Singapore is planning to build a permanent race track soon, but given the small land area, it would be very compact.
However, a racing driver Channel NewsAsia spoke to claims that is not a problem as the track could still provide exciting racing. Formula One will roar into town, come September 2008. But Singapore is not stopping there.
It wants other races, like the A1, to also be part of the sporting calendar.
So a permanent track on a 20-hectare site in Changi is being proposed to cater to all motor sport fans.
It will be a 2.8km, Grade 2 track - just about half of other Grade 2 tracks around the world.
But according to British Touring Car champ Colin Turkington, this wouldn't be a road block to great racing.
"We have tracks like this in Britain and probably one of the best known is Brands Hatch that we race on quite regularly and this is only 1.2 miles long," said Turkington, who is on a short stopover in Singapore before heading to the Macau Grand Prix next week.
"Brands Hatch provides some of the best racing. It is small - it only has 4 or 5 corners - but it makes the racing very, very close and nobody gets away. There is always a very tight pack and this provides some of the most spectacular racing," he added.
The 25-year-old Irishman said he would like to come and race at the new Singapore track, which would be able to host Touring car races.
Turkington also said that based on his experience, a F1 night race could see cars running faster due to the cooler temperatures.
Race drivers aside, car show promoters too could benefit from the new facility.
Simon Foo, the organiser of car show Super Import Nights 2007, said that he has received requests from exhibitors to hold the show with a track so that visitors can have car test runs.
Eight American Asian models have been brought in from the US for the first time as part of the Super Imports Night show.
The girls will be sharing the limelight with more than 200 cars at the Singapore Expo from 8 November-11 November.
Among the cars on display will be the Porsche GT3 RS which is worth a cool $600,000.
The car is making a debut in Singapore. - CNA/ir
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