Thai motor racing takes a step forwards. And it wasn’t just a little step; it was a big step. Thailand Super Series is the realization of the dream of Minister Sonthaya Kunplome; who has already turned the Bangsaen Thailand Speed Festival into an event that not only attracts attention far beyond Thailand, but also can be now counted as one of the country’s major annual domestic leisure events. Now there is his second dream of raising the standard of Thailand motorsport with the introduction of Thailand Super Series.
The Thailand Super Series (TSS) has an eight round championship which began two weeks ago on the Grand Prix circuit in Sepang, Malaysia.
Spectators who have been accustomed to sparse fields from the Super Cars in Thailand previously were certainly not disappointed at Sepang with 72 race cars shipped in to compete in rounds 1 and 2.
B-Quik Super Series Porsche.
The Super Car grid included Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin, with some of these cars brand new ex-factory. There were also new makes such as the V8 Holden from Australia and the British Ginetta G55. Make no mistake, this was a class field, the like of which, Thailand has never seen before.
Round 1 saw Vuttikorn in the Porsche first to greet the checkered flag in front of Pasin (Ferrari) and Chonsawat third in the first of the Gallardos. However, the Thailand Super Series lived up to all the promise and the battle for the minor places was ferocious as four Lamborghinis and one Ferrari went head-on, the order changing by the lap. Pasin showed lots of skill as he recovered from his tardy start, the youngster fighting his way through the Lamborghini ranks, no mean feat at all, and clearing them by the time the flag fell – just – as he claimed a well deserved second place, but only 1.821 seconds ahead of Chonsawat.
Brand new factory Aston Martin.
International motoring writer Edd Ellison was on hand in Sepang and commented that the 1-hour Malaysian Super Series (MSS) headline race immediately preceded the Thai Super Car and it gave onlookers the chance to make back-to-back comparisons. Those comparisons were hugely favorable too, the sheer strength and depth of the TSS drivers and cars, the professionalism, the skills and the presentation, was visually head-and-shoulders above MSS, a clear demonstration of just how far Thai racing has come on over the close season and how the series can now lay claim to be one of the leaders in the region.
This Round 2 saw Vuttikorn’s Porsche again a clear leader, with Chonsawat in the Lamborghini second and Boy in another Lamborghini third and the Ferrari of Pasin fourth.
In the Division 2 group it was Nattavude Charoensukhawatana who came away from Sepang with two wins making him a clear favorite in his works Toyota 86.
Rounds 3 and 4 will be held at the Bira circuit 13-14 July.
Rounds 5 and 6 at Bira 5-6 October.
Rounds 7 and 8 at Bangsaen, around the houses on 14-15 December.
Make no mistake about this – the new Thailand Super Series is world class, and undoubtedly will also assist Thailand’s bid for a round of the F1 world championship. I know that it will take serious money for the Bangkok race to happen, but there is already serious money being put into motor sport by the well-heeled Thai community.
