Macau GP: Strange dates for this year’s FIA GT World Cup

It was already known that the 71st Macau Grand Prix would count with the presence of the seventh FIA GT World Cup, which returned to the Guia Circuit last year after a three-year hiatus brought on by the pandemic.

According to an announcement by the Macau Grand Prix Organizing Committee (MGPOC), the 71st Macau GP returns this year to its normal four-day format, running from Thursday Nov. 14 to Sunday Nov. 17. 

Unexpectedly, during the first meeting of 2024 of the World Motor Sport Council, held in Geneva Feb. 28, FIA proposed this year’s event in Macau run from Tuesday Nov. 12 to Sunday Nov. 17; that is, two more days than usual.

According to FIA, “The seventh edition of the FIA GT World Cup will be held at the Guia Circuit from Nov. 12 to Nov. 17 as part of the 2024 Macau Grand Prix.”

The organization added, “Sporting and technical regulations for the competition have also been approved.”

“The format remains unchanged from 2023, with two 30-minute practice sessions followed by a single qualifying race of the same duration.”

“The world’s premier sprint-format competition for GT3 cars will be held across two race heats, with a 12-lap qualifying race followed by a 16-lap, title-deciding main race.”

The governing body of world motorsport also added that, following last year’s measures, the FIA GT World Cup will use sustainable fuel supplied by ETS Racing Fuels.

To clarify the matter, the Times contacted the MGOPC, which replied that it “has no idea regarding [FIA’s] date announcement.”

“Whilst our official calendar is Nov. 14 to Nov. 17,” the organizing team of the local event said, hinting they might have disclosed of “their working calendar” and not the public event dates.

This idea of a “mistake” in FIA’s disclosure increases in likelihood if it is taken into account that, during the same meeting, it was also confirmed that the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour, which has its seventh and last round of the season in Macau during the Macau GP, would take place from Nov. 14 to Nov. 17 (coinciding with the official calendar from MGPOC).