Grassroots race continues to build on GP heritage

The Macau Roadsport Challenge, the current successor to the famous Interport Macau–Hong Kong, is the race that truly brings back the spirit and nostalgia of the Grand Prix (GP) from its early days.

Although it has lost some of the prominence it once enjoyed, the race remains the only one that truly embodies the grassroots essence of the GP and its heritage.

Since returning to a unified class of cars, featuring the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ, the race has in many ways gone back to the era before the 1.6L Turbo years, when the Guia Circuit was filled with Honda Integra DC5s from local and Hong Kong racers battling fiercely for regional pride.

This year, the support race returns in the same format as in previous editions, featuring a total of 32 competitors. Among them is last year’s Macau Roadsport – Macao SAR Establishment Cup winner, Damon Chan, along with Cheang Kin Sang and Ivan Szeto, who joined him on the podium in 2024.

Last year’s runner-up, Jerónimo Badaraco, will be looking to improve on his 2024 performance and finally claim the top step of the podium.

The race will also feature several well-known names in local motorsport, including Rui Valente, as well as emerging talents such as Carson Tang and Adrian Chung, among others.

The 2024 winner in this category, Lei Kit Meng is absent from this race as he has returned to the GBA GT Cup category. This opens the door for Badaraco to take victory, although, as is often the case in this class, surprises are never far away.

The Macau Roadsport Challenge cars will hit the track today for Free Practice just before 1 p.m., before returning later in the day for Qualifying.

After a break on Friday, the Roadsport Challenge contenders will return to the Guia Circuit on Saturday morning for a nine-lap showdown that will decide this year’s winner.