MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will finally get to host one of the world’s most exciting, most watched racing events – the GT Race Global – which zooms off early next year at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, with some of the world’s finest drivers behind the wheels of 24 supercars of the rich and famous.
The world’s top-of-the-line cars - Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Corvette, Ford, Porsche, Lotus, BMW, Maserati and Mercedes-Benz – and others sporting engine power ranging from 800 horsepower and beyond will clash for fame and fortune in the event held for the first time in the Philippines.
“Imagine a car accelerating from zero to 280 kilometers per hour in just a mere second – that’s the GT3 car,” said Albert Martinez, local celebrity and event spokesman.
“We are lucky our country has finally been chosen to be the venue for GT3 race, usually reserved for first-world and developed countries. It only shows our economy is competitive now, and the event will further boost our country’s image globally,” he added.
ESPN, which has a global footprint of over 350 million subscribers worldwide, will beam the event to over 260 million viewers in over 200 countries. It will deploy a full complement of news crew on site and will produce coverage and interviews across the race.
Recent GT3 Asia Series champion Dilantha Malagamuwa of Sri Lanka is already excited to test his Lamborghini Gallardo wheels on Philippine tracks as he guns for another big win among an elite field of veteran and professional supercar drivers.
Martinez, a car enthusiast himself, said the welcome development is partly due to the strong showing of the local economy, especially with the recent Moody’s Investors’ Service upgrading the Philippines’ credit standing. The latest credit rating follows earlier positive assessments of the country’s economic standing by those of Fitch and Standard and Poor.
“It’s about time the Philippines joins the GT3 Race Asia Circuit,” said Dilantha, an international race car legend. “Truly, this exciting, fast, glamorous, prestigious and international sport is just fitting to be hosted by a newly emerged tiger economy.”
Around 200,000 fans are estimated to watch the GT3 race in the country.
“Or even more, as we see the GT Race Global in the Philippines become a national event every Filipino would love to watch,” Martinez said.