Formula 1 Race Weekend

Last weekend we experienced Formula 1 racing for the first time when Singapore hosted the Singtel Grand Prix. It was the second year for the only night race on the F1 circuit. Given that Brian is such a motorsports fan, it was clear we needed to participate in the event.

When he started looking into tickets (about a week after moving here), Brian discovered that like most things in Singapore, race tickets were no bargain. Tickets for the Friday night practice session, Saturday qualifying and Sunday race ranged from S$300-$1500 per person. A popular option for casual spectators was the "walkaround ticket" that provided access to the road track but no physical seat. However, when you consider that you can only see a small portion of the track from a seat, the walkaround option is pretty practical. Brian ended up getting a pair of tickets that provided seats to the practice session and qualifying on eBay at a reasonable price.

We walked down to the civic district to enter the race grounds. The track was just over 5 kilometers in distance (roughly 3 miles). It ran past City Hall, the old Supreme Court building, Raffles City shopping area, across beautiful Anderson bridge, along Marina Bay, through the floating stadium, under the grandstands and finally finishing at the pit buildings next to the Singapore Flyer. Naturally, the island began preparations for the race several months in advance. Lights and fences have been in place for so long that I barely even noticed them anymore.

In line with every event we've seen so far, Singapore did a fine job handling the logistics and making it easy and fun for the spectators. Signs were posted everywhere leading fans to the nearest subway station and entrance gate for the race. Regardless of the crowd size and security checks, we never had to wait to enter the track. And then there was the entertainment: 3 stages to choose from and a huge concert Saturday night featuring Beyonce and the Black-Eyed Peas. Singapore definitely knows how to throw a party.

During the Friday practice session, we spent most of our time walking around and watching the drivers from different spots on the track. We were shocked by how loud the cars were when standing by the fence and we quickly learned that F1 cars are in a league of their own. We honestly couldn't believe the cars could make the turns going at such high speeds. I kept expecting them to crash into the fence in front of us. And they are CONSTANTLY shifting gears around the track. It was crazy. The other cool aspect of the Singapore race is that these cars were flying around regular streets of town, creating a beautiful backdrop.

View from Accenture office

After watching the practice session Friday night, we were eager to head back Saturday evening for qualifying. Rather than qualifying one car at a time, the F1 cars race against each other. All 20 cars race for about 10 minutes and the fastest lap time is compared. The 5 slowest cars are eliminated and this process continues until they determine the pole winner. That position is especially important in the Singapore race because the drivers don't have many opportunities to pass on the course.

In between qualifying sessions, Brian and I compared Formula 1 racing to the most popular American racing. Here's our opinion...

F1 vs. Nascar Scorecard

Advantage Singapore F1 Racing:

• The cars -- the technology is amazing. They drove up to 200mph around the streets of downtown. They also have regenerative braking systems which allow them to store "energy" for an extra boost at a push of a button every few laps.
• The sound of the cars when buzzing through the course (with ear plugs in place). Also, we were able to get closer to the track than we ever could at a Nascar event.
• The race goes 300km or 2 hours, whichever comes first. No caution-riddled, 4-hour races with these guys.
• Driver skill - the F1 drivers shifted 76 times PER LAP. Their ability to maneuver the road track at high speeds makes Nascar look like Sunday drivers.
• Accenture is a sponsor of one of the teams :)
• It's a 20-minute walk home after the race. Sure beats the multi-hour traffic jams in the States. Brian pointed out that if we lived in the condos at Texas Motor Speedway, we would have an easy commute there. I'm choosing to ignore that comment.
• High fashion -- first time I've ever seen sequin dresses and 4-inch heels for a race event.

Advantage Nascar:

• You can easily distinguish and cheer for a specific driver. The cars actually have numbers on them! We watched F1 qualifying for an hour and we could never distinguish a particular driver when they drove past. There are just a few teams -- Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, BMW and Renault. There may be 3 cars on one team and each car is painted identical. The only way we could differentiate the driver was the color of his helmet. F1 fans must cheer for a team more than any one driver.
• The souvenirs are somewhat affordable. We considered buying gifts for nephews at the Singapore race until we realized the going rate for a kid's tshirt was $40 USD.
• With good seats, you can view the entire track. Not possible on the F1 road course. You see the cars for about 5 seconds and then sit and wait 90 seconds for them to get back around.
• Ear protection is optional.
• There can be more lead changes in one lap than in an entire F1 race. In the Singapore race, the pole winner, Lewis Hamilton, led the entire race. Boring.
• "Diehard fan" element - we didn't see any F1 tattoos or RVs parked around town with their drivers' flags proudly displayed (to be fair, we saw several Ferrari flags in the stands though).
• No French cars (It is difficult to respect a team of Renaults, cheaters or not).

Yes, the cars are fast

We watched Sunday's race in the comfort of our living room and while it was certainly easier to know exactly what was happening around the track, given the option, I would rather be at the race. Either way, our first taste of Formula 1 was a great one.