Night race in day-like brightness

Take sunglasses along to the Singapore GP, says Italian lighting consultant Maioli

The Straits Times, May 15, 2007
by Leonard Lim

THE lights at the National Stadium during a football game at night shine at 650 lux.
The lights to be set up for Singapore's Formula One race next year, in comparison, will have a luminosity of 1,600 lux.

Lux is a unit for illuminance, and measures the intensity of light.

Said Valerio Maioli, the Singapore GP lighting consultant, over the telephone from Italy: 'This will make the race conditions almost like day-time.'

Taking photographs under such lighting will also result in prints similar to those taken during the day.

'If you bring along a camera to the race, you won't even need to use the flash,' said Maioli.

The Italian was in town last week conducting preliminary studies on the proposed route in the Marina Bay area.

'I walked every metre of the circuit three times, both in the day and night, to get a sense of what was needed,' said the sprightly 60-year-old.

With about 500 lighting poles required along the 5.26-km circuit, the cost will be high.

Early estimates put it at about $5 million.

The lighting poles will be about 15 metres high, and spaced about 10 or 12 metres apart.

They will be powered by generators placed some 200 metres apart.

'There'll be two generators working in tandem at all times, so if one goes faulty, we'll have a reserve,' said Maioli, who is the president of an Italy-based lighting firm named after himself.

Each generator will be connected to a computer, and will be monitored to ensure it is working smoothly during the race.

According to him, the plan is to install the poles - which will probably be positioned only on the right side of the track - a month before the actual race, so that the equipment can be tested.

Removing them, along with the generators, will take about a week.

Singapore announced last Friday that it will host its first F1 race - likely to be at night - next September or October.

This will enable more viewers in Europe and the US to watch the race.

But, with cars whizzing around the city streets at speeds of over 300kmh without headlights, many have questioned the wisdom and safety of holding a night race.

Also, the FIA - the international motorsports governing body - does not have a lighting standard for F1 because there has never been a night race.

For instance, will the light blind the drivers and reflect off the car mirrors?

And things could get tricky if it rains. The glare, reflection and the spray from the cars have to be considered.

But Maioli, who has 40 years of experience in industrial, archaeological and motor-race lighting, was quick to reassure the naysayers.

'All these have already been factored in,' he said.

'The safety of the drivers and the public is most important, and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said that too.

'The light will generally be directed on the rear of the cars.

'To ensure that it doesn't get into the car mirrors and television cameras, it will also come at special angles.

'We are doing tests in Italy for the project.

'With the technology currently available, I am confident the system will run very well.'

He had some parting advice for spectators, with the Marina Bay area route set to be bathed in bright lights.

'Bring along a pair of sunglasses,' he chuckled.

'It might be useful.'