The world can't wait

The Straits Times, October 26, 2007
by Steve Slater


SOUND AND LIGHTS SHOW: Come Sept 28, F1 cars will roar through the Anderson Bridge section in the first Singapore GP.


THE official confirmation that round 15 of the 2008 Formula One season will be run under the lights took many, even the Singapore organisers, somewhat by surprise yesterday.

It was thought that the normally cautious World Motor Sport Council would approve the night race 'in principle', allowing more time for testing the lighting system.

Its unequivocal decision was a sign of just how much confidence the International Automobile Association (FIA) has - that 'Singapore can deliver'.

There is no doubt now that the Singapore Grand Prix is set to be the most spectacular race on next year's calendar.

The fastest street circuit F1 has seen plus the unique spectacle of a night race: That potent combination creates a sense of anticipation that I cannot remember having experienced.

In an F1 paddock, it is normally a little inappropriate to be too enthusiastic about this sort of thing.

But I was not the only one buzzing with excitement.

A few weeks ago, I walked the track with two of the most influential F1 journalists.

Tim Scott and Damien Smith respectively edit F1 Racing and Autosport, two of the world's most-read magazines.

Smith's favourite was the flat-out kink on Raffles Boulevard, where cars will take a 45-deg corner in 7th gear at some 300kmh.

'That corner is unique among street circuits,' he said. 'It will be taken almost on full throttle, but probably not quite.

'It's a real test for the drivers.'

He also loved the long flowing entrance onto St Andrew's Road: 'That's a real driver's corner. You got to have the car on the limit to carry the speed onto the straight.

The opposite end of the road was one of Scott's favourites, with its backdrop of some of the classical 'old Singapore' architecture.

He said: 'The section just in front of the Cricket Club will be a favourite with photographers.

'The buildings there make it feel just like Monaco's Casino Square.'

The pair were certain that the unique Anderson Bridge section, which sees the cars fly over the nearly century-old bridge, will create an icon for the race - as famous as the Theatres on the Bay, the Singapore Flyer and, of course, the illuminated city backdrop.

Comparisons with the Monaco circuit are inevitable.

But Singapore, thankfully, does not have a lot in common with the principality - other than the fact that it also runs on streets.

In fact, Monaco is a pretty poor race track.

It might have been fine for cars like Bugattis when it was first used in the 1920s, but the performance of modern racing cars outgrew it many years ago.

Singapore's will be much less confining.

The narrowest and slowest parts of the track, at the Anderson Bridge and around the National Day Parade grandstand, are, at 10m, as wide as most parts of Monaco.

Then there is the added dimension of racing under the stars, something no driver has of course yet experienced.

Renault F1 test driver Nelson Piquet Jr - my hot tip to be Fernando Alonso's No2 at Renault next year - drove a GP2 car in the Valerio Maioli company's tests.

He was more than happy with the lights' performance in both wet and dry conditions.

Certainly, Maioli is an acknowledged expert in matching new technology in F1.

Over 20 years ago, he worked with Ferrari to pioneer car-to-pits radio and data-transfer technology that was well ahead of the competition.

His lighting equipment is just as innovative. Nearly 1,500 lighting 'projectors', similar to high-performance cars' xenon headlights, will be mounted.

We will get to see how different they are from normal street lights when they are brought into town in early January for testing in an environment similar to that on race day.

It will mark another exciting step to the Singapore GP.

I can't wait.



Steve Slater is the colourful half of the popular F1 commentary duo on STAR Sports