Macau hosted the inaugural rounds of the first edition of the FIM: Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) MiniGP Southeast Asia (SEA) over the weekend.
At the Coloane Karting Track, 15 very young riders from mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Macau put on their best performances, aiming to start collecting the necessary points to win this first-ever MiniGP SEA and secure a seat in the MiniGP World Finals.
The two rounds, comprising two races each, took place on Saturday and yesterday (July 5 and 6).
In the first race of Round 1, Huang Ting Nuo from China won, while Taiwan’s Chien Pin-Chi was second, followed by Li Yuheng from China.
Due to a thunderstorm warning signal on Saturday afternoon, Race 2 of Round 1 was eventually canceled, and no points were awarded.
Races 1 and 2 of Round 2 were held yesterday without disruptions due to weather warning signals. The first race delivered the exact same results as the previous day, with Huang topping the list, followed by Chien and Li.
In the weekend’s last race, yesterday afternoon, Huang continued his dominance, scoring another P1 position. Chien remained second, but this time, Cheung Yan Kit from Hong Kong took third.
Huang leads after the first two rounds with 75 points in the championship. Chien is second with 60, and Li and Cheung are tied for third with 29 points.
The only Macau representative in this championship, Liam Ao Ieong, has not yet scored any points.
As part of the championship rules and to keep the sport as fair as possible, all the motorcycles are owned by the series organizer. They are assigned to riders in a draw at the start of each round, which means that the number each rider holds changes each round according to the motorcycle they receive.
The MiniGP SEA championships continue with Rounds 3 and 4, scheduled for August 9 and 10, and will conclude at the end of August (30 and 31) with the fifth and sixth rounds.
About the MiniGP Series
The FIM MiniGP SEA is part of a group of three new additions for this season, expanding the world series to a total of 22 worldwide.
The FIM MiniGP World Series is the first motorsport program aimed at creating grassroots equality. This year, the Northeast Asia series and the FIM MiniGP Türkiye Series also started alongside the SEA series.
As in the debut year, the new series uses lower-power motorcycles, Ohvale GP-0, equipped with ZS 160cc engines.
The FIM MiniGP World Series has two different specifications: one for younger riders aged 10 to 14 (160cc) and another for older or more experienced riders aged 12 to 16 (190cc).
In the first year of each series, races run exclusively in the younger age group with the lower engine specification, with the option to move up to the higher specification from the second year.
To proceed, rules state that each series must have a minimum of five events comprising 10 races. The top two riders in each series will be invited to participate in the World Finals.
Like last year, this year’s MiniGP World Finals will take place in Valencia, Spain, ahead of the MotoGP championship finale, with riders arriving on the Sunday before.
Each series also has an appointed series ambassador who will attend the final to provide the young riders with expert tips and support.
The list of ambassadors includes names such as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
The FIM MiniGP SEA ambassador is Jacob Roulstone, Moto3 rider from Red Bull KTM Tech3.
In addition to the newly created Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia series, several national series are running in Asia, including China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
AAMC hosts marshal training for the GP
Over the weekend, the Automobile General Association Macao-China (AAMC) also took the opportunity to conduct their marshal training, preparing for the 72nd edition of the Macau Grand Prix this November.
Training was also performed for specific posts occupied by members of the security forces, including the Fire Services Bureau, on tasks such as extrication and rescue.
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