Having just watched last years Macau on tv tonight i have mixed feelings, for a start racing round a so called circuit with unprotected armco is sheer lunacy and before anyone says the riders are not forced to go there must be an incentive ok Money.On this forum most of us are road race fans and we know it is dangerous and everything possible is being done to make our sport as safe as possible, but watching that programe tonight makes me angry that riders should ever think of entering.

Don't forget Pykey they put unprotected armco around Oulton park, Mallory etc for the benefit of cars, not a straw bale or any protection of any kind for years.

There must be something about it, cos Roger Bennett has come out of retirement to race there, and he's not the kind of person who is driven by money. He just loves racing there (and he's very good too!)

It's strange isn't it !

One lot won't ride on a circuit unless there are run-offs, bales and protection, yet there are some who will go to Macau which goes completely against the requirements of a motorcycle race circuit. Barriers, sharp edges, narrow road....

However, Macau is the unique race it is and, seeing it on the TV, I can understand the thrill of racing there.
The guys that fell off were but winded and rode later after having check overs.

In a similar vein to out TT, the sport would be poorer without these challenges.

Long may it go on......................

have you ever seen the video of kevin schwantz at macau? absolutely awesome. was he enjoying himself or what? he can't have used many front tyres, he spent most of the lap on the back wheel.
ade!

I was in Bahrain, a few weeks ago and it was mentioned that the new F1 circuit may be opened up to include bikes.
Some of the local lads are lobbying to use the circuit for "Track days".

Haven't posted a message for some time, so I thought a Macau response was a fair time to return since I rode there from 1988 to 1993. In fact I have a photo of Kevin Shwantz and I going round the hairpin together, in practice for the 88 event. Yes he was amazing, though he did have the only GP bike in the race, he left everyone far behind.
It has always puzzled me that folk would race, and race quite hard round Macau, and not race the TT, the Ulster, or the NW200.It wasn't really the money,although the whole trip was free for you and your mechanic.No doubt about it, Macau was and is a very dangerous circuit. I recall one Malaysian being killed at Yacht Club bend in a Junior race before ours, and the TV producers kept replaying the accident time after time on the pit lane TV's immediately before our race!!
After a car race one out the Chinese gangs shot dead one of the car drivers in the saloon race because the wrong driver won the race.
However, if it was fun and games you wanted at Macau, all you had to do was follow Steve Parrish around to the Lisboa Hotel, and watch him get up to some tricks.
What goes on tour, stays on tour. Happy days

It's a very special place. I had just one race there, having never raced before. Call me mad, but it's something I just couldn't pass up

Regarding the shooting incident, I remember it well...they shot up the driver's minibus outside my hotel!

I'm 51 now...but if someone sponsored me, I'd do it again, no worries!

My thoughts though are with Erwin Wilding right now. He came off at over 100mph at Reservoir Bend and hit the wall, suffering bad head injuries. The Honda Austria website (http://www.wrt.at) says he's improving, so that's good news.

It's a tough place to make a mistake but nobody is forced to do it. Like the proverbial mountain, I did it because it's there...and I just couldn't resist the challenge of the most dangerous track in the world.