New car, added competitivity

Retaining only the name from previous editions, the Macau Roadsport Challenge will this year present a completely new racing series to local Grand Prix spectators.

Featuring only Subaru BRZ or Toyota GR86 (duplicate car models), the series has replaced the previous Macau Touring Car Series racing categories that included the 1.6-liter Turbo engine powered cars and the heavily tuned 2.0-liter and above engines categories.

All previous models have been relegated to the garage to make way for the new 2.4-liter naturally aspirated models.

This new race will be called the Macau Roadsport Challenge on the first weekend and will also be part of the main weekend, this time under the name of Macau Grand Prix 70th Anniversary Challenge.

To learn more about the differences between the series and what to expect, the Times spoke to a veteran local racer participating in the event, Rui Valente.

Valente told the Times that among the major differences between the previous and this new series is the fact that, for the new cars, the regulations do not allow many changes, having the vehicles keep most of their original parts, as per the road models.

“Both the engines and gearboxes need to be original and cannot be touched,” he explained, noting that limited changes are allowed for the suspension, wheels and other parts of the vehicles.

He noted that even the exhaust manifold needs to be kept original, with changes only possible to the final exhaust line.

Limitations also extend to how low the cars sit on the road as well as on the wheel’s camber angles which have also been reduced from the previous series.

Except for the brakes, pretty much all other parts are strictly regulated, which makes the cars “more uniform” in performance terms.

Asked about the costs of the new series, Valente said this is a “less costly” series with a total investment for a car’s acquisition and preparation between MOP320,000 and MOP330,000. In comparison, he said for previous 1.6T cars, “to have a competitive car, a racer needed to invest at least MOP500,000.”

Added focus on the driver

As the new cars are less powerful and consequently slower and more equal on track, this race is likely to produce a tighter contention with cars running at very similar speeds and grouped together, Valente also said. He noted that while this can “produce a better show for those watching” it forces drivers into added physical and mental effort as “there will be no moments to rest.”

Asked about his expectations for the race, the driver said the qualifying session will be decisive with anyone aiming to win or to step on the final podium needing to try to start the race in the first five spots.

He also added that the race is short (8 laps) so the first two to three laps will be decisive to establish the final classification so everyone will “attack with all they have got from lights out.”