“Nothing Else Comes Close” The 2009 FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore Grand Prix

Imagine watching a grand prix so up close you could almost touch the racers and feel the air whip your skin as the FORMULA ONE cars whiz right past you.

This is exactly what will happen on September 25 to 27 in Marina Bay Street Circuit for the “Nothing Else Comes Close” 2009 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX. It is this year’s more thrilling version of the very successful Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix that was first held in 2008. It is currently the world’s only FORMULA ONE night race and Asia’s sole FORMULA ONE race run on a street circuit..

The Marina Bay Street Circuit is one of the only four FORMULA ONE race circuits in the world this season where the racers have to drive on an anti-clockwise direction. The temporary albeit sophisticated 5km-long street circuit was specifically prepared for this year’s Grand Prix. Otherwise, 75% or 3.8km of the track will revert to being a public road when the race is over. The track is located within the heart of Singapore’s central business district and is within walking distance from restaurants, shopping malls and prestigious hotels.

Extremely exhilarating experiences surely await the spectators of the Grand Prix, because this year they can be so close to the action and the F1 cars during the race. They will only be separated from the on-going race by one-metre high concrete barriers! Truly as the race title goes, “Nothing Else Comes Close” to this exciting race.

The SGP spokesman said it was challenging organizing the event because, “Three quarters of the circuit (3.8km out of the 5km track) are public roads that are used on a daily basis, hence track preparation work could only be done either at night, or by closing off one lane to facilitate track infrastructure work like putting up the lighting system, and fencing system, and other track furniture.” Yet they are glad to do it since it meant contributing to raising the profile of Singapore before a global audience.

“We definitely host one of the glitziest FORMULA ONE races on the calendar, as ours is the only night FORMULA ONE race. Naturally, Singapore became the proving ground that demonstrated that FORMULA ONE racing can be successfully held under lights. And we are still Asia’s sole FORMULA ONE race that is run on a street circuit, which lends an unmatched vibrancy to the entire atmosphere of the race. More importantly, we offer a superb mix of circuit park entertainment provided by world-class artistes. And all this is supported by an efficient public transportation system that gets spectators in and out easily,” he adds.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR

The 2009 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix will feature the new race regulations aimed to improve race quality through increased reliability, mechanical grip, improved overtaking opportunities, as well as reduce the role of aerodynamics in cars’ cornering performance following the directives of the FORMULA ONE sanctioning body, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The corners in the race circuit are slightly made tighter and slower at Turn 1 with new pit lanes placed on Turn 2. The radius of the tight second gear hairpin at Turn 13 will be increased slightly at Turns 14 and 15 and there will also be a revised pit lane entrance just before Turns 22 and 23 to segregate slowing traffic from those at racing speeds. The cars will race on full slick tires with 20 percent increase on mechanical grip due to maximum amount of rubber contact with the road. The drivers will be allowed to make two wing adjustments per lap. The front wings will feature driver-adjustable flaps which if altered at 6 degree angle can be used to maintain front wing grip when following another car. The front airflow of the cars will be lowered to 75mm above the track and widened to 1800mm as wide as the car. Meanwhile, the rear wing will be raised to level with the engine cover but will be narrowed to 750mm to reduce efficiency as the diffusers are raised and moved towards the rear to reduce its down force. Barge boards, chimneys and turning vanes as well as winglets that have been proven to aid cars’ aerodynamic down force but made the racers vulnerable to turbulence following the leading racer will be prohibited this season.

The Kinetic Energy Recovery System for the cars currently used by McLaren and Ferrari will be included in the specifications to boost crucial speeds at 80 horsepower under 7 seconds per lap. This system allows previously wasted and dissipated kinetic energy from the breaking of rear wheels to be stored and released by the driver at crucial seconds via a “boost button.” The rev limit has also been reduced to 18,000rpm for the 2.4litre V8 engines. Indeed, the cars are all revved up to be more responsive to driver inputs so they are more spectacular to watch.

Among the much awaited drivers are 6-time winner for 2009 British racer Jenson Button on Brawn Mercedes, his Brazilian team mate Rubens Barrichello, (Australian) Mark Webber and (German) Sebastian Vettel on RBR-Renault and (German) Nico Rosberg on Williams-Toyota among others. FIA Formula One World Drivers Champions Lewis Hamilton (2008), Kimi Raikkonen (2007) and Fernando Alonso (2005-2006) will also be there ensuring that spectators will have an elating race experience.

This years’ Singapore Grand Prix will also feature three days of world-class performances from various music genre around the world at no additional cost to race ticketholders. This includes the Philippines’ very own rock star band “Rivermaya”, “Travis” from Scotland, Carl Cox and John Digweed from UK, Youssou N’ Dour from Senegal, as well as Backstreet Boys, Chaka Khan, Mavis Staples and Ozomatli from the USA. There will also be performances from Singapore’s “Dim Sum Dollies”, Dawn Ho, Alemay Fernandez, “Electrico”, “The London Fog”, “Wicked Aura Batucada”, “The Strikeforce” and Hanjin of Hongkong. Roving performances from entertainment groups like Australian theatre troupe “Slack Taxi”, impersonator “Austin Flowers”, tenor Roger Davy, as well as circus group “Strange Fruit” (known for their bending and swaying performances perched atop 4-meter high flexible poles) will also elate ticket holders. There will even be dream-like performances from Cie Des Quidams of France and of course the very stimulating Samba Girls from Brazil in various schedules and areas along the race tracks to enliven the ticket holders. There will also be enhanced range of F&B and retail outlets to complement the spine-tingling experience of watching the race up close.

Singapore GP Pte Ltd (a partnership between Komoco Motors and Lushington Entertainment), the race promoter of the Singtel Singapore Grand Prix, oversees all aspects of the race after being granted the 5-year renewable rights to stage F1 races in the streets of Singapore. Meanwhile, the Singapore Tourism Board co-funds 60 % of the event cost with Singapore GP.

1. September 24th, 2009 at 12:48 am
   imee Says:

   I know this will be very exciting!

---

Leave a Reply