# Guia Circuit

The Guia Circuit, or Circuito da Guia, is a 6.120 km (3.803 mi) street circuit located at the southeast region of the Macau Peninsula in Macau. It is the venue of the Macau Grand Prix, Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix and the Macau Guia Race. The circuit consists of long straights and tight corners, and features the characteristics of a typical street circuit - narrow, bumpy and limited overtaking opportunities. However, there are two special features that can rarely be found in other street circuits - variation in altitude (over 30 m (100 ft) between highest and lowest point of the circuit) and an ultra long main straight that allows top speed of 260 km/h (160 mph) on Formula Three cars. As a result, the circuit is recognised as one of the most challenging circuits in the world in terms of both driving and tuning, as cars have to maintain competitive speed to overcome hill-climbing, twisty corners and long straights in a single lap.

## History

The Guia Circuit was originally conceived in 1954 as the route for a treasure hunt around the streets of the city, but shortly after the event it was suggested that the hunt's track could host an amateur racing event for local motor enthusiasts. Since 1967, with the introduction of a motorcycle race, the track has become a venue for both motorcycle and car racing events.

## Layout

The circuit has not been modified since 1957 except when the pit and paddock complex was relocated in 1993. This work included the removal of a gravel trap which had been located near the Reservoir Bend. The narrowest part of the track is at the Melco Hairpin which has a width of merely 7 m (23 ft). The whole length of the circuit is bound by Armco barriers painted in black and yellow stripes.

## Grandstands

There are two major grandstands around the circuit, along the pit straight and at the Lisboa Bend.

## Racing events

The circuit hosts the Macau Grand Prix, a unique event with its combination of motorcycle and car races within the same race weekend. The Macau Motorcycle GP race, the Guia Race (WTCC final rounds from 2005 to 2014) and the Macau Formula 3 GP are the highlights of the event. In addition, various kind of racing events are organised for competition between local and regional (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South East Asia, etc.) enthusiasts.

### Current events

* November: FIA FR World Cup, FIA GT World Cup, TCR World Tour Macau Guia Race, Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, Greater Bay Area GT Cup (GT4), Macau Roadsport Challenge, Macau Roadsport - Macao SAR Establishment Cup

### Former events

* Asian Touring Car Series (2000–2005, 2009–2011)
* F4 Chinese Championship
** Macau Grand Prix (2020–2022)
* FIA F3 World Cup
** Macau Grand Prix (2016–2019, 2023)
* Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (2003–2007, 2021)
* TCR Asia Series (2015–2016, 2021–2022)
* TCR International Series
** Guia Race of Macau (2015–2016)
* World Touring Car Championship
** FIA WTCC Race of Macau (2005–2014, 2017)
* World Touring Car Cup
** FIA WTCR Race of Macau (2018–2019)

## Lap records

Italics indicate discontinued class. In 2003, Ralph Firman, winner of the 1996 F3 race, set a lap time of 1:55.714 during a demonstration event as part of the Macau Grand Prix's 50th anniversary celebrations in a Jordan EJ13 Formula 1 car. As of November 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Guia Circuit are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Date |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1993–present): 6.120 km |||||
| Formula 3 | 2:06.257 | Luke Browning | Dallara F3 2019 | 18 November 2023 |
| GT3 | 2:16.051 | Daniel Serra | Ferrari 296 GT3 | 19 November 2023 |
| Formula Regional | 2:19.599 | Oliver Goethe | Tatuus F3 T-318 | 17 November 2024 |
| Formula Renault 2.0 | 2:23.135 | Scott Speed | Tatuus FR2000 | 21 November 2004 |
| Superbike | 2:23.616 | Stuart Easton | Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R | 21 November 2010 |
| Formula 4 | 2:24.791 | Arvid Lindblad | Tatuus F4-T421 | 12 November 2023 |
| Guia Race (WTCC TC1) | 2:26.469 | Robert Huff | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 18 November 2017 |
| Porsche Carrera Cup | 2:27.343 | Darryl O'Young | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup | 18 November 2007 |
| Guia Race (Super Touring) | 2:29.253 | Steve Soper | BMW 320i | 16 November 1997 |
| Formula BMW | 2:29.449 | William Buller | Mygale FB02 | 22 November 2009 |
| TCR | 2:29.768 | Norbert Michelisz | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 18 November 2023 |
| Asian Formula 2000 | 2:30.052 | Philippe Descombes | Argo-Ford Zetec 1.8 | 18 November 2001 |
| GT4 | 2:31.392 | Kailuo Luo | Lotus Emira GT4 | 12 November 2023 |
| Guia Race (Super 2000) | 2:31.437 | Yvan Muller | Chevrolet Cruze WTCC | 17 November 2013 |
| Roadsport | 2:32.974 | Manabu Orido | Nissan GT-R | 21 November 2010 |
| Guia Race (Super Production) | 2:39.634 | Simon Harrison | Honda Integra Type-R | 16 November 2003 |
| Supercar Race | 2:41.877 | Kevin Wong | Porsche 911 GT3 R | 19 November 2000 |
| ACMC Race | 2:42.591 | Cheung Wai On | Honda RS125 | 16 November 2003 |
| Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup | 2:46.183 | Duncan Huisman | Volkswagen Scirocco R | 16 November 2013 |
| Interport Race | 2:48.216 | Alvaro Mourato | Honda Integra Type-R | 21 November 2010 |
| CTM Cup (Super 1600) | 2:46.990 | Paul Poon | Peugeot RCZ | 22 November 2015 |
| Chinese Cup | 2:58.203 | David Zhu | Senova D70 | 19 November 2016 |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1958–1992): 6.120 km |||||
| Group A | 2:29.740 | Bernd Schneider | Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 EVO II | 22 November 1992 |
| Group 5 | 2:37.720 | Manfred Winkelhock | BMW 320i | 15 November 1981 |
| Group 2 | 2:44.820 | Hans Heyer | Ford Escort II RS | 19 November 1978 |
| Group 6 | 2:59.800 | Mauro Bianchi | Alpine A210 | 20 November 1966 |
| Group 4 | 3:05.300 | Albert Poon | Lotus 23 | 15 November 1964 |
| Formula Junior | 3:10.100 | Arsénio Laurel | Lotus 22 | 18 November 1962 |

## Appearances in video games

| Simulation / Video Game | Year | Configuration | Configuration | Configuration |
| Simulation / Video Game | Year | 1954 | 1993 | 2014 |
| Race - The Official WTCC Game | 2006 | Yes | No |
| RaceRoom | 2013 | | No | Yes |
| Race 07 | 2007 | Yes | No |
| Ride 2 | 2016 | | - | - |
| Project Gotham Racing 4 (Fictional) | 2007 | | - | - |
| Race Pro | 2009 | Yes | No |
| TT Superbikes Real Road Racing | 2005 | | PS2 | No |