Singapore, once a sleepy fisherman’s village, now an ultra modern international business powerhouse. This tropical island city-state is the site of a never ending parade of world class events, from cultural expositions to business galas, and of course, sports. One of the most important and best-loved of Singapore’s sporting events that is eagerly watched all around the world is The Singapore Grand Prix. This high-stakes night race is an important piece of the Formula One World Championship. The race famously happens in the very heart of Singapore’s glittering business district, with the green flag waving start on Marina Bay Street, it was the first ever Formula One night race and the first Asian street circuit to be designed to host these high-octane and wildly popular events.
If you want to attend this thrilling race beneath the street lights and neon glow you had best make your reservations well in advance as the city quickly fills up to near bursting with racing fans from all across the globe. Early bird shoppers can usually find very reasonable Singapore hotel offers, but as race day draws near you can expect the hotels with views of the circuit to fill and fill fast, and room rates will be at a premium, so don’t delay!
There has been a Grand Prix race held on the island every year since 1961 when it first took place on the then newly constructed Thomson Road circuit as one of the main features of the “Visit Singapore – The Orient Year” campaign designed to draw tourists to the area as well as to promote international racing. The race was then called the Orient Year Grand Prix, but after Singapore took its place on the world stage as a sovereign nation in 1965, having split off from neighbouring Malaysia, it was renamed the Singapore Grand Prix in 1966.
The Thomson Road circuit was eventually retired and replaced by the new Marina Bay Street Circuit, a cutting-edge 4.94-kilometre-long track designed in a style similar to other famed harbourside circuits like the Valencia Street Circuit and the Circuit de Monaco. The inaugural race at the new circuit was Round 15 of the FIA Formula One 2008 World Championship and also held the distinction of being the first-ever nighttime competition in the history of Formula One racing.
By the year 2023, the Marina Bay Street Circuit had undergone several layout changes and upgrades with the number of laps going up by one from 61 to 62 and the time expected to complete the Singapore Grand Prix race lowered from two hours to just one and a half hours.
The 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, is scheduled to happen on Sunday, September 22, and is expected to draw tens of thousands of spectators from all across the globe. The ten participating teams are from a rating of 10 to 1 Alpine, Kick Sauber, Williams, Haas, RB, Martin, Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull in the top spot.
The Singapore Grand Prix is a great Southeast Asian sporting tradition, with huge support from nearby ASEAN countries like Thailand. As always, the race is eagerly awaited and celebrated by its host nation, sensational Singapore!