Macau GP Race: Red flags force race abandonment [UPDATED]
The 2019 Macau GP is abandoned for Saturday after two separate red flag periods - unclear whether it will run on Sunday instead
The 2019 Macau GP has been abandoned for at least today after two separate red flag periods left organisers no opportunity to make a third restart in the fading light around the Guia Circuit.
Though the race got away on time at 15.55 local time – despite Macau’s familiar flurry of red flags across the various disciplines – an accident involving Marek Cerveny and Robert Dodson on lap four prompted a pause while their bikes were cleared.
However, on the restart, a more serious pile-up on lap three involving six riders - Emo Kostamo, Derek Shiels, Didier Grams, Phil Crowe and Dan Kruger - led to another red flag and no chance to get it back underway as the sun begins to set.
It remains to be seen whether it will instead be run on Sunday amid the centrepiece Formula 3 and GT World Cup events, or whether organisers will be forced to cancel the motorcycle race altogether.
Prior to the red flags, Peter Hickman had looked on course for a fourth win in five years. Already dominating by seven seconds during the first run of the race after only four laps, the advantage proved elementary as a red flag forced a completely new restart.
Losing the lead off the line on the second getaway to Michael Rutter, Hickman was back ahead by lap two and beginning to make headway only to be stopped by more red flags.
At the time of the red flag David Johnson was chasing Rutter, from Davey Todd and Lee Johnston. Isle of Man TT legend John McGuinness had qualified fourth but ran into technical issues during the warm-up lap for the first start.
