4 more days to Singapore Grand prix

The containers started streaming into the F1 paddock at Marina Bay yesterday morning, with Force India, Williams and Renault ahead of the queue and the first to get their cars unpacked and parked in their garages.

By mid-afternoon, the pitlane was a hive of activity, with cranes unloading the crates of equipment and cars under the direction of Formula 1 logistics handlers, DHL.
The crew of the 12 teams can expect things to be in order when they take over their respective garages to prepare for Formula 1's only global night race at the Marina Bay street circuit from Friday to Sunday.
On the circuit, it was a picture of calm as workers put the finishing touches, giving curbs a new coat of paint and washing the track along the start-finish straight.

In and out of the paddock, there was a noticeable absence of the tension that marked the week leading to the inaugural SingTel Singapore Grand Prix in 2008 and last year's race.
"We have definitely worked out most of the teething issues after staging two successful rounds of the Formula 1 Championship. Everything is much more smooth-sailing now," Jonathan Hallett, Singapore GP's media and communications director, told MediaCorp.
"Everything this year is proceeding according to plan. Similarly, the teams have also grown accustomed to adapting to the special logistics a street circuit like ours presents."

But the lack of frenzy belies an explosive order of business that will ignite when the cars start roaring around the track.
Arriving in Singapore for the 15th stop of the 19-leg season, only 24 points separate championship leader Mark Webber and Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel.


McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and defending champion Jenson Button in the other Mclaren are between the Red Bull pair and with the five drivers desperate to be at the top step of the podium at the end of 61 laps on Sunday night, tempers threaten to be paper thin.
This is in part reflected in ticket sales, which have been brisk, selling out in 10 of the 16 categories and organisers anticipate a full house for all three days of the Grand Prix.

Justin Chew, Singapore Tourism Board's executive director for hospitality, F1 and sports, is also expecting a huge contingent of overseas fans to be at the Marina Bay street circuit.
"From what we can see of the take-up rate from overseas, the European crowd is returning in force after skipping last year's edition because of the economic

slowdown," Chew told MediaCorp.
"But we won't know the exact numbers until after the race."
Unlike previous years, hotels, too, around the circuit expect to be close to capacity during the weekend despite the high room rates of $1,000 and above.
Ernawati Setijo, Marina Mandarin's director of marketing communications, said they are nearing 80 per cent occupancy and expect to pass that figure in the next few days.
Said Setijo: "Without prior experience with Formula 1 in 2008, I think everyone entered the F1 weekend blind, trying to find what package worked.

"But all of us are wiser now. For example, we used to sell a minimum of four nights' stay, but we've rebundled it to two and it is working."

Ian dacotta - todaypaper

Fewer road closures for this year's Singapore Grand Prix

The Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix is returning for its third year next month, from September 24 to 26.
And this year, organisers have said road closures would be further minimised.
Roads will now be closed on six days - half of what it was in 2008 when Singapore held the inaugural race, and one day less than last year.

There were road closures on seven days in 2009.

The Singapore Tourism Board said the reduction is possible because of experience gained in the first year and basic installations already in place.

Race fans who also love music can look forward to watching Mariah Carey, Missy Elliot, Daughtry and Adam Lambert among other performers at the Padang.

For the first two years, more than 190,000 spectators are said to have watched both races live, 30 per cent of whom are foreign visitors.

1st Formula1 Singapore on Facebook

As one would say, you can't ignore the power of social media. True to our belief of staying close to our many customers, we are pleased to announce that 1st Formula1-Singapore is now on Facebook with a page solely dedicated to F1 Merchandise available for sale to the general public.

http://www.facebook.com/1sformula1

As we look back on the past 6 years and the development that have occurred, I cant help but feeling grateful of how far we've come and how far we can go ! My wife and I have dedicated many hours of our time to this business and we certainly want to thank all our past customers for the opportunity to show our dedication and love for F1.

More great things will come from us in months and years to come and we look forward to forging strong bonds, both in business and private terms with the many Formula 1 Fans in Singapore and abroad.

Do pay us a visit, leave a message, a comment, questions and we will do our best to make this page a very interactive platform for all F1 afficionados as we strive to be the best Official Formula1 Merchandise Company in Singapore.

http://www.facebook.com/1sformula1

We look forward to meet you at our next events in the months to come and thank you once more for your past patronage.

Bruno & Shatz

Lotus F1 team chief launches scheme for aspiring young drivers

Tony Fernandes' dream is to see technical wizard Ross Brawn and Formula 1's rising star Sebastian Vettel in his Lotus team one day, alongside an Asian face.

Many would say that is far-fetched.
But maybe they will not baulk when the AirAsia boss claims a Singapore driver could be among the mix of Malaysian and Asean drivers in his Lotus team within the next 10 years.
Fernandes made the brave prediction yesterday at his airline's academy near the Sepang International Circuit, where he introduced Singapore's Daim Hishammudin and Nabil Jeffri of Malaysia as the first two youngsters in AirAsia's Asean Driver Development Programme.The programme will provide a direct route into Formula 1 and towards the Lotus F1 team, which Fernandes resurrected last September, as well as the British-based Williams outfit, which has AirAsia as a sponsor.

"If there is one sport I believe we can compete in with the rest of the world because of our physical stature, it is motorsport," said Fernandes."We have the mental ability and good brains, and the successful Formula 1 drivers are smart, like Nico Rosberg who has a Masters in Physics."Daim, who has won several junior karting competitions in Malaysia, clinched a lucrative sponsorship deal from Malaysian banking giants CIMB earlier this year. He will make his debut in the Asian Karting Championships in the Philippines in June.
The 11-year-old's inclusion in the AirAsia programme means he could become Singapore's first Formula 1 driver.
"It's either Formula 1 or nothing else for me," said Daim. "It is the only dream I have and if I can't make it, then I will find a job doing something else, maybe an engineer in Formula 1.
The event yesterday was attended by Singapore's High Commissioner to Malaysia, T Jasudasen, and Singapore Motor Sport Association (SMSA) president Tan Teng Lip.
"I am very delighted that in the process of searching for young talent in Asean, Tony has picked a young Singaporean in Daim to join a Malaysian as the first drivers to groom for Formula 1," said Jasudasen."We have to admit that Malaysia is well ahead in the motorsport industry. They started the Formula 1 races at Sepang in 1999 and are ahead of the pack. We are behind the curve but hopefully, we will catch up in time."

Fernandes admitted that motorsports is expensive and the only way for the region to excel is to pool resources.
He said: "It is important for Asean to work together then to do everything ourselves because to put a driver into Formula 1 is beyond the budget of many of our countries. We have to bring down these invisible walls.
Daim will come under the wing of former Formula 1 driver Alex Yoong, who has mapped out a long-term programme to get the youngster into the top race in motorsport. Malaysia's Yoong will send Daim to Europe annually for training, starting with a two-month stint before the end of this year, and has set a target for the Singaporean to start racing in junior open wheel races by the time he is 15.

TODAY, Ian da Cotta

Singapore : Race officials return to track for F1

The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) said more than 1,000 new people have expressed interest to be race officials for this year's Singapore Formula One Grand Prix.

SSC is looking to sign on about 400 new volunteers to beef up its team of race officials. This will be in addition to the over 950 officials who will once again return to the tracks. SSC will also bring on board about 20 new senior race officials, who will be taking on various roles such as Deputy Chief Pit Marshal and Deputy Sector Marshals.

All successful applicants will be notified of their selection by the end of this month.

This year's race will see the return of some of motorsports' seasoned race officials.

They include Gabriel Tan who will again be taking the role as Clerk of the Course.

In preparation for this year's race, some senior race officials will be involved in several training stints in Australia, namely the clipsal 500 in Adelaide and Australian GP in Melbourne.

CNA

Daim's gunning to be S'pore's first Formula 1 driver

He's 11, and is Singapore's brightest motor racing prospect.

Daim Hishammudin dreams of becoming the first Singaporean to pilot a Formula 1 car.

His father Hishammudin Hassan is now looking to arrange a meeting with the Ministry of Defence to discuss his future National Service schedule."I want Daim to drive under the Singapore flag because we are Singaporeans," said the 40-year-old Nestle senior manager, who has been based in Kuala Lumpur with his family since 2004."I have to sit down with Mindef very soon as Daim must serve NS when he is 18. That age is prime for any sportsmen and a break in his regimen could have dire consequences. My discussion with Mindef will point the way for Daim.

"With hordes of drivers all over the world setting their sights on Formula 1, competition for the handful of seats that open up every year is extremely keen.

Those who do get the nod are usually in their late teens or early 20s. That would obviously affect Daim if he is in NS.

He first made his mark in 2008 when he won Malaysia's Yamaha SL Cup for young rookie karters. Later that year, he resolved to become a Formula 1 driver after meeting McLaren-Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton before the inaugural SingTel Singapore Grand Prix. The youngster received valuable tips from the Englishman, who went on to win the world championship. In 2009, the Singaporean raised his stock when he clinched the Malaysia Challenge and the Rotax Asia Max kart series for 8 to 12-year-olds.Earlier this month, Malaysia's former Formula 1 driver, Alex Yoong, signed Daim to drive for his karting team, Axle Motorsport. He will compete in the Yamaha SL Cup Series across the Causeway and the Asian Karting Open Championship. Yoong also has plans to take him to Europe for competition.

The youngster's talent has caught the eye of a corporate giant in Malaysia, who want to finance his racing career. The announcement of the deal with the young driver will be made here on Wednesday.Said Daim: "I want to race in Formula 1 and I have been training hard for this. I am more than prepared to give all my time up for racing to get there. "But my dream is to race for Singapore and I want to do National Service because I think it will be quite fun.

"Dad Hishammudin wants to work with Mindef to find a way for his son to fulfil his NS obligations without disrupting his racing career."I spent the first seven years of my working life as a professional soldier and an officer in the SAF and I loved every minute of it. I believe very strongly that every male Singaporean should do National Service," he said."For now I have some ideas based on my own experience in the army because I believe at this moment in time Singapore and Mindef are ready to recognise contributions (from athletes), because we do want to excel in sports."

Ian De Cotta

A few words with Jean Todt in Singapore

Motorsports' chief says he wants the sport to once again emphasise drivers' skill


Barring injury or some other huge misfortune, Michael Schumacher will be flying past City Hall in a Mercedes GP car in the third Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix.There is little doubt motorsports fever has hit Singapore, and new FIA president Jean Todt believes the man he brought to Ferrari in 1996 will light up Singapore streets.

Speaking to MediaCorp, Todt said: "Singapore has been very brave to make something nobody expected, a Formula 1 Grand Prix on the street at night. "Michael's return will push a lot more people to come watch the race. His return has already brought more interest, sales for the Australian Grand Prix has increased by 25 per cent since it was announced."

Todt was in Singapore last week, the first stop on his Asian tour from Feb 12-22. The Frenchman, who turns 64 next Thursday, took time off to speak with local media at Changi Airport's CIP terminal while waiting for a flight to Malaysia, where he was due to spend the Lunar New Year weekend with his partner, Malaysian action star Michelle Yeoh, and her family.A permanent race track just off Changi Coast Road will be ready in 2012 and Singaporeans will then have the prospect of watching a round of MotoGP and other car races. There is talk of Singapore becoming a motorsports hub in the region, and Todt said: "It takes time. The Singapore GP was a big challenge, and now Singapore wants to create another facility in a little country to demonstrate its interest in racing.
"The (Singapore) Government has shown great support to facilitate (the organisation of the Singapore GP) and I'm respectful of the ambitious programmes that are going to happen.

Todt succeeded Max Mosley as chief of FIA, motor sports' world governing body, last October.
Safety is big on his agenda, considering he mentioned it a few times last week."Singapore is a high-tech country with a lot of innovation and Singaporeans are more educated than average. I think it can send a strong message to the world on how to implement excellence in road safety," he pointed out.
Like little Singapore, the slightly-built Todt has big plans for motorsports' crown jewel, the Formula 1 World Championship. "F1 is one of the greatest sports shows ever, and we are aiming for improvement ... moving towards a bigger focus on driver skill and less on engineering," he claimed. Some rule changes have already been implemented for the 2010 season, and a few are in accordance with Todt's aims.
A ban on refuelling during races, as well as the requirement for drivers who participate in Q3 (the top 10 positions on the grid) to start the race on the same tyres used to set grid time, will put less emphasis on team strategy and more on driver ability.
Said Todt: "F1 is definitely a rich sport, there is no doubt, but it costs too much money and the teams understand that there needs to be a change and that is among my top priorities, to reduce cost. "We could face a situation where there are not enough competitors otherwise." There are four new teams this season, taking the total number to 13 from 10 in 2009.
But the new FIA president is aware that Formula 1 has been tarnished by Spy-gate, Lie-gate and Crash-gate."Formula 1 has to remain a sport even if it has a lot of commercial and marketing impact. I will do all I can to make sure that the sport is transparent and healthy," vowed Todt.
"The sport cannot allow (actions that) put drivers, marshals and spectators at risk and in danger."He is not just serious about his job, Todt actually enjoys it. En route for reunion dinner in Ipoh with his partner, he said: "I've always had to work a lot, but if you like what you do, you don't need a holiday."

by Shamir Osman

Disgraced F1 pair could face S'pore extradition

This year's Formula One race in Singapore could see more than its fair share of excitement - not all of it welcome.

There's talk that two former Renault team principals could possibly be extradited to Singapore to be charged for their part in fixing the outcome of last year's Grand Prix here.
If so, the resulting media attention and the possibility of a long trial would draw more attention to the disrepute that's already currently associated with this race - an outcome which can't bode well for this year's race, which is already seeing less interest than last year's, due to the dismal economic climate.
The Daily Telegraph reported yesterday that Renault F1 managing director Flavio Briatore and executive director of engineering Pat Symonds - who resigned, as the team announced that it would not contest charges of fixing the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix - could face legal repercussions in Singapore.
It said Singapore could possibly request the extradition of the pair and charge them on extradition crimes, related to their involvement in last year's race.
When asked, Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry S Iswaran said yesterday that he had not heard any indication that Singapore was seeking the extradition of the former Renault team principals. But lawyers whom we spoke to say an extradition is a possibility.
Briatore and Symonds have been accused by former Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr of asking him to crash in last year's inaugural F1 race in Singapore - in order to help his team mate and double world champion Fernando Alonso win the race, which the latter eventually did.
Briatore and Symonds are due to go before the FIA's World Motor Sport Council in Paris next Monday. The FIA (the world governing body for Formula One) could impose sanctions and other penalties on Renault, including excluding the team from the championship, if it finds the team guilty.
And, now, there's the possibility that Briatore and Symonds could face criminal charges in Singapore too.

Lawyers whom we spoke to say it is possible the pair could be extradited and charged here for their alleged attempts to fix the race, but that it would depend on two key points.
"One, are they based in countries with which Singapore has an extradition treaty? And, two, is what they've done considered an extraditable offence?" says lawyer Nicholas Narayanan, who runs his own practice.
Briatore is reported to be an Italian citizen, while Symonds is a British citizen. Singapore has an extradition treaty with the UK, but not with Italy.
As for whether the pair could be accused of an extraditable crime, lawyers point to the list of offences in the Extradition Act in Singapore.
Mr Narayanan says Briatore and Symonds, if they did ask Piquet Jr to intentionally crash his car, could arguably be considered guilty of the following offences cited in the Act:

Malicious or wilful damage to property; Acts done with the intention of endangering vehicles, vessels or aircraft; or Criminal conspiracy to commit a serious crime, where the serious crime is transnational in nature and involves an organised criminal group.

Another lawyer - who has advised on extradition issues, but asked not to be named - felt, however, that it would be "a stretch" to say that Briatore and Symonds committed the aforementioned extraditable offences, even if they had instructed Piquet Jr to crash his car, and that it would be correspondingly difficult to extradite them to Singapore on such grounds.
Also, even if Briatore and Symonds could arguably be considered to have committed an extraditable offence, it would be up to Singapore to decide if it even wants to have the pair brought here and charged.

Observers have said that Singapore is unlikely to make such a move, given the negative publicity it would throw up.
Mr Iswaran also said that "this is a matter between the FIA and the teams".
"We are a host. Our job is to make sure we put on a good show so that the visitors enjoy themselves, have an eventful experience. In that regard, we did a good job last year and that's our target again this year.

Jet sellers, party hosts try to rev up Singapore F1

The race for tickets and views for Singapore's Formula One grand prix has slowed this year after the country's worst recession, but restaurants along the street circuit are still putting the champagne on ice.
Investment banks in the Asian financial center have scaled back parties for clients for the September 25-27 race after seeing earnings battered by the financial crisis.
Tickets for practice runs and the race have yet to sell out, with the buzz from the sport's first ever night street race in Singapore in 2008 not evident this time, though the event is attracting attention from a scandal over last year's result.
Singapore officials are confident the allegations will not hurt the event, and marketers hope rich fans will still show up.
The Annix Group is organizing an exhibition that will showcase goods including 70 watches worth over S$15 million ($11 million), as it targets 35,000 high net-worth individuals expected to attend, the event's marketing director Prita Leenheer told Reuters.
The F1 will see the launch of a invitation-only club called "O" -- half of whom will be Lamborghini owners and others will be picked from among models, designers, movie stars and royalty.

MillionaireAsia magazine's private aviation show will be returning to Singapore, after $150 million worth of aircraft orders and sales generated by last year's show during the F1.
"As we prepare to exit the economic crisis, we hope that the show will help increase jet sales by at least 10 percent," the magazine's managing editor Brian Yim said.
But banks such as the Royal Bank of Scotland, which sponsors the Williams F1 team and has been part-nationalized by the British government, will be significantly cutting its hospitality this year, said its country executive Muhammad Aurangzeb.
Restaurants in the center of town near the floodlit course, which weaves through the business district and historic landmarks, are ramping up efforts to revive last year's race fever, with F1 themed cocktails, champagne buffets and parties.

Gourmet restaurant Le Saint Julien, located at a bend on the circuit, is again offering a package including free flow of champagne -- but at prices half last year's.

Hotel Ritz Carlton will play host to party The Podium Lounge, auctioning a Fernando Alonso autographed replica F1 vehicle.
Last year's Grand Prix in Singapore, won by Renault's Fernando Alonso after a pitstop blunder finished the chances of rival Ferrari's Felipe Massa, is still a talking point.

88% of F1 tickets for Singapore Grand Prix already sold

The Singapore Formula One race is slightly more than a week away and while it was a sold-out inaugural race last year attracting some 100,000 spectators, that will not be repeated this year.

Organisers are only offering 83,000 seats this year, and as of today, 88 per cent of tickets have been sold.

With the poor economy, race organisers were already expecting slower ticket sales this year. Despite that, they managed to ramp up sales, which are picking up as the race approaches. Five categories, including the walkabout tickets, have been sold out.

Last year, the very last ticket was sold on race day on Saturday and organisers are hoping the same this year.

Tourism is another area affected by the economic downturn, but the authorities are cautiously optimistic.

Lynette Pang, director, Entertainment, Sports & Arts, Singapore Tourism Board, said: "We are keeping our target the same as last year, in terms of tourism receipts, which is really the important key performance indicator for us - as Singapore Tourism Board.

"We are looking at S$100 million in tourism receipts which is the same as last year. Likewise in terms of visitor attendance, we are keeping it the same as last year at 40 per cent of the total attendance of the three-day race."

Actually, tourism receipts hit S$168 million in 2008 and an estimated 40,000 spectators were foreigners.

In absolute terms, the latest targets will still be a challenge due to the slower response. However, the tourism board hopes to draw more foreign fans using targeted marketing and hitting different demographics.

The situation is not common to Singapore, as many races around the world see a decline in interest after the second year onwards.

Similarly, it will be a challenge for Singapore to drive fans to support the Singapore GP, at least for the next three years, when the current five-year deal ends in 2012.

Briatore & Symonds out of Renault F1 Team

Flavio Briatore has left his position as boss of the Renault team after they decided not to contest charges of fixing the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Executive director of engineering Pat Symonds has also left the team.

Renault were summoned by governing body, the FIA, after Nelson Piquet Jr claimed he had been asked to crash to help team-mate Fernando Alonso's race.

An FIA spokesperson confirmed a World Motor Sport Council hearing in Paris on Monday would go ahead.

Renault have been called to answer charges that they "conspired with Nelson Piquet Jr to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix with the aim of causing the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso".

The hearing will attempt to attribute responsibility for the Singapore "crash-gate" despite the news that Briatore and Symonds have left Renault.

The FIA could still impose sanctions if Renault are found guilty, including excluding the team from the championship, although that must be considered unlikely given the two people Piquet said were responsible have now left the team.

Piquet crashed in Singapore two laps after Alonso had come in for a routine pit stop.

That meant that when race officials sent out the safety car to clear up the debris from Piquet's car, Alonso was alone among the front-runners in not having to stop for fuel and tyres.

Renault's double world champion went on to take the chequered flag at Formula 1's inaugural night race and claim his first victory in two years.

At the time, Piquet attributed the crash to a simple error, but after being dropped by the team after July's Hungary GP the race-fixing allegations emerged.

The Brazilian has since testified to the FIA that he was instructed by Briatore and Symonds when and where to crash.

Renault's response was to accuse the 24-year-old and his father Nelson Piquet of false allegations and blackmail, going as far as saying they would begin legal action against them.

But on Wednesday the team said in a statement they would "not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix."

The statement added: "The team also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team."

BBC pundit and former team boss Eddie Jordan said he was surprised by Renault's announcement but believes it was effectively an admission of guilt.

"By suggesting they are not going to contest the allegations is in itself an admission," Jordan told the BBC.

"I don't know what goes on in teams and certainly in the Jordan team you would contemplate all sorts of things but you certainly couldn't contemplate that."

It remains to be seen whether this latest controversy, and the departure of Briatore and Symonds, will affect Renault's decision to stay in Formula 1.

Briatore had denied speculation that the French team's future was under threat and the team have signed a new Concorde Agreement to stay in F1 until 2012.

But this latest controversy, coupled with a decline in cars sales, could yet have repercussions for the staff of around 700, who are are employed at the team's headquarters in Enstone, in Oxfordshire, and Viry-Chatillon in Paris.

Former grand prix winner John Watson told the BBC: "The fact that Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have left the team was the only solution to Renault.

"A company on the scale of Renault, a world-scale motor company could not afford to have a scandal of this magnitude rattling around in the boardroom."

As it is, Renault's statement draws the curtain on two of F1's best-known protagonists.

Briatore became Benetton team principal in 1991 and when Renault bought Benetton in 2000 to run under its own moniker, the 59-year-old Italian was chosen to lead the team.

Symonds joined the Toleman team, which morphed into Benetton and Renault, in the 1980s and worked his way though the ranks becoming executive director of engineering in 2001.

Briatore was also heavily involved in the teams' association Fota, as it sought to reach an agreement on the future of the sport with the FIA this season.

Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce to headline F1 ROCKS™ in Singapore

The inaugural F1 ROCKS™ event will take place at the 2009 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX later this year, with a star-studded music line-up headlined by global superstars the Black Eyed Peas and Beyonce. ‘F1 ROCKS™ Singapore with LG’ will span three days of the night-time race weekend, from September 24-26.F1 ROCKS™ fuses the world’s most popular annual sporting series with the most iconic music stars to create an unrivalled experience for Formula One and music fans alike. At the core of F1 ROCKS™ is a series of spectacular multi-artist live music events from glamorous Formula One race locations around the world, of which Singapore will be the first.Other artists confirmed for the concerts in Singapore’s Fort Canning Park are ZZ Top, Simple Minds, N*E*R*D and Chinese pop legend Jacky Cheung. Along with the two headliners, they have sold over 245 million records worldwide between them.
The show will also feature guest appearances from top Formula One drivers and celebrities.“I am delighted to be launching F1 ROCKS™ in Singapore and very pleased to have Singapore as our inaugural event and LG Electronics as our title launch sponsor,” said Paul Morrison, CEO & Chief Creative Officer, All The Worlds/ F1 ROCKS™. “The world’s only F1 night race just got bigger, faster and louder. Our talent is world class and F1 ROCKS™ will rock Singapore!”“LG is very excited to be a key partner, with Formula 1™ and Universal Music, to launch the F1 ROCKS™ with LG program in Singapore,” added Dermot Boden, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of LG Electronics, who are already a Global Partner of Formula 1™ and a Technology Partner of Formula 1™.
“LG’s partnership with Formula 1™ delivers the ‘LG - Life’s Good’ experience to millions of people across the world. F1 ROCKS™ with LG will allow us to further broaden global awareness to build a deeper understanding for our style and technology positioning with an even wider audience that embraces music and entertainment as a passion. It is a natural fit for us to become part of such a premium global music event!”F1 ROCKS™ is set to be a global sensation and will be broadcast worldwide across a potential 188 Formula One territories. Two TV programmes will be produced from ‘F1 ROCKS™ Singapore with LG’; the first will be an hour-long entertainment show, giving viewers unrivalled access into the glamorous world of Formula One racing with A-List celebrity interviews, TV stunts, unique performances and aspirational and lifestyle features.
The second will be a high-octane music special showcasing the best live music performances and interviews.

The full line-up for Singapore (other artists to be announced):

Thursday September 24 - Jacky Cheung, Da Mouth and Sodagreen
Friday September 25 - ZZ Top, Simple Minds and N*E*R*D
Saturday September 26 - Beyonce and Black Eyed Peas

Winning names for Singapore GP turns Announced

The winning names for the Marina Bay Circuit: Sheares, Memorial and Singapore Sling

THE names “Sheares”, “Memorial” and “Singapore Sling” will be on the tip of Formula 1 fans’ tongues here and around the world come September, at the second Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix.

Turn 1 of the Marina Bay street circuit after the start-finish straight has been named Sheares, after the Benjamin Sheares Bridge which runs over it.
Turn 7, the scene of many a thrilling overtaking manoeuvre near the War Memorial, will now be known as Memorial. And the tricky chicane that is the 10th corner has been christened Singapore Sling.

The response to the It’s Your Turn at the Singapore Grand Prix contest, a joint effort by race organisers Singapore GP and Today, was overwhelming. Readers and Formula 1 fans from around the globe were invited to submit their suggested names, and we saw entries coming in from as far away as Spain, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Canada.

Only those who adhered to the rules and conditions made the final round of judging, with contestants’ reasons for the names they suggested taken into account. The panel of six judges met yesterday to pick the three best names to christen Turns 1, 7 and 10 and had to sift through a pool of 1,440 entries.

After a blind vote, the three winners came from Singapore. The top prize of two grandstand tickets, a pitlane walk and a two-night stay at a trackside hotel during the Formula 1 2009 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix from Sept 25 to 27 went to wedding card designer Arthur Lim.

Showcasing Singapore

Lim’s suggestion for Turn 1, a nod to Singapore’s second President Benjamin Sheares, the bridge named after him, and the fact that the name hints of “speed and smoothness”, won the judges over.

Memorial, suggested by Ngee Ann Polytechnic lecturer Chan Kwan Yew, proved a winning entry because of its simplicity, ease of pronunciation and its ties to the past. “It is a significant site, honouring the victims of the Second World War,” Chan noted of the corner near the War Memorial.

The most talked about and challenging corner of the Marina Bay circuit last September was Turn 10. Fittingly, the judges spent the most time deliberating that turn.

Most entries zeroed in on the fact that the old Parliament House and the former Supreme Court overlook the tricky chicane, with Judgment Day, Justice Trap, Supremo and the Court among the better suggestions. But the judges considered the difficulty of negotiating the first of three twists and decided on Singapore Sling, submitted by Foo Say Boon.

Simon Rock, managing director of Performance Motors and one of the judges, said the first two turns were Singapore-centric and offered an opportunity to tell the world something about the country.

“Singapore Sling, on the other hand, is known internationally and fans everywhere can relate to it instantly,” explained the Briton.

“It says more about the turn. Drivers have to be careful here, but it can serve as a slingshot if they tackle it well.”

Rock’s fellow judge Colin Syn, deputy chairman of Singapore GP, said he was impressed by the quality and creativity of the entries. He said: “Throughout the intensely engaging judging process, the panel deliberated for over three hours to arrive at an acceptable shortlist.

“Getting to the eventual winners was a tough task, but in the end, the panel was in accord on the final winners.”

The other judges on the panel were Today Sports Editor Leonard Thomas, Singapore Motor Sports Association president Tan Teng Lip, STPB F1 project director Leong Yue Kheong and former racer Lee Chiu San.

How will it sound on TV?

When contacted yesterday, Lim could not contain his excitement when he learnt he had won the top prize. He told Today he had rehearsed in front of his wife several times before submitting his entry for Turn 1.

“I wanted to make sure it would come off nicely from the tongue of a TV commentator and that it will be easy on the ear,” said the 37-year-old father of two.
“Sheares is also an historic name because it is the name of our second President, but it can easily be used to describe cars cutting through the turns.”

Chan and Foo, the other two winners, each won a pair of grandstand tickets and a pitlane walk for the Singapore Grand Prix. All winners will be contacted by Singapore GP on how to collect their prizes.

====And the winners are:

====Turn 1: Sheares — Arthur Lim

====Turn 7: Memorial — Chan Kwan Yew

====Turn 10: Singapore Sling — Foo Say Boon

Ian De Cotta ian@mediacorp.com.sg

Singapore GP revenue finally revealed.

Singapore’s first Formula One Grand Prix, which was held in September, generated far more tourism revenue than initially expected, a government minister said.
The event, the sport’s first night race, attracted more than 40,000 foreign visitors and generated S$168 million ($112 million) in tourism revenue, S. Iswaran, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, told parliament.

A copy of his remarks was posted on the ministry website late Monday.
Officials had estimated the race would generate S$100 million annually in revenues.
Iswaran said that more than 110 million worldwide television viewers watched the Grand Prix.


Singapore has the race contract for five years and an option for another two.
With the global tourism industry in difficulty during a worldwide economic slowdown, visitor arrivals to the city-state are forecast to slide between six and 11% this year, Iswaran said.
The Singapore Grand Prix said recently that it will hike the cost of some corporate suites at this year’s event but would keep others steady. See this post here


Iswaran said plans surrounding this September’s Grand Prix event are in the final stages and "will take into account this year’s tourism outlook."

Singapore to name 3 Corners for next GP

THREE turns on the Singapore Grand Prix’ 5.067km Marina Bay Circuit will be named next month, and the three racers Today spoke to yesterday are hoping to see history honoured.
Singapore GP and Today launched It’s Your Turn at the Singapore Grand Prix yesterday, inviting readers to email in suggestions with names for Turns 1, 7 and 10 on the circuit.

“I hope we find appropriate names that make you understand what the nature of the turn is when you hear them,” said former motorcycle racer Looi Beng Hoe, 62, who rode in the original Singapore Grand Prix from 1959 to 1973.
“Like ‘Devil’s Bend’ — when you hear that name, you know it’s to be feared and respected. It was a treacherous corner in the race, and even now, I still think.”
Devil’s Bend was an iconic turn on the original Singapore Grand Prix circuit at Old Upper Thomson Road.

Motorcyclist Alfred Armstrong, who raced alongside Looi in the 1960s and 70s, agreed.
Said the 66-year-old: “The names of corners at the Old Singapore GP werevery appropriate, like The Snakes and Devil’s Bend.
“They are the kind of names you can tell your grandchildren and they’ll know what you’re talking about. They’ve got history.”

Hafiz Koh, Singapore’s youngest professional racecar driver at 25 years of age, may not be familiar with the twists and turns of Old Upper Thomson, but he’d like to see Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew mentioned.
“We shouldn’t name the track after drivers who come and go,” said Koh, who had three Formula V6 Asia driver podium finishes last year.
“Turn 10 is near the old Supreme Court, and I’d like to see it named after the Minister Mentor, for what he’s done to bring Singapore to where it is today.”
Shamir Osman - TODAY Paper

Ticket Price Review for Singapore GP

TICKET prices for this year’s Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix will reflect the current economic climate.

Singapore GP gave the assurance yesterday, and already in the pipeline are offerings like “early bird” packages, which will offer significant savings compared to last year’s prices in many popular areas.
“We are committed to cater to the demands of all race fans,” said a Singapore GP spokesman. “In the early bird phase we will also extend the popular one-day ticket on Friday with the lowest price ever to experience the Grand Prix.”

While the ticket prices for the public have still to be finalised, all corporate tickets except for the Paddock Club went on sale yesterday. The organisers are confident that premium corporate suites around the 5km street circuit for the Sept 27 race will still be able to fetch top dollar, which is why the price for the Stamford Suite, for example, has gone up. They now range from $5,000-$7,000, an increase of $1,500 and $2,500, respectively.
Said the spokesman: “Prices for some were raised because they were not realistic. The Stamford Suite, for example, had the same menu and two viewing spots, compared with other premium locations around the track, but were priced lower. It just wasn’t realistic.”
Singapore GP will offer a lower entry price point for this year’s race to attract corporate clients.
“We have introduced an option with The Green Room at Turn 3 at $3,388, much lower than the Sky Suite, which remains at $6,500,” said the company’s spokesman.

Singapore GP also revealed yesterday that they have been given the green light to make adjustments to the circuit.
Turn 1, after the Start/Finish line, and Turns 13 and 14, in front of the Fullerton Hotel and Esplanade, respectively, will be modified to provide more overtaking opportunities, while the entry and exit points of the pitlane will be repositioned, after drivers complained during last September’s race that the current design could cause accidents.

Ian De Cotta
ian@mediacorp.com.sg

Tweeked Singapore Circuit in Hopes of more overtakings

The Marina Bay circuit, which plays host to Formula 1’s night race in Singapore, will undergo layout changes in a bid to boost overtaking ahead of its second grand prix later this year.
The sport’s inaugural floodlit race was widely hailed as a big success last September, but organisers have wanted to improve the racing spectacle for 2009 and have now announced track alterations following discussions between themselves, the teams and FIA.

These are headlined by minor changes to turns one, 13 and 14 to try and give drivers a better opportunity to attempt a passing move.
In addition the controversial pit lane entry, which used the exact same piece of track as cars on a flying lap and saw Nick Heidfeld and Rubens Barrichello penalised for an incident there in 2008, and exit will be revised, while improvements to the bumpy track surface will be made between turns five and seven.
“While the circuit and the event exceeded expectations around the world, as with any brand new event, there are always things which we now know we can do better,” said Singapore’s technical and race operations director, Michael McDonough.

“Minor modifications are proposed on the track, at Turns one, seven and 14 in order to improve overtaking opportunities whilst the main changes will be to the pit entry and pit exit to provide added margins of safety for cars entering and leaving the pit lane.”
Organisers say changes to the first corner will involve moving the corner apex and reducing the corner radius in a bid to reduce entry speeds and give drivers more of an opportunity to try an out-braking move into the turn.
And after drivers took advantage of a concrete verge to take a wide line into the corner last year, kerbing will also be installed on the entry so to force drivers to take a narrower line.

Changes at turn 13 will see the previously tight left-handed hairpin, the turn immediately after the iconic Anderson Bridge, altered to increase cornering speeds so cars carry more speed down the next straight into the braking zone at turn 14.
In addition the geometry of turn 14 will be altered to give more overtaking chances under braking.
Meanwhile, the pit lane entry and exit changes will see a dedicated approach lane created, with the vast run-off areas around the final turn reduced, while the exit will be extended past the first turn so drivers now feed back onto the circuit off the racing line at turn two.

Off Track Newsletter No 5

Well, after much time off from the blog it's time to catch up on those delayed posts.
here we have issue No 5 of the Marshall's newsletter, covering the Final shakedown before the race, Interviews with the Boundary riders marshalls and so on.

Read more about it here. ISSUE No 5

Singapore technical preview

Here is another technical preview ahead of this week-end GP

The 5.1km Singapore street circuit looks like being one of the slowest of the season, with teams likely to run with high downforce and projected lap times in the 1m45s region.

As a step into the unknown, the teams have been running computer simulations to get a rough idea of the ideal set-up required. In reality, though, it won't be until the cars take to the track on Friday morning that the teams will get a proper understanding of the demands of the track.

Tyres

Much like Monaco, grip levels are likely to be low at the new Singapore street circuit. Therefore Bridgestone will supply the soft and super-soft compounds from its 2008 range, the very same compounds that were taken to Monaco, Budapest and Valencia.

This will offer good grip on what is expected to be a very green track surface at the beginning of the weekend. However, like any temporary circuit, grip levels will ramp up as the track evolves across the weekend and rubber is laid down.

Aerodynamics

After Monaco, Singapore looks like being the second slowest circuit of the season. The teams will therefore run with a high downforce package to give the car good stability under braking and to push the car into the ground in the corner exits to maximise traction and ensure good acceleration.

Brakes

Initial simulations suggest that the circuit will be quite demanding on the brakes with wear rates being similar to somewhere like Melbourne. It is not the severity of the braking but rather the regularity that makes it so demanding as the brakes will get little respite. Efficient brake cooling is therefore a must.

Suspension

Suspension set-up is one of the most difficult things to predict when planning for a new circuit. However, for any street circuit with a high percentage of low-speed corners, mechanical grip is always valuable and the team will work hard to ensure they give the drivers a supple enough suspension to get good clean exits out of the slow corners and a car that can ride the bumps and any changes of camber.

Engine and gearbox

Street circuits tend to be less severe on the engine due to the low percentage of the lap spent at full throttle, but the engine can still be under stress as it will be used in a very stop-start fashion. Closely-spaced gears ratios will be used at this circuit in order to optimise acceleration, and get the most from the engine at low speeds, while the engine teams will work on the mapping to ensure the engine delivers good torque from low revs, allowing early throttle application.

Here at the Launch of Ian De Cotta's Book

Yesterday saw the launch of one of the greatest book to be written in Singapore Motorsport History - The author : Ian De Cotta - The Title : The Singapore Grand Prix ( 50 years in the making) with a foreword by none other than Sir Stirling Moss...

Mr Robert Wong, former Racer on Thomson Circuit.

Held at one of Singapore's biggest retail center for Audio Products, motorsports fans, young and old got a chance to meet with Mr De Cotta personally and get their copies of the book autographed.

The Book itself is a recollection of a great part of Singapore Motoring History in the 60's and 70's, when drivers and riders would zoom past around the famous Thomson Street Circuit, comprising of the Devil's Bend, the Snakes amongst others.

" Long before Formula 1 Fever swept Singapore's shores, Speed demons reigned at the fabled Upper Thomson Road Circuit.

This is their story "

sums up what the book is really about.

Go and get yourself a copy quick before it runs out, this surely is a must have in your library for everyone remotely or passionately interested in Motorsport Racing History.

Glenn Ong (Class 95 ) & Myself