News about the development of an international-grade circuit with a resort setting on Langkawi island sprouted up last week and the signing of a joint venture last week for the effort between Permodalan Kedah Berhad (PKB) and OPen Road Asia has set the flag-off in motion.

Dubbed the Open Road International Circuit & Integrated Resorts (ORIC), the facility will be built on a 183-acre parcel of land in Bukit Malut; just a few kilometres outside of Kuah town.

Apart from the proposed circuit, the country club for motorsports will also house an integrated resort with a 280-room five-star hotel, duty-free premium retail outlets and a block of condominiums as well as luxury villas for private purchase.

If you’re thinking it’s something in the mould of Monticello Motor Club and Ascari Race Resort, you’re absolutely spot on and can claim your internet points at the end of the article.

While that covers the country club concept, the supporting automotive-themed infrastructure will comprise a car-storage warehouse with a capacity of 900 units, 4S centres for premium carmakers, a high-performance driving academy, an automotive museum, souvenir shop, media centre and to keep all that horsepower running, two petrol stations.

Everything will be located within the development and the total cost is estimated at around RM1.3 billion; of which about RM180 million will be on the circuit itself.

The circuit will be the crown jewel of the facility and measure in longer than the Sepang International Circuit at 5.8-km in length with one of the longest straights for a circuit in the world.

Taking a leaf out of some of the most renowned circuits in the world, the layout will snake around the hilly topography of Bukit Malut with a banked curve imitating the Karussell of the Nurburgring as well as multiple downhill elevation-drop hairpins that pay homage to Mount Panorama in Australia.

With the proposed FIA Grade 2, FIM Grade B and CIK-FIA certifications, the circuit will be ready to host every level of motorsport events with the exception of Formula 1.

Nonetheless, the focus of the circuit and facility itself isn’t on hosting motorsport events or being a round of any series. Instead, ORIC will be purposed as a testing ground and racing destination for major automotive manufacturers, motorsports enthusiasts and racing teams the world over.

Have a look at the proposed layout of the circuit and facility in the video below as well as the timeline for the construction.

Targeted Project Timeline:
- ground-breaking – 2Q/2021
- automobile storage – 2Q/2022
- 4S dealership – 1Q/2023
- racing circuit opening – 3Q/2023
- luxury shopping complex – 1Q/2024
- residential villas and condos – 4Q/2024
- hotel – 1Q/2025