New venue to host a race in 2008Singapore will host its debut Formula One Grand Prix on a street circuit next year and the race may be the first held at night, officials announced today.
The tiny but affluent city-state will organise the first of five Grand Prix
in either September or early October 2008, with an option to extend to 2013, trade and industry minister S. Iswaran told a briefing.
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he was confident safety issues would be resolved to allow night-racing, a move designed to boost global TV ratings. "Yes," he said via video link from Barcelona, when asked if the Singapore Grand Prix would be a night event.
Iswaran said hosting an F1 race will bring Singapore closer to its ambition of becoming a 'vibrant, global city,' adding that the race is estimated to generate about 100 million Singapore dollars (66 million US) a year in incremental receipts.
The regional financial centre with a somewhat staid reputation is set to open its first casino being built by Las Vegas Sands in 2009. Iswaran said the Grand Prix, around the downtown Marina Bay district, could 'potentially' be held at night if safety can be assured.
"Safety is of paramount importance to all of us. Therefore we will proceed with a night race only if the safety and operational requirements of all parties...
are fully met," he said. "If not we will revert to a day race format."
Mark Webber praised the proposed Singapore street circuit after testing it in March, but said more research was needed into night racing. The Australian said organisers would have to look into lighting and the effect of rain, which could create glare in dark conditions.
Iswaran said Singapore GP Pte Ltd, a company controlled by hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng, has secured the hosting rights for five years starting in 2008, with the option of renewing for another five years. He said the Singapore Tourism Board had evaluated the event and deemed it 'worthy' of the government's support.
The F1 race will be on a 4.8 kilometre (three-mile) street route proposed by designer Hermann Tilke. Monaco already hosts a street race and Spain's Valencia will also hold Grand Prix on an urban circuit from next year.
Source AFP
