Hong Kong’s dream of having a motor racing circuit moved a step closer as a proposal to build a track near its airport was submitted to the city’s government. The governor of the Hong Kong Automobile Association (HKAA), Lawrence Yu Kam-kee, told the South China Morning Post that his organisation had handed a plan of 20-plus pages to the Chief Executive’s Office – the office of Hong Kong’s leader – and was awaiting a response. “Hong Kong always claims to be Asia’s sports city, and nowadays motor racing is an important element of the sporting industry all over the world,” said Yu, who was instrumental in bringing Formula E racing to Hong Kong. “How can a sports city exist without motor racing? “We need a motor racing circuit as part of a modern city, just like we needed the Kai Tak Sports Park now being built in Kowloon, to help provide a variety of top-class sporting events to the people of Hong Kong and potentially those from our neighbours.” Yu said that his association had been in contact with the government departments and bureaus concerned before submitting its proposal, and hoped to secure a site on the north side of Lantau Island, where Hong Kong International Airport was previously built on reclaimed land. “We understand there is land space reserved for sporting venues in the northern Lantau reclamation, so we sincerely hope the government can address our request,” Yu said. “The circuit would not only be for use for motor racing. It could serve other events such as long-distance running, cycling, triathlon and karting, and be the venue for car shows and demonstrations. It can be a multisport venue.” Yu said it was too early to say whether the venue could help to bring Formula 1 racing to Hong Kong. F1: China’s Zhou ‘hurt’ after narrow points miss at Australian GP “A formula event needs a long, straight road towards the finish, which we hope the government can reserve when planning the transport system in the area,” he said. “It would become part of our proposed circuit only when we needed it for staging big events – which would make the facility more cost-effective. It happens in other motor racing circuits all over the world.” Commissioner for Sports Yeung Tak-keung said that the reclamation project was still in the planning stage. “The proposal of providing sports facilities will be included in the detailed study,” he said. Hong Kong’s first motor racing track could form part of Lantau project The HKAA estimated that the venue would cost about US$100 million to US$200 million, and construction would take two to three years to complete. Owen Chan Sheung-loi, the association’s chief executive, said that he would ask a consultancy company to design the venue if positive feedback was received on the proposal. “We will provide a detailed design once we have received a response from the government,” he said. “Motor racing has a long history in Hong Kong and has produced many renowned drivers over the years, even without a permanent circuit. Many of our drivers are racing in Macau, Southeast Asia and other parts of the world, and it will be a major boost for the sport if we can have a circuit in Hong Kong.” Hong Kong’s Darryl O’Young won the Macau Grand Prix GT Cup last year, and Adderly Fong Cheun-yue tested with the Sauber Formula 1 team in 2014, completing 99 laps of the Valencia circuit, before in 2015 joining the Lotus F1 team as a development driver. Victoria Park, on Hong Kong Island, staged an international karting event in the 1980s, but was discontinued because of the noise levels the event produced. The Hong Kong-Beijing Rally was held first in 1985 and then six further times until the 1990s.