Why the Singapore GP is the ultimate F1 adventure spectacular
As the first F1 night race gears up to celebrate its 10th anniversary this year the Singapore Grand Prix has become an all-out highlight of the season attracting fans from across the world, but what makes it so special?
F1 after dark gave the sport a whole new spectacle as the floodlights of the Marina Bay circuit lit the way for a new experience in 2008. Fast forward 10 races later and the Singapore GP continues to go from strength to strength.
Initially seen as Monaco under the lights, the Singapore GP has moved into its own unique style as a defining race of Formula 1 in the 21st century. The inaugural race in 2008 marked a new start for F1 with the night race beginning at the conventional Europe race start time while opening up the sport to a brand new audience.
The race also posed brand new challenges to teams and drivers as the extreme heat and humidity pushed boundaries for endurance, with drivers losing over 3kg in sweat during a race, while still demanding drivers be pinpoint accurate under the lights on the tight and twisty street circuit.
While Fernando Alonso claimed victory in the dramatic 2008 race for Renault, the race has provided a number of classics which has seen four different drivers and five different manufacturers taste victory in a decade - a record all other F1 races struggles to match.
In 2015, Ferrari memorably outclassed Mercedes who struggled in the testing conditions as Sebastian Vettel claimed his fourth win in Singapore (the current record for most wins) plus his third career win for the iconic Italian manufacturer.
With the circuit hosting over 100,000 fans on race weekend, including an excess of 40,000 international travellers for the race, it is a truly global event which shines brightly on the F1 calendar. The Marina Bay street circuit takes on public roads in some of the city's most famous landmarks against a spectacular backdrop of the Singapore skyline which can't be matched anywhere in the world.
As the 2017 F1 world championship fight intensifies, Singapore is set to host another dramatic encounter between the legends of the sport while the new era of cars is expected to push the limits and speeds even further.
Tickets for the 2017 FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX (15 to 17 September) are available for sale at www.singaporegp.sg, via the ticketing hotline +65 6738 6738 as well as all authorised ticketing agents. The artiste line-up and schedule is subject to change. For the latest 2017 FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX programme line-up, visit www.singaporegp.sg
