Local News: Development of Changi Motorsports Hub begins

The symbolic occasion was attended by over 200 guests, who were treated to a special race-day themed event which provided a preview of the sights, sounds and atmosphere of the ideal experience at the Changi Motorsports Hub.

Developers SG Changi Pte Ltd, the consortium selected by the Singapore Sports Council in March this year to design, build, finance and manage the Hub took the opportunity to introduce its Executive Chairman, Fuminori Murahashi, whose expertise in international motorsports will be vital for the project.

Mr. Murahashi has been heavily involved in the Japanese and Southeast Asian motorsports industries, and has worked on the promotion and sponsorship of renowned racing events such as Formula Nippon and Super GT. Working with companies in Japan and overseas, he has more recently, been involved as a sponsor in the D1 Grand Prix Series.

Expressing his excitement about the ground breaking of the Hub, Mr Murahashi said, “I believe that the Hub will go a long way in the promotion and development of motorsports here and it will play a vital role in attracting and grooming home grown talents through its accredited motorsports academies. This is a project very dear to me and I hope to see more Singaporean youths get involved in motorsports, undergoing proper coaching and training at high-level facilities. It would be an amazing achievement for me to see a home-grown Singaporean GT driver one day.”

SG Changi also touched on its plans to host international motorsports events at the Hub which are approved under FIA Grade 2 requirements and to setup a racing academy with various programmes ranging from junior kart racing to technical training for racing enthusiasts.

With the aim of attracting people across all age groups and to provide a day of fun for families, there are also plans for the Hub to feature unrivalled lifestyle attractions such as a motor-themed entertainment complex, a motorsports museum and an exhibition centre. The Hub will also provide a myriad of food and beverage options as well as motor-theme related retail outlets.

The Changi Motorsports Hub is projected to change the motorsports landscape here and in the region and provide an immense boost to motorsports in Singapore. It will provide a permanent base to groom motorsports talent, promote industry development, host new international events and establish itself as a lifestyle destination in the region.

Sitting on a 41-hectare sea-facing site near Changi Airport, the S$330 million facility will feature a four-kilometre track, a 1.2-kilometre karting track and seating for up to 20,000 spectators Main Grandstand, with another 10,000 temporary Grandstand for major race events. It is expected to be operationally-ready by the end of 2011 and ready for the 2012 racing season.

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