[lastsun]

So with the new track in Singapore, will there be any races for in 2010? If there is, what are the classes to be run?

Looks like a lot of ex-karter getting back into karting, lets hope we can have our own local races here in Singapore.

[mlange]

There are several probable race organisers, and the "possible" list of classes are:

RMC and its classes (if James and Guy decide to do a race in Singapore)
TAG
Yamaha

and then you have fringe operators who are keen to arrange Axiro, Shifter, Rental Kart, KF2 races ...

[lastsun]

i would say that it is useless having a RMC race here in Singapore as from my past and current knowledge, RMC is 'quite' an unfair 'game'. The distributors required only engines purchase from them to be allow and/or be race for the race is a big "question mark'.

from what i know, distributors could have just open up 'their' own engine and do mod to it and just reseal it back themselves but the others are not allow to do so. som i dun know it is a fair game at all.

it can only be fair if we were to have a 'fair' party appoint to do the sealing, but it is quite impossible. can we have SMSA to do that? i dun think they bother.

so it is better to have races that engine being the race machine's heart is not been controlled by only one body.

just my 2 cents suggestion..

[mlange]

Thanks for your thoughts.

I have no personal view on this as Ive not participated in the RMC myself but I think its prudent not to accuse without personally witnessing such cases with our own eyes.

Perhaps as they say, there is always 2 sides to a story.

[Mikko Nassi]

i would say that it is useless having a RMC race here in Singapore as from my past and current knowledge, RMC is 'quite' an unfair 'game'. The distributors required only engines purchase from them to be allow and/or be race for the race is a big "question mark'.

I assume this knowledge didn't come about from being a competitor in the series?

Many successful racing series' are one-make events, such as most single seater racing categories before F1 (F3 being an exception). In all of those you are also only allowed to use one make of engine and usually purchased only from one source.

from what i know, distributors could have just open up 'their' own engine and do mod to it and just reseal it back themselves but the others are not allow to do so. som i dun know it is a fair game at all.

Your theory falls apart when all the top finishers' engines are opened after the race and inspected by an outside inspector. The technical regulations are exactly the same for all competitors.

it can only be fair if we were to have a 'fair' party appoint to do the sealing, but it is quite impossible. can we have SMSA to do that? i dun think they bother.

Again even if there was something amiss in the sealing, post-race inspections and post-heat inspections fix that problem.

so it is better to have races that engine being the race machine's heart is not been controlled by only one body.

Your only real choice would be TAG or KF racing with any engines allowed. The main thing is the organisation has to be top notch. Regulations have to be clear and availability of things such as racing tyres has to be great. With many engines you have to have very knowledgeable tech inspectors that know all the different engine makes properly.

[JohnKing6]

I agree with what Mikko says - "öne make" series are common and can work well. The real question for Singapore races at the moment is - is the track appropriate for sanctioned races? As far as I'm aware, the track isn't sanctioned and, if I remember the FIA-CIK regulations correctly, never could be because it's too short and tight - tracks need to be something like 1km length and have minimum widths etc.

Having a race on a tight 750m track with 20 gung-ho drivers in 125cc karts would be interesting for the spectators and a good revenue stream for spare part sellers like me but might not be a good advertisement for the sport in Singapore...

[James Leong]

I totally agree with John on the Singapore track which is 750metres length and maybe 8metres wide. This track will pass National Homologation approval by SMSA depending on the safety guidelines . However for any foreign drivers to attend a race at this track would require a Zone homologation as set out in an International C licence approval. Therefore, even if the track will be available for a RMC event, it will only be for Singapore licenced drivers.

Touching on why engines not purchased from the local distributor of that country are not allowed to race in the RMC series, I would like to inform that the distributor has to spend big money to organise the event. Money for track rental, officials, timing equipment etc has to come from somewhere. If there is a big sponsor then it should not be much of a problem but if the distributor has to come out with his own money to organise the event, then the money will have to come out of the profit he gets for selling the engines. If every driver buys an engine from elsewhere but not from the distributor, where is the profit coming from? You want to enter a race but refuses to buy from the distributor. How can? Moreover buying an engine from your local distributor meant that the engine will come with a warranty package, legal with engine card and entitled to race in any RMC races.

James Leong

[Iceman27]

I totally agree with John on the Singapore track which is 750metres length and maybe 8metres wide. This track will pass National Homologation approval by SMSA depending on the safety guidelines . However for any foreign drivers to attend a race at this track would require a Zone homologation as set out in an International C licence approval. Therefore, even if the track will be available for a RMC event, it will only be for Singapore licenced drivers.

Alamak... won't be able to see the drivers from our neighbours then.

Touching on why engines not purchased from the local distributor of that country are not allowed to race in the RMC series, I would like to inform that the distributor has to spend big money to organise the event. Money for track rental, officials, timing equipment etc has to come from somewhere. If there is a big sponsor then it should not be much of a problem but if the distributor has to come out with his own money to organise the event, then the money will have to come out of the profit he gets for selling the engines. If every driver buys an engine from elsewhere but not from the distributor, where is the profit coming from? You want to enter a race but refuses to buy from the distributor. How can? Moreover buying an engine from your local distributor meant that the engine will come with a warranty package, legal with engine card and entitled to race in any RMC races.

James Leong

Wat to do... our system has thought us to global source for the most cost effective offering. We have forgotten/never realised that an ecosystem exists, esp in a sport that has such a small market, which requires $$ to move around to sustain it. We let the $$ flow overseas then complain that nothing is done here for the sport. Ironic eh?

Cheers!

[lastsun]

the problem with our current rotax max dealer now is that they are not even trying to promote the clas in singapore. i had contacted them cause i wanted to get into rotax class, all he kept saying is ask me to go kart in malaysia: jb, kl... i was thinking WTH u selling in singapore you dun promote it in singapore you ask me go malaysia. you might as well dun be the local distributor. and again from the RMC race thread which was locked, i felt that those few guys fighting for the 'right ' of singaporean stands a point.. why is a non-singaporean citizen/PR representing singapore??? is he going to hold on to a singapore flag when he is at the race? you get the seat for singapore as a singapore distributor, but the seat end up given to others??? ????????? ????

[Iceman27]

the problem with our current rotax max dealer now is that they are not even trying to promote the clas in singapore. i had contacted them cause i wanted to get into rotax class, all he kept saying is ask me to go kart in malaysia: jb, kl... ????????? ????

I believe the issue with this is that our representation is via participation in the M'sia series... there isn't a standalone for SGP due to the lack of participants & tracks (which i believe hasn't changed for the better).

Cheers!

[James Leong]

I dont agree with lastsun on what he wrote. I know for a fact the Rotax Distributor for Singapore have been hard at work to try to organise races in Singapore. When he became the distributor, I told him that to build up the interest in Singapore is to have races there. Not having a proper "approved" track in Singapore is the biggest setback. What I suggested to him at that time was to bring at least 15 drivers to the RMC races in Malaysia and I will give one seat to Singapore for the Grand Finals.

I have kept my promise and have given a seat to one driver from Singapore to go to Egypt for the Grand Finals. On your question about who should represent Singapore is debatable. Jack McGregor was chosen to represent Singapore based on his qualifications in the series. Jack happens to hold a licence issued by SMSA which is the ASN of Singapore affiliated to FIA. For all intent and purposes, we do not regard Jack as white, yellow or green or black but someone who is representing Singapore by virtue of him holding a SINGAPORE COMPETITION LICENCE! Therefore, I think we should all disregard colour or creed in sports. I can promise lastsun, Jack will hold a Singapore flag at the driver's parade otherwise I will send him home.

I am working towards having a RMC Singapore series but getting a track approved will be a hassle as there are none available in Singapore. If the Singapore Government is able to allow the use of the Changi airport area for races with no cost, I am fully prepared to run 5 rounds in Singapore and would bring the Malaysian drivers over too. If that does not happen, then in 2010 I will still give a seat to Singapore drivers if they come to race in the Malaysian series. I can also give an additional junior seat if you can promise me 12 junior drivers from Singapore for 2010. Well, food for thoughts isn't it?

James Leong

[ace]

Only in the drivers parade? He will probably not make the final so what's the use of sendin him home after drivers parade when he won't race a anyway? What about his kart and helmet? Since he is representing Singapore at a world event, I think he should change ALL the Scottish flags to Singapore flags at least for this race only.

[Mikko Nassi]

Only in the drivers parade? He will probably not make the final so what's the use of sendin him home after drivers parade when he won't race a anyway? What about his kart and helmet? Since he is representing Singapore at a world event, I think he should change ALL the Scottish flags to Singapore flags at least for this race only.

Don't worry ace his kart will have the Singapore flag. It's a requirement under the CIK regulations:!: It'll still be there when he makes the final as well .

CIK rules are that you represent the country where you obtain your racing license from - and that is almost always the country where that driver lives in. It's as simple as that.

A Rotax Grand Finals was recently won by an Australian racing under the Austrian flag - he even had the audacity to wear a suit that had "Australia" written boldly across it. Oddly enough there was no uproar from the Austrian karting community.

There are currently a handful of Malaysian, Thai, Filipino, Australian (that used to race as Malaysian), and other drivers that are from a certain country - but on race results they are all Italian or Japanese! Nobody claims that they are not being nationalistic because they understand the regulations they are racing under. You might be surprised that a lot of current and past F1 drivers also raced under a different flag (usually UK) until they made it to F1, where you get to race based on your passport rather than your racing license.

When a non-Singaporean races with a Singaporean license he is still very much representing the local ASN, and the efforts they have made to promote motorsports in the country. The seat has not been given to "others" it has been given to a Singaporean kart racer (or a kart racer based in Singapore if that wording is better). If that is a problem your issue should be with the CIK/FIA, not with local distributors - but if the CIK/FIA were to change that regulations Malaysia would lose a lot of its karters, and Singapore would also lose a large percentage of its racers. Karting would die!!! I hope that clears it up a bit,- it is the regulations that determines the drivers "nationality" is based on his racing license, and nothing else.

Lastsun back to topic of the thread and the efforts of hosting races in Singapore - Guy (the Rotax distributor) has made tremendous efforts to make it happen. You should call him up and ask about the challenges he has faced, and also see if he's been able to get anything together for 2010. Maybe you can even lend a helping hand to help make it happen? It would be great to see it take off and have you on the grid.

[Iceman27]

All this complaining & grumbling is going nowhere.

If we are REALLY interested in putting a native Singaporean on the world stage, we first gotta start putting them on the tracks & getting them up to the mark. Not just bound to desks working or studying! This situation exists not just for karting, but for badminton, table tennis & soccer too!

Rather than complaining about things from a spectator's point of view, why not be a part of things & make it better?

Cheers!

[DMmotorsport]

i would say that it is useless having a RMC race here in Singapore as from my past and current knowledge, RMC is 'quite' an unfair 'game'. The distributors required only engines purchase from them to be allow and/or be race for the race is a big "question mark'.

I assume this knowledge didn't come about from being a competitor in the series?
I did ! When i was a driver in de late 90's over to 2001 2002 2003 2004, AND even today when i have team for years myself !
EVEN, i wanted to become an official sealer for Rotax in Asia/Malaysia... after
Mailing, and mailing, didn't even get any reply to my Emails... !!
AN OTHER THING is the fact that my driver in Malaysia is now Champion and going to the WORLD FINALS, he can not even where the racing SUIT he wants to!!!
WELL I TELL YOU SOMETHING: My Driver will use our Team's suit ! or i make it a case..

Many successful racing series' are one-make events, such as most single seater racing categories before F1 (F3 being an exception). In all of those you are also only allowed to use one make of engine and usually purchased only from one source.
=> and so it's fair???

from what i know, distributors could have just open up 'their' own engine and do mod to it and just reseal it back themselves but the others are not allow to do so. som i dun know it is a fair game at all.

Your theory falls apart when all the top finishers' engines are opened after the race and inspected by an outside inspector. The technical regulations are exactly the same for all competitors.

=> So now you say, that the scruteneer never finds out anything different?
OR is it because the drivers that wins, are just using new material (Bobines, clutches, cilinders, etcetc... I TELLL you something: I can bring you one Senior engiines, and let my driver win over there with 2 fingers in his nose! and you will not even have a clue what happened with the engines... BUT what's the meaning than of a sealed class....?

it can only be fair if we were to have a 'fair' party appoint to do the sealing, but it is quite impossible. can we have SMSA to do that? i dun think they bother.

Again even if there was something amiss in the sealing, post-race inspections and post-heat inspections fix that problem.

so it is better to have races that engine being the race machine's heart is not been controlled by only one body.

Your only real choice would be TAG or KF racing with any engines allowed. The main thing is the organisation has to be top notch. Regulations have to be clear and availability of things such as racing tyres has to be great. With many engines you have to have very knowledgeable tech inspectors that know all the different engine makes properly.

AGAIN, not true