Journey To The 56th Macau GP
Host to the legendary Macau GP, the Guia Circuit is one of the world’s most iconic road circuits, winding over 6km through the streets of Macau.
With a vibrant backdrop of bustling streets and casinos, it also has a well-deserved reputation for being brutally unforgiving. That’s thanks to a mix of high-speed straights, super-tight turns (like the infamous Melco Hairpin), and narrow pinch sections with unforgiving Armco barriers.
Nicknamed “Monaco on Steroids”, Macau offers every extreme, including one of the fastest, and one of the slowest corners in racing. As well as being one of the most demanding tracks on earth to ride, from a technical perspective, bike set-up is also notoriously challenging.
Throw in road surface and weather (more on that later!), and you have the ultimate proving ground for road racing equipment – put simply, if it’s up to Macau it’s up to anything.
TRIP OF A LIFETIME
This year Dymag supported team KD TCC and Kris Duncan to take on their first-ever Macau, after road racing results including the NW200 and TT resulted in the team receiving an official call-up for this invitation-only event.
“When it’s the last event of the year and you’re travelling to the other side of the world for a single race, you’ve got just one shot to get everything perfect,” said Team Principal, Malcolm Gordon. “Preparation starts months in advance, and for KD TCC, that meant getting the team’s Yamaha R1 into full ‘Macau Spec.’”
TRANSFORMATIONAL HANDLING MEETS ROCK-STEADY RELIABILITY
Race wheels needed to be superlight to deal with the extreme forces associated with the braking, acceleration and rapid changes of direction which are a trademark of Macau. However, the team also needed superior strength, something often sacrificed with lightweight components.
Step forward the ‘Wheel of Road Racing’, and an evolution of Dymag’s legendary UP7 – the current generation UP7X. With added lightning holes and a refined spoke design, the UP7X is the wheel that road racers turn to when the going gets really tough.
WHY UP7X
Working on the Macau project was Dymag’s Anthone Ward, who highlights the advantage of UP7X around a road circuit like Guia:
“Apart from any differences in formula regulations and compliance, there are some key differences between road and circuit racing when it comes to selecting the right wheels. Ultimately, lowering weight will always dramatically improve performance, and that’s just down to simple physics! Lowering unsprung mass and gyroscopic forces give an immediate and very noticeable improvement in handling. Faster acceleration and braking, sharper handling, and quicker directional changes will make lap times tumble – on both track and road circuits.
However, on the road, strength and durability become much more important factors due to the unpredictable and challenging conditions. While closed circuits are designed for consistency, with smooth and clean surfaces, road circuits are a different story. The terrain can shift dramatically, featuring uneven surfaces, potholes, and debris such as loose gravel or stones – all testing the resilience of the wheels.
Road races are often longer too, so more prolonged stress which can be accompanied by heat management challenges.
Budget factors can also differ. Closed circuit prototype classes often have much bigger budgets and place little value on affordability and longevity, whereas road racing has always been a more ‘real world’ form of racing where teams have to ensure they’re getting the biggest bang for their buck!
Road race teams consider the UP7X a safe pair of hands, because its performance and durability are proven at the highest level in road racing, and over the toughest terrains and races in the calendar, including the TT and NW200”.
MACAU BITES BACK
Persistent heavy rain disrupted race week, forcing organisers to cancel practice sessions and heavily modify the schedule for a chaotic qualifying. Despite the setbacks, the KD TCC team made the most of the limited track time, with newcomer Kris Duncan building confidence and adapting to the challenging circuit lap by lap.
Unfortunately, the deteriorating weather on race day led to the cancellation of the final warm-up session, leaving organisers no option but to abandon the 12-lap Grand Prix entirely.
With the race cancelled, qualifying results determined the podium. Davey Todd claimed victory, with Erno Kostamo taking second and Peter Hickman completing the top three.
“We can’t control the weather,” said Vice Team Principal Ben Jones, “but what we can control is our preparation and performance – and both were impeccable. The bike and the Dymag wheels performed flawlessly, proving we have the pace to be competitive at Macau. We’ve learned so much this week and gained invaluable experience. We’ll be back, stronger than ever, ready to chase victory!”
OWN THE WHEEL OF ROAD RACING
The fully road-legal Dymag UP7X is available in 11 stunning colours to suit your bike and give an instant personalised race look. Additionally, Dymag offers a custom spray option matched to the German ‘RAL’ colour system.
Spec your new UP7X wheels here
50 Years of Performance Momentum
This year marks a significant milestone for Dymag as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. For half a century, Dymag has been at the forefront of wheel innovation, producing high-performance wheels that combine cutting-edge technology with unparalleled craftsmanship. From our pioneering days to our current status as industry leaders, we remain dedicated to delivering the best in strength, lightweight design, and superior performance. Join us in celebrating 50 years of Performance Momentum.