Shand ready for Macau GP.

Les Shand from Mosstodloch in Northern Scotland, is about to trade the winter chill of Scotland for the sweltering heat of China, as he prepares to take part in the thirty ninth Macau GP, on board his AIM Racing Yamaha.

The Macau GP is held on the 6.2 Kilometre Guia street circuit, which for the bike racers it is one of the scariest circuits to race at, as Shand explains:

"It is the chance to race on one of the most dangerous circuits in the world as there are nothing but walls around the circuit and you are doing one hundred miles an hour plus and only about two inches from touching them. Everyone has sent he pictures of rider's shoulders touching the walls." He then goes on to make the understatement of the year: "It's a wee bit exciting!"

Last year was the first time Shand took part in the annual event, and he admits: "I didn't know much about Macau until Iain Duffus and Brian Morrison offered me the opportunity to go last year. I'd heard about it, but now I've been out there, it is THE way to end the season."

Last year Morrison and Duffus supplied Shand with a GSX-R 1000 that had been breathed upon to make it suitable, and he performed well coming home in eleventh plus he was faster than anyone else into the famous Lisboa bend. This year he is on board a fully fledged Superbike and hoping to upset some of the regulars, including his newly signed team-mate and road racing specialist, Adrian Archibald.

This year Shand has the advantage of knowing the track, "It's difficult to learn the circuit as when it isn't race time it is a busy China street. So it's not like you can go and learn it in the day," he said "I hired a taxi last year and went round the circuit in that about a dozen times to try and get it into my head!"

Different but sensible approach to what could be a potentially very dangerous race. "It is stressed by the organisers that they want a safe and happy event, and although when the lights go green everyone is out there to win, you have to remember where you are and what you could hit," explained Shand. "The closest circuit that I can compare it to is the Monaco GP circuit, it is a full blown street circuit with a mass start like at the North West 200."

For a one off event that doesn't have any bearing on any championship why take the risk?

"It is a bit like the Isle of Man, there are no championship points to gain at the Island, it is just something different to do. Macau is fun as there is less pressure on you than at a BSB meeting. You spend all year chasing half a second and thousandths of seconds at BSB so there is an element of relaxation."

Macau is known for show casing new and up and coming talent, all the big names have raced there in the past, like Ron Haslam and Carl Fogarty. And still today, Macau pulls in all the top riders, like Michael Rutter, and John McGuinness, it is a good place to get noticed.

With the temperature in Macau being way beyond what we are used to in the UK, how will Shand cope with the heat? "I love the heat! Living in Scotland and spending nine months of the year blue, it's great to go somewhere and get a bit of a tan! Just got to make sure you drink plenty and it isn't a problem!"

Something or rather someone else who Shand doesn't seem to see as a problem, is his team-mate Adrian Archibald. Archibald is know for his success in Irish road racing and of course on the Isle of Man, however he has only raced at the Macau GP once before in 2001 and didn't finish the race. He is also new to the Yamaha having been racing a Suzuki up until now. The general rule of thumb is you have to beat your team-mate, but Shand wouldn't be drawn on the subject!

The Macau GP takes place on the weekend of 17th - 20th November.