FOUR times, they have been approached to stage a leg of the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) here when the permanent race track at Changi is ready.
But Kigema Sport Organisation (KSO), the event's commercial rights holder and a wholly owned subsidiary of Eurosport, has flatly turned down each request.
The reason - tenders for the approximately $100 million venue have yet to open.
Eurosport Events motorsport development director Francois Ribeiro said: "Our answer is always that we'll wait till the contract has been awarded before signing."
Still, he admitted that the International Automobile Federation-sanctioned series is keen to stage a leg here.
Added KSO general manager Marcello Lotti: "Singapore is a good location for the future, because more and more, the championship is becoming international in its following."
Australian and local companies are among those who have expressed interest, with the first approach made two years ago and the most recent one around August.
The WTCC's stance is in stark contrast to its counterpart in MotoGP, motorcycling's equivalent of Formula One.
A recent newspaper report said it had inked a deal with a local company to stage a leg of the series here once the track is completed.
This seemed premature, as the tender process has not opened, meaning MotoGP might not come here after all.
Lotti noted: "But that party now has a strong bargaining chip when it hands in its proposal, that it's already secured one event."
Lotti and Ribeiro were speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines of the WTCC finale last weekend in Macau.
The European-based championship involves four-seater, two-wheel-drive cars. It ranks behind Formula One and the World Rally Championship in terms of prestige.
Lotti added: "Now we have eight legs in Europe and four outside - in Brazil, Mexico, Japan and Macau.
"Next year, we'll have a leg in Morocco. So, in time, we can maybe replace a European event with Singapore. "That would make it six events in Europe and six outside. This is the perfect scenario and a good balance."
Previous specifications for the 20-ha track off Changi Coast Road, to be fully funded by the private sector, said that the successful bidder must stage at least three international races annually.
This will ensure it remains commercially viable over the 30-year tenure, and will boost the Republic's status as a sports events and entertainment hub in the region.
The WTCC, MotoGP, A1 Grand Prix and Japan GT fall into this "international race" category. So far, interested parties include Arthur Tay, owner of One Degree 15; the diversified Haw Par Corp; Peter Kwee's Group Exklusiv and car-and-leisure group Singapore Agro Agricultural.
Once completed, the track will be open to the public. It can accommodate about 15,000 spectators, and will have a karting circuit.
But plans have been beset by delays since the project's announcement in October last year. The Request for Proposals - the step before formal tenders are called - was supposed to go out in May.
This has yet to start.
World Touring Car Championship
Format
Two races at each venue, each race about 50km long.
Points awarded to the top eight manufacturers' drivers and top eight independents in each race in the order 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Competitors are either independent drivers or represent manufacturers like BMW and Chevrolet Cars
Modified versions of four-door, two-litre, two-wheel-drive road cars. Examples are the BMW320si, Chevrolet Lacetti and Honda Accord.
Venues
12 circuits around the world, including Britain's Brands Hatch, Portugal's Estoril and Monza in Italy
Cumulative television audience
Over 300 million viewers this year, up from about 250 million last year and 150 million in 2006
Famous drivers
Three-time champion Andy Priaulx of Britain and former F1 competitors Nicola Larini and Gabriele Tarquini
This article was first published in The Straits Times on Nov 22, 2008.
