Spectators at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday (Sept 22, 2024). - ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Heavy rainfall brought about by a Sumatra squall uprooted trees around Singapore earlier in the week, but it did little to dampen the mood and enthusiasm of motorsports fans who flocked to the Sept 20-22 Marina Bay Street Circuit for Formula One’s iconic night race.
In its 15th edition, the Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix continued to be a top draw as it attracted a sold-out crowd of 269,072 fans over the three-day race weekend.
The turnout was bigger than the 2023 race, which drew a near sell-out crowd of 264,108.
The record attendance for the night race was 302,000 in 2022, before the route was amended to omit the Float @ Marina Bay, which made way for the construction of NS Square. The Bay grandstand could seat 27,000.
Fans at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday (Sept 22). - ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
This season’s Singapore event was also one of the most exciting ones in years, with the fight for the drivers’ and constructors’ championships much more open than they were in recent campaigns, which were dominated by Red Bull and their main man Max Verstappen.
Current championship leaders McLaren continued to make a charge for both titles in Singapore, with their British driver Lando Norris winning the Sept 22 race after claiming pole in qualifying a day earlier while teammate Oscar Piastri finished third.
Having become the 10th pole sitter to win the Singapore race in 15 editions, Norris also piled pressure on drivers’ championship leader and three-time world champion Verstappen, who placed second at Marina Bay.
There were also new additions to this season’s Singapore race programme, with the F1 Academy, an all-woman series launched in 2023, scheduling its fifth of seven rounds here.
Championship leader Abbi Pulling, who races for Rodin Motorsport, exerted her dominance and inched closer to the drivers’ title by winning both races in Singapore.
This season’s Singapore event promised to be one of the most exciting ones in years. - ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Off the track, thousands of fans were also treated to performances at the F1 village and the Padang by a star-studded line-up that included American pop-rock band OneRepublic, US rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars and Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue.
For Dutch fan Wessel Manden, watching the Singapore Grand Prix in person for the first time ticked off an item on his bucket list.
The supermarket worker saved about €3,000 (S$4,300) to travel from the Netherlands for the Singapore race, even preparing a sign that read “Stroop wafel for signed merch” and bringing a few packets of the treat from home in his bid to get a few drivers’ autographs.
The 22-year-old said: “The fact that it is a night race and the scenery makes it one of the most unique races on the F1 calendar.
“When you watch the race on TV, you just wish to be there one day. I saved up a lot for it, to be able to make this trip. It was definitely on my bucket list to go to this race.”
Indonesians Irfani Ramadianti and Amalia Eka Septiani, who were decked in customised Ferrari suits, also thoroughly enjoyed the experience at their first grand prix.
The 25-year-olds had flown in from Jakarta and fully immersed themselves in the F1 experience, getting tickets for the premier walkabout that gave them access to all zones of the track.
The Singapore Grand Prix continued to be a hit in its 15th edition, pulling in a crowd of 269,072 fans over the three-day weekend. - ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Irfani said: “We got to see the drivers in person and the F1 Academy (an all-woman championship backed by F1) garage from close-up.
“We met a couple of important people like (Haas’) Kevin Magnussen and (F1 Academy managing director) Susie Wolff... so that’s really exciting for us.”
Jerald Tan and his girlfriend Charmaine Lee were also attending their maiden Singapore Grand Prix, having been F1 fans for the last few years.
They managed to get autographs of drivers such as Williams’ Alexander Albon, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
Tan, 26, said: “I’ve been overseas for the past two years so I never got to catch a race before. We got to see the drivers up close, we usually just see them on TV so it was quite cool to see them in real life.”
Several high-profile figures were also spotted at the paddock, lapping up the F1 action over the weekend.
Among them were former British prime minister Tony Blair, Canadian actor and Marvel movie Shang Chi star Simu Liu, and former F1 driver Felipe Massa, who has taken legal action against F1 over a “crashgate” scandal at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix that cost him the championship title.
Qatari high jumper Mutaz Barshim, a three-time world champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist, was also in Singapore, as was British cyclist Mark Cavendish, who clinched a record 35th Tour de France stage win in July and will be competing in the Nov 9-10 Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium.
Tycoon Ong Beng Seng, a key figure in Singapore’s pitch to host the grand prix, was also seen at the weekend mingling with guests at the paddock.
The 80-year-old had made headlines in 2023 for being involved in the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau investigation of former transport minister S. Iswaran. He is also one of many witnesses listed for Iswaran’s criminal trial, which is due to begin on Sept 24. - The Straits Times/ANN
