SUNDAY VIBES
“F1 Back On Track?” The news which made headlines in the newspapers recently sent waves of excitement through motor sports enthusiasts in the country as well as abroad. They have every right to be in seventh heaven as the person mooting the idea for the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) to once again host Formula One is none other than Malaysia’s number one motor sports fan, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Dr Mahathir expressed his desire for F1 to be brought back to Malaysia after receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Petronas-Sepang International Circuit Motorsports Association of Malaysia awards ceremony recently.
The SIC hosted F1 races for almost two decades, from 1999 to 2017 before it succumbed to poor spectator turnout and high operating costs. It was reported that each edition of this annual event required an investment of no less than RM 300 million.
Expenditure was also the prohibiting factor that prevented Malaysia from having a driver behind the wheel of a Formula One performance machine since Alex Yoong in 2000. Six years later, an offer to race in F1 was extended to maverick race driver Jazeman Jaafar but his dreams were dashed after failing to raise the required
The logical point to start would be when the first car was shipped to Malaya in 1896. Unlike today when most motor vehicles are assembled locally, the Benz & Cie vehicle arrived at the Singapore docks as a complete entity, ready to be driven by its owner, Charles Buckley who was a lawyer by profession and Singapore Free Press editor.
That first arrival sparked a buying frenzy among the rich and famous all over Malaya. Cars were treated as novelties during those early days and those who could afford had no qualms about the price.
At the same time, the proud owners of the first few cars in Malaya were curious to see how fast their new purchases could go compared to the horse carriages that had been their primary mode of transportation before the arrival of motorised vehicles.
The popularity of cars and their relative affordability eventually saw motor sports in Singapore taking off in a big way in the 1920s. Among the more popular places for enthusiasts to meet at that time was where South Buona Vista Road met Kent Ridge Road. Known as the Gap for its challenging sharp hairpin turns, the venue was particularly vibrant during the weekends when crowds gathered to watch motorcycle and car races.
Within a few years, Singapore’s racing obsession led to the birth of many promising drivers who regularly participated in race events held by better established motor clubs north of the Johor Straits. In the years before the Causeway came into existence, the passionate racers used the ferry service to transport their precious vehicles to Johor Bahru before continuing their journey by road to other parts of Malaya.
Among the more prominent racers of that era was Lim Peng Han whose father was one of the wealthiest merchants in Singapore, Lim Boon Keng. Peng Han was the first local Chinese to bring the competition to the European-dominated local racing circuit.
Just before the Second World War arrived in Malaya, Peng Han stripped and buried his cars in various parts of Singapore to prevent the Japanese Imperial Army from acquiring them. As soon as the war ended, Peng Han dug up his buried treasures and lovingly cleaned every component before patiently reassembling them into his beloved cars.
Another early local racer was Osman Abbas who took part with Peng Han in the inaugural Johor Grand Prix organised by Sultan Ismail ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim, when he was still Tunku Mahkota of Johor in 1940. The event, held to raise funds for the war effort in Europe, consisted of a 3.7 km long circuit with two thirds the distance consisting of a newly-built road that ran through the heart of Johor Bahru town.
Four races were held during the twoday event and participation was by invitation only. A total of 15 invitations were sent out for competitors representing Johor, Singapore, Perak, Selangor, Penang and Melaka. The result was a hotchpotch line up of sleek cars owned by wealthy Malayans.
After a successful and well-received start, the Johor Grand Prix took an eightyear hiatus due to the ruinous effects of the Japanese Occupation. The second Johor Grand Prix only took place in 1948 with the newly established Singapore Motor Club taking up its organisation It was well supported by the Tunku Mahkota who was himself a serious car enthusiast.