Lamborghini's smart Korea move

You've probably never heard of the Inje Speedium. And no, it's not something you inhale.

Located roughly four hours drive north-east from Seoul, or three hours if your bus driver is a maniac. It’s a race track high up in the mountains, not far from the North Korean border. And anyone with high-octane fuel running through their veins will find it a sight for sore eyes.

During a humid weekend in August, the Inje circuit played host to the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia Championship, marking the first time the one-make race series has come to Korea.

Lamborghini runs three Super Trofeo Championships, in Europe, the US and Asia, and like the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge and Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, it's designed to promote important vehicles. In Lamborghini's case, its ‘entry-level’ Gallardo.

The vehicles being slammed through Inje Speedium's 20 turns are Lamborghini Super Trofeo race cars, based on the Gallardo LP 560-4. However as the photos attest, the all-wheel drive cars have been tweaked... a lot. Apart from a heavily reworked chassis, each car gets a hotted up 419kW version of the Italian marque's direct-injection 5.2-litre V10, and more aero kit than a Boeing.

LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS
If you want to race in the Lamborghini one-make series, you have to buy the race car outright from Lamborghini. And then pay entry fees, organise logistics, pay for fuel, maintenance, tyres... the list goes on.

Costs can total close to half a million dollars for one season, which in Asia comprises seven races across the continent with the final round taking place in Italy.

Simply put, it's not cheap, but the chance to race an exotic car at an equally exotic location is a rare opportunity, explains Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia Series’ co-ordinator, Cristiano Inverni.

"We are excited being in Korea here for the first time ever. Speaking about Inje, the circuit itself is a very beautiful race track," he says. And he's not wrong.

The narrow, technical circuit features numerous elevation changes, blind corners, and a short main straight, while adding to its charm is a backdrop of mist-shrouded mountains.

"Logistics wise getting here is a bit complex," notes Inverni, "but for our customers, being in the lucky situation of being billionaires, some of them fly by helicopter from Seoul, others find different solutions.

"The distance is not something that worries them. They would rather prefer to stay in Seoul in five-stars," he says.

"Most of the customers are tycoons or CEOs of big companies and then they can join their friends, they can have parties, go shopping. It's the whole package that has to be considered," says Inverni of the Super Trofeo Asia Series.

Speaking of partying, I ask Inverni if he ever attends the lavish soirees, and the straight-talking Italian cracks a smile for the first time.

"No I have to work!" he insists.

"When you have 20 cars, spare parts, set up for the lounge, hospitality, all of this and more, it's busy,” he explains. “So we are like a small-sized circus like Formula 1, because we have to carry everything with us all the time into different countries."

Every eventuality must be considered, and the whole shebang has to be self sufficient because of its distance from the Sant'Agata factory in Italy.

"You cannot order parts or people from the factory," he says.

When talk turns to the cultural diversity of the Asian region, and Korea in particular, the affable Italian clearly doesn't miss pizza and pasta.

"Korean BBQ is my favourite. I like Korean food definitely," he says, adding that spicy kim chi is a must-have on any visit to the country.

On the topic of dining, my thoughts return to Inje Speedium, the brand-new racetrack's hot-mix surface so smooth you could eat dinner off it. The motor racing complex is indicative of the Asian region’s automotive - and now motorsport – boom. Its first class facilities include a hotel and apartment complex towering above the track, providing stunning views.

It also fulfils the requirement for "top grade, A-level race tracks" in order to be eligible to host a round of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia Championship.

"If you look at our calendar so far we have been to Shanghai F1 track, Sepang F1 track, we go to Fuji F1 race track in Japan, and Macau is a dream for every driver I think,” he says.

"Inje is a new facility. Very challenging because it's narrower compared to a standard F1 race track so overtaking is more difficult,” he explains. “But what makes it more exciting is the uphills and downhills of the race track. Some of the corners are blind, the fast ones are blind. You have to memorise the track.”

All I know is that one day, I must return for a thrash on the Inje Speedium. And hey, a race-prepped Lambo might not be a bad way to start!

And now with one of the best race tracks in Asia, Inje can add several more pulse-pounding activities to its catalogue.

Coming to Australia?

Lamborghini's purpose-built Gallardo Super Trofeo race cars weigh about 1300kg, are equipped with E-gear automatic transmissions, and fetch around €210,000 ($304,000). Other costs such as the €42,000 ($61,000) entry fee covers logistics for the six races in the Super Trofeo Asian championship, and things like tyres, lubricants and damage repair also need to be factored in.

Despite the big bucks, series organiser Cristiano Inverni says several well-heeled Australians have put their hands up to do battle, meaning the championship could head Down Under in 2014.

"We have quite a lot of interest in Australia and we are finding that there are teams and customers that would be interested in joining us to race with Lamborghini with the Super Trofeo," he says.

"So that's why we are considering going all the way to Australia to have teams and customers from that market join us in the series.”