PEARL OF THE Orient, City of Man, City of Our Affections -- Manila sure has a lot of nicknames under its belt. But the region’s next racing destination? If the right gears mesh, it’s very likely.
Last month, GT3 Race Asia officials, led by Prince Tunku Khairul Zaim of Malaysia, and city officials announced the staging of the GT3 Race Manila 2013 in June, where several high-performance cars will roar through the streets of the country’s capital.
“We will have a demo race and maybe for next year we can bring one of the rounds here to Manila. But we’ll have to first see how it goes this year,” said Dilantha Malagamuwa, GT3 Asia champion.
The demo will mark the Philippine debut of GT3 Race Asia -- a regional multi-leg series featuring cars with outputs of roughly 500 horsepower each, capable of hitting 250 kilometers per hour.
Around 15 to 20 cars are expected to sprint clockwise through a 2.7-kilometer circuit starting and ending at the Quirino Grandstand, passing through Parade Ave., Katigbak Drive, Padre Burgos St., Maria Orosa St., T.M. Kalaw Ave., Roxas Boulevard and South Drive.
A practice round will be held on June 15 before the actual race the next day.
“Aboard luxury vehicles such as Lamborghini, McLaren-Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Ferrari, they will race through some of the most popular and historical streets of Manila,” GT Race Global, GT3 Race Asia’s local unit, said in a statement.
Drivers from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, and Sri Lanka will participate in the race.
Mayor Alfredo S. Lim of Manila said logistical preparations were already underway.
“Everything will be taken care of,” Mr. Lim claimed, noting that aside from police security and traffic rerouting, concrete barriers and steel fences will be erected along the race route for spectator safety
Highlighting Manila’s rich historical and cultural heritage is one goal of the race, GT3 Race Asia said.
“GT3 is one of the most popular races in the world. This race can show the whole world that Manila is a beautiful city,” Mr. Malagumawa said.
The event could also benefit the growing local racing industry and could pave the way for Manila’s inclusion in next year’s GT3 Race Asia.
“There is a lot to like about the city of Manila. We also believe that there is a huge following of car racing in the Philippines. Manila would be an ideal location when we add a new leg to GT Race Asia,” Prince Khairul said.
“The race would provide regional caliber to our racing industry. A lot of racers are not so familiar with international racing, with GT3 Race Manila, their knowledge on racing will definitely expand,” he added
