By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ANOTHER major initiative for the Bahamas’ sports tourism product is on the horizon as the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture revealed the country’s intent to become a major international figure in motorsports.

Dr Daniel Johnson announced the government’s plans to construct a state-of-the-art motorsports circuit in conjunction with the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).

“We are partnering with the best brands in the world to bring the most exciting events in the world to the Bahamas and make it a permanent part of our calendar. The investment is well worth it. We are committed to building a world-class track. You saw what we did with the world- class track for athletics at the Thomas A Robinson stadium. We are going to rebuild a world class track for motorsports in the Bahamas for multiple uses. It will be used for motorcycles, drag racing, big concerts, all sorts of things, safety and recreational driving, defensive driving for the place and defence force. A motersports complex for the Bahamas,” Dr Johnson said.

“We want, just like with the PGA, NCAA and IAAF World Relays, we want to put the Bahamas on the world motorsports tour. This will be a fantastic opportunity for many young Bahamians to learn racing, to learn the high technology behind the mechanics of racing. To understand that safety is a primary issue when using automobiles to make sure that we translate all this worldwide first class knowledge into our local arena.”

While plans for the location of the circuit have yet to be decided, Dr Johnson said the project will be finished in time to host a major event sometime in 2016.

“We are looking at two venues and we have two options. I think we have to be guided by the expertise by the international governing body to do a facility that suits the part of the circuit that we wish to engage in. Once we know what that event will be, we will receive advisement from the international body as to what kind of facility we have to build,” he said. “Once we have the international body, appropriate sponsorship, a local agreement, then the government will make a commitment to build a motorsports track in the Bahamas and we hope to be finished by next year. We want to have an event the next year, because 2016 will be our breakout year for sports tourism.”

David McLaughlin, chairman of the Bahamas Speed Week Revival, was recently named a director of the FIA, world motorsport’s governing body. He is the first representative from the Bahamas to be appointed to such a high level position.

“It is important to understand that it is truly a circuit of the Bahamas. It’s not about a one week Speed Week event. It really will be a national event. Over the course of years to come once it’s created, it will really be a benefit to many, many people in the society,” he said. The FIA are not just interested in Formula One but very much interested in grassroots and motorsports for all the social aspects it brings.”

McLaughlin has had a long and storied involvement with auto-racing, spanning more than three decades. Through his company FORCE he established the historic Formula One Series in 1986, which was later officially recognised by the FIA. He also created the FORCE Classic Grand Prix Series with rounds in nine European countries. He said the circuit will create a series of new programmes and create new opportunities for budding programmes such as the EduKarting Camp.

“We already have a programme in the government schools called EduKarting and it’s also called stealth education. We bring them along for a week’s training, we teach them how to drive them, we teach them how to maintain them, we teach them how to form teams so they have to work together. At the end of the programme they have to race karts, and it’s quite competitive. They have to form a virtual budget and they have to pitch to sponsors. They have to design logos and they have to do many things that will carry them over in life,” McLaughlin said.

“We are not looking for the NASCAR or Formula One champion, we are looking to develop a social programme that will give the kids the ammunition to move forward and be successful. We have seen the kids’ grades improve, we have seen above proportion expectation made prefects and some of the kids from the first year have come back to train the kids in the second year. They are taking on responsibility and authority to do that. When we build the circuit it will be sustainable, it’s an investment, it’s not a cost.”

FIA president Jean Todt said the venture in the Bahamas will have the full backing of his organisation.

“We are aware there is a culture of motor-racing in the Bahamas,” he said. “The FIA is a regulator and legislator of motorsports all around the world and is supportive of any organisation supporting any kind of motor-racing worldwide. I’m very happy to hear about your programmes, to hear about your intention of creating a new circuit and to educate people about driving better.”