A poignant sign hung near Biker's Corner read 'Come Back Erwin', a reminder of the dangers of motor racing in Macau.
But Michael Rutter revelled in the happier side of the sport when he won the 38th Motorcycle Grand Prix yesterday. While Austrian Erwin Wilding was fighting for his life in intensive care after a horrifying crash on Thursday, Macau veteran Rutter sped to his fifth motorcycle title after narrowly holding off British rival John McGuinness in an incident-free race. 'It's becoming harder as the years go by,' said Rutter, who rode a 1,000cc Honda.
The only thrills and spills for fans came in the Formula Three qualifying race as a spectacular set of crashes on the grid saw four cars written off, including those of Hong Kong hopeful Marchy Lee Yin-kin and Dutch-born Chinese Tung Ho-pin. Favourite Lewis Hamilton of Britain stayed on course for the F3 crown by taking pole position for today's race.