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.

Monaco GP Preview

In a week when budget caps and how best to slash costs are causing all manner of political heartache in Formula 1, it is a little ironic that the championship is about to pitch up at its most ostentatious location: Monte Carlo.
A street race around a millionaires' paradise tax haven, along a harbourside lined with the super-yachts of the world's most wealthy, the Monaco Grand Prix is not just a tribute to excess - it's also arguably the most evocative and historic venue in all of motorsport.
Singapore demonstrated last year that modern street tracks could be a big hit, but it cannot compete with Monaco's incredible 80-year heritage.
Apart from additional safety features, less dust and more advertising, many parts of the course still follow the same route as the Bugattis and Maseratis did in the inaugural race in 1929.

It doesn't matter that the race is inevitably processional, for it's the challenge of threading the cars between the barriers, coping with the constantly mutating grip levels on the treacherous public roads and the unique echo of the F1 V8s screaming off the harbour walls that makes Monaco a joy to watch even if wheel-to-wheel moments are rare in the extreme.
The 2009 regulation changes will not do much to change the latter situation.
Aerodynamic turbulence is not the problem in Monaco - indeed with so many slow corners cars actually follow each other more closely here than anywhere else.
The reasons why overtaking is so scarce are purely because there isn't the space to get two cars comfortably side by side in many places, because the straights are too short to build momentum for a move, and because the track is so treacherous off the racing line.
KERS might help a bit on the brief sprints between the final and first corners, and through the tunnel towards the chicane, but neither the 'boost button' nor an adjustable wing will overcome the sheer lack of space or the dirty surface.

Tyre performance variation will not be so big a factor either, for Bridgestone has decided to temporarily halt its policy of bringing two very different compounds to each race for Monaco only, instead providing the relatively similar super softs and softs.
It will still be intriguing to see what difference this makes to the outcome, for tyre wear has contributed to some of Monaco's finest racing in recent years.
In 2002 David Coulthard did a masterful job to hold off a growing pack of challengers as his Michelins went through a graining phase that saw even the Minardis out-pacing the eventual winner for a while.
But three years later, during the season when mid-race tyre changes were temporarily banned, the Renaults plunged down the order as their Michelins wilted, losing so much grip that even Monaco's narrow confines could not protect them from being overtaken.
Strategy is always tough to call in Monte Carlo, particularly in the current era of qualifying on race fuel.
Until that system was introduced, most Monaco winners tended to make relatively late single stops.
On paper that tends to remain the fastest strategy for most, but pole position simply isn't going to happen if you're taking 40 or more laps of fuel into Q3.
The pole contenders therefore have to go light, and gamble on being able to pull away sufficiently before their first stop to ensure that they are not then stuck amongst the heavier cars - because these drivers are sure to be going much, much further before pitting, and will be almost impossible to overtake.
With so many cars so closely matched on pace, those qualifying decisions will be tougher than ever.
Logically Monaco should see a continuation of Brawn and Red Bull's ongoing battle, but Ferrari is now also a factor to consider following its big leap in Spain.
McLaren insists it will be in much better shape on the streets - where it has won for three of the last four years - as well.
Recent Williams chassis have tended to suit Monaco well, too (although converting that speed into results has proved harder), and the team could desperately do with getting back to its early-season level of competitiveness - as could Toyota after a poor Spanish GP.
Never count out double Monaco winner Fernando Alonso either, and watch out for a star performance from Force India's Adrian Sutil - who topped final practice here in 2007 and ran an amazing fourth last year until being clobbered by Kimi Raikkonen.
It would now be startling if Jenson Button didn't win the world championship, for his four out of five record so far is just too good a start to be overcome unless something bizarre happens in the remainder of the season.
But Monaco regularly delivers surprises, or trips up the otherwise dominant.
Hence Coulthard and Jarno Trulli's shock wins for McLaren and Renault in 2002 and 2004, both seasons when Michael Schumacher was looking unstoppable, or Williams turning around an anonymous start to the year to take Juan Pablo Montoya to Monaco victory in 2003.
Normally anyone who had won every dry race so far in a season could be relatively confident of success, but there are no certainties in Monte Carlo, so this will be just as nerve-wracking a weekend for Button as it will be a big opportunity for the rivals he has been summarily

dismissing on-track up till now.

Source : ITV.com

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

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).

Insider Pictures - The Marshalls story

It has been a tremendous long week-end for all of us Volunteer Race Marshalls at the Inaugural Singapore Grand Prix. Almost a 1000 of us including Medics and fire Marshall.

We were divided in 26 posts - 1 for each turn plus a couple in between.

Each section would comprise

• Track marshalls : The one you see helping clearing the Track or moving accident cars - Usually about 6-8 pers.)
  
• Communications : in direct comms with race control, reporting everything from spinning cars to accidents... - about 3 on each post
  
• Flaggies, the one who would come up with all the different couloured flags - to maintain race safety - around 4 to 6 per post


• Fire Marshall - to help with accidents - there would be at least 3 to 5 at a section


• Medics : to help with the first aid - both to driver and staff


• 1 Deputy Sector marshall ( Singaporean)


• 1 Sector Marshall - From CAMS Australia- Volunteers as well brought in from Australia to train us all for the past 6 month
  

I think pictures speak louder than words so here are some of the highlights of the week-end form our perspective.

See you all in 2008....

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.

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

McLaren Reveals Singapore Secret weapon.

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."

Running on Shell in Singapore

By the time the first Formula One night race takes place in Singapore this year, it will not just be long-time technical partner Ferrari feeling the benefit of Shell's advanced technologies. Shell Bitumen was selected to supply premium grade Bitumen Shell Cariphalte Racetrack for the new track surface at the Singapore Grand Prix circuit.


The track laying work has been underway since April 2008 and was completed in June. In reflection of the race itself, track surfacing work was carried out overnight (midnight - 6am), so as not to disrupt the daily traffic on the streets of Singapore. More than 15,000 tonnes of asphalt has been laid in that time.
The challenges associated have included development of an asphalt formulation unique to the demands of the Singapore venue, not only because of its dual purpose as a busy city road by day and a Formula One circuit by night, but because of the varied climate and temperatures. The formulation created by Shell and Hanson Heidelberg is a mix of specially selected aggregate (stone) from Malaysia and Shell Cariphalte Racetrack Bitumen technology. A complicated project, the Singapore Formula One track surfacing was completed in cooperation with contractor Hanson Heidelberg.
Shell Bitumen technology is proven worldwide and has already been used at the Formula One circuits of Sepang in Malaysia, Sakhir in Bahrain, Hockenheim and N�rburgring in Germany and Ferrari's own Fiorano test track in Italy. Asada Harinsuit, Shell Bitumen Vice President said: "Shell Bitumen is renowned for its technical solutions and long experience. We are pleased to see Shell Cariphalte Racetrack selected as the right product for the Singapore Grand Prix circuit."

For this application, the track surface has to remain constant, whilst being subjected to a range of weather conditions and extreme punishment from the Formula One cars. The binder has a much higher cohesive strength so it can withstand horizontal sheer forces when a race car accelerates or when the car brakes into the corner, Shell Cariphalte Racetrack provides the perfect solution.

This Shell technology aims to provide a fine racing experience for all twenty competing cars on track. Scuderia Ferrari Team Director, Stefano Domenicali, spoke recently about this project; "The track surface is the place where the car has to run smoothly - it affects grip, it affects the aerodynamic of the car and at the end of the day it affects the performance of the car itself. That is the reason why it is important and is sometimes difficult to find the right place where we can have races."

Referring to Shell's long-standing technical partnership with Ferrari, Domenicali also commented: "We are pleased to know that Shell Bitumen was chosen to prepare the new track in Singapore and we were lucky, because thanks to our collaboration we had the Fiorano track completely surfaced with a new technology and new product and that helps a lot."
Shell's track to road transfer of technology and knowledge is exemplified by the paving of Singapore's Grand Prix circuit where the two surfaces, that of Formula One and that of road cars, have to work together to provide a stable foundation for years to come.

Singapore releases Road closure Details.

FOR 12 days, as Singapore hosts its first Formula 1 race, those travelling to Marina Centre and Suntec City or the vicinity are being urged to do one thing: Take public transport.

The authorities yesterday released details of extensive road closures in the Central Business District � and as Today revealed in an exclusive report last month, these will take place in stages, from Sept 20 to the early hours of Oct 2, and include a morning access window for rush-hour traffic.

While drivers might find it easier to leave their cars at home for this period, the closures will also see 26 bus services diverted :to ply roads �closest to their original route�.

This would affect those working in the Collyer Quay area, for instance, who may will have to drop off at :North Bridge Road or Pickering Street instead, or Suntec City denizens who might have to walk from Beach Road bus stops.

Arrangements have been made, however, for free bus bridging services between the Marina/Suntec area and: City Hall and Bugis MRT stations. This will provide some relief for shoppers, office workers and visitors who want to avoid the long walk, said Land Transport Authority (LTA) chief executive Yam Ah Mee.

Meanwhile, taxis carrying passengers would also be allowed to drop them off at five points at Suntec City, Millenia Tower and the Conrad Hotel lobby. Vacant taxis, however, will not be allowed to enter the restricted or closed roads.

Energetic pedestrians can continue to use the underground CityLink walkway, :overhead bridges and underpasses, although the installation of the track infrastructure might make surface roads inconvenient to navigate. Motorists with season-parking passes should be able to continue to drive in and park, though details are still being worked out.


Challenge: Dispersing the race-day crowd

As for the three race days, Sept 26 to 28, of of the SingTel Singapore Formula One Grand Prix, authorities are working with operators to increase train frequencies and extend public tranport operating hours, to cope with the massive crowd logistics.

With 100,000 ticket holders expected, not to mention tens of thousands more turning up in the vicinity to hear the roar of F1 cars flying past, are the public transport provisions sufficient to handle the surge?

Citing major events such as last year�s National Day Parade which was held at the Marina Bay Floating Platform for the first time, Mr Yam said the existing public transport modes would be able to handle similar large crowds during the grand prix.

On top of the free bridging service, which will run until 7pm on race days, when the main F1 event ends at about 10pm on Sept 28, shuttle buses should be lined up back-to-back to pick up spectators.

This will help move the crowds from the race circuit, to the City Hall and Bugis MRT stations, said LTA.

But in addition, organisers are lining up events, lasting up to two hours, that will hopefully keep some merrymakers back and allow for a staggered dispersal of the crowd. These will include concerts and F&B events in the Marina area, say organisers who will give more details later.

In the meantime, expect localised lane closures on roads affected by F1 works to start next week.

Also ahead of September: A series of rehearsals are being lined up to familiarise organisers, drivers and the public on the road closures. Stakeholders will also be engaged to fine-tune details of the logistical blueprint, said the authorities.