The Macau Grand Prix Organising Committee (MGPOC) appears to be taking a philosophical view over the shock replacement of its marquee Formula 3 (F3) race with a junior level competition known as “Formula Regional.”
In a tersely worded statement issued last night, the committee noted that Formula Regional cars were “more suitable for racing at the Guia Circuit” and gave no hint of any distress at the sudden scrapping of F3 racing – regarded as the jewel in the crown of Macao’s best known international event.
Motorsport’s governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), made the bombshell announcement yesterday that F3 racing would no longer take place in Macao. This is in spite of F3’s decades-long history in the city, with racing legends like Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher among previous winners.
The move comes as a stinging blow as Macao attempts to position itself as a hub for top-level international sporting events – a so-called “city of sports and shows.”
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In its statement, the MGPOC said that the Formula Regional race – which the FIA says was designed to “bridge the gap” between Formula 4 and F3 – would “attract top drivers from all over the world.”
It added that it remained “committed to presenting a world-class racing event to residents and tourists alike.”
Formula Regional makes its debut at the 71st Macau Grand Prix, which will be held from 14 to 17 November and is doubtless seen as a showpiece event as the city gears up for the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the Macao Special Administrative Region in December.
The FIA says the race will make the Macau Grand Prix “more accessible than ever, opening it up to a broad pool of potential drivers competing at regional level,” but to many local racing fans the move appears to be a demotion of the city’s importance on the global racing circuit.
