Macau Grand Prix, a most precious jewel of the Greater Bay Area

Analysis

With the 72nd Macau Grand Prix (MGP), the Guia Circuit enjoyed another glorious edition. It began at Tap Seac Square on the weekend before the race, in an initiative that brought families, children and motorsport enthusiasts together to see some of the machines up close, meet the motorcycle riders, take part in fun activities, and show off their skills on the latest-generation simulators. The city ended up welcoming thousands of visitors from around the world, from across the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau (GBA), and from the mainland.

Anyone who wants to project the GBA internationally, give it the prominence it deserves, make it more dynamic, turn it into the engine of the entire region and a privileged hub for wealth creation, cannot do so without knowing and studying the MGP. One must understand its strengths and weaknesses, grasp the reasons behind its longevity and success, and apply that improved formula to future initiatives.

It was heartening to see this week, with the MGP featured on social media, TV and newspapers around the world, that after publicly advocating for this for several years, we finally see the announcement of major projects meant to transform Macau into an international tourist and cultural destination – lifting it out of the parochial stagnation into which previous governments and a complacent local business elite had dragged it. The best initiatives were repeatedly appropriated for personal enrichment, without any capacity to develop them for the benefit of residents. Now, the creation of a National Museum of Culture, an International Centre for Performing Arts and an indispensable International Museum of Contemporary Art will finally allow Macau to house and showcase some of the best work being produced globally.

A long-awaited cultural reset for Macau

Against the usual doom-and-gloom crowd – the entrenched naysayers with no vision, no ambition and no interest in collective well-being – an ambitious government project is emerging, one that would be impossible to achieve if left, like so many others, to the self-interested and inward-looking local “elite,” and without the impetus and leadership of Beijing. Now the task is to meet deadlines, build with taste, boldness and quality, and control waste, bureaucratic nonsense and the ingrained bad practices of local intermediaries and corrupt commission agents.

After years of pandemic disruption and a second-tier racing program, the MGP began to regain its former glory in 2024, proving that without internationalization, openness to the world and a commitment to excellence, it will be impossible for Macau and the GBA – and for Hong Kong to regain its status as Asia’s financial capital – to develop at a healthy, sustainable pace and attract know-how, value creation, critical capacity and appropriate stimuli.

This year, the event coincided with the China National Games, which also showed that it is possible for more than one major event to coexist in a small place, provided there is adequate organization and coordination. There is an audience for everything.

In sporting terms, the 2025 MGP went very well. Motorcycle fans were able to see their favorite riders in action. There was racing, and the weather did not significantly disrupt the program. Qualifying sessions, interrupted on Friday, were shifted to Saturday and the event proceeded as scheduled.

Local drivers and those from the GBA with less international experience had another opportunity to compete in the GBA GT Cup and the Macau Road Sport Challenge. Enthusiasm was high, along with the usual accidents that impulsiveness, excitement and inexperience tend to produce.

Internationalization remains only path forward

Following 2024, this year’s program and the strength of the entry list marked a turning point – a return to the best of pre-Covid-19 normality.

The FIA TCR World Tour, for touring cars, held its eighth and final race of the season in Macau. The battle for the world title ended with Frenchman Yann Ehrlacher and Swede Thed Björk taking the top two spots in the championship. Third place went to Argentine Esteban Guerrieri, whose Honda Civic Type R wedged itself between the Lynk & Co. armada, relegating Uruguayan Santiago Urrutia and China’s Ma Qinghua to the following positions. Good cars, better drivers and impeccable organization guarantee a good show anywhere.

With the consolidation of the international F4 racing calendar – a transitional category for drivers coming from karting before moving up to Formula Regional (FR) – Macau hosted two world cup finals. Jules Roussel won the first F4 World Cup, pushing Emanuele Olivieri and Rincaro Sato into second and third place.

More competitive than the F4 race, the FR World Cup – which replaces the former F3 World Cup, using single-seaters similar in performance to the old F3 cars – featured top drivers clocking laps below 2:15. The FR races were packed with excitement and breathtaking overtakes, with a clear jump in competitive level. The Italian-built Tatuus chassis and the powerful, reliable Alfa Romeo 1.8-liter turbo engines, producing about 270 hp, ensured high-level racing.

As for the drivers, congratulations go to the main protagonists. The new champion, Frenchman Théophile Näel, showed skill, intelligence and the nerve required to win. Also noteworthy were the excellent performances of Mari Boya, Enzo Deligny, Mattia Colnaghi, Japan’s Kato, and the unlucky Freddie Slater. FIA Single-Seater Commission President Emanuele Pirro – former F1 driver and five-time Le Mans winner – emphasized that FR cars are ideal for the Guia Circuit, allowing young talents to shine: “The 72nd Macau Grand Prix produced the best possible show you could imagine.”

High marks also go to the GT World Cup. GT races remain the most exciting category, with renowned drivers and spectacular high-speed machinery. After securing the WEC title for Ferrari the week before the MGP, Antonio Fuoco and Yifei Ye came to Macau to put on a show. Although the Chinese driver, who races under an Italian sporting license, failed to secure second overall after a strong performance in practice and the first race, Fuoco cannot complain. If luck deserted him in 2024, this year everything came together. His GTWC victory was overwhelming – pole position and categorical dominance in both races – the perfect capstone to an excellent season for him and Ferrari, to the delight of the tifosi.

The absence of Mercedes cars – which in April expressed discomfort over the use of torque sensors – was confirmed. But that did not stop Porsche, Audi, BMW, Lamborghini or McLaren from showing up. With a first-rate grid including eight platinum drivers, six gold drivers and two silver drivers, plus the debut of Turkish DTM champion Ayhancan Güven, the show was guaranteed. As Antonio Coletta, Global Head of Ferrari Endurance and Corse Clienti, said, victory in the GTWC crowned a fantastic year. Ferrari won Le Mans and half of the WEC races, reclaiming the world title 53 years later.

A criticism, however, goes to the delay in announcing penalties in the Macau Road Sport Challenge. A false start must be detected immediately, with drivers warned at the end of the first or second lap. With electronic and high-tech equipment, this cannot be left until after the awards ceremony and press conference.

It was also a terrible idea to use an area outside the circuit – the jetfoil terminal, ugly, smelly and far from everything – for food stalls. Spectators had to waste time and take long detours to return to the circuit. Even TDM commentators, who lacked access to the Media Lounge, had to leave the premises just to eat. There is no justification for blocking the overpass that connects the paddock to the Reservoir. On Thursday it was open – then suddenly it wasn’t. A PSP officer claimed “too many people,” even though barely half a dozen individuals were crossing at the time.

One final note regarding the empty seats in several stands. Many people tried to buy tickets, but online and in “Macau Ticket” shops the message for weeks was that everything was sold out. For practice sessions, there were no tickets for the Lisboa Bend. The reality was different: on Saturday and Sunday, large sections of stands were empty – a terrible look for television. This raises doubts about the attendance figures released by the organizing committee.

Ticket sales and distribution must be well managed – like everything else. It is unacceptable to tell potential buyers that tickets are sold out when stands are half-empty. Poor ticketing management must be eliminated. Empty seats should not exist at an event of this stature. You don’t see that in Singapore, Le Mans, Monte Carlo or Monza. Just look at the photos from the main races. It is essential to raise standards – across the board.

Sérgio de Almeida Correia, Auto Racing Correspondent (Text and photos)