A Ray of Sunshine for Singaporean Motorsports Enthusiasts? | Asia Motorsports Network
Singaporean’s saw their dreams of a permanent circuit officially crushed back in May when the government announced they were formally taking back the land for proposed Changi Motorsports Hub from SG Changi. I don’t think this was a great surprise to anyone as the project faced plenty of obstacles in the 5 years since it was first rumored back in 2007. Construction actually began at the site back in 2010 but was brought to an abrupt halt when investors became nervous about an investigation into the tendering process that eventually ended with SG Changi winning the $370 million project.
This week brought a little life back to the dream when it was announced that billionaire Peter Lim would be developing a Motorsports City and FIA compliant circuit in neighboring Iskandar, Malaysia. Mr. Lim, once described as “press shy”, has made major international sporting news over the past several years after a failed attempt to buy the Liverpool Football Club in 2010 and last year’s announcement of him making a major investment in McLaren Automotive. Now Singapore motorsports enthusiast see him as their best hope for an accessible circuit for them to enjoy. While not truly a Singapore based permanent circuit, its planned proximity to the border will likely suffice most enthusiasts as long as they have some open track days. Although this seems very promising, waiting until 2016 for racing events makes for a long time to hold your breathe.
