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Korea as a nation has taken its first steps into international motor racing,
joining A1GP World Cup of Motorsport in an official signing ceremony at the A1GP
Shanghai, China yesterday.
Led by seat holder Joshua Kim of Omnibus Investment and supported by
entertainment company Good EMG, a Korean KOSDAQ listed company, the creation of
A1 Team Korea presents a significant opportunity to develop motorsport in the
Asian nation. For the first time, a single-seater race car bearing the white,
red and blue flag of Korea will take to the track, competing from the start of
season four.
Mr Kim commented: 'Korea has the fifth biggest automobile industry in the
world but as a nation, we are not familiar with motorsport so this is my main
reason for joining A1GP. Korean people love sport but they do not know about
motorsport. Through A1GP, motorsport will become more popular and people will
know about the sport, learning through A1GP.'
Speaking at the signing ceremony, A1GP CEO for the Asian region, David Clare
said: 'A1GP is going from strength to strength and the addition of A1 Team Korea
is yet another example of our phenomenal growth in Asia. From the outset, A1GP
has been committed to bringing new countries and fans to the sport and the
involvement of Korea is further evidence of our success in this field.
'A1GP is about racing on a level playing field. Now with the introduction of
a new chassis and engine from season four, as a result of our partnership with
Ferrari, Korea will join the series for this new era on an equal footing, having
as strong a chance as any team of being competitive next season. Joining A1GP is
a huge step forward for Korean motorsport and any success they experience on the
track will be a boost not only for the series but to the overall development of
Korea's role in the sport.'
The country and its links with motorsport are well known to current A1GP
drivers Adam Carroll, Robbie Kerr and Narain Karthikeyan and former drivers
Nicolas Lapierre, Nelson Piquet and Fairuz Fauzy as they have all raced there in
the international Formula 3 invitational race round the Changwon street circuit,
with Karthikeyan winning the last one in 2003. However, the development of A1
Team Korea marks a significant opportunity for Korean drivers to gain exposure
on the international stage.
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