Laoag Grand Prix? It almost happened in the '70s

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s unannounced visit to Singapore to watch the Formula One Grand Prix draws flack from various sectors of society. In the aftermath of a typhoon that passed through the country last week, the president's political opponents have gone to social media to condemn this private trip as a waste of public funds and a sign of insensitivity of the Chief Executive toward the plight of poor Filipinos struggling to make ends meet. 

But politics aside, it shouldn't be a surprise for BBM to take advantage of the F1 circus' return to the island state. After all, the last Singapore GP was held two years ago, in 2019, just before the pandemic struck. What is also not surprising is the president's affinity for the sport.

According to a reliable source, back in the mid to late '70s, the Marcos government intended to set up a Formula One race track in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Chief among the proponents of the plan was the late Eddie Marcelo, father of Jovy Marcelo. Jovy, who had a promising racing career then, lost his life during a practice session in his IndyCar debut at the 1992 Indianapolis 500.

Eddie Marcelo was joined by another racing great, Pocholo Ramirez whom Marcelo discussed the plans for the track. "It was a big plan, basically making Laoag like a Monaco," recalled our source. 

I remembered this story because years ago, the late Pocholo Ramirez himself shared with me how Ilocos could have been the site of the Philippines' first F1 track during one of our long cross-country drives in the province up north. Although the details may have been lost with the passing of both Marcelo and Ramirez, the idea that the known Marcos bailiwick could have been an F1 track where the likes of Mario Andretti, Emmerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Jody Scheckter, Gilles Villeneuve, or Alan Jones, all F1 legends, could have raced at, is just fantastic to think about. 

And now that BBM himself has been seen with Formula One Group CEO Stefano Domenicali at the VIP paddock, it raises questions about whether the almost forgotten plan will be resurrected. It is said that tourism is high on the president's agenda. With F1's draw as a global sport, the possibility of using it to focus the world's eyes on the Philippines may not be such a farfetched idea.

Do you think Formula One should make the Philippines another venue for its races anytime soon?