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Changing
Guias: 49 Years of the Macau Grand Prix
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First run in
November, 1954 as a club race for local motoring enthusiasts,
the Macau Grand Prix has evolved into what many believe
is the finest street circuit race meeting in the world.
Here we look back at some of the highlights of the
last 45 years.
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1954
The first Macau Grand Prix, held on November 1, saw 15 entrants
compete in a four hour race over 51 laps of the 3.9 mile Guia
circuit. Eddie Carvalho's Triumph TR 2 took victor's laurels
in the inaugural event while Gordon 'Dinga' Bell set a fastest
lap of 4:12.00 in his Morgan. The circuit left much to be
desired however, and the official stewards report noted the
"back of the circuit is very bad - mostly dirt and loose sand."
1955
During the spring and early summer of 1955, the entire back
section of the circuit was closed to traffic so that its old
cobbles could be dug up and replaced with asphalt. Hong Kong's
Robert Ritchie won the second, 60-lap Macau Grand Prix in
his Austin Healey 100 in a time of 3:55.55.7. Less than a
second behind was the Mercedes 190 SL of Douglas Steane with
third place going to Neville Fullford in a Triumph TR 2.
1956
The third Macau Grand Prix saw the construction of a permanent
concrete grandstand which incorporated 10 pits and seating
for 300. The 77-lap race was won by Douglas Steane in a Mercedes
190 SL, with his nearest rivals more than two laps behind.
1957
The race programme of the fourth running of the Macau Grand
Prix featured a 100 Mile Handicap Race, won by Pan Am pilot
George Baker, a Ladies Race and a Novice Race. The 77-lap
Grand Prix was won by Arthur Pateman in a Mercedes 300, who
also set a new lap record of 3:25.50.
1958
The Guia circuit was reduced to its present length of 3.8
miles for the fifth Grand Prix which also saw the introduction
of the 15-lap ACP Trophy Race. A total of 31 cars, the largest
field so far, were entered in the Grand Prix, which had been
reduced to 60 laps to avoid the glare of the late afternoon
sun. Singapore's Chan Lye-choon won the Grand Prix in an Aston
Martin DB 3S.
1959
The programme for the sixth Macau Grand Prix was expanded
to include official practice sessions for the first time.
Hong Kong's Ron Hardwick took an early lead in the Grand Prix
but the race was red flagged when an overloaded steel footbridge
collapsed, injuring 21 spectators. Hardwick led the field
away from the restart and stormed to victory in his Jaguar
XKSS, setting a new lap record of 3:24.10. A lap behind in
second place was Australian Bill Wyllie in a DKW 1000 RS and
third was Chan Lye-choon's Aston Martin DB 3S. Carol Ungricht
won the final running of the Ladies Race in her MGA.
THE
60's: A TIME TO GROW
1960
The Macau Grand Prix was, for the first time, entered on the
international racing calendar as a "national race with foreign
participation," and was subject for the first time to the
regulations published by the FIA for sports and grand touring
cars. Scottish driver Martin Redfern, in his Jaguar XK SS,
took victory in the seventh Macau Grand Prix with a time of
3:27:24.4. American Grant Wolfkill was second in a Porsche
Spyder and Briton Jan Bussell was third in a Ferrari Monza.
The 60-lap race saw the existing lap record broken 11 times
in all - four times by Redfern, twice by Bussell and five
times by Wolfkill, who set the new lap record of 3:17.20.
1961
Thailand's Peter Heath, who along with Chan Lye-choon had
almost been excluded from the event when the scrutineers failed
their cars, went on to win the eighth Grand Prix in his Lotus
15. 26 seconds adrift was Bill Baxter in his brand new E-Type
Jaguar, while Heinz Gosslar's Porsche Carrera finished third,
one lap behind.
1962
On his second outing at Macau, popular Filipino driver Arsenio
"Dodgie" Laurel won the Grand Prix in his Lotus 22 Ford FJ
and set a new lap record of 3:10.1. Second was Don Bennett
in a Lotus S7, and third was Hong Kong's Albert Poon, on the
first of many visits to the Macau Grand Prix rostrum.
1963
With his 1963 victory, Dodgie Laurel became the first driver
to win two consecutive Grands Prix. His Lotus also became
the fastest car ever on the Guia circuit when it hit a top
speed of 73.38 mph mid-way through the race. The Jaguar E-types
of Bill Baxter and Teddy Yip, although four laps behind, were
second and third respectively.
1964
The 11th Macau Grand Prix saw an all-Lotus top three when
Hong Kong's Albert Poon took victor's laurels in his Lotus
23, followed by John Kirk in a Lotus Elan and Steve Holland
in a Lotus 18 Ford FJ. Poon also set a new lap record of 3:05.40.
Argentine rally champion Eugen Bohringer won the 60-lap Production
Car Race in a Mercedes 300 SE.
1965
Of the record 40 entries received, only 24 would take the
start of the 1965 Grand Prix. After a poor start, victory
went to Hong Kong garage owner John MacDonald in his Lotus
18. He was followed closely by film-maker Grant Wolfkill in
an E-Type Jaguar with Singapore-based Flt. Lt. Tony Goodwin's
Lotus Elite in third. Poleman Albert Poon set a fastest lap
of 3:07.60 before having to retire.
1966
By 1966, the Macau Grand Prix's reputation had spread to Europe
and for the first time an "imported" driver, in the form of
Italy's Mauro Bianchi, won the event. Bianchi, in a Renault
Alpine, drove 60 laps of the Guia circuit in a time of 3:12:23.20
and set a new lap record of 2:59.80. Albert Poon also set
a record for number of Grand Prix rostrum visits when he placed
second in his Lotus 23, while the Porsche Carrera of Japanese
driver Shintiro Taki took third.
1967
The first running of the Macau Motor Cycle Grand Prix saw
Japan's Hiroshi Hasegawa take the chequered flag when his
Yamaha RD 56 completed 30 laps of the Guia circuit in a time
of 1:53:34.00. The Grand Prix also saw its first fatality
when the car driven by race favourite Dodgie Laurel crashed
and caught fire. The race was not stopped, although Teddy
Yip withdrew his entry in sympathy, and was eventually won
by Tony Maw of Malaysia in a Lotus 20B.
1968
With the appearance of Japanese drivers Osamu Mochizuki and
Osamu Masuko in their beautifully prepared Formula 2 Mitsubishi
Colts, the event saw the debut of its first true single seater
works team. Albert Poon in a Brabham Alfa took pole position
for the 45-lap Grand Prix, with the two Mitsubishi Colts lining
up next to him on the front row. Poon led for much of the
race, but gearbox failure on lap 35 put the lead, and the
win, into the hands of Singapore's Jan Bussell in a Brabham
F2, while Japanese bike ace Hiroshi Hasegawa won the Macau
Motor Cycle Grand Prix for the second successive year.
1969
John MacDonald became the first - and only - man ever to have
won both the Macau Grand Prix (1965) and the Macau Motor Cycle
Grand Prix. Riding a Yamaha, MacDonald's winning time over
30 laps of the circuit was 1:45:31.50. Australian Kevin Bartlett
took victor's laurels in the 16th Macau Grand Prix in his
Mildren Waggott and set a fastest lap of 2:39.03.
THE
70's: RECORD SETTING DECADE
1970
Austrian Dieter Quester, driving a BMW Formula 2, won the
17th Macau Grand Prix, three laps ahead of second place man
Albert Poon's Brabham BT30. Singapore's Anne Wong won the
20-lap Touring Car Race in a Mini-Cooper S and Indonesia's
Benny Hidajat, riding a Yamaha YSI, took the chequered flag
in the fourth Motor Cycle Grand Prix.
1971
Crack German driver Dieter Glemser, in a factory Ford Capri
RS, won the 20-lap Production Car Race by more than two minutes
over his nearest rival. Japanese riders O. Motohashi and S.
Minuro swept the 54-strong field to take top honours in the
fifth Motor Cycle Grand Prix, both on factory Yamahas. The
18th Macau Grand Prix saw 29 cars on the grid, with victory
going, for a second time, to Jan Bussell, with Japan's Riki
Ohkubo in second and fellow countryman Ken Misaki in third.
1972
John MacDonald made history when he won the first running
of the Guia Race (originally run over 201.4 miles, the race
was then known as the "Guia 200") in an Austin Cooper and
the same year won the Grand Prix in a Brabham BT36. MacDonald's
win made him the only competitor to have won all three international
events. Japanese Yamaha riders took the top three spots on
the Motor Cycle GP rostrum with victory going to Ikujiro Takai,
second place to Yutaka Oda, and third to Akira Teuri.
1973
Hong Kong's John MacDonald, won his third Grand Prix in 1973
driving a Brabham BT 40, followed by Indonesian Sonny Rajah
and Singapore's Graeme Lawrence. More than 100 entries were
received for the seventh Motor Cycle Grand Prix, won by Japan's
Ken Araoka on a Suzuki. Araoka also set a new lap record of
2:56.68, the first rider to lap the Guia Circuit in under
three minutes. To accommodate the huge number of entries,
the Macau Grand Prix introduced a six-lap "Organiser's Trophy
Race" for non-qualifiers in the Motor Cycle GP.
1974
Australian Vern Schuppan drove to a run-away victory in the
Grand Prix, setting a new lap record of 2:30.96 and taking
the chequered flag in his March 722 more than four laps ahead
of second placed David Purley and five laps ahead of Herb
Adamczyk. Japan's Nobuhide Tachi won the 53-lap Guia Race
in his Toyota Celica TA and fellow countryman Kawasaki Hiroyuki
rode his Yamaha to victory in the eighth Motor Cycle GP.
1975
With his win in the 21st Macau Grand Prix John MacDonald became
the Macau Grand Prix's most victorious driver with wins in
the 1965, 1972, 1973 and 1975 events. Nobuhide Tachi won the
Guia Race for the second year running and the top three places
in the 25-lap Motor Cycle GP went to Japanese riders Hideo
Kanaya, Ken Araoka and Sadeo Asami.
1976
British bike ace Chas Mortimer finally broke the Japanese
stranglehold on the Motor Cycle Grand Prix with his victory
in 1976. Theodore Racing's Vern Schuppan won his second Grand
Prix in a Ralt, but it was team mate Alan Jones who stole
the show when he set a scorching lap record of 2:21.44 in
his March - a record which would stand unbroken for the next
eight years. Following in the footsteps of her record-setting
husband Albert, Diana Poon, became the first woman to drive
a single seater on the Guia circuit. Popular Hong Kong driver
Herb Adamczyk took victor's laurels in the 40-lap Guia Race
in his Porsche Carrera RS and for the first time, the Macau
Grand Prix was run as a FIA-recognised event.
1977
Italy's Ricardo Patrese drove his Team Harper Chevron to a
decisive victory in the 40-lap Grand Prix, run to FIA Formula
Pacific regulations. Kiwi Steve Millen was second and Australian
Andrew Medicke was third. Peter Chow won the Guia Race, and
set a new lap record of 2:52.50, in his Toyota Celica and
Kawasaki UK rider Mick Grant smashed the Motor Cycle GP lap
record when he rode the 3.8 miles of the Guia Circuit in 2:48.38
on his way to victory.
1978
In honour of the 25th Macau Grand Prix, Macau's most famous
motor sport personality Teddy Yip organised the "Race of Giants."
All the truly big names were in Macau that year - Jack Brabham,
Mike Hailwood, Jackie Stewart Phil Hill, Dan Gurney and, eventual
race winner, Jacky Ickx. Ricardo Patrese and Derek Daly took
the top two positions on the Grand Prix rostrum, while Kevin
Cogan was third. Yamaha riders took the top three honours
in the Motor Cycle GP, with Sadeo Asami and Steve Parrish
in first and second respectively while British rider Mike
Trimby, organiser of the present day Motor Cycle GP entries,
was third. Peter Chow's Toyota Celica set a new lap record
of 2:44.82 and won overall victory, for the second year running
in the Guia Race.
1979
For the first time, the Motor Cycle GP was run in two legs
of 15 laps each; Sadeo Asami, riding a Yamaha TZ-OW, was the
clear winner of both legs while Steve Parrish was second on
points, and Bernard Murray, third. Herb Adamczyk took the
chequered flag in the Guia Race, followed by Japan's Masahiro
Hasemi and countryman Nobuhide Tachi. Geoff Lees' Theodore
Racing March Ford took victory in the Grand Prix over Ricardo
Patrese.
THE
80's: COMING OF AGE
1980
The Grand Prix was nominated as the first Formula Pacific
Championship, with poleman Geoff Lees taking victory for Theodore
Racing for the second year. Masahiro Hasemi was second in
his March Nissan and American Tom Gloy's Ralt was third. Sadeo
Asami was making history as well when his win in the 14th
Motor Cycle Grand Prix made him the only competitor to win
the same event three consecutive years. British bike aces
Steve Parrish and Bernard Murray repeated their second and
third place finishes of the year before and Hans Stuck drove
his BMW 320 to victory in the Guia Race.
1981
American Bob Earl took victory in the 28th Grand Prix with
Japan's Naohiro Fujita in second and Briton Ray Mallock in
third. The Guia Race, in which former U.K. Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher's son Mark competed, was won by the late
Manfred Winkelhock. In the Motor Cycle Grand Prix, a new star
was on the horizon in the form of "Rocket" Ron Haslam, who
took victory in the 30 lap race in 1:22:57.75, followed by
Sadeo Asami in second and Dutchman Boet Van Dulmen in third.
1982
Despite the wet and windy conditions the Guia circuit's newest
sensation, Ron Haslam, took pole position - and won the Motor
Cycle GP - for the second consecutive year. Charlie Williams
clocked in a lap time of 2:35.76, setting a new record - one
which stood for a decade. Brazilian Roberto Moreno drove to
Grand Prix victory in this, the last race in the short-lived
Formula Pacific Championship. Columbian Roberto Guerrero smashed
Alan Jones' record when he lapped the circuit in 2:20.64 in
his Theodore Racing Ralt RT4 Ford. Hong Kong drivers Helmet
Greiner, Adrian Fu and Peter Chow took the top three positions
in the Guia Race.
1983
The 30th Macau Grand Prix was another landmark year for the
event with its nomination as the FIA Formula 3 World Cup.
Strongly supported by Teddy Yip's Theodore Racing, a young
Brazilian driver, then known as Ayrton Senna da Silva, took
victory in this first Formula 3 Grand Prix. Senna was followed
home by Roberto Guerrero and Gerhard Berger. Ron Haslam's
victory on his Honda 500 in the Motor Cycle GP saw him equal
Sadeo Asami's record of three consecutive wins. In the Guia
Race, Hans Stuck and Dieter Quester battled it out with Hong
Kong driver Michael Lieu, with victory going to Stuck, second
to Quester and third to Lieu.
1984
The 31st Grand Prix saw Denmark's John Nielsen drive a remarkable
race to snatch the win from pole man Stefan Johansson, with
New Zealander Mike Thackwell in third. Ron Haslam's non-appearance
in the Motor Cycle Grand Prix left the field wide open, with
Mick Grant taking overall victory on his Suzuki 500, followed
by Roger Marshall on a Honda 500 and Mark Salle on a second
Suzuki. Tom Walkinshaw drove a Jaguar XJS to victory in the
Guia Race, with team mate Hans Heyer in second and BMW driver
Hans Stuck in third.
1985
After a year off Ron Haslam was back on the Guia circuit -
and victorious once more in the Motor Cycle GP. Belgian Grand
Prix star Didier de Radigues was second and Eero Hyvarinen,
the "Flying Finn" was third. Leg 1 of the Grand Prix was shortened
to 12 laps following a first corner incident at Statue (now
known as Lisboa) Corner. Mauricio Gugelmin took overall victory
with Mike Thackwell in second place and Jan Lammers in third.
The Guia Race saw Gianfranco Brancatelli take the win, with
Gerhard Berger coming home second and Michael Lieu in third.
1986
Great Britain's Andy Wallace drove to victory in the F3 Grand
Prix, with team mate Mauricio Gugelmin in second and Jan Lammers
in third. Venezuelan driver Johnny Cecotto's big Volvo 240
T took the chequered flag in the Guia Race, followed by Tom
Walkinshaw in second and Thomas Lindstrom in third. Ron Haslam
won an unprecedented fifth Motor Cycle Grand Prix, with second
going to Didier de Radigues and third to American Randy Renfrow,
making it an all-Honda top three.
1987
Typhoon Nina lashed the China coastal area but winds subsided
enough to run a 10-lap Motor Cycle Grand Prix which saw Ron
Haslam become the Grand Prix's most successful rider with
six chequered flags to his credit. The shortened, 20-lap F3
Grand Prix, was won by Martin Donnelly, with Jan Lammers in
second and Germany's Bernd Schneider in third. The Guia Race
was a resounding success for BMW, with Italy's Roberto Ravaglia
first across the line, Dieter Quester in second and Fabien
Giroux in third.
1988
American ace Kevin Schwantz wowed the crowds with his high
riding antics - including wheelies at 90 mph - on his way
to taking victory in the Motor Cycle GP. BMW team mates Altfrid
Heger and Markus Oestreich took first and second respectively
in the Guia Race with Ford Sierra driver Andy Rouse in third.
The first leg of the Grand Prix was once again shortened to
12 laps following a pile up at Lisboa. Enrico Bertaggia, winner
of the Monaco F3 Grand Prix, took victory in the event on
aggregate - without winning either of the two legs. Briton
Damon Hill was second and Otto Rensing, third.
1989
Teddy Yip again pulled out all the stops to stage his "Race
of Champions". Competing in identical Mazda MX5 Miatas were
racing legends such as Denny Hulme, Roy Salvadori, Al and
Bobby Unser, Alan Jones and overall victor, Geoff Lees. The
F3 win went to Australia's David Brabham, with Julian Bailey
in second and Christophe Bouchut in third. It was Ford Sierras
all the way in the Guia Race with Tim Harvey snatching victory
from Andy Rouse. Due to bad weather and fading light, the
Motor Cycle GP was shortened to eight laps, with Ulsterman
Robert Dunlop taking the chequered flag.
THE
90's: IN THE WORLD SPOTLIGHT
1990
Although the Macau Grand Prix had seen many exciting finishes
over its history, none was more dramatic than the last lap
collision of Leg 1 winner, and race favourite, Mika Hakkinen,
with Leg 2 leader, and eventual winner, Michael Schumacher.
Steve Hislop stormed to victory over Peter Rubatto in the
Motor Cycle Grand Prix and Macau veteran Masahiro Hasemi's
Nissan turbo blew away the competition in the Guia Race.
1991
Popular Scotsman David Coulthard won the Grand Prix on aggregate
time, despite finishing second to Spaniard Jordi Gene in the
second leg of the 30-lap race. Third place went to young Christian
Fittipaldi on his Guia circuit debut. World Championship rider
Didier de Radigues nicely rounded off a distinguished career
by taking the Silver Jubilee of the Motor Cycle Grand Prix,
and setting a new lap record of 2:25.91. The Guia Race saw
former F1 driver Emanuele Pirro take a close fought victory
over Kurt Thiim and three times Le Mans winner Klaus Ludwig.
1992
The 39th Macau Grand Prix saw the lap records of all major
races smashed. Sweden's Rickard Rydell won the Formula 3 Grand
Prix by just 1.57 over Portuguese driver Pedro Lamy, who set
a new lap record of 2:19.26 in his Reynard 923 Spiess Opel.
In third place was young Canadian driver Jacques Villeneuve.
The Guia Race was a touring car thriller with four factory
Mercedes and three BMWs all determined to claim victory. Although
Mercedes driver Bernd Schneider set a blistering new lap record
of 2:29.74, Emanuele Pirro made it back-to-back victories,
with BMW team mates Joachim Winklehock and Roberto Ravaglia
in second and third. The Motor Cycle GP saw a classic two-wheeled
battle between the 500 cc Yamahas of Carl Fogarty, Jamie Whitham
and Japanese ace Toshihiko Honma, with Fogarty taking victory
on aggregate, Honma in second and Whitham third. Fogarty also
set a new lap record of 2:33.94.
1993
In 1993 the event moved to its new, multi-million dollar headquarters
in a purpose built facility opposite the jetfoil terminal.
Rickard Rydell returned to defend his title but after setting
a new lap record of 2.17:40 he was forced to retire, paving
the way for Jorg Mueller's win. Denmark's Tom Kristensen was
second, followed by pre-race favourite Kelvin Burt. In the
Motor Cycle GP, 1990 winner Steve Hislop took the chequered
flag four seconds ahead of 1989 winner, Robert Dunlop, who
also set a new lap record of 2.33:18. Hong Kong's Charles
Kwan made it into Macau's history books with a staggering
trio of wins, the most astounding of which was his victory
in the 24-lap Guia race over Emanuelle Pirro, two-time winner
of the event, and touring car veteran Jo Winkelhock. With
wins in the Supercar Race as well as the Macau Cup Race, Kwan
became the first man in the event's history to have won three
races in one weekend.
1994
After two previous attempts Germany's Sascha Maassen, took
victor's laurels on aggregate time. Kelvin Burt, finished
second while Jan Magnussen, who had started the race from
18th on the grid, came home third. The Guia Race saw Jo Winkelhock
in his Schnitzer BMW, taking the chequered flag in both heats,
with team mate Steve Soper second and Toyota's Tom Kristensen
in third. Scotsman Steve Hislop, riding a 500cc Yamaha Grand
Prix machine, took his third Motor Cycle GP victory. Just
2.97 seconds behind was Englishman Mike Edwards, with Phillip
McCallen in third.
1995
Ralf Schumacher emulated his brother's success at Macau and
won the event despite a massive pile up in the second leg.
Italian Jarno Trulli came home second and Spaniard Pedro de
la Rosa was third. Macau's Andre Couto finished a credible
sixth in his first ever F3 race. The Guia Race, which ran
over two, 12-lap heats, saw Kelvin Burt take the win followed
home by Steve Soper and Julian Bailey. The Motor Cycle Grand
Prix saw a grandstand finish between 1994 runner up Mike Edwards
and Philip McCallen, with Edwards pipping McCallen to the
post by just over a tenth of a second. Consolation for McCallen
came in the form of a new lap record of 2:33.259. Third was
Swiss ace Andy Hofmann.
1996
Following an amazing finish, when most drivers in the Grand
Prix failed to take the chequered flag because of a last-lap
incident, victory was awarded to British F3 champion Ralph
Firman ahead of Max Angelelli and Jarno Trulli. In the Motor
Cycle Grand Prix, Ulsterman Philip McCallen won the 15-lap
race on his eighth visit to the Guia circuit after pulling
open a near 14 second advantage over Scotsman Roger Bennett,
the first lap leader. Michael Rutter was third home, while
1992 winner Mike Edwards set a new lap record of 2:33.07.
Audi driver Frank Biela took victory in a drama-packed Guia
Race, followed home by Australian champion Brad Jones and
Toyota driver Michael Krumm in third.
1997
After an action packed race which saw Frenchman Soheil Ayari's
car launched into the air, Ayari drove a brilliant race to
win the 44th Macau Grand Prix. Behind Ayari, Patrice Gay and
Enrique Bernoldi were locked in a thrilling battle with Gay
pipping Bernoldi across the finish by just two and a half
seconds while pre-race favourite Tom Coronel had to settle
for a new lap record of 2:15.950. Briton Steve Soper fully
capitalised on the first leg retirement of BMW team mate Jo
Winkelhock to win the Guia Race from Toyota's Michael Krumm,
with Charles Kwan in third. Veteran Swiss road racer Andy
Hofmann fulfilled his promises to win the Motor Cycle GP.
Hofmann, on his 750cc Kawasaki, won the race by almost seven
seconds ahead of 1996 winner, Phillip McCallen on a 500cc
Yamaha. Shawn Higbee, on a Suzuki 900, took third, making
him the first American privateer on podium for almost a decade.
1998
Briton Peter Dumbreck won the closest ever Macau Grand Prix
- and the closest motor race in history at that time - when
he beat Brazilian Ricardo Mauricio by just 0.003 seconds.
Dumbreck, who had finished third in leg one of the race, won
the aggregate time-trial battle with Mauricio, and leg one
winner Enrique Bernoldi, to claim overall victory. In the
Guia Race, German Jo Winkelhock made up for the disappointment
of losing victory in 1997 due to a mechanical failure, to
take a dominant win. The BMW driver led both heats from start
to finish to lead home Italian Max Angelelli and Australian
Brad Jones. In the 32nd Motorcycle Grand Prix, Briton Michael
Rutter stormed to victory, shattering the existing lap record
by over 2.2 seconds, and heading home his Honda Britain team
mate Ian Simpson by more than six seconds. John McGuinness
cruised home third, with American Mark Miller in fourth place.
1999
Briton Darren Manning dominated both legs of the 46th Macau
Grand Prix to claim a convincing victory. He benefited from
the first leg being halted following a spectacular multi-car
collision, in which nobody was hurt, after he had dropped
to third place on the road. At the restart, he got clean away
before steadily pulling clear of his rivals, a strategy he
reproduced successfully in the second leg. Behind Manning,
Briton Jenson Button and Macao's Andre Couto were fighting
an epic battle which ended in a collision which removed Couto
from the race. Japanese driver Daisuke Itoh became his nation's
first Macao F3 podium finisher, as he benefited from the high
attrition rate to take third place. In the Guia Race, Germany's
Michael Bartels claimed victory despite failing to take a
win in both heats of the event. Bartels led from the start
in the first race, but was beaten to the chequered flag by
Australian Paul Morris in the second. German Oliver Mayer
finished third, following Max Angelelli's retirement with
a broken driveshaft. In the Motorcycle Grand Prix, England's
David Jefferies made it second time lucky, with a win at his
second time of trying. Jefferies headed home Swiss rider Andreas
Hofmann, when the race was halted two laps early because of
Hofmann's machine leaking oil. Third placed man was 1998 winner
Michael Rutter.
2000
Macao was the scene of much celebration following the 47th
Macau Grand Prix. Andre Couto delivered the perfect result
in front of his home crowd, having fought off intense pressure
from Italian Paulo Montin to claim a long-awaited victory.
In leg two, Couto beat pole position man Pierre Kaffer away
from the line to head the field into Lisboa. On lap five,
however, Montin managed a daring manoeuvre to take second
slot. Japanese driver Ryo Fukuda showed improved pace to snatch
third place from Kaffer on lap eight. The Guia Race saw Dutchman
Patrick Huisman win both legs, after his predicted toughest
challengers failed to make the finish. The incident-filled
race eventually saw Hong Kong driver Henry Lee Junior take
second place, with Briton Simon Harrison in third. The Motorcycle
Grand Prix saw Michael Rutter claim his second victory in
three years, but not before an epic battle with fellow countryman
David Jefferies. Jefferies finished second, but not before
setting a new lap record, breaking that set by Rutter in 1998
by seven tenths of a second. In third was American Mark Miller.
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