Singapore considers permanent motor racing track
04-02-2007, 08h03
SINGAPORE (AFP)
Formula One racing driver Mark Webber of Australia drives past
Singapore's City Hall high court building during a leasurely drive
around the proposed night circuit on the street in downtown
Singapore, 31 March 2007. Singapore is considering building a
permanent circuit for major motor sport events, a report said
Monday, as negotiations continued over a possible Formula One event
in the city-state.
(AFP/File)
Singapore is considering building a permanent circuit for major
motor sport events, a report said Monday, as negotiations continued
over a possible Formula One event in the city-state.
The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports
could build the permanent track to host MotoGP motorcycle races,
the A1 Grand Prix and other events but not Formula One, the Today
newspaper said, citing unnamed sources.
Government officials could not immediately comment on the
report.
The circuit, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 miles) to four kilometres in
length, could cost up to 200 million US dollars, Today said.
The F1 event being talked about for Singapore would be a street
race, not a track event.
Minister of State for Trade and Industry, S. Iswaran, said Friday
that negotiations about a possible Singapore F1 event were
proceeding well.
"From what I have gathered from the private sector, they are going
well," he said on radio 938Live.
Mark Webber, director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, on
Saturday took a "leisurely" drive in a non-race car round the
4.8-kilometre street route proposed by designer Hermann
Tilke.
Webber, of Red Bull Racing, said more research was needed into a
plan to hold the race at night.
There is currently no night event on the F1 calendar but Mokhzani
Mahathir, chairman of the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) in
neighbouring Malaysia, said Friday that his circuit was ready to
host such an event next year.
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has spoken of including night
races on the F1 schedule as early as next season to boost TV
audiences.
Top drivers including world champion Fernando Alonso have opposed
the plan, citing safety concerns.
The Malaysian Grand Prix will take place at Sepang next
Sunday.
The circuit has also hosted the A1 Grand Prix and MotoGP.
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