F1 Singapore

Hot on the heels of South Africa's re-emergence on the Formula One radar, it is being reported that Singapore is set to join the annual calendar as early as 2008.

The newspaper Today quoted a 'source' who confirmed that the project, with government support, could be given the green light next week for an April or August date.

Bernie Ecclestone is expected to travel to the island city-state, located in South-East Asia, later this month.


"I can confirm that Singapore is on the calendar next year and it could either be the third race of the season, or towards the end of the season in August," the anonymous source said, explaining that he is bound by non-disclosure rules.

Today claims that the Singapore Grand Prix will be F1's first ever night race, on a city circuit.

Source GMM
CAPSIS International

How Exciting!!!

Thanks for the news Flier. I wonder how much tickets will cost.

Update 06/03/07

Bernie Ecclestone has denied reports that said a deal was already in place for a night-time Singapore street race to be added to the Grand Prix calendar in 2008.

"We haven't entered into any agreement with anyone at the moment," the 76-year-old, albeit confirming negotiations with parties, told Reuters.

Regarding the news of a specific deal, Ecclestone insisted: "I don't know anything about it."

Proceedings in the Asian island-state's parliament on Monday, however, told a different story, when the minister for Trade and Industry indicated that a Singapore Grand Prix would likely attract government financial support.


The minister said: "I would say that the prospects are good, but there are still issues, such as the commercial terms to be struck between a potential race promoter and the F1 group, the level of support required from the government, and the extent to which other stakeholders come forward with their support.

"(But) we are taking a very serious look at hosting a Formula One race."

Source GMM
CAPSIS International

Latest Update from 13/03/07

Bernie Ecclestone has held talks in Singapore with a local tycoon who is bidding for the right to host a new F1 race in the country, the Straits Times reported Tuesday.

Ecclestone, who arrived late Monday from London for a stopover en route to the season opener in Melbourne this weekend, declined to say if Singapore would get to join the prestigious racing calendar. "I don't know, but that's what I'm here for," Ecclestone was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

The publication said Ecclestone was believed to have had dinner on Monday with Singapore hotel magnate Ong Beng Seng, one of two local parties jockeying to host an F1 race in the city-state.

The Singapore government confirmed last week that it was taking a 'very serious look' at hosting the event.

Meanwhile, Ecclestone says he wants to expand the calendar to 20 Grand Prix in 2009.
There will be just 17 races this year, but Ecclestone has already lined up Abu Dhabi and South Korea for future events and it is no secret that he is negotiating with India, Russia and Singapore.

"Europe risks being left behind by Formula One's expansion to the Middle and Far East," Ecclestone reportedly said in Singapore on Tuesday. "Comparing the circuits like Turkey with Silverstone or Magny Cours is like comparing the developed world with the third world."

BMW motor sport director Mario Theissen indicated that he would conditionally welcome a 20-race calendar. "I can imagine that," the German told Sport-Informations-Dienst, "but only if we continue to further limit testing."

E.A.
Source AFP / GMM

was pretty excited when i got an invitation to the F1 paddock race..but guess wat? it was live telecast at mercedes benz event hall!! :(

That is oredi way better than me....i never got invited by renault....hehehe.....so what freebies did they give you?

Many observers in Singapore emerged from F1's 2007 season opener surprised that a big news story failed to break.

Several sources on Monday are reporting that figures at nearly all levels of officialdom in the Asian island state were expecting an official announcement about Singapore's inclusion on a future Grand Prix calendar.

Bernie Ecclestone was accompanied in Melbourne by Singapore government officials and some of the private interest groups that have been linked with promoting a race, sparking speculation that a formal announcement was imminent.

But the sources are not averting their gaze yet, with the next 14-day period now earmarked as a likely period for the Singapore GP's green light.


A floodlit race held at around midnight is tipped.

"Since we are doing it for the first time, a lot of training needs to be done for our officials and marshals, to get them ready.

"This is a more critical issue," said Tan Teng Lip, President of the Singapore Motor Sports Association.

Minister flags Singapore race talks
Ongoing negotiations with Bernie Ecclestone
22/03/07 11:17


Zoom
Singapore making F1 bid very public

Commercial negotiations are under way and the Singapore government is prepared to offer support for hosting a Formula One race in the city-state, a cabinet minister said Thursday.

Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore's Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, declined to reveal details of the talks.

“Commercial negotiations are ongoing and in all these commercial transactions you don't really want to show all your cards," he said. "Some government support will be necessary and we have indicated to the private parties concerned that some support is available," he told the Foreign Correspondents Association.


The Straits Times newspaper reported last week that Bernie Ecclestone held talks in Singapore with a tycoon who is bidding for the right to host a new F1 race in the island nation.

The report said Ecclestone was believed to have had dinner with Singapore hotel magnate Ong Beng Seng, one of two local parties jockeying to host the F1 event.

Source AFP

Mark Webber on Saturday will become the first F1 driver to sample the proposed city layout for a Singapore Grand Prix.

According to the local newspaper Straits Times, the Red Bull racer is scheduled to test the street circuit at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3, even though he will have to conform to normal speed limits.

"We didn't have enough time to get the clearance for a high-speed run," Jyn Wee, Red Bull's brand manager in Singapore, was quoted as saying.

Webber publicly supports the concept of night races for formula one, with Singapore slated to become the first grand prix run under floodlights early next year.


"I have done a night race before and I like it a lot," Webber said. "I am sure the fans would love it and I think it is a unique idea, so why not?"

Source GMM
CAPSIS International

Singapore set to confirm 2008 GP
Loose ends to tie up before done deal
29/03/07 09:30


Zoom
Ongoing Singapore bid for Formula One...

Amid reports that Valencia has signed a deal for a Mediterranean Grand Prix in 2009, it is now expected that Singapore could as early as Friday formally announce its inclusion on the formula one calendar of next year.

On Thursday, the authoritative local newspaper Straits Times said the contract could be unveiled later this week, as Mark Webber prepares to jet into the Asian city-state to test drive the proposed layout for the street circuit.

The announcement could, however, be delayed until next week, the newspaper added.


The inaugural Singapore Grand Prix, likely to take place either in April or August next season, is to be the first confirmed night-time race for the sport, but nearby events in Melbourne and Malaysia are tipped to also take place under floodlights in 2008.

An unnamed source close to the Singapore negotiations told the publication: "There are just a few loose ends left in the deal to tie up."

Source GMM
CAPSIS International

More work needed on Singapore night race
Mark Webber questions lighting in the wet
31/03/07 12:02

Webber positive regarding the proposed event

Mark Webber praised a proposed Singapore street circuit after driving it on Saturday but said more research was needed into a plan to race here at night.

The Red Bull driver said organisers would have to look into lighting and the effect of rain, which could create glare in dark conditions.

"They are talking about the night concept which again is very, very new and pioneering and something which has not been done before in Formula One," said Webber who is also director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association.

"The question of whether it rains has been mentioned," he added. "It requires a lot of research and development into actually understanding how that could take place in terms of the amount of lighting required to make the event safe for the drivers, for marshals and (other) people taking part."

"There's a few unanswered questions which need a bit more research, but that happens when you have something very exciting and something very new which is what we have here.
"

Webber took a morning drive in a non-race car around the 4.8 kilometre route proposed by designer Hermann Tilke.

Despite the potential risks, Webber said "all the drivers are very, very keen to race on a new street circuit, which is definitely going to be the case here in Singapore."

"It's a very clean and beautiful city and I think it's a real signature event if you can have a Formula One Grand Prix here," he added. "I can see the enthusiasm and the excitement to have an international sporting event such as the world Formula One championships here and it's something which looks exciting, no questions about it."

E.A.
Source AFP

Singapore looks beyond Formula One
Considers permanent track for MotoGP
02/04/07 09:33

Yet more proposals from Singapore

Singapore is considering building a permanent circuit for major motor sport events, a report said Monday, as negotiations continued over a possible Formula One event in the city-state.

The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports could build the permanent track to host MotoGP, the A1 Grand Prix and other events but not Formula One, the Today newspaper said, citing unnamed sources. Government officials could not immediately comment on the report.

The circuit, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 miles) to four kilometres in length, could cost up to 200 million US dollars, Today said.

The F1 event being talked about for Singapore would be a street race, not a track event.


Minister of State for Trade and Industry, S. Iswaran, said Friday that negotiations about a possible Singapore F1 event were proceeding well. "From what I have gathered from the private sector, they are going well," he said on radio 938Live.

E.A.
Source AFP