The SHK Financial Group HKAA 1st Roadsports Championship race was successfully held on the 9th November at Macau's Guia Circuit. This first ever race, with various models of road-going sports and GT cars that we see everyday on the roads was well received and was voted, on the Macau GP website, as the most spectacular race of the day. Among the 37 drivers, only very few of them, such as Philip Ma, Kenneth Look, Philip Yau or Michael Choi, had previously experienced the unique and demanding streets of the Guia Circuit. The majority of drivers, however, were novices on this picturesque street circuit, where a lot of famous and legendary racers have conquered their personal demons over the last 50 years. As the main characteristic of the Roadsports races is to allow drivers to drive their own road-going cars, provided that they meet the FIA safety requirements, and compete in a legal and regulated way, the mixture of various car types and drivers' experiences made the Roadsports race a fun and the exciting one.
Special Safety Measure
This Roadsports Championship, run to FIA rules, has been developed by Hong Kong Automobile Association's Motor Sports Council. Despite the strict sporting regulations, in line with international motor sports standards, the HKAA insisted upon a special safety measure, only for the Guia circuit, which showed the drivers' experience - A Reflective Orange Sticker. All drivers were required to put the 10cm x 10cm reflective orange sticker, which was provided by the HKAA, on the right-hand side of their cars, either on the front or on the rear, depending on the Guia circuit experience of each individual driver. For those who were making their debut driving the Guia Circuit they were required to put the sticker at the rear, just like the rear "P" for the new motor biker, thus telling more experienced drivers to exercise extra caution.
Naturally for those drivers with Guia Circuit experience the front right placing of the orange stickers let those drivers in cars in front of them recognise their experience and give way as necessary. This safety measure proved to be both an appropriate and effective method in ensuring good racing with few accidents in the race.
On 8th November, Cloudy and shower
The Free Practice started on the morning of 8th November. As the circuit was totally new for majority of the novice drivers, and for some of the more experienced, it took time to adapt to its unique environment, and, as all the cars needed to be tested and warmed up as well as the fact that the circuit was wet, all drove with extra care. The best lap time was, not surprisingly, 3:02.876, put in by the well-experienced Kenneth Look in his Honda Civic Type R. Look would also be a competitor in the SJM Guia Race 2003.
After the Free Practice all cars were driven back to the underground garage for checking and adjustment. Drivers talked excitedly with their mechanics exchanging their circuit experiences and comments in the hot and dark garage.
"A very fantastic experience which I have never had before" said Douglas Chen, car 38, the beautiful limited edition Lotus 340R. His company, Sun Hung Kai Financial Group, was the title sponsor of the race.
Like Douglas, the feelings of other new racers at the Macau Guia Circuit were so strong it was as if they were kids tasting sweets for the first time.
The Qualifying session was held later in the afternoon. The Paddock was packed with people viewing and taking pictures of the various cars, drivers and racing girls. The atmosphere among the drivers, in comparison with the morning Practice session, was more serious. After waiting for more than half an hour in the Paddock all drivers went back to their cars to prepare themselves for qualifying.
With the experience from the morning practice all drivers put in better lap times. Philip Ma, taking the advantage of his many years racing and his Guia circuit experience, got the best lap of 2:51.252 in his Porsche 911 GT-2 thus taking pole. Kenneth Look, best lap time holder in the morning's free practice, took second with a lap time of 2:53.853. One of the interesting and fair parts of the Roadsports regulations is that the driver's experience will also be taken into account as far as class classification is concerned. After reviewing the practice and qualifying times the Eligibility Scrutineer decided to adjust Kenneth's class from B to C.
On 9th November, Partly Cloudy and windy
The next day, 9th November, drivers and mechanics gathered in the garage early in the morning to prepare the cars. Due to delays in the previous races the Roadsports Championship started more than an hour later than scheduled. The cars were led round the circuit for two laps by the safety car which then peeled into the pits and a rolling start ensued. Due to the serious delays caused by the previous races the total laps of the Roadsports Championship, unavoidably, was reduced from 10 to 8. With the green lights on the fierce competition started on the circuit as a pole setter, Philip Ma, Open Class, led the race from the lights to the chequered flag in a the time of 26:16.893 and his best lap of the day was 2:51.616. Another Open class driver, Michael Choi, Porsche 911 Turbo, an experienced driver who also participated in the Asian Formula Renault Challenge during the second week of Macau Grand Prix, finished 5 more seconds behind Philip Ma with a time of 26.22.560. During the opening laps Kenneth Look occupied second place, however, on the last lap, Look was had difficulty passing back markers and Michael Choi seized his chance to take second position at the chequered flag. Philip Ma took the Overall Championship as well as winning the Open Class. Kenneth Look, in Class C, took first in his class. For Class B, the novice Kan Wing Yau, the youngest driver in the event, in his black Lotus Elise, won in his first appearance at the Macau Guia Circuit. Class A was taken by Frank Yee in his Lotus Elise.
On 26th November Sunny
Post race the HKAA and SHK Financial Group held a Prize Giving and Thank you Lunch at the Langham Hotel, TST on 26th November for all drivers and officials who put in such an effort, at short notice, to make the SHK Financial Group HKAA 1st Roadsports Championship the success it was. Additionally the 2004 Roadsports programmes were announced.
