The record-holding rider of the Macau Grand Prix, Michael Rutter, along with Canadian racer Dan Kruger will take to the Guia Circuit this weekend on BMW superbikes in colors inspired by athletes from the Macau Special Olympics.
During the “Penz13 BMW Motorrad by MGM China and Special Olympics Macau,” an art program relating to the 62nd edition of the Macau Grand Prix, thirty members from the group comprising of mentally-challenged sportsmen have created their own artwork of the motorcycle model.
Two out of the total of 80 paintings, created by 23-year-old golfers Sin Kei Cheong and Tam Chan Ki, were selected to be imposed onto the superbikes.
“It’s going to elevate the sport because we’re using a wide audience already from the Macau GP, and we’re integrating it into the Special Olympics, I think it’s really good for the exposure. It adds something new and fresh to the sport,” said Kruger, who challenged himself for the second time on the 6.2km track.
However, participants in the four-day annual race this year are set to experience hot weather, which the pair believed would make the race “different.” Rutter, who turned 43 this year, is confident in extending his winning streak to a ninth victory, saying that his age would not slow him down on the track despite him growing more concerned about it.
“The older you get the more you think about it, but at the end of the day, like you said, there’s the question of experience, for Macau GP, you’ve got to know where you’re going 100%, there’re lots of little secrets,” said the British racer, who has been nicknamed ‘the Blade’.
The challenging geographic features of the region’s circuit are one of the reasons why top-rated racers’ return year after year, a point on which both racers agreed.
“It’s got a bit of everything, it’s got real fast corners, 160 mile corners to walking-pace corners, it’s a good feeling when you get it right, when you get one lap right around it, it’s a long lap, when you get it perfect, it’s a big achievement,” said Rutter.
“I think it’s pretty much fair to say it’s impossible to come here and go fast, I think it takes two or three years just before you can even get on an acceptable pace,” said Kruger, who finished down the order last year.
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