Inaugural Macau Grand Prix Trophy Stars At Sydney Exhibition

The decision by the Macau Government Tourist Office Australia to host an exhibition to commemorate the upcoming 60^th Macau Grand Prix proved a big winner – in more ways than one.

Not only did the event – Macau Grand Prix: 60 Years of Motorsport History – attract many past drivers, some winners to the Sydney Town Hall venue over the four days.

Making a special appearance was the inaugural 1954 trophy claimed by Eduardo de Carvalho who, along with his family, emigrated from Macau to Australia in 1965.

Now a family heirloom, the giant silver trophy was unwrapped for all to marvel when members of the de Carvalho made a special call on the final day.

And there to join the extended family was legendary Australian driver Brian Lewis who raced for Eduardo de Carvalho’s team in Macau in the 1960s.

“It was a real pleasure to catch up with the family,” said Brian who after hearing of their intended Sunday visit decided to make a second call on the exhibition,” he said. “We must make sure that the next time we gather it should be in Macau for the Diamond Jubilee event in November,” he said.

Six decades of action packed motor racing was on show at the free exhibition from May 23-26, which focused on the upcoming 2013 two-weekend carnival. The Lower Exhibition Hall at Sydney Town Hall was decorated with a series of historic photographs, fascinating posters from bygone days, old newspaper clippings, along with video coverage of Macau Grand Prix meetings.

To add a splash of colour to the event, three Australian-based racing cars of different vintages took pride of place:

They were: Elfin 600 F2 which came a controversial second in the 1968 race with Hengkie Iriawan behind the wheel (the car also took part in the Macau GP in 1970 and 1971 but failed to finish with Australian Tony Maw behind the wheel); A 1973 Cheetah (Formula 3) built for Australian racing with intentions of going to Macau; Late model F3 car still competing in Australia for NSW title holders AGI racing team

In Sydney to launch the 60^th Macau Grand exhibition at an invitation-only presentation were Australian motor racing legends and Macau Grand Prix winners Kevin Bartlett and Vern Schuppan along with a sprightly Fernanda Ribeiro, who took out the first Macau Ladies Race in 1956.

“My recollections of Macau in the sixties are among my most treasured and favourite parts of my racing career,” said Bartlett. “Up until that time my travel had been confined to the Southern Hemisphere and to arrive on a local liner (the Fat San) into a different way of doing things,” he said.