Those familiar with the Marina Bay Circuit will appreciate that opportunities for overtaking are few and far-between, so one needs an intimate knowledge of the tight layout to be able to finish ahead of the pack.

His decade-plus experience in tackling the Marina Bay Circuit should stand Tan in good stead as he suits-up in preparation for his race stint in a Porsche 911 GT3 R race-car with SLK Racing in this year’s TSS The Super Series round in Singapore — his first race on home-soil since the Covid lockdown.

What’s it like returning to racing on home ground, in the first Singapore GP since the Covid lockdown no less?

 It is just epic for us to be back. When Covid began, we had no idea when we would be back on track. It has been a long two and a half years and to make my comeback at the Marina Bay Circuit on one of the best motorsport events on the planet, is simply amazing! And it isn’t just myself that is excited. I can tell that the whole nation is pumped to have this mega event back.

Tell us more about the new team, SLK Racing.

The birth of the SLK Racing Team was hatched as an idea just over two months ago. After I found out about the inclusion of the support races in the Singapore Grand Prix, the old marketing team and I went to work on creating marketing materials. We had 12 weeks to canvas for sponsors and then produce all the collaterals like race-suits, uniforms and the race-car livery. It was the first time I’d tried to raise the full budget in Singapore so this was a new challenge.

Then I met the guys from SLK! SLK is a homegrown logistics company that is also in the food business. The company was founded in 1978 and shares a lot of the same values we embrace in motorsports: great substance, determination and dedication. It started in chilled/frozen food commodities and now works in last mile delivery, global shipping and contract warehousing specialising in cold chain storage solutions. Soh Gim Hoe, SLK’s CEO, and Oliver Chionh were the guys who led the charge to make all this happen. It helps that we share a massive love for motor racing. They are huge racing fans and had a dream to join forces with a Singaporean driver.

K-Supper, a supercar dealership in Vietnam founded by a young entrepreneur, Phan Cong Khanh, also came in and heavily supported us. After all, if you think about it, car dealerships and race teams make great partnerships! We also couldn’t have done it without Brewlander, a Singaporean craft beer brand. Leica Cameras, Fearnley LNG, The Film Dispensary and Oakley.

What’s the biggest obstacle faced by aspiring racers?

The biggest obstacle is raising money and getting sponsors. Motor-racing isn’t on the list of sports many governments support, not just Singapore. Racers don’t just drive any more — you need to be able to market yourself and your activities to demonstrate you have quality reach and engagement, both virtually and in-real-life.

Unfortunately, doodling on powerpoint yourself won’t achieve the type of results that quality brands require, so it’s best to invest in a proper marketing team. A driver’s marketing image, his/her website and the media marketing must suit the quality of the brands being targeted as sponsors.

Regardless of their love for motorsport, when a sponsor funds a driver or a team, they expect returns. Whether it is to engage their clients or their consumer base, sponsors all have different objectives and it’s the racer’s job (or their marketing team’s) to make them understand what they can gain.

Related: Racing couple Yuey Tan and Claire Jedrek on raising the next generation of motor sports talent in Singapore

You own an enviable stable of sportscars. What are some of your bucket list cars?

I’ve loved cars since I was young and could name all the cars before I could read or write. If anything, I learned how to read from car magazines. Bucket list cars? I’m pretty stoked with the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and the Ferrari 458 Speciale we have at home right now. I’d like an electric car one day, but not just yet. It will be interesting to see how the narrative plays out on renewable fuel and how quickly the manufacturers can address the environmental damage from battery production and disposal.

Related: The Mandala Weekender party debuts at F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2022 weekend