MotoGP Report
MotoGP fans in Southeastern Asia may no longer have to travel to the nearby Sepang Circuit in Malaysia to see competition between champions such as Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner.
This week, the Singapore Sports Council awarded a contract to SG Changi Private Unlimited to build the Republic’s first permanent motorsports hub, one that will likely host MotoGP races in a few years.
After winning the contract to build the $235 Million facility, SG Changi director Eddie Koh forecasted the consortium’s plans to Singapore media: "The completion date is slated for the end of 2011, and we hope to start events in 2012. We have the intention to bring in a couple of international races like the GT events, and MotoGP."
The Singapore motorsports hub will be located on 41,000 acres near the Changi Airport and feature a 4-km FIM race track, a quarter-mile drag racing track, a karting track, a 20,000-seater grandstand and a motor museum. Singapore media reports that adjustments were made to the original plan for a 3.7km track to accommodate the FIM’s requirements for MotoGP races.
After hosting the world’s inaugural Formula 1 night race in 2008 with much success, Singapore Sports Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan calls the motorsports hub "a landmark in development."
"The Formula 1 race is the crown jewel of Singapore sports, and we view that as step one," Balakrishnan told Singapore media. "We need to go further than that, and that’s why we conceived the idea of building our own motorsports hub."
