MOTOR SPORT
WIWAT CHANG
This bridge is brand new but already a Valencian landmark. |
For TV viewers, permanent and road circuits look more or less the same and so they are harder to associate with towns and cities near those tracks.
Knowing the city name is probably all that make the efforts and investments worthwhile in promoting that city's tourism.
Monaco is arguably the prime example of a city made famous by Grand Prix racing - what F1 viewer cannot recognise Monte Carlo Casino and the tunnel?
Last week, the European Grand Prix gave us something to look for in Valencia, Spain; the triangular pillar drawbridge and the port stall paddock.
Next month in Singapore, the thorny bubble roof of the Esplanade would be the centre of attention.
Closer to home, the Casino Lisboa serves as the Macau's second landmark (the first is Sao Paulo Cathedral) when the Grand Prix is held each year.
These landmarks, along with the parts of the host city, register on viewers' memories much, much better than plain race tracks.
Hosting and organising such Grand Prix races in cities is bloody expensive - Singapore is spending some B6bn per year with the government footing 60% of the bill.
That is still a relatively small sum compared to the overall investment of B250bn over the next several years to boost the country's economy.
The eastern seaside city of Bangsaen in Thailand is to host the second edition of the Bangsaen Thailand Speed Festival this November after its immense success last year having drawn some 140,000-strong crowd over the race weekend.
Will it turn into a second Macau or Monaco Grand Prix?
The first comparison is plausible. But first, it must get an FIA certification to even allow racers from overseas to compete.
Logistics and traffic management need to be improved and the organisers say they are working hard on these issues with a budget of around B70m - including a revamp of its website to provide complete race information in both Thai and English.
Safety, of course, is the priority and will be scrutinised by the FIA track inspectors invited this year.
But the organisers are confident they could satisfy the FIA's requirements and qualify for a grade three homologation (same level as Bira Circuit) that will allow Asian and Pacific drivers to take part.
Until then, they must make sure the armcos and barriers conform to regulations and that the safety plan - which must include zoning of spectator areas - is thorough and strictly enforced.
The five-metre bottleneck of the track might need a radical change (although Macau's narrowest bit is seven metres and certified a higher FIA grade two).
Three things they should consider; one is that the event name is too long - how about just Bangsaen Grand Prix?
Two, discontinue improper parading of Prince Bira's bust around the track - instead, honour him in a respectable locale.
Three, find a shooting point for a picture-perfect postcard that would capture the people's imagination.
Prince Bira's plan of a Bangkok Grand Prix in 1939 was dashed by WWII. But perhaps 70 years later, a similar dream could be realised.
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