Macau in full gear to host annual Grand Prix

Recognized as one of the top events on the local calendar, the legendary Macau Grand Prix will celebrate its 60th anniversary this year.

To be held from Nov 9 to 10 and Nov 14 to 17, the event will pit the best racers against each other from the realms of motorcycle racing, World Touring Car Championships and Formula 3.

The Macau Grand Prix was born in 1954, when a group of Macau car enthusiasts decided to host a motorized treasure hunt. Their idea gradually evolved into the international racing event.

Over the years, the world's greatest drivers have lined up to compete on the Guia Circuit.

Each November, more than 200 competitors and thousands of motor sports fans descend on the city.

As racers compete along a narrow, twisting street circuit, the high-pitched whine of racing engines, the roar of the crowd and the adrenaline-charged atmosphere all make for a colorful and exciting event.

This year, Macau celebrates the 31st running of its Formula 3 Grand Prix. The late Ayrton Senna won the first race in 1983, and that win put the Grand Prix firmly on the worldwide motor racing map.

Among all the drivers of the 2013 Formula 1 World Championship, 15 raced at Macau early in their careers.

So far, at least eight F1 World Champions have raced in Macau, including Ayrton Senna, Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve.

In 2013, for the ninth consecutive year, the FIA World Touring Car Championship will once again stage its final rounds at the Macau Grand Prix.

Last year, British racer Rob Huff took his first FIA WTCC title in Macau.

The unique Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix has become known as one of the world's leading road racing events, and 2013 marks its 47th anniversary.

Internationally acclaimed racers will compete in the Guia Circuit, which is known in motorcycle circles as arguably the most demanding street course in the world.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the event, with six days of racing over two weekends.

Macau has allocated a record budget of MOP230 million ($30 million) to turn the 60th Macau Grand Prix into a two-week carnival in celebration of the diamond jubilee of the legendary event.

The race is now becoming a "must-see" motor sport, said Joao Manuel Costa Antunes, coordinator for the Macau Grand Prix Committee, who also announced a MOP70 million ($9 million) project to facilitate the iconic race with a brand new control tower.

Track safety is of primary importance in this event. Protective mesh is to be installed at high-speed areas of the circuit to ensure the safety of the spectators and the surrounding households.

A set of commemorative stamps will be issued for the diamond jubilee in cooperation with the Macau Post Office. In addition, a book written by historian Philip Newsome chronicling the last six decades of the Grand Prix will be published.

Special exhibitions of classic cars will be held over both weekends at a variety of venues, such as major hotels and open areas across the city. A Grand Prix photo competition will also be held during the event.

To see a detailed schedule of the event, go to http://www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo