Shorter F1 road closure period to minimise disruptions

Organisers of this year's Singapore Grand Prix hope a shorter period of road closure will minimise disruptions to traffic and businesses. Roads will be closed for seven days instead of the 12 days last year. Race organisers will also be beefing up public transport services during the road closure period from September 23 to 29. During the race weekend, up to 650 more train trips will be added, which will run until 1.15am. But what is significant this year is that all taxis will be allowed to enter restricted areas, without the need for special F1 decals.

Restricted areas include Temasek Boulevard via Rochor Road, as well as the single-lane road along Raffles Boulevard. But the new allowance does not apply to race hours, when only vehicles with F1 decals will be allowed in. Race hours are from 9pm to 11pm on September 25 and 26, and from 7pm to 10pm on September 27. Organisers hope the new taxi access will attract more people to visit retail and food and beverage outlets affected by the road closures. Justin Chew, director of F1 project, Singapore Tourism Board, said: "We are a lot more efficient this year, and we are a lot better. All the safety considerations have been addressed. So there is no need to avoid the area."

For race ticket holders, free shuttle services will take them to the race venue from Lavander, Kallang, Outram Park and Clarke Quay MRT stations. Those who will be heading to the affected area are also advised to plan their journey in advance to avoid unnecessary confusion over the road closures. The public can pick up an information leaflet on the road closures at petrol stations, shopping centres and hotels.

Despite the new measures to ease traffic congestion, some feel that more can be done. Michael Ma, CEO, IndoChine Group, said: "I feel that a lot of the roads do not even need to be closed at all, like in Monaco. I keep hearing the same story that Singapore is different from Monaco but to me, the car is the same - the same driver, the same organisation, the same speed. Why do we have to go through such hardship with road closures, and disrupt the whole city’s lifeline? And for seven days, that is ridiculous."

Race organisers stress that public transport is still the best way to travel into the Marina Bay area during the Singapore GP season, and it is also a speedier alternative for fans going to the F1 Rocks concert at Fort Canning Park.

Redbull's Singapore Virtual Lap

F1 Teams hope to see the Light on Singapore Trip

Formula One teams will send experts to Singapore in the next few weeks to help them overcome some of the technical challenges posed by the sport's first night race, according to Honda team boss Ross Brawn.
"We are trying to understand the implications of the lighting," the Briton told reporters at last weekend's British Grand Prix.
"I think all the teams are sending someone over there in the next week or two, very soon, to have a look at a proportion of the track that's been lit for us to make a judgement and understand.
"Like most teams, we've got a simulator so we are trying to simulate those conditions but probably we won't know until we are actually there what extra problems it (the race) is going to present," he added.
Singapore, with a street circuit using public roads around the Marina Bay area, will host a round of the championship for the first time on September 28.
Organisers have said the circuit will be lit up by 1,500 projectors to a level bright enough to meet high definition television broadcast standards -- or four times brighter than a typical stadium.

REAR LIGHT
Brawn said the conditions posed particular problems for drivers, who would have to work with an unfamiliar anti-clockwise circuit that could be as unforgiving as Monaco.
"There are some simple things like the rear light for instance is extremely bright in those darkened conditions," he said. "The rear light might be a problem for drivers, so there are some adjustments we can make when we get there.
"But in terms of how the drivers will cope, that's quite difficult to mimic properly.
"You can go kart racing on illuminated circuits but I don't think it's the same. And there's dealing with the track because that can be quite tight and challenging as well," he continued.
"It might be an idea to have a day (practice) session before the night session just so we all get used to it."
Brawn said Formula One's sole tyre supplier Bridgestone would also have plenty of homework to do with the track likely to be cooler, in the absence of sunlight, in contrast to the warm ambient temperature.
"I think they are considering and studying what implications that might have with the compound selection. But there is a limited range of compounds and I know they are not going to invent a compound for it," he said.
Brawn suggested the teams would find the jet lag easier to handle, with the race held closer to the regular European schedule.
"We're not going to change out of the time zone," he said.
"Fundamentally we'll stay on European time and get up at midday and work until whatever time it is, so we won't have any jet lag to worry about."

Activities planned For the Upcoming Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix

SingTel Ultimate Race
Two state-of-the-art custom-built simulators, featuring the Marina Bay Circuit for
the first time in the world, will give Singapore residents the feel of driving a
Formula 1 car in the night around the track. One will be based at Comcentre at
Exeter Road, while the other will tour the heartlands

SingTel Prediction Challenge
Predict the outcome of races, starting with the Turkish Grand Prix, and ending with
the SingTel Singapore Grand Prix. Prizes will be given to the top three players after
the Singapore race

SingTel Mobile Racer
A Formula 1 race game around the circuit can be downloaded onto mobile phones to
allow users to compete against other mobile phone subscribers. Top scorers
stand to win grandstand tickets

SingTel Grid Girls
Forty-eight Grid Girls will compete to be among the top 20 who will take part in a
four-episode, 30-minute reality show on Channel 5 hosted by Glenn Ong. The grand
prize winner will take home $20,000 and the top three will lead the Grid Girls out on
the day of the race

Hotel Rooms during SingaporeF1 race period going fast

For Those planning to spend a few days holiday in Singapore, i'd better warn You, please start saving now and get that Credit card ready... RATES of $1,000 a night and higher have not deterred Formula 1 fans from snapping up trackside hotel rooms for the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix.

Hotels ranging from the glitzy Ritz-Carlton Millennia Singapore to the Peninsula-Excelsior Hotel are already fully booked for the Sept 26 to 28 race. This is despite significantly higher than normal room rates of over $1,000 per night for the Ritz (about a 100 per cent increase) and $300 for the Peninsula (about a 50 per cent increase).

Two other hotels - Swissotel The Stamford and Pan Pacific Singapore - anticipate a 100 per cent occupancy rate.

One reason for the higher rates is that the Government will be imposing a special hotel tax on total room revenue from Sept 24 to 28 - the week of the race.

The tax will range from 30 per cent - for the 11 trackside hotels - to 20 per cent for all other hotels and a minimum 3-5 nights stay will also be imposed - Sorry Guys No one nite Stand -

Trackside hotels such as Marina Mandarin ($1,500 per night) and Fairmont Singapore ($1,830) are still entertaining bookings.

The Fullerton has yet to confirm rates, but will place those interested on a wait-list.

The high take-up rate is not confined to trackside hotels.

The Four Seasons, along Orchard Boulevard, also managed to sell out all of its rooms from Sept 20 to 28.

The race will be held on Sept 28. Qualifying sessions begin on Sept 27.

Tourists are expected to form a significant portion of the 100,000 fans expected for the grand prix, and they are expected to spend around $100 million on hotels, and at food and beverage outlets, nightspots and the like.

Corporate hospitality packages ranging from $3,500 to $7,500 per head have also been selling well. These were put on the market by race organisers Singapore GP in November.

A Singapore GP spokesman declined comment, but it is believed that suites in areas such as the pit area and exclusive Paddock Club are close to being sold out.


In the Meantime eager F1 fans are still waiting for the release of normal tickets...


GP organisers DO YOU HEAR ME ?? .... WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE TICKETS.....


********* According to this morning newspapers, organisers have said they will tentatively release general admissions tickets after the upcoming Chinese New Year **********

Singapore promise to stage a Breathtaking Formula 1 race

The Singapore F1 Grand Prix scheduled for Sept 28 will not only be the biggest sporting event hosted by the republic but it will also be a much anticipated and much talked about affair.

It is set to make history as the first-ever night race in F1 history and also the first street race in Asia.

The motorsports governing body, the FIA, gave the in-principle approval to Singapore recently for a proposed 5.067km that will offer multiple overtaking opportunities and challenging turns.

In a media briefing yesterday to coincide with the go-ahead from the FIA, the organisers positioned the event as the “Monaco of the East” and the circuit will be public roads around the Marina Bay area.

The race will take the drivers along Singapore’s historical landmarks, including the 100-year-old Anderson Bridge and the Raffles Boulevard. And what’s more unique is the setting up of a state-of-the-art lighting system.

Tests have been conducted at the Paul Ricard High Tech test track in Le Castellet, France, last October to study the system under real racing conditions.

And deputy chairman of Singapore GP, Colin Syn, promised that they would stage a breathtaking inaugural race for people to remember for a long time.

“We want it to be the highlight of the social calendar in Singapore as well as across Asia,” he said.

“There is a big difference between Singapore and Monaco, which is another street circuit. Our track will be much wider and faster offering more overtaking opportunities.”

Colin said that the lighting was designed to only shine from one side of the track.

“”This is to prevent the drivers from being disorientated in cases of spinning. The run-off areas will also be brighter than the track.

“The street circuit is no different from the evaluation FIA do on other tracks. In fact, it is stricter because they have to ensure the track is safe before granting us the licence,” he said.

Colin added that work on installing the lighting system was expected to begin three months before the event.

By LIM TEIK HUAT ( The Star Newspaper, Malaysia)