Belfast Newsletter
The organisers of the Macau Grand Prix will be treated to a VIP experience at the Vauxhall International North West 200 in 2015 as ties between the famous races continue to strengthen.
NW200 Event Director Mervyn Whyte has been a regular visitor to the iconic showpiece in the Far East in recent years and the trip next May is aimed at further solidifying the mutually-beneficial link between both events.
Macau GP regular Horst Saiger, the current Superstock lap record holder at the Triangle circuit, plus International Road Racing Series champion Didier Grams and his Heidger-Motorsport.de team-mate Marc Fissette are among the names recruited to the Ulster road race through contacts established at Macau and Whyte is eager to build on the relationship with his counterparts in China.
“It is great news that a delegation of the Macau organising committee are coming to Northern Ireland for our race next May,” Whyte said.
“We have been building our contact with the Macau organisers in recent years and this will be their first visit to the North West.
“Aside from discussing the issues around racing we will be making sure the Macau people have a good opportunity to visit the North coast and see the wonderful sights in this part of the world.
“The Macau race has always sought to attract more tourists to visit the city and there is a lot that we can learn from each other about promoting our events to a global audience.”
Paul Butler, Deputy Clerk of the Course at the Macau Grand Prix, said next year’s visit would be utilised as a ‘fact-finding mission’.
“Macau is an invitation-only race and we regard experience of racing at the North West 200 as a suitable criteria for entry to our event,” said the former MotoGP race director.
“If riders have competed successfully at the North West we don’t have any worries and our trip next May will be a fact finding mission aimed at strengthening a relationship that we already share.”
Accompanying Butler in the Macau delegation next May will be Carlos Barreto, Macau GP Clerk of the Course, Patrick Castro, Track Manager and the President of the Automobile Association of Macau-China, Chong Coc Veng.
The Chinese race is now organised by a government controlled committee which took over management of the motorcycle race at the Grand Prix in 2011.
Since then they have been building stronger links with other international bike sport events, striving to maintain the highest quality entry possible for their end-of-season meeting, won in style at the weekend by Scottish star Stuart Easton on the PBM Kawasaki.
