Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix postponed until Sunday over safety concerns

The 54th Motorcycle Macau Grand Prix has been postponed until Sunday due to track contamination and damage to safety barriers around the 3.8-mile Guia course.
Kyle White
By Kyle White
Published 19th Nov 2022, 10:50 BST
Updated 19th Nov 2022, 10:54 BST
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Oil was spilled onto the circuit after an incident in a car race earlier. Efforts were made to clean the track surface but after completing some evaluation laps, riders felt it was unsafe to race.

Two races over eight-laps were scheduled for Saturday, but it now seems as though one race will be held on Sunday.

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On Friday, Finland’s Erno Kostamo set the pace in qualifying on the Penz 13 BMW S1000RR, with newcomer and fellow IRRC rider David Datzer (MTP-Racing by Penz 13 BMW) 1.8 seconds down.

The Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix race did not take place on Saturday due to safety concerns over track contamination.The Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix race did not take place on Saturday due to safety concerns over track contamination.
The Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix race did not take place on Saturday due to safety concerns over track contamination.

“I felt very relaxed,” said Kostamo.

“We made a few changes to the bike since yesterday and it feels better. The BMW is flowing around the track beautifully.

“We had a bit of chatter in the front suspension yesterday but that’s now gone. We’ll make slight changes to the rear but all is good.”

South Africa’s Sheridan Morais – also a newcomer – claimed third place on the front row on the Syntainics by Penz 13 Honda CBR1000RR-R.

Finland's Erno Kostamo claimed pole for the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix on the Penz13 BMW S1000RR on Friday.Finland's Erno Kostamo claimed pole for the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix on the Penz13 BMW S1000RR on Friday.
Finland's Erno Kostamo claimed pole for the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix on the Penz13 BMW S1000RR on Friday.
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England’s Rob Hodson was fourth on the Dafabet Kawasaki ZX-10RR, 3.5 seconds off the top spot, with Lukas Maurer (Maurer Racing by Penz 13 Kawasaki ZX-10RR) and Portugal’s Andre Pires (AP Racing Team with Optimark Honda) rounding out the top six.

The motorcycle race is being held for the first time since 2019 following successive cancellations due to Covid-19 restrictions.

A 15-rider grid was secured, featuring 11 newcomers, but none of the leading names from previous years made the trip due to the seven-day quarantine stipulation.

Record nine-time winner Michael Rutter plus triple winner Peter Hickman, former winner John McGuinness and top 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 are absent from the event.

Rutter said he hoped to return in 2023.

“I love Macau and I wish I was there but I just couldn’t do the seven days sitting in a room,” he said.

"It was a reasonably straightforward decision but I’d hope to take part next year.”

Related topics:John McGuinness