Competitors from the three headline races at next week’s Star River‧Windsor Arch 57th Macau grand Prix will step outside their usual comfort zone of motorsport to face a set of unusual challenges on Wednesday, November 17th at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf as they go head-to-head in the Macau Grand Prix Challenge.

The world’s leading single seater drivers, who will do battle in the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix, ‘tin top’ racers from the FIA World Touring Car Championship, and riders from the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, will be given three tasks to perform, each of which reflects a different aspect of the Macau SAR.

The first challenge will be a Chinese calligraphy competition to see which of the competitors, many of whom are visiting China for the first time, can master the complex art of writing characters. Their efforts will be judged both for accuracy and style, and they will be asked to copy characters onto a scroll using traditional calligraphy brushes and ink.

The second task is to identify the differences between two seemingly identical pictures of Historic Center of Macau UNESCO World Heritage sites, and test just how eagle-eyed the drivers and riders are. The first team to identify all the differences will win the round.

Finally, as a symbolic welcome to the two Giant Pandas – Kai Kai and Xin Xin – a gift to Macau from China’s Central, the competitors will be asked to ‘limbo dance’ under a bamboo pole held by two ‘Pandas’. The pole will be lowered round-by-round, with the most agile contestants winning the challenge.


The pre-Grand Prix Wednesday event has become popular with competitors, teams, supporters and the public, and provides an unusual opportunity to see some of the world’s leading motorsport professionals taking part in non-motorsport event. The Macau Grand Prix Challenge will be followed by an autograph signing session, giving the public a chance to meet the competitors and take home a signed Macau Grand Prix poster.

The Macau Grand Prix Challenge will get underway at 2:45pm at Legends Boulevard, Macau Fisherman’s Wharf.