Macao motor racing history to go on exhibition in Sydney (2)

"So it reigns as the moment meaning the most significant race of my career up to that point," he said. "In fact, maybe it hasn't been surpassed by any other wins."

On reflecting his racing days in Macao, Bartlett said the race track was daunting for a first timer.

"They (the drivers) had to learn - and learn quickly - as the opposition had been there many times with race winners among them, ' he said.

"I went to the local motor-bike hire person and found a 125cc Yamaha that I was familiar with, hiring it in the lead up to practice.

"Riding around the track for hours late at night to beat the normal traffic seemed the solution. When I finished each night I was able to switch lights off and have no need to guess the next curve."

Bartlett said if a competitor wanted to compare Macao's road circuit with others, he would name Monaco and Pau in France as stand outs.

Bartlett said the atmosphere at Macao when he was racing was not typical of many venues of the day.

"The people were eager to be of assistance, government and race organisation people were happy for you to be at their race," he said

It will be 45 years since that race win by Bartlett and he can still see so many pictures in my mind's eye as if it was last week.

"I went back to race there many times and my next best result was a second place," he said. "The challenge of doing well at such a venue lives with me forever and I appreciate that people still have that sense of history to include me in the celebration.

Over the past six decades, the Macao Grand Prix has grown from an event for a gathering of amateur racing enthusiasts to "a shining jewel in international motorsport".

From its humble beginnings in 1954, when a group of the Macao automotive enthusiasts held a motorised treasure hunt, it has evolved into a truly world recognised Grand Prix attracting drivers who would become the world's best and household names.

Those to cut their teeth in competing on the notorious six-km road circuit have included Australian former world F1 champion Alan Jones, Mark Webber, Riccardo Patrese, Gerhard Berger, Martin Brundle, world champions Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, Damon Hill, Jenson Button, David Coulthard, Ralf Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and current world champion Sebastian Vettel.

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