Friday, December 21, 2012

Macau Grand Prix

Every November, Macau transforms it's streets into a race track for the popular auto-racing event, the Macau Grand Prix.  They erect grand stands and barriers along the streets and redirect traffic with lots of road detours and closures.  We're told this course is one of the most challenging in the world because it has some fast straights (top speeds of 170 mph), tight corners, and uncompromising crash barriers.  This event is also unique because it's the only street circuit that has both car and motorbike races.
  Although we're not auto-racing enthusiasts, we couldn't miss this big event.  And, our good friends invited us to watch the race from a unique location, the United Nations University.  From here, we had an up-close view of Maternity Bend (see map above)
and the following straightaway.

We watched one 15-lap car race (I believe they're called Formula 3 cars)

and one motorbike race (although the red flag waved, ending it after only 7 or 8 laps due to a slight drizzle of rain).

We didn't see any crashes or spin outs but there was evidence a car had hit the barriers in front of us earlier in the day and there were a few times the emergency vehicles raced to a crash site somewhere else on the track.  During the stoppage times and when the cars and motorcycles were racing around the rest of the track, we had the space to play, eat, and socialize.  It was a great place to enjoy the race.  We had fun at the Macau Grand Prix.

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