Track Focus – Infinity Addict Circuit
Track Name – Infinity Addict Circuit
Owner – Pumin Songpaiboon
Country – Thailand
Location – Bangkok
Direction – Clockwise
Surface – Asphalt
Infinity Addict Circuit, formerly RC Addict, is one of a number of international tracks in the Thai capital of Bangkok but it is the best known thanks mainly to it having become the home of the TITC, Asia’s biggest electric touring event. Built in 2009 by RC Addict shop owner Pumin Songpaiboon, the track hosted its first Thailand International Touring Car Championship the following year and while the event would be hosted by two of the city’s other tracks in 2011 and 2014, 2017 marks Addict’s sixth time to host the world’s best drivers as they battle it out for the title of the 15th running of the TITC. In addition to the TITC, the track has been a World Championship venue hosting the 2012 200mm Nitro Worlds which was won by former TITC Champion & Bangkok resident Meen Vejrak. Winner of the first TITC to be held at Addicit, winning it again in 2013, Atsushi Hara has made the track his home. The legendary racer has his own workshop at the track within the headquarters of well known tyre brand RIDE who also occupy one of the three permanent shops at the circuit. The change of name from RC Addict to Infinity Addict Circuit since last year’s TITC is a reflection of the support industry newcomers Infinity offered when it was announced at the end of last year’s race that they aimed to improve the bumpy track by completely resurfacing it for the first time. With Infinity team principal Kenji Taira offering financial support towards the new asphalt, as an appreciation of the gesture the track owner renamed the track Infinity Addict.
Built in an area 55m wide by 27m deep, the track resurface involved the input of Hara, fellow Bangkok racers Jilles Groskamp & Meen Vejrak and regular Bangkok visitor Andy Moore. Hara said while the general positioning of the islands were maintained they where reduced in size to maximise track surface as a result while the track looks similar it is quite different to drive. Using a much finer asphalt Hara said the track is now much better with 2015 Champion Alexander Hagberg agreeing the surface is a big improvement. Reigning Champion Bruno Coelho, who is making his third TITC outing, was slightly less impressed by the resurfacing saying, ‘to be honest if you don’t tell me they changed it I won’t have know but it did feel like they changed the layout of the bumps’. Describing the layout as ‘pretty easy’, he added it was a pity they didn’t try to make it ‘more technical & more challenging’.
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