Covid-19 quarantine measures deterred top names from Macau Grand Prix return, says Mervyn Whyte

Practice gets under way on Thursday as the 54th edition of the motorcycle race returns for the first time since 2019, with two eight-lap races scheduled for Saturday in a change from the single 12-lap race held in previous years.

Record nine-time winner Michael Rutter plus triple winner Peter Hickman, former winner John McGuinness and leading riders including Northern Ireland’s Lee Johnston, Ian Hutchinson, David Johnson, Davey Todd, Gary Johnson, Derek Sheils, Michael Sweeney, Dominic Herbertson, Ulsterman Paul Jordan and Brian McCormack have not made the trip to the former Portuguese colony in southern China.

A grid of 15 riders has been put together featuring British competitors Rob Hodson and newcomers Joey Thompson, Matt Stevenson and Paul Williams.

The line-up consists of mainly European racers such as Germany’s David Datzer, Lukas Maurer from Switzerland, Frenchman Timothee Monot, Finland’s Erno Kostamo, Raul Torras Martinez from Spain, Austrian Julian Trummer, Belgian Laurent Hoffmann and Kamil Holan from the Czech Republic.

South Africa’s Sheridan Morais – an experienced former World Superbike and Supersport rider – is an intriguing entry on a Honda Fireblade for the Penz13.com team, while Dutch woman Nadieh Schoots makes her debut on a Kawasaki for Rebel Racing on the 3.8-mile Guia street course.

However, no former winners of the race are present this year and Whyte – who is a race consultant for the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – says it wasn’t a viable option for many of road racing’s star names.

“There are a few British guys but the bulk of the riders are from the road racing championship in Europe, and the requirement for seven days of quarantine has been the big issue,” he said.

“The likes of Peter Hickman, Michael Rutter and John McGuinness didn’t go and basically the reason is because of the seven days’ quarantine.

“I had been back and forward to talk to a number of them and that is the main issue. It’s not so much of a problem for the riders themselves, it’s more an issue for the mechanics and team members.

“The majority of them are working and they would have to take off that period of time, so it’s just not viable for a lot of them even though flights, accommodation, food, air freight and the quarantine stay was being covered by Macau,” he added.

“But to be away for up to three weeks just wasn’t possible.”

Whyte said the team behind the motorcycle race in Macau were especially keen to run the event this year over fears it would disappear from the programme altogether.

“The organisers were determined to run the bike race this year because it’s been three years since it was last held, and the big fear was that it might not run again if they didn’t manage to put something together this year,” he said.

“They managed to get enough riders to form a grid and as a result of that, they got the OK for it.

“It’s a brilliant event, there’s no doubt about it and it just has something else about it, so it’s good to see it back again.”