Upon my recent trip to Macau, I luckily stumbled upon this hidden gem. As a lover of all things motorsport I couldn't resist the opportunity to spend a morning walking around the museum. Here are my favourite pictures, (taken on iPhone) and a brief description of the "GP Museum" and the Macau Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix Museum contains a variety of exhibits which are related to Grand Prix worldwide including rare photos, video highlights of races, illustrated articles, various winners' cups, records of champions and a multitude of other collectable items. The museum was built in 1933 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Grand Prix Racing in Macau. The museum does a great job of documenting the history of motorsport in Macau, and fostering interest for fans of the future. After visiting the museum, I now feel that I would like attend a GP in Macau (maybe next year).
Several early open-wheeled racecars are on display.
THE MACAU GRAND PRIX:
The Macau Grand Prix now enjoys a history of over 50 years.The first idea was raised when three local residents and automotive enthusiasts were drinking in the coffee shop of the Riviera Hotel in 1954 and discussed the possibility of holding a treasure hunt around the island in their vehicles for fun. They didn’t think it would be a large event, mainly due to the fact that there were only around 300 cars in the whole of Macau. But this idea would grow into something bigger.
The Macau Street Circuit.
The men wrote to the Motor Sports Club in Hong Kong asking for advice about holding the event. Some members of the club instantly saw that the planned route, bore a striking resemblance to the most famous street circuit of
them all, Monaco. It had a good mix of landscapes and city environs. From here, the idea of holding a Grand Prix was began to form.
Later that same year, the very first Macau Grand Prix was held on the weekend of October 30th in 1954. Eddie Carvalho driving a TR2 earning a place in history by taking the inaugural victory.
Eddie Carvalho's TR2 (Winner 1954).
AYRTON SENNA
Without a doubt, the centrepiece of all exhibits, is the car placed in the heart of the main exhibition hall. It was once driven by the great Ayrton Senna, who tragically died in a terrible accident at the 1994 San Marino GP. Senna won the Macau Grand Prix in 1983 in the very Toyota Ralt-RT3 that you can see in the museum. I took a quiet moment by the car to reflect on this great champion's life. They also display his helmet and race-suit.
Ayrton Senna's legendary Toyota Ralt-RT3 (winner 1983).
Senna's Racesuit and Helmet.
OTHER EXHIBITS:
More than twenty formula racecars and motorcycles which had once been driven by world-renowned drivers such as Eddie Carvalho, Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard, are display in the museum. Everything is presented excellently and the cars look as good as the day they were first-raced.
David Coulthard(1991 F3 Winner)
The Team Harper car belonging to David Purley
Michael Schumacher (1990 F3 winner).
Takuma Sato, Formula 3 (2002 winner).
Rickard Rydell's car.
The Main Exhibition Room.
TOURING CARS.
Touring cars have also enjoyed the Macau circuit from 1957 until present day, and some of the more memorable winners are seen in the museum. My favourite was the Watson's Racing BMW M3, this would still be such a fun car to drive today, 25 years later. BMW got it all right with the power and handling in this particular model.
BMW M3 E30 DTM Macau '91.
TEDDY YIP & THEODORE RACING:
Instrumental in Motorsport in Macau, Yip founded his own F1 team. As a driver, team owner and supporter his contribution is remembered in this exhibit.
Teddy Yip was one of the first Macau Grand Prix Racers.
THE BIKES
So, soon after the success of the first few Grand Prixs in Macau, the motorcycle racers began campaigning
to become part of the event. So it was that in 1967, the first ever Macau Motorcycle
Grand Prix was held. Every year now it continues to thrill, as the riders manouevre the tight street circuit with precision and it now holds a unique position in the world of international motorcycle racing.
HIROSHI HASEGAWA'S RD56 (winner 1967/68)
The very first Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix was made up of a mix of riders and bikes, yet the race was dominated by the 33-year-old Yamaha works rider from Japan, Hiroshi Hasegawa. Hiroshi powered his RD56 to victory at an average speed of just over 60mph, and returned the following year to repeat his win. The museum has some great historical information about him and his bike.
SUPER-KARTS:
There is also a small display of Superkarts, as these are the instruments on which many drivers learn their trade.
CONCLUSION:
Although the museum isn't very big, there is more than enough to spend a couple of hours, if cars are your thing. It's modern, clean and there is lots of information for enthusiasts to read and learn. The best part about it, is that it is free! It's a short walk from The Sands Casino, and I can definitely recommend a trip here.
You can find more information from the official website:
http://en.macaotourism.gov.mo/sightseeing/sightseeing_detail.php?c=2&id=18#.V81hIa3oBLg
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