So this is it, finally here! The 10 Formula 1 teams and 20 drivers just arriving from Italy and all want to drive the fastest during a little more than an hour and a half in the man-made lights of Marina Bay Street Circuit. Ever since the very first Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix in 2008, it has been a dream to attend the race. Unfortunately, the race have been in mid-September, which is my most hectic teaching period for me in Sweden. Nevertheless, now being in Singapore, there was no way that I would not attend the night race 14-16 September 2018 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

The Singapore GP is a street race and it is a night-time event in Singapore to match the ordinary European broadcasting times. The track is a 5.065 km long and annually constructed in the central of Singapore around the Marina Bay roughly between the Singapore Flyer, Raffles City and the Fullerton Hotel. 4395 safety barriers and 1771 light projectors turn the ordinary street of Singapore into a street circuit with daylight during night-time.

We had bought combination tickets, meaning that we are sitting at the very center of Zone 1 and the PIT Grandstand for practice in Friday, The end of the Padang straight at Padang B grandstand for qualification on Saturday and between two turns and with view of the Esplanade and Marina Bay Sands at Stamford Grandstand for the Grand Prix on Sunday.

So this 3-day event is way more than just Formula 1 and its practice and qualification. Ferrari Challenge and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is also part of the Circus alone with some nice entertainment. The Ferrari Challenge is a single-marque championship with stops in Europe, Asia and the US. During this season they all use Ferrari 488 Challenge. Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is the Asian version of the single-marque racing championship involving Porsche 911 Carrera cars. Both of these were great to keep the crowd happy and warm (even though this was not needed in the Singaporean tropical climate) during the afternoons and evenings.

There was an amazing line-up performing daily at the race track. It is more or less a full-time job just to take part of the entertainment. Even though the focus was on the racing, I managed to listen to The Killers, Liam Gallagher, Dua Lipa, Jay Chou and (of course) the classic Sugarhill Gang featuring part of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five during this 3-day event. The Sugarhill Gang manage to raise the temperature on the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre just before the big race on sunday!

Summing up three days of great racing and entertainment towards the amazing backdrop of Singapore skyline. Even though I had hoped for some magic from Kimi Räikkönen and Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton did an amazing race in his Mercedes. The Singapore GP record of having Safety car on all races was easily kept early on in the race when the two Force India cars had a “small” interaction. Really happy with our seats at the Pit Grandstand, the Padang Grandstand and Stamford Grandstand. Got to see more or less the full track over the three days for racing. Even saw the practice on Porsche Carrera Cup Asia from the Singapore Flyer. Ending the Formula 1 2018 Singapore Grand Prix was a massive fireworks, amazing! Even though in this country they don’t really have to have a reason for fireworks, pretty much everything ends with fireworks 🙂