Macau Grand Prix adapts to new F3

The terrifying flight of Sophia Flörsch over the safety guardrails during the last Macau Grand Prix (see Ah n°2192) did not cool the organizers or even the International Automobile Federation (FIA); the 66th edition, scheduled for November 14 to 17, will see the appearance of Formula 3 used in FIA F3. “The FIA ​​F3 World Cup will be contested with wider single-seaters than last year, and increased power to 380 horsepower”, declared Chong Coc Veng, the President of the Grand Prix, at a press conference.

The traditional Formula 3s will therefore be exchanged for the new Dallara seen at the curtain-raiser of the Formula 1. Logically, the starting grid will be made up mainly of teams entered in FIA F3 (ART Grand Prix, Prema, Carlin, etc.). Besides, Alex Peroni was the first driver to enter officially for the 2019 edition; the 19-year-old Australian currently plays for Campos in FIA F3.

Big money

In order to accommodate these new F3s, heavier but faster than the previous model, the Guia circuit, with a length of 6,2 km, must be reclassified as Grade 2 by the FIA. Until now, the urban route was in the Grade 3 category, like other city circuits such as Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques). “The Macau government does not give a lot of money, in reality it is the casinos which finance the event, underlines Joël Do Vale, boss of the Pau Grand Prix. They have undertaken enormous work, which is expensive. »

Result, the budget for the Asian event increased by 22,7%, to reach the modest sum of 270 million patacas (local currency), or 30 million euros! A trifle in a city-state where revenues generated by the gaming industry were 4,5 times greater than in Las Vegas in 2017 ($50 billion). The changes made with Grade 2 have not been specified, but with the direct proximity of buildings, a school and a hospital, it is difficult to imagine the appearance of asphalt clearances around one of the most dangerous circuits in the world.