When he was young, he used to listen to radio broadcasts of the Macau Grand Prix — back when the event was still in its early editions.
Later, with family and friends, he would climb onto a rooftop near the Macau Reservoir, where he could see part of the Guia Circuit. “This isn’t for us, only for people with money,” his father would say.“Since I was a kid, I loved watching the races. Deep down, there was always something telling me that I had to go there.” And in 1988, he did — for the first time — finishing second in the novice race.
“I was already living on my own,” he recalls, “but it was against my parents’ wishes,” admits the 63-year-old driver, who is now heading into his 34th participation, having missed only three editions of the Macau Grand Prix since his debut. These numbers make Rui Valente the active driver with the most appearances in the history of the event.
Rui Valente approaches a corner in a Subaru BRZ during the Macau Roadsport Challenge at the 71st Macau Grand Prix. Sports Bureau
His father’s resistance soon turned into pride. “At first, he wouldn’t support me. He just didn’t like that I was racing,” he remembers. But over time, as hekept appearing on the entry list year after year, he eventually gave in. “One year, one of my assistants told me he had seen my father. I was surprised, my father? And sure enough, he was there; not in the pit area, but outside, behind the fence, looking in. It was the first time he came to see me, and that moment stayed with me. After that, I saw him there every year. He went from being someone who didn’t like that I raced to being my number one fan,” he laughs.
That family connection to the Macau Grand Prix is something Rui now tries to pass on to his daughter and his nephew, who have both joined his team, mostly to “keep him company.”
Rui Valente considered retiring from the Guia Circuit in 2023, after a collision with another car forced him to withdraw early from the race. “I take the Grand Prix very seriously. I was hit in a stupid accident, and it left me unmotivated and sad.” Still, when race time comes around… “off we go again.”
Because the Macau Roadsport Challenge features cars with very small performance differences, it often leads to the kind of accidents that sidelined him in 2023. Since the vehicles are nearly identical, the driver becomes the key differentiator. “As soon as the Macau Grand Prix ends, I start preparing for the next edition, training, testing… almost everything revolves around the Macau Grand Prix. We have to be physically and mentally prepared. Everything matters, so I keep a very active lifestyle; I get up at six in the morning to train.”
Rui Valente downplays the advantage of experience on the Guia Circuit. “Nowadays, there are simulators. If you do an hour every day and memorize the track, you’ll have no problems when you get here.” Still, there’s one long-standing habit he refuses to give up. “On the eve of the race, I walk the circuit to check how the corners are and whether there are any bumps,” he says, recommending that all drivers do the same.
This year, the Macau Roadsport Challenge grid features only two car models: the Toyota GR86 and the Subaru BRZ. Rui Valente will compete behind the wheel of a Subaru BRZ. His main goal is to finish the race, but a place on the podium is always in sight.
PLATAFORMA has prepared a Special Report on the 72nd Macau Grand Prix. Click here to access the stories.
