130,000 May Get To Watch Singapore GP, 3 Other Races

Source : The Business Times, September 29, 2007

Corporate packages, hospitality suites to go on sale in Nov

It is all systems go for Singapore's Formula One Grand Prix street circuit which has received in-principle approval from the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), a green light that will see construction on the circuit beginning as early as next month.

And gathered around that circuit when the event roars to life a year from now will be a possible 130,000 spectators, who will get to enjoy three supporting races apart from the main fare. The announcements came yesterday at the one-year countdown to the Singapore Grand Prix 2008 being held by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) along with race promoter Singapore GP Pte Ltd (SGP).

Singapore's 5.067-km-long circuit will host the first street race in Asia. It is also one of only three circuits in the world to run counter-clockwise. It can be granted a full circuit licence only during the final FIA inspection in the week of the race itself.

Another highly anticipated announcement involved corporate hospitality suites and packages, which will go on sale in late November. Members of the public will be able to purchase three-day passes from December. Single-day passes, if any, will be issued just before Chinese New Year.

SGP and STB are hoping to garner 125,000-130,000 spectators for the event. 'Where we may not be able to put seats because of the limitations of the terrain, we will have options for people to be standing and watching the race,' said Leong Yue Kheong, director of F1 Projects for STB.

In addition to the 26,000-person seating gallery opposite the floating platform, there are provisional plans to build additional grandstands at the Padang, opposite the pit lane near the starting grid and at the War Memorial Park, among others.

'There are several options being examined by the race promoter together with the various agencies to see how we can maximise the spectators value,' he added.

F1 fans can also look forward to three supporting races - GP2, saloon cars and BMW Junior Championships - which are slated to start at 2pm - in the run-up to the main event.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will be in charge of managing the modifications to existing infrastructure such as the widening of roads and the removal of road curbs and traffic islands along certain areas of the circuit. A 1.2-km road which will constitute the start and finish straight of the track will also be built alongside the pit building.

LTA announced yesterday the award of three contracts for the road works totalling $18.014 million to Or Kim Peow Contractors (Pte) Ltd, Sato Kogyo (Singapore) Pte Ltd and Works Infrastructure Pte Ltd. Over $50 million is expected to be invested in public road works and infrastructure changes.

What remains pending now is confirmation of whether the 61-lap street race will be a night one. If so, it will set a precedent in F1 history. Minister of State for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said feedback from trials conducted in Europe in recent months has been positive. 'We are in the last mile,' he reckoned, acknowledging that the outlook was optimistic. He also launched the countdown clock on the official F1 Singapore website - www.singaporegp.sg - which will enable F1 afficionados to be privy to regular updates and insider tips.