh [Schoots] has been invited to join this year’s event so I guess it’s not just performance,” he said, noting that Schoots, racing for the first time in Macau last year, classified in the last position and over one and half minutes behind the time of the winner, the Finn Erno Kostamo, in an 8-laps-only race.
On the same topic, a member of one of the teams with extensive knowledge of the Macau racing event said, “We know that the Macau race is an invitational one and the organizers can pick anyone they like but what is bothering most of the people (in my opinion) is that the same organizers have met the riders and the teams after the event last year and they provided them with feedback, which, in most cases was positive and we were told that we could join this year, and in some cases this was not the case. What we don’t understand is the change of mind from the organizers, which is causing a lot of damage for the riders and teams of small structure – as most of them are.”
“I think the local organizers need to change their approach and have a more professional attitude towards their role. Maybe last year they were just being polite or expressing personal views that were not shared by the structure of the GP itself, I honestly don’t know… But there are some very angry people out there for whom this turnout of events feels like a betrayal.”
“I asked for an explanation as they had promised it and I told them I was already working on the bike…” the first rider remarked, “But their reply was: Thank you for your understanding, perhaps you can return next year,” he said, referring to the poor communication from the local officials.
“When the ‘Big Boys’ didn’t want to come [to Macau] we were fine. Now that coronavirus is gone, the little heroes can fuck off.”
AAMC claims ‘safety’ is the priority
To hear from the organizers on the matter, the Times contacted the MGPOC through the Automobile General Association Macao-China (AAMC), responsible for handling the registration and invitation process.
In a written response to the Times the AAMC said, “As Macau’s Guia Circuit is a street circuit, safety is one of the biggest priorities,” adding, “The Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix Event’s tradition is to have entries from the riders who have experience in races regarded as being of similar status and challenge as the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, particularly in
‘International Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Races’ or ‘North West 200,’ as you can see from the entries in the past.”
The local entity that rules over motorsports noted that due to the absence of quarantine measures, “many riders are eager to return to join the Macau Grand Prix, especially in a remarkable year of its celebration,” adding that the entries are still ongoing and that the final entry list will be only submitted to the sporting subcommittee for selection at a later stage, “before it will be officially announced in October by the organizer.”
Expected returns to the GP
Although the list of riders to take part in the event is not final yet, according to the information collected by the Times, the organizers aim to see back from 2022, the winner Kostamo as well as podium finishers David Datzer and Sheridan Morais. Also joining should be the fourth-place finisher Lukas Maurer and the female racer Nadieh Schoots.
According to the same team member the final list of racers this year should be limited to a maximum of 21 or 22 (due to space limitations). To the names already mentioned should be added tentatively 16 or 17 of the most well-known names from road racing and Guia Circuit, including Michael Rutter (who told the Times back in March this year that he would return this year), Peter Hickman, David Johnson and Davey Todd, among others.
