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

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

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.

Another Successful Week-end !

It has been another successful week-end for Formula1 Fans in Singapore.

Our East Coast bazaar has allowed us to meet many new customers and interest in the new 2009 F1 Team Merchandise was very good.
While not doing to good on track at the Monaco GP, Vodafone McLaren Shirts and Merchandise were the Best Sellers over the week-end, followed closely by our Ferrari T-shirts and Caps.

For new Brawn GP Fans, do note that we are now taking pre-orders for the Merchandise range and goods should be in Singapore by 1st week of July.

We thank you all for your participation, for braving the scorching afternoon sun and patronizing our stall.
You can look forward to some exciting news over the coming weeks and urge you all to join our Facebook page to make sure you do not miss out on important updates.

Photos will follow later today.

Singapore Hotels see lukewarm F1 bookings

In difficult times, late birds can still get the worm.
With companies playing hard to get, Singapore hotels appear to be prolonging their 'early bird' rates for F1 bookings.
Some are extending their special rates to as far as July - just two months before the big weekend (Sept 25-27) for the 2009 Formula One race.
Given the lacklustre demand, the Royal Plaza on Scotts has extended its early bird price of $380++ per night for a deluxe room, which was to expire at end March. Efforts to reach out to some of last year's clients were met with either refusals or a wait-and-see attitude.
As its general manager Patrick Fiat put it, companies 'don't want to be seen retrenching staff, then going to the Grand Prix'.

Royal Plaza's occupancy for the F1 weekend currently stands at 30 per cent, and deluxe room rates will be raised to $460++ only around the end of next month, at the earliest.

Over at the Grand Hyatt, the hotel has set aside a number of rooms at a special price of $550++ - versus $1,000++ last year - for those that make their bookings early.
'Customers are expecting lower rates due to the sharp fall in arrivals amid the world economic slowdown,' said PR manager Patricia Yong.
And if the weaker economy isn't enough, this year's race will lack the distinct shine that comes with an inaugural event. Singapore also has competition from Abu Dhabi, the latest destination to make its debut on the starting grid.

'Last year was the first night race. The buzz was incredible,' acknowledged Mr Fiat. Still, with hotels reducing their prices, this could be an advantage that works in our favour, he added.
Last year, reservations picked up pace in the two months leading up to the race, which could very well be the case again this year. But for now, hoteliers are giving F1 fans every incentive to lock in their bookings ahead of time. A minimum number of nights stay, however, still applies in most cases.
The Four Seasons, which is charging from $670++ for its superior and deluxe rooms, will implement an early bird discount of 15 per cent off the quoted rates if payment is made by July 31.
The Meritus Mandarin has also introduced an early bird offer to encourage customers to book earlier. For reservations that are confirmed by July 31, the hotel is offering rates that range from $380++ to $700++, some $150 lower than last year.
'We have received more enquiries than bookings so far and noticed that customers are shopping around for the best deals,' said Meritus Mandarin's assistant VP of marketing communications Lim Ee Jin.
'Booking pace is much slower than last year,' agreed Ms Yong. However, the early booking deal is netting Hyatt some repeat customers.

Meanwhile, the Rendezvous Hotel has an offer until June which sees rooms starting from $350++.
'This year, the take-up rate is slower. However, we expect last minute bookings nearer to the date,' said general manager Kellvin Ong.
Even a few trackside hotels have coughed up some competitive pricing.
One source was recently quoted $1,000++ per night for a room with a non-circuit view at the trackside Fullerton Hotel, about half of what the hotel was reportedly charging last year.

The trackside Marina Mandarin had an early bird rate of $600++ going till end March for its deluxe rooms, which have since been taken up. The next level of inventory, its executive deluxe rooms, are priced at $900++, still a far cry from last year's price tag of $1,650++.

Boutique hotel Naumi, which has been roped in this year as a trackside hotel, is keeping its rates at a starting point of $1,200++, although an early bird rate of $900++ applies till the end of next month.
Last year, the hotel was full, with one corporate client snapping up 80 per cent of its 40-room capacity, but it's proving a little trickier this year with occupancy currently standing at 10 per cent.
Bucking the trend, however, is non-trackside Novotel Clarke Quay. According to general manager Heinz Colby, the hotel has already filled 80 per cent of its rooms after rates were cut by 10 per cent this year to start at $600++.
Whatever the end result, it is clear that most hotels have adopted a more pragmatic approach this year and with good reason.
'A lot of wisdom has come with the first F1,' one industry source said. 'We have learnt our lesson.'

By Nisha Ramchandani

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

Hunt for the best F1 photo From Singapore

The tourism board and Singapore GP are looking for the best picture that captured the buzz and suspense of the Republic's first Formula One race last year.
Photographers are invited to submit their shots for a chance to win passes or pit grandstand tickets. There is no limit to the number of shots that can be entered for the competition, which ends on March 20.

Entries will be assessed by a panel of judges from the Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore GP, on criteria such as relevancy to the race, composition, creativity and artistic expression.

Go to www.visitsingapore.com/mysgp for more details.

Winners will also be announced on this website on April 15.

Singapore F1 track scoops award

The Singapore Marina Bay street circuit has come into the limelight again after winning international praise with its inaugural night race on Sept 28.

The street circuit has won the title of world-wide Motor Sport Facility of the Year at the Professional Motor Sport World annual awards ceremony, held in Cologne, Germany on Nov 11.
The Singapore Grand Prix venue was commended both for the revolutionary track lighting and the spectacular way in which it wove the track through the heart of the city.

The Singapore Grand Prix venue went up against other candidates such as the European Grand Prix venue at Valencia in Spain, the new Toyota Racing Development chassis engineering building in Cologne and a new start-of-the-art motor racing facility at Sturup, near Malmo in Sweden.

Jonathan Hallett, Director of Media and Communications for Singapore GP, praised the entire team involved in the event.
'We are delighted that the efforts of the entire team, the invaluable contribution from all our fantastic partners, and the strong collaborative efforts from the government agencies and businesses, particularly those around the circuit, have been recognised by this award,' he said.
The Professional Motor Sport World Awards, which are in their third year of recognising international motor sports endeavours, were selected by a distinguished judging panel from all areas of the sport.

Other awards given out at the gala Award show in Cologne included Safety Innovation of the Year (awarded to the FIA Foundation for their work in improving safety in the World Rally Championship), and Team Principal of the Year (awarded to Franz Tost of Scuderia Toro Rosso).

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

David Coulthard Column

Singapore brought a welcome upturn in David Coulthard�s fortunes as the Red Bull driver scored his second points finish of the season � although an uncharacteristic pit miscue by the team limited his haul to two points rather than a potential five.

But after getting some stick from his fellow itv.com/f1 columnist Ted Kravitz, DC felt compelled to respond in his latest column as well as offering his assessment of the inaugural Singapore event.

It was gratifying to come away from Singapore with my first points finish since my podium in Montreal and to get some reward from one of the most demanding races of the season.
At the same time, there was inevitably a feeling of �what might have been� because I was set for fourth place rather than seventh until the mix-up at my final pit stop.
I was happy with my personal performance and felt I drove one of my best races of the year.
However my fellow itv.com/f1 columnist Ted Kravitz � who I think I may have met in the Formula 1 paddock at some point, although I�d have to check � has thrown down the gauntlet by suggesting that my performance was �mediocre� and that I�m now in retirement mode.

Having now had the opportunity to read Ted�s column, I�m afraid there are several inaccuracies that I need to correct to give a true picture of how my race unfolded.
First off, he criticises my slow in-lap before my second pit stop and asks why I was unable to overtake Fernando Alonso, who had just emerged from the pits.
Well, Lewis Hamilton � in one of the fastest cars out there � couldn�t pass me for more than 20 laps, so why would I be able to pass Alonso, who went on to win the grand prix?
If Lewis is as good as we all think he is, why did he spend more than 20 laps behind me?
Could he not have overtaken a driver in the twilight of his career if it was as easy as Ted imagines? How many people have you, Ted Kravitz, overtaken?
The true explanation is that Fernando came out right in front of me at the apex of turn one and, tanked up and on tyres that were not yet up to optimum temperature and pressure, inevitably held me up through the next two corners of the sequence.
That was what enabled Hamilton to finally get a run on me through turn five and down the back straight.
I lost further time as he passed me because I made him work for the place and was therefore off-line through turn seven.
The net effect of those two facts � being caught behind Fernando in the first three corners and losing time fighting for position with Lewis � was that I had a slow in-lap.
But when you�ve got a car holding you up through three interlinked corners, there�s nothing you can do; Hamilton capitalised on my being delayed to make a pass that he�d been unable to pull off throughout the previous stint.
Whatever anyone thinks of my performance this year, I look back at that period of my race as a very strong, consistent piece of defensive racecraft.

Ted asks how I managed to finish behind Nico Rosberg (who had to serve a penalty) and several other drivers who I had been ahead of after the first safety car period.
Again, this strikes me as a pretty superficial analysis.
The reason I (along with everyone else except the race winner) finished behind Rosberg was that Nico got lucky with the delay in applying his penalty and had the benefit of nine laps in clear air in which to build a huge lead, so he emerged from his stop still in front of me and Lewis.
And the reason I slipped from fourth to seventh place was the glitch at my last stop, when I was released before the refuelling was complete.
I played this down in my post-race interviews because I didn�t feel it was fair to criticise the Red Bull pit crew, who have been among the fastest and slickest out there this year.
But the fact is, they made a mistake. I�ve made my share this year too and mistakes happen.
But what it did mean was that I rejoined the racetrack behind Timo Glock, Sebastian Vettel and Nick Heidfeld rather than in front of them, and the die was cast for the rest of the race.
Ted then points out that I fell away in the final stint and that I only set the 13th fastest lap.
I was on a used set of option tyres (the slower compound in Singapore) and it�s true that I lost ground to the front-runners, which is not surprising given the fundamentally superior pace of their cars.
But Kazuki Nakajima dropped away from me in the last stint even though he had been quicker than me earlier in the race and Williams were considerably faster than us all weekend in Singapore.
Also, my underlying pace was closer to our sister team Toro Rosso than it has been in recent grands prix.
I set a faster race lap than Sebastien Bourdais and I was three-tenths slower than Vettel, when we know that the underlying pace difference between the two cars is closer to half a second at the moment.
So when Ted says I �could only manage� the 13th fastest lap I don�t know what his basis for comparison is.
I have no problem receiving criticism for errors or what might appear like average performances, but to cite Singapore as an example of that simply doesn�t stand up in my opinion.


What I think this highlights is the difficulty that people who are not ex-drivers have in explaining some of the nuances of Formula 1 to the viewing public.
The public relies on so-called expert opinions, but very often the opinion-formers are people who don�t have any direct experience of what they are talking about.
As I explained in my autobiography, a big source of disappointment in my racing career has been the manner in which the media wield a lot of influence without necessarily either speaking from a position of knowledge or being held to account.
I can give an opinion on Peter Mandelson being brought back to the cabinet, but I don�t know enough about politics so someone will tear it apart because it�s not a credible opinion.
Equally, would you want a doctor who has never performed brain surgery giving an opinion on how to go about the procedure and whether the neurosurgeon who carried out the procedure did a good job?
I appreciate it�s not realistic to expect all F1 journalists to be ex-F1 drivers, but I do feel a bit more humility would be in order when offering opinions that are not based on facts.
Ted can surmise that because I�m in my last season and I�m about to be a father then I must have lifted off the throttle.
No one is in a position to know that other than me � and as I�ve said many times, if I ever felt that I no longer had the commitment to drive the car I wouldn�t still be doing it.
I certainly wouldn�t have committed to a contract for next year that will see me carrying out one of the more dangerous aspects of Formula 1, which is testing and development of the car.
The reality is that I still enjoy the technical aspects of F1 and I still love driving the cars, but I recognise that my competitive racing days are coming to an end.
I�m not in denial of that fact, so to suggest that my time is up � when I�ve already acknowledged that�s the case, after a long and in my opinion mildly successful career � is hardly an earth-shattering revelation.
I�m entirely comfortable being in the category of has-been because the other options are to be a wannabe or a never-has-been.

Night Fever

The Singapore event was a great success in several different ways: as Formula 1�s first ever night race; as a new street circuit that, bumps aside, the drivers really enjoyed; and as a well organised and presented event with a big crowd on hand.
Racing under floodlights didn�t pose any great problems; in fact, given Singapore�s draining heat and humidity, and the physical nature of the track, it made perfect sense to run the race at night.
The rough surface, on the other hand, was a significant issue.
Unfortunately the bumpiest part of the track was from turn five to turn seven, which was also the best overtaking opportunity.
The circuit was crested as you went through the kink at turn six and extremely bumpy in seven, and it meant that having a go was very risky.
We saw some severe lock-ups in turn seven on a couple of occasions because the cars were literally jumping off the ground at that point.
I�m sure that�s something that will be rectified for next year and we will see significantly better racing as a result.
You can always judge the physical difficulty of a grand prix by how long the drivers hang around in the weigh-in garage, and a lot of people waited in there for several minutes before walking out to speak to the media.
I was pretty dehydrated after the race because I had driven all 61 laps without a supply of fluid, having discovered just before the start that my new helmet hadn�t had a drinks system fitted!
One aspect of the weekend that was very strange was the fact that the drivers and teams were all staying on European time zones while life in Singapore carried on as normal.
It was bizarre to have us drivers hanging around the hotel lobby at 3am wondering what to do because everyone else � locals, fans, corporate sponsors � was tucked up in bed and the town was in lockdown.
We were holding drivers� briefings at one o�clock in the morning and going for something to eat at two or three o�clock.
We found one open-all-hours restaurant in the Conrad hotel called Oscar�s, but the rest of the time we survived on room service.
All in all, everyone seemed to enjoy the weekend, there was a big turnout of Paddock Club and corporate guests and it was an exciting spectacle for fans and TV viewers.
I think street circuits and night races have a niche role to play on the Formula 1 calendar, but I wouldn�t want to see too many of them because then some of the novelty and extra anticipation would be lost.

David Coulthard was speaking to Alex Sabine http://www.itv-f1.com/

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO - SINGAPORE HIGHLIGHTS

So much has been said about the Singapore Grand Prix, that it's hard to top up.
The first of many kind, it has according to officials been a tremendous success. I was privileged enought to be part of this amazing event through a Marshalling role. From our point of view, i will say that it was the highlight of my F1 passion. I will post photos and links in another post soon enough for your enjoyement, but in the meantime here is the Official Video review of the Singapore GP.
Watch it Here

A last minute Run Down of the Singapore GP Circuit

Turns 1-3

The first of Singapore�s 13 left-handers, Turn 1 also represents the first overtaking opportunity on a circuit which, refreshingly, seems to offer several. A Grand Prix car will be travelling at over 280 km/h when it�s time to brake for Turn 1, downshifting to 2nd and slowing to around half that speed in the short right-hand sprint that follows, snatching 3rd through Turn 2 before dropping back to 2nd for Turn 3. Look for cornering speeds around 90-95 through there.

Turns 4-5

Leaving the new, permanent section of the track at the apex of Turn 3, the cars will accelerate up to 4th and touch 200 km/h and above through the left-hand kink of Turn 4. The right-hander at Turn 5 will be 3rd-gear, around the 130 mark, but the key point here is that the corner doesn�t tighten up � getting back on the throttle and up to speed for the long straight shouldn�t pose too many problems.

Turn 6

Speed is the essence of racing, of course � and the need for speed will be well and truly answered in this section! The cars should rocket all the way up to 7th as they go through the right-hand �kink� halfway along the straight, meaning they will hit 300+ before the sharp left-hander at
Turn 7. And this, remember, is a street circuit�

Turns 7-8-9

Deceleration from those speeds means the approach to Turn 7 offers another clear overtaking opening. They need to get down to around 110k km/h to get round Turn 7, the 2nd-gear corner onto Nicholl Highway, and the ones who leave the braking late are the ones who will have a chance to make up places. As long as they don�t leave it too late�It�s a dab on the throttle and back to around 200 approaching Turn 8, the 2nd-gear right-hander where the circuit�s �waist� is tightly pinched opposite Turn 14. Same for Turn 9: on the throttle, 200 or so then hit the anchors for the left-hand 3rd-gear corner which brings us to the historic heart of the track and the city.

Turns 9-10-11

Next comes the short straight that carries them past the Padang and towards the Singapore River. Getting the power down well out of Turn 9 will set a driver up for an attack on the way into the intriguing section at the end of it. Speeds here should be around 250 km/h, and a pass under braking into the left-hand sequence starting at Turn 10 is a distinct possibility. Snaking their way through 10 and 11, the drivers are likely to be reminded very firmly that this IS a street circuit: space is at a premium, so getting the lines right here will make all the difference. With its absorbing backdrop, it could be a photographer�s paradise.

Turns 12-13

This is potentially one of the most intriguing sections of the new track. Where else can you see Grand Prix cars arrowing across a 100-year-old bridge, turning sharp left and crossing the wide mouth of a river on a much more modern bridge? They should be in 2nd, then 3rd and building to 150 through Turn 12, jockeying for position on the narrow bridge and lining up the acute left-hander at Turn 13, taken in 2nd gear.

Turn 14

This is one of four places � Turn 13 to Turn 14 � where the cars can really stretch their legs: look for top speeds around 280 once more as they cross Esplanade Bridge before braking hard into 14. Sound familiar? It is � and it means another overtaking chance under braking for the right-hander that makes up the other side of the circuit�s �waist�.

Turns 15-20

We have to take this sequence all together as that�s what the drivers will be trying to do: minimizing the loss of speed through a challenging stretch that begins at around 230 km/h through the left-hand kink at Turn 15, then slows dramatically for another unique section of Singaporean track. This bayside section is the slowest on the track, not much faster than 100 or so in 2nd with a run of right-left-left-right-right changes of direction from Turns 16 to 20. Getting into corners well under braking, and getting back out of them well at relatively slow speed, will be the key.

Turns 20-21

Picking up speed, the cars will shift up to 3rd through Turn 20, accelerating through 120 km/h and faster through 21 as the drivers look for the best possible momentum into and out of the final corners.

Turns 22-23

That�s the double left-hander, Turns 22 and 23, swinging back onto the main straight. Through 22 the speed should climb above 150, then quickly up to 200 through the final corner as they get ready to pass the Start-Finish line on the way to 280 km/h. Only another 60 laps to go!

Courtesy of www.paddocktalk.com

TV crew putting the last Touch beofre the Big Tune-in

TV crew sweat it out to get it right before the eyes of the world tune in this weekend

ORGANISERS expect about 100,000 fans to line the circuit each day of the 2008 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix.
It is estimated that the global television audience for the Sept 26-28 race weekend will number more than 550 million, validating Bernie Ecclestone�s decision to insist on Singapore hosting a night race.
To ensure the television audience gets the best kind of viewership experience possible, 40 cameras will be located along the 5.1km street circuit in the Marina Bay district.
It is believed that 26 have been permanently installed at various points, while the remaining 14 will be mobile, attached to special cables suspended over the circuit.
There will be a television camera on the 28th floor of the 73-storey Swiss�tel the Stamford, which is located at the junction of Stamford Road and Beach Road overlooking Turn Nine of the circuit. Another camera will be on a helicopter to capture aerial shots.
When we visited various sections of the circuit along Esplanade Bridge and Raffles Avenue yesterday, a team from Formula One Management (FOM), the body which controls the rights to media distribution and content of the sport, were seen installing audio-visual equipment.
Ray Ponton, a member of the technical crew on site, explained that 10 days were needed to set up the entire system.

�Because there are no service roads here for us to transport all the equipment, we have to do it in phases,� he said. �We have about five sets of fibre-optic cables spanning about 30km around the circuit. It�s hard work, but we all enjoy what we do.�
Ponton added that they have a crew of about 200 installing the cameras and other audio-visual equipment.
A team of around 30 arrived here on Sept 14 to begin work, and it is expected to be operational by Wednesday, 48 hours before Friday�s two practice sessions.
The first session begins at 7pm, when the 20 cars from the 10 teams on the grid will get their first run on the street circuit.

It will also be the first time the drivers will be piloting their cars on the circuit at night.
They will do 61 laps on the anti-clockwise route, which features 23 turns.
McLaren-Mercedes� Lewis Hamilton currently leads the drivers� standings by one point from Ferrari�s Felipe Massa and with three races left after Singapore, the outcome here could well go a long way to determining the 2008 world champion.

While Ponton and Co deal with the television equipment, another team from event marketing and exhibition providers Pico Art International will continue to put the finishing touches to the spectator galleries.
By tomorrow, they will complete the final gallery along theSt Andrew�s Road stretch near Turn 10, which can hold up to 1,500 spectators.
Meanwhile, Italian lighting company Valerio Maioli S.p.A. are close to completing tests on the 10,000 specially-designed lamps that will illuminate the race.
We have to clock up to 100 hours to test the system and make sure everything is ready,� said Valerio Maioli yesterday.
I�m very happy we managed to complete all this in such a short space of time.�

Tan Yo-Hinn- Today Paper

Redbull's Singapore Virtual Lap

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

MAS Launches 2008 Formula 1TM Singtel Singapore Grand Prix Commemorative Coins

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) today launched a set of coins to commemorate the inaugural Formula 1TM ("F1") Singtel Singapore Grand Prix that will be held from 26 to 28 September 2008.

Coin Design

The Singapore event will be the first night race in F1 history and the first street race in Asia. The design captures the spectacular mood of dazzling lights and vibrancy of the night race and landmarks in the Marina area that forms part of the street circuit. Also featured on the coin are the two most recognisable icons in auto racing, namely, a F1 car at full throttle and the winning chequered flag.

The obverse of the coins bears the Singapore Arms with the year-date 2008.
Limited Worldwide Authorised Mintage

The coins will be issued on 12 September 2008.

The details of the coin are:

a.$2 Cupro-Nickel Proof-Like Coin Proof-like condition. Coin diameter of 38.70 mm. Authorised mintage of 8,000 pieces.

b.$50 Silver Proof Coin 20 grams of 999 fine silver with full colour application. Coin diameter of 38.70 mm. Authorised mintage of 6,000 pieces.

c.$100 Gold Proof Coin � troy oz of 999.9 fine gold. Authorised mintage of 300 pieces.
2,008 pieces each of the $2 Cupro-Nickel and $50 Silver Proof coins will be sold as 2-in-1 sets.

Sale of Coins

The coins will be sold by The Singapore Mint and Logo House (S) Pte Ltd, the Formula 1TM official merchandise licensee for Asia.

For enquiries and coin orders, the public can contact The Singapore Mint at 6566 2626 / 6895 0358 / 6895 0364 or via internet at http://www.singaporemint.com/.

Trulli says Singapore still a worry for F1 drivers

Formula One drivers are still fretting about the sport's first night race less than a month before Singapore's new street circuit makes its debut.

"It's a new circuit, we don't know much about it, the schedule, the times of running. we all are a little bit concerned about the night race and the poor weather which might occur there," Toyota's Jarno Trulli told reporters at the Belgian Grand Prix on Thursday.

"It's a big question mark for everyone, we mustn't underestimate the situation."
Singapore will become the second new venue this season after last month's Valencia street race when the southeast Asian island state hosts the 15th round of the championship on Sept. 28 at the tail end of the monsoon season.
Unlike Valencia, which staged a couple of junior formula races on the street circuit a month before the grand prix to iron out any problems, Singapore remains untested.

"In Valencia they did a good job, so I am confident they can do a good job for Singapore," said Trulli. "But the location is different and the climate conditions are different.
"We are all a little bit uncertain because we probably don't have enough data. I haven't seen the circuit layout but that's not the problem. The problem is we don't know if the circuit is good enough, if the surface is good enough, if we have enough run-off areas, if the safety is good enough for a night race in wet conditions.
"There are several question marks and several concerns. I'm not saying that I don't want to race there, but that we might encounter some more problems than in Valencia."

Mega F1 Sale at Suntec City on 18th - 20th September'08

IT IS WITH DEEP REGRETS THAT OUR EVENT IN SUNTEC CITY HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED BY THE ORGANISERS DUE TO ROAD CLOSURES AFFECTING SUNTEC CITY BEING PLANNED EARLIER THAN EXPECTED, THUS GREATLY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF VISITORS TO THE EXHIBITION.

WE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF NEW DEVELLOPEMENTS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PAST SUPPORT AND SEE YOU AT THE RACE...

Come September 18 - 20th (Thursday to Saturday) we will be having an amazing booth featuring the best of Formula1 Merchandise, at the "Acceler8" Show in Suntec City Hall 404. With only 3 mega days of bargains, it is a Sale not to be missed for F1 Fans and everybody's else too. Think birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas.... and of course Singtel Singapore Grand Prix the following week.

We will be featuring Vodaphone McLaren, Scudeira Ferrari, At&t Williams, Bar Honda, Renault F1 Team amongst others. As wholesalers we will be able to offer you genuine Official Merchandise at prices not available anywhere else.

Nestle has been very generous and will be sponsoring their New Nescafe Beverage promotion for all our customers as part of their "Catch Lewis in Person" campaign.
You can find out more by visiting their official website at : http://www.catchlewis.com/

We're looking forward to seeing you all there and even if you're not buying anything, just come and say "Hi"

Your Bank may be the ticket to F1 Singapore GP

WITH only a month left until Singapore's first Formula One race, some banks are pulling out all the stops to get their clients revved up for the big event.
Some are splashing out wads of cash to fly in top-tier customers from all over the world while others are hosting posh F1 cocktail parties at some top hotels.
Splashing out
Credit Suisse. The Swiss bank is inviting about 900 global guests who are its clients to the race.
Royal Bank of Scotland. Clients will be hosted to a cocktail party at the old Supreme Court building and get a chance to meet F1 legend Jackie Stewart.
ING. A major sponsor of the Renault team, it is hosting some 1,000 wholesale and private banking customers.
In short, the inaugural F1 night race is shaping up to be a major marketing tool for a number of the banks here.
Three big sponsors - ING Group, Credit Suisse and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) - are not only giving the highly sought-after Paddock Club tickets to wealthy clients, but also letting them hobnob with the world's best F1 drivers.
While the three declined to say how much they are splurging on their clients, observers estimate each bank could chalk up millions during the race period.
Credit Suisse is inviting about 900 global guests who are its clients to the race which runs from Sept 26 to 28.
The Swiss bank did not want to disclose how many of its clients will be treated to exclusive Paddock Club tickets.
But what is known is that these tickets - which allow guests to get close-up views of the pit-lane action while feasting on champagne and caviar - do not come cheap, with prices ranging from $3,500 to $7,500 for a single seat.
As Credit Suisse is the official partner of the BMW Sauber team, its guests will get to meet the team's drivers Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica at a dinner.
RBS, a key sponsor of the Williams team, will host its clients at a cocktail party at the old Supreme Court building.
ING, a major sponsor of the Renault team, also said it is hosting some 1,000 wholesale and private banking customers.
Meanwhile, other banks have entered the fray to create opportunities for guests to meet and socialise.
'One of our party nights is built around a hawker stall theme,' said Mr V. Shankar, group head of origination and client coverage at Standard Chartered Bank. 'Our clients can look forward to lots of good, authentic Singapore food, lots of laughs and definitely F1 celebrities.'
SG Private Banking has chartered a private yacht for clients to cruise to the Southern Islands. 'It will provide guests, especially those from overseas, the unique opportunity to view the much-talked-about developments along Singapore's waterfront,' said Mr Pierre Baer, SG Private Banking chief executive officer for Singapore and South Asia.
OCBC Bank is the only local bank to invite its clients to the Paddock Club. 'No detail is too small for us as we make transport arrangements for our customers to get to the OCBC Paddock Club without fuss,' said Ms Koh Ching Ching, head of group corporate communications.
Despite the glamour of being associated with the race, industry watchers say some private banks, including those belonging to Citigroup, JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch, have chosen to give the race a miss, or are taking a subdued approach.
Sources say many of them - saddled with credit-related losses and write- downs back home - would have thrown parties and sponsorships without hesitation when capital was plentiful.
But now they have to be realistic.
Citi, JPMorgan and Merrill all declined to comment. Those willing to go on record were either skittish on details or simply painted a mood of conservatism.
UBS Singapore's chief operating officer Teo Lay Sie said it has made arrangements for clients to attend race-related hospitality events and the race itself.
Mr Rolf Gerber, CEO of LGT Bank in Liechtenstein (Singapore), said the bank is sponsoring tickets for top clients - but they will make their own flight and hotel arrangements. 'We wanted to see how exciting, if at all, the F1 turns out to be before making a decision on perhaps a greater commitment for F1 next year,' he said.

By Gabriel chen (Asiaone.com)

Bridgestone Goes soft for Singapore

Bridgestone has announced it will take the softest tyres in its four-compound range to the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix next month.
The soft and super-soft rubber will be the tyres available to teams for Formula 1�s first night-time grand prix on roads around the Marina Bay area.
In its confirmation of its plans for the season�s final four rounds, F1�s tyre supplier also said it has opted to make a change to its compounds for the season-finale in Brazil in November, with medium and soft tyres to be used as opposed to last year�s soft and super-soft.
The other two flyaway events, the Japanese and Chinese Grands Prix, will feature the same compounds used at their respective races in 2007.

Bridgestone�s director of tyre development Hirohide Hamashima explained the Japanese firm�s decisions, saying: �This will be the first time for Formula 1 in Singapore and we will bring the soft and super soft compounds for this interesting new street course.
�High grip will be required at this track which is the primary reason for our choice.
�For Brazil we have moved a step harder in our allocation range.
�This race can be very hot, as we saw last year, and our data from the thrilling final race of last season showed us that this change would be beneficial for the teams."

Tyre compounds for remaining 2008 races

Europe (Valencia) � super-soft, soft

Belgium � medium, hard

Italy � medium, hard

Singapore � super-soft, soft

Japan � soft, medium

China � medium, hard

Brazil � soft, medium