This weekend marks the 63rd running of the Macau Grand Prix, which is kind of like the Eastern Hemisphere’s answer to the Monaco Grand Prix. There’s considerably less glitz and glamor—Macau is more Atlantic City to Monaco’s…well, it’s Monaco—but the track is perhaps even more tricky than the narrow confines of the legendary European track. The middle section winds up hills and there are multiple pinch points where the touring cars, Formula 3 cars, and GT3 racers can pile up to block the track. That’s not even the crazy thing, though; the Macau Grand Prix hosts Superbike-style motorcycle racing, as well. On a street course.
Maybe that doesn’t sound particularly crazy, but once you’ve seen it, you’ll get it. Most purpose-built bike circuits have ample runoff so that if you high-side your motorcycle, you’ll clide for a bit and probably get caught by the airbag-lined barriers. Street circuits have none of this kindness; like the Isle of Man TT, if you dump your bike, the circuit is lined with hard barriers. In some places, the leaning riders’ helmet skims just a foot or so from these barriers. The margins of error are razor thin; you’ll be unsurprised to learn that Macau’s bike races have regular fatalities.
Here’s video from last year at Macau aboard the 1.0-liter BMW of Peter Hickman, a regular competitor in the British SuperBikes Championship. That’s right, this is no small-bore class; the Superbike races include liter-bikes. This is some of the craziest circuit riding you’ll ever see.
Insanity! And great to watch
Do you know why superbike riders get on their knees in the corners???…… Prayer.