Thursday night, eve of Singapore Grand Prix F1, the track belonged to Singaporeans. Passing up on the price of a Formula 1 pass, but still eager to get a roar of the action happening in your very our own city?
As part of the “Rev’up Singapore” campaign, the organisers offered the people a real kick of a treat: a highly coveted night pit walk.
The pit lane is that narrow stretch where cars seconds-stop between race laps to change tires and get serviced by their mechanics. So the pit walk is a unique chance to catch a close-up of the team garages and observe busy mechanics coolly assembling the cars in a clinical clean lab-like space, in prep for Friday’s first practice session.
Supported by Singapore Tourism Board (STB), this first ever initiative was an overwhelming success. The ballot of 2,500 tickets was oversubscribed by more than 17,000 anxious beavers.
From 7pm, the crowd was warmed-up in the F1 Village with a presentation of our sexy local grid girls followed by a dynamic latino band. Then by 9.15pm, the gates opened to the magic.
In Formula 1, the garages are assigned according to last year’s team ranking. A kind of priority parking if you want. So you have to walk all the way up to first reach Mercedes, where new comer and star of the paddocks Lewis Hamilton is giving a hard time to team mate Nico Rosberg. In F1, your first and worse opponent is your own team mate!
As we excitedly edge further ahead, comes Ferrari where veteran Brazilian Felipe Massa will be leaving the team at the end of the season. Not sure that the touchy Spaniard Fernando Alonso is delighted to see Kimi Raïkkönen return to the team. Next year will be an exciting one at the Scuderia! And finally our pit walk ends with the best team and driver, Sebastian Vettel, 3-time world champion and leading this year again with 53 points over second seeded Alonso.
Will Vettel repeat last year’s victory at the Singapore GP? Alonso, Hamilton and Raïkkönen will sure be there to ensure his march to victory is no breeze.
As we all stroll reluctantly back to the village, ecstatic Singaporeans pause on the circuit: Did I just take a walk round the Marina Bay circuit? So pinch me!
Next year, ballot early, mates!
Report by J F Susbielle, veteran F1 circuiter
