Macau Grand Prix | TCR dispute may threaten participation next year

Tiago Monteiro was the Guia Race winner

A dispute has emerged between the TCR International Series and Macau Grand Prix organizers following the conclusion of the racing event in the city last weekend. According to Autosport magazine, the dispute threatens to end the series’ involvement in the Guia Race next year.

The argument seems to have brewed over the racing weekend with TCR executives noticeably dissatisfied by the presence of cars from the Chinese Touring Car Championship (CTCC), which adhere to different regulations than TCR.

“I think to have different regulations in the same race is difficult to manage,” TCR boss Marcello Lotti told Autosport. “To open the race to cars with a different configuration, where the only points of similarity is cylinder capacity, is very dangerous,” he added.

The CTCC cars underperformed in the race compared with their TCR rivals, and were blamed as the causes behind several accidents and delays.

However, the final spark that lit the fire might be linked to an entirely different scandal; the absence of TCR series credits in official press information.

Moreover, Autosport claims that timekeepers were told during the competition that the TV graphics were not allowed to contain any mention of the TCR championship points.

The dispute casts doubts over whether the Guia Race could set the stage for the World Touring Car Championship competition, as previously rumored.

It may also represent the continuation of a worrying trend in Macau of internationally-reputed institutions pulling out of locally-organized events.

In September, leading Macau Grand Prix consultant, Barry Bland, whose Motor Race Consultants company had been involved in the racing event since 1983, announced his withdrawal citing rushed developments that he claimed have become characteristic of local organizers.

Furthermore, just last week, renowned director and festival planner, Marco Müller, announced his sudden departure from the International Film Festival & Awards Macao shortly before it is due to launch next month.

Though the full reasons behind his departure have still not been disclosed, both Müller and Macau-based organizers have stated that “differences of opinion” made the collaboration difficult. DB