It’s fair to say that motorsport in Asia is continuing to grow, and the announcement of RACE123, South Korea’s first standalone endurance race for GT and touring cars, is further proof of that. Series’ like GT Asia and the Asian Le Mans Series remain healthy and on the rise, with quality drivers and teams competing and the new China GT Championship has also attracted lots of teams ahead of its first season.

With the dust now settled on the announcement of RACE123, DSC spoke to two key faces in the GT Asia paddock: GruppeM Racing driver Tim Sugden and Clearwater Racing’s managing director Arj Kulasegaram to get a feel for the interest in the race, and whether it has a place on the annual Motorsport calendar.

‘A very credible purse’

The venue, class structure, and projected entry numbers aside, the most staggering aspect of Race 123 is the prize money on offer to the winners, which is huge.

The event’s website claims that the “overall winner will take US$200,000 (incl. GT3 or GTC Class Prize Money) while top three finishers in every class will be awarded outstanding prize money. The total prize money for RACE123 will be US$500,000.”

For many, that’s the race’s biggest draw.

“It was presented to me, and I knew of the details roughly, and I have to say that the prize money looks fabulous,” Kulasegaram told DSC. “It’s a very credible purse. If you win overall, and the overall winner should come from the GT3 class, it’s 200,000 US dollars. That’s nothing to sniff at.”

Sugden is also impressed with the race offering such a huge cheque, but feels it could well be a tough ask to win because of the competition it could attract.

“I saw the leaflet for it in the back of our garage at the last GT Asia race and picked it up,” he said. “That’s a lot of money, and you don’t see legitimate prize money much anymore, in my whole career the only real prize purse has come from Porsche Supercup. It used to be that you got a salary, the driver got most of the prize money and a road car. If you won you’d had a good year. The reason you don’t hear much about prize money these days is because usually, there isn’t any!

You don’t see legitimate prize money much anymore, in my whole career the only real prize purse has come from Porsche Supercup Tim Sugden Driver, GruppeM Racing

“The issue really is that it’s going to be a very expensive race to do, especially if you’re racing a GT3 car, because honestly, to win it you’ll need three pro drivers, and that’s going to come at a cost.

“Some team, or a big factory will come with three pro drivers and walk all over everyone to win. So to compete and get that money you have to spend, which makes a dent in the prize money.”

Location, location, location

In order for a standalone motorsport event to work, particularly an endurance event like Race 123 which will last between eight and nine hours, it needs to be held at a track that drivers want to tackle. While South Korea only has a few circuits, the Korea International Circuit is venue capable of attracting interest.

“It makes it the event even more credible to a team like Clearwater because it’s being held in such a lovely place,” explained Kulasegaram. “The Korean International Circuit is one of the most challenging circuits in the world and it’s tricky as hell, I’ve driven it myself. It’s a perfect venue for the race.

The Korean International Circuit is one of the most challenging circuits in the world and it’s tricky as hell Arj Kulasegaram Managing director, Clearwater Racing

“Having raced in Korea the last few years, I think it’s a track that everyone should come and try.”

Sugden has also raced at the Korean International Circuit, and as well as praising it as a great venue, he pointed out that the motorsport mentality in Asia suits Race 123.

“I’ll be interested to see how many teams turn up.

“Racing in Asia is so different I mean, no teams have workshops,” he explains. “Each car goes into a container and straight to the next race, because geographically it’s a nightmare, and expensive to get all the equipment to each race. It’s a masterclass in packing, when you see the teams putting everything into a container.

“If GT Asia told me: ‘Next week we’re racing in a car park’ I’d be like: ‘Okay.’ Tim Sugden Driver, GruppeM Racing

“It’s different, in Asia I think teams usually aren’t concerned about running full seasons, they pick and choose depending on the circuit, and whether they like it and the location. I just turn up, if GT Asia told me ‘Next week we’re racing in a car park’ I’d be like: ‘Okay.’ So this race might well prove to be a success because it’s a good track, and it’s a one-off.”

Turning Japanese

Kulasegaram was keen to point out that South Korea is a key country for the development of motorsport. We’re already seeing it with Hyundai’s World Rally Championship team going from strength to strength, marketing it on a global scale. Two weeks before writing this piece, the DSC’s deputy ed noticed that a good portion of Piccadilly Circuis’ world-famous billboards were taken up by a Hyundai Motorsport advert, celebrating its WRC successes in Argentina and Italy.

“South Korea is one of the major automobile constructors in the world with Hyundai and Ssang Yong,” he said. “While motorsport has lagged behind, this is a good first stab at a notable motorsport event in South Korea aside from Formula One which was ill-fated in the country. it’s a step in the right direction.

“In Asia the hub of motorsport is Japan with China and Malaysia catching on slowly. With Korea, I hope they pull this off well.

“I hope they get 60 cars, a lot of that will probably be from the touring car teams, but I think you’ll get GT entries from Japan and Asia, maybe a few from Europe. Korea’s motorsport scene right now is mostly cheaper disciplines like touring cars and gymkhana, that sort of thing. So while GT racing there may take a while to catch on because of its expense, this sort of race will help it along.

While motorsport has lagged behind, this is a good first stab at a notable motorsport event in South Korea aside from Formula One which was ill-fated in the country Arj Kulasegaram Managing director, Clearwater Racing

“If we have the availability and there’s no clashes, it’s certainly a possibility for Clearwater to enter in GT and touring cars as well.

“I can’t think of a better place to be in April than racing in South Korea… There’s nice weather that time of year too!”

Photos courtesy of GT Asia Series & WRC.com