The Macau Grand Prix Committee (CGPM) said Tuesday it aims to reduce the noise levels produced by the vehicles to no more than 115 decibels.
CGPM Sporting Subcommittee Chong Coc Veng made the announcement during a press conference about the 61st Macau Grand Prix in November.
The press conference, co-hosted by the committee’s Co-ordinator João Manuel Costa Antunes, Deputy Co-ordinator Davina Chu Miu Lai, Marketing and Advertising Subcommittee Co-ordinator Charles Lo Keng Chio and Chong, was held in the Macau Grand Prix complex opposite the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal.
The 61st Macau Grand Prix will be held on November 13-16.
Chong said the committee will take special measures to reduce the noise produced by the vehicles – cars and motorcycles – so as to give residents a less noisy weekend. Chong said the noise level will be limited on average to no more than 115 decibels.
“We will set regulations which specify the noise limit. Before the Grand Prix takes place, the vehicle checks will also include checks on the level of noise produced by the vehicles. During the checks, we will run the engines to particular RPM [revolutions per minute] to see if the noise level is over [the limit]. If the level is over [the limit], we will not allow the vehicles to race”, Chong said.
Chong added, “In the past, we did not set a limit on the noise produced by the engines …… I give an example as a reference ……the noise levels produced by F3 race cars in 2013 were, on average, 122 to 124 decibels, while this year we will aim to control the levels at under 115 decibels”.
Antunes said that the budget for this year could not be compared with last year as the 60th Grand Prix took place over two weekends. He said that compared with the Grand Prix two years ago, the budget for this year will be some 190 million patacas, a 15 percent rise. Last year the budget was 287 million patacas, he said.
Antunes also said that according to a survey about locals’ views on the Macau Grand Prix conducted by the University of Macau(UM) last year, the respondents did not know much about the motor-racing event.
The survey also showed that 77.9 percent of the respondents thought that the Grand Prix should continue, Antunes said.
Antunes also said his committee will launch various promotion activities for locals. He said this year the committee will co-operate with the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ), in which schools will be invited to take their pupils to visit the Grand Prix facilities.
According to Chong, the 61st Grand Prix will comprise the F3, FIA World Touring Car Championship, Motorcycle Grand Prix, Macau GT Cup, Macau Touring Car Cup and Macau Road Sport Challenge.(macaunews/macaupost)
