Developer Manna Developments and Dorna WSBK Organization has confirmed the signing of a three-year agreement to host the WorldSBK Races at the new £30m (€34m) Lake Torrent Circuit which is currently under construction in Coalisland, County Tyrone, just 40 minutes away from Belfast.
Lake Torrent is the brainchild of Manna Developments founder and motor-racing enthusiast David Henderson and is set to regenerate the Coalisland area through new jobs in the business, leisure and engineering sectors – as well as boosting tourism in Mid Ulster and across Northern Ireland as a whole.
Designed by award-winning motorsport track designers Driven International, the development of Lake Torrent will transform 163 acres of former clay pits into a world class racing circuit and its creation will see WorldSBK visit Northern Ireland for the first time in the series’ history.
The WorldSBK Championship is one of the largest motorsport championships in the world. Now in its 31st season, the championship is contested by 59 teams, visiting 12 countries and with global TV airtime in excess of 18,000 hrs. Northern Ireland will join a list of host nations that currently includes Australia, Thailand, Spain, Holland, Italy, England, Czech Republic, USA, Portugal, France, Argentina and Qatar.
Currently in the early development stages, work is now under way on the Lake Torrent Circuit which will be 3.6km (2.2 miles) in length, featuring 12 corners with a width of 12-15m and elevations of +/-30m, accompanied by full supporting facilities.
Motorsport fans will be treated to the full race weekend experience at the state of the art circuit – and weekends don’t come much bigger than the WorldSBK, as David Henderson of Manna Developments explains: “For the past 15 years it has been a dream of mine to build a motor racing circuit that incorporates the feel of the road with the safety of an international standard track – and also to bring the World Superbike Championship to Northern Ireland,” said Mr Henderson.
“Having finally identified the perfect location and achieved planning permission last year, today sees the completion of that dream and is a day that will only be topped when we see tens of thousands of spectators converge in Coalisland for the first WorldSBK racing event in Northern Ireland. They really don’t come much bigger than this,” he added.
“This is a historic milestone for the town of Coalisland, the county of Tyrone and indeed for the whole of Northern Ireland as we celebrate the realisation of our vision to create an internationally recognised motorsport arena which will become a venue for regional, national and international competitions for many years to come.”
