Circuits Of Champions

Motor racing experts give their take on the most challenging tracks for amateur drivers.

- Ian De Cotta

The Sepang International Circuit near Putrajaya in Malaysia often hosts Singapore speed fans who want to get maximum performance out of their supercars, which they can’t on public roads here. Among them are those who travel the globe to other purpose-built racing tracks, in pursuit of the ultimate high.

So which are among the best? It depends on whom you asks, as The Peak discovers from four professional speed merchants. The list for Singapore-based racing drivers Mok Weng Sun, Ringo Chong and Melvin Choo, and Malaysia’s former Formula 1 driver Alex Yoong, stretches across Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States.

The storied Silverstone Circuit, which hosts the annual F1 British Grand Prix, gets a special mention. A World War II Royal Air Force bomber airbase, it was later converted into a motor racing track, and hosted the first F1 race during the inaugural season of the Grand Prix series in 1950.

It is among the three racing circuits, including Monaco and Italy’s Monza, on which the who’s who of motor racing and all 32 Formula One champions have raced. Silverstone is one of the fastest circuits in the world, but, despite its legendary status, it is not the top track for The Peak’s panel of motor racing drivers.

Among other iconic tracks they say motor sports enthusiasts should have a go at are Belgium’s SpaFrancorchamps and Laguna Seca along the California coast. Singapore’s Marina Bay, Macau and Australia’s Bathurst have also been rated highly, but those are public roads and racing is illegal outside of sanctioned races.

All these circuits push the limits of race drivers but only the purpose-built tracks are open to racing enthusiasts when they are not hosting motor racing events. A range of supercars from most top marques is also available for hire at most tracks, for those unable to take their machines with them to those circuits.