Yamin Vong
New Straits Times
10-05-2008
Smashing success of night racing
Byline: Yamin Vong
Edition: New Sunday Times
Section: Cars, Bikes & Trucks
Column: Editorial
FOR Formula One fans who couldn't make it to the GP in Singapore, it was a
smashing success.
As an experiment, it couldn't have turned out better. It brings to sharp focus the meaning of motorsports in society, especially in Asia and in sharp contrast, the searing heat of Sepang.
Never mind if Bernie Ecclestone, the owner of Formula One's commercial rights, wanted to hold the Singapore F1 at night to maximise TV audience ratings in Europe. It still benefitted the sport and the host of the event. It worked for both.
When Malaysia won the rights to hold the Formula One event and held its first race at the RM380 million Sepang International Circuit (SIC) in 1999, it was hailed as a triumph for Malaysia.
It was the envy of F1 and motorsports fans in Indonesia and Singapore, both of which had aspirations to hold F1 races.
But now, it has been proven that it doesn't need a multi-million ringgit super sports arena to host a Formula One.
In fact, the Singapore GP opens two new dimensions in motorsports.
Firstly, holding it at night is right for Asian countries like Malaysia or other cultures where there is a tendency for people, when they are having picnics, to look for shade versus western culture where people seek out the sunny spots.
The second dimension is that a city circuit is a good compromise between having a super purpose-built racing circuit like Malaysia's, Shanghai's or Bahrain's and a circuit close to the citizens so that they can party.
The point that the Singapore F1 made was that motorsports is for the people and that a facility cannot be built in a remote location. It must be convenient for spectators.
The best part, however, was in the city proper. At several points along Suntec City, Shaw Plaza and the Stamford Swissotel (the former Westin and South East Asia's tallest hotel), the track was within 100 feet.
At the Balaclava in Suntec City, the pub faced the track about 30 metres away. The debris barrier was curtained off so that there wasn't a free show. But the pub installed TVs that had live feed from Star Sports and it was pure motorsports entertainment for the patrons, expatriates, local girls and boys, drinks in hand, TV to give the commentary, and the crescendo of the F1 machines high- revving for the apex and then the boom of the backfires as they braked down for the 2nd gear corner.
In the circuit-facing rooms of the Swissotel, there were parties going on. The number of people in some of the rooms would have to be estimated by the bags of empty drink cans that were taken out by the hotel clients. Presumably, they were clearing the evidence before the room maids came in.
An F&B outlet on the 70th floor of the hotel was booked by an oil and gas company entertaining their clients from across the region.
At the Shaw Parade, the employees of the Frost and Sullivan consultancy group as well as other corporate occupants also had their parties, with wifi laptops linked to the F1 website, at the void desk facing the circuit.
Back on the track, there were SIC people and a few jibes were made about Singapore's high prices, tickets being about three times that of Malaysia's.
From Malaysia's marketing and tourism point of view, which is core to the building of the SIC and the hosting of the Petronas F1, it would be dangerous to underestimate the Singapore GP's challenge to the Malaysian GP.
The unique selling points Singapore has are its party atmosphere versus Malaysia's indecisiveness on innocuous pop acts like Avril Lavigne.
Also, the night atmosphere is far more comfortable and suitable to sports enthusiasts as well as the participants. Other plus factors include the city's affluence, its sophisticated entertainment industry, adequate hawker food stalls and drinks stands (S$20 per mug of beer) and its upcoming casino resorts.
On the corporate side, there are more regional headquarters, including the financial sector, in Singapore than Malaysia and F1 is vastly funded by corporate sponsors.
For many like Compaq or Credit Suisse, if the budget is only enough for one F1 event in Asean, which would they choose?
It's a tough act to follow but of course one that can be faced if the facts are accepted and then dealt with.
First thing to do is to privatise one part of the SIC to generate a more lively atmosphere for tourists and F1 fans to party. After all, we should remember that one of the main players who made F1 happen in Singapore, hotelier Ong Beng Seng, is also a former Taiping boy.
(Copyright 2008)
Smashing success of night racingYamin Vong
New Straits Times
10-05-2008
Smashing success of night racing
Byline: Yamin Vong
Edition: New Sunday Times
Section: Cars, Bikes & Trucks
Column: Editorial
FOR Formula One fans who couldn't make it to the GP in Singapore, it was a smashing success.
As an experiment, it couldn't have turned out better. It brings to sharp focus the meaning of motorsports in society, especially in Asia and in sharp contrast, the searing heat of Sepang.
Never mind if Bernie Ecclestone, the owner of Formula One's commercial rights, wanted to hold the Singapore F1 at night to maximise TV audience ratings in Europe. It still benefitted the sport and the host of the event. It worked for both.
When Malaysia won the rights to hold the Formula One event and held its first race at the RM380 million Sepang International Circuit (SIC) in 1999, it was hailed as a triumph for Malaysia.
It was the envy of F1 and motorsports fans in Indonesia and Singapore, both of which had aspirations to hold F1 races.
But now, it has been proven that it doesn't need a multi-million ringgit super sports arena to host a Formula One.
In fact, the Singapore GP opens two new dimensions in motorsports.
Firstly, holding it at night is right for Asian countries like Malaysia or other cultures where there is a tendency for people, when they are having picnics, to look for shade versus western culture where people seek out the sunny spots.
The second dimension is that a city circuit is a good compromise between having a super purpose-built racing circuit like Malaysia's, Shanghai's or Bahrain's and a circuit close to the citizens so that they can party.
The point that the Singapore F1 made was that motorsports is for the people and that a facility cannot be built in a remote location. It must be convenient for spectators.
The best part, however, was in the city proper. At several points along Suntec City, Shaw Plaza and the Stamford Swissotel (the former Westin and South East Asia's tallest hotel), the track was within 100 feet.
At the Balaclava in Suntec City, the pub faced the track about 30 metres away. The debris barrier was curtained off so that there wasn't a free show. But the pub installed TVs that had live feed from Star Sports and it was pure motorsports entertainment for the patrons, expatriates, local girls and boys, drinks in hand, TV to give the commentary, and the crescendo of the F1 machines high- revving for the apex and then the boom of the backfires as they braked down for the 2nd gear corner.
In the circuit-facing rooms of the Swissotel, there were parties going on. The number of people in some of the rooms would have to be estimated by the bags of empty drink cans that were taken out by the hotel clients. Presumably, they were clearing the evidence before the room maids came in.
An F&B outlet on the 70th floor of the hotel was booked by an oil and gas company entertaining their clients from across the region.
At the Shaw Parade, the employees of the Frost and Sullivan consultancy group as well as other corporate occupants also had their parties, with wifi laptops linked to the F1 website, at the void desk facing the circuit.
Back on the track, there were SIC people and a few jibes were made about Singapore's high prices, tickets being about three times that of Malaysia's.
From Malaysia's marketing and tourism point of view, which is core to the building of the SIC and the hosting of the Petronas F1, it would be dangerous to underestimate the Singapore GP's challenge to the Malaysian GP.
The unique selling points Singapore has are its party atmosphere versus Malaysia's indecisiveness on innocuous pop acts like Avril Lavigne.
Also, the night atmosphere is far more comfortable and suitable to sports enthusiasts as well as the participants. Other plus factors include the city's affluence, its sophisticated entertainment industry, adequate hawker food stalls and drinks stands (S$20 per mug of beer) and its upcoming casino resorts.
On the corporate side, there are more regional headquarters, including the financial sector, in Singapore than Malaysia and F1 is vastly funded by corporate sponsors.
For many like Compaq or Credit Suisse, if the budget is only enough for one F1 event in Asean, which would they choose?
It's a tough act to follow but of course one that can be faced if the facts are accepted and then dealt with.
First thing to do is to privatise one part of the SIC to generate a more lively atmosphere for tourists and F1 fans to party. After all, we should remember that one of the main players who made F1 happen in Singapore, hotelier Ong Beng Seng, is also a former Taiping boy.
(Copyright 2008)
Smashing success of night racingYamin Vong
New Straits Times
10-05-2008
Smashing success of night racing
Byline: Yamin Vong
Edition: New Sunday Times
Section: Cars, Bikes & Trucks
Column: Editorial
FOR Formula One fans who couldn't make it to the GP in Singapore, it was a smashing success.
As an experiment, it couldn't have turned out better. It brings to sharp focus the meaning of motorsports in society, especially in Asia and in sharp contrast, the searing heat of Sepang.
Never mind if Bernie Ecclestone, the owner of Formula One's commercial rights, wanted to hold the Singapore F1 at night to maximise TV audience ratings in Europe. It still benefitted the sport and the host of the event. It worked for both.
When Malaysia won the rights to hold the Formula One event and held its first race at the RM380 million Sepang International Circuit (SIC) in 1999, it was hailed as a triumph for Malaysia.
It was the envy of F1 and motorsports fans in Indonesia and Singapore, both of which had aspirations to hold F1 races.
But now, it has been proven
that it doesn't need a multi-million ringgit super sports arena to host a Formula One.
In fact, the Singapore GP opens two new dimensions in motorsports.
Firstly, holding it at night is right for Asian countries like Malaysia or other cultures where there is a tendency for people, when they are having picnics, to look for shade versus western culture where people seek out the sunny spots.
The second dimension is
that a city circuit is a good compromise between having a super purpose-built racing circuit like Malaysia's, Shanghai's or Bahrain's and a circuit close to the citizens so
that they can party.
The point
that the Singapore F1 made was
that motorsports is for the people and
that a facility cannot be built in a remote location. It must be convenient for spectators.
The best part, however, was in the city proper. At several points along Suntec City, Shaw Plaza and the Stamford Swissotel (the former Westin and South East Asia's tallest hotel), the track was within 100 feet.
At the Balaclava in Suntec City, the pub faced the track about 30 metres away. The debris barrier was curtained off so
that there wasn't a free show. But the pub installed TVs
that had live feed from Star Sports and it was pure motorsports entertainment for the patrons, expatriates, local girls and boys, drinks in hand, TV to give the commentary, and the crescendo of the F1 machines high- revving for the apex and then the boom of the backfires as they braked down for the 2nd gear corner.
In the circuit-facing rooms of the Swissotel, there were parties going on. The number of people in some of the rooms would have to be estimated by the bags of empty drink cans
that were taken out by the hotel clients. Presumably, they were clearing the evidence before the room maids came in.
An F&B outlet on the 70th floor of the hotel was booked by an oil and gas company entertaining their clients from across the region.
At the Shaw Parade, the employees of the Frost and Sullivan consultancy group as well as other corporate occupants also had their parties, with wifi laptops linked to the F1 website, at the void desk facing the circuit.
Back on the track, there were SIC people and a few jibes were made about Singapore's high prices, tickets being about three times
that of Malaysia's.
From Malaysia's marketing and tourism point of view, which is core to the building of the SIC and the hosting of the Petronas F1, it would be dangerous to underestimate the Singapore GP's challenge to the Malaysian GP.
The unique selling points Singapore has are its party atmosphere versus Malaysia's indecisiveness on innocuous pop acts like Avril Lavigne.
Also, the night atmosphere is far more comfortable and suitable to sports enthusiasts as well as the participants. Other plus factors include the city's affluence, its sophisticated entertainment industry, adequate hawker food stalls and drinks stands (S$20 per mug of beer) and its upcoming casino resorts.
On the corporate side, there are more regional headquarters, including the financial sector, in Singapore than Malaysia and F1 is vastly funded by corporate sponsors.
For many like Compaq or Credit Suisse, if the budget is only enough for one F1 event in Asean, which would they choose?
It's a tough act to follow but of course one
that can be faced if the facts are accepted and then dealt with.
First thing to do is to privatise one part of the SIC to generate a more lively atmosphere for tourists and F1 fans to party. After all, we should remember
that one of the main players who made F1 happen in Singapore, hotelier Ong Beng Seng, is also a former Taiping boy.
(Copyright 2008)
Smashing success of night racingYamin Vong
New Straits Times
10-05-2008
Smashing success of night racing
Byline: Yamin Vong
Edition: New Sunday Times
Section: Cars, Bikes & Trucks
Column: Editorial
FOR Formula One fans who couldn't make it to the GP in Singapore, it was a smashing success.
As an experiment, it couldn't have turned out better. It brings to sharp focus the meaning of motorsports in society, especially in Asia and in sharp contrast, the searing heat of Sepang.
Never mind if Bernie Ecclestone, the owner of Formula One's commercial rights, wanted to hold the Singapore F1 at night to maximise TV audience ratings in Europe. It still benefitted the sport and the host of the event. It worked for both.
When Malaysia won the rights to hold the Formula One event and held its first race at the RM380 million Sepang International Circuit (SIC) in 1999, it was hailed as a triumph for Malaysia.
It was the envy of F1 and motorsports fans in Indonesia and Singapore, both of which had aspirations to hold F1 races.
But now, it has been proven that it doesn't need a multi-million ringgit super sports arena to host a Formula One.
In fact, the Singapore GP opens two new dimensions in motorsports.
Firstly, holding it at night is right for Asian countries like Malaysia or other cultures where there is a tendency for people, when they are having picnics, to look for shade versus western culture where people seek out the sunny spots.
The second dimension is that a city circuit is a good compromise between having a super purpose-built racing circuit like Malaysia's, Shanghai's or Bahrain's and a circuit close to the citizens so that they can party.
The point that the Singapore F1 made was that motorsports is for the people and that a facility cannot be built in a remote location. It must be convenient for spectators.
The best part, however, was in the city proper. At several points along Suntec City, Shaw Plaza and the Stamford Swissotel (the former Westin and South East Asia's tallest hotel), the track was within 100 feet.
At the Balaclava in Suntec City, the pub faced the track about 30 metres away. The debris barrier was curtained off so that there wasn't a free show. But the pub installed TVs that had live feed from Star Sports and it was pure motorsports entertainment for the patrons, expatriates, local girls and boys, drinks in hand, TV to give the commentary, and the crescendo of the F1 machines high- revving for the apex and then the boom of the backfires as they braked down for the 2nd gear corner.
In the circuit-facing rooms of the Swissotel, there were parties going on. The number of people in some of the rooms would have to be estimated by the bags of empty drink cans that were taken out by the hotel clients. Presumably, they were clearing the evidence before the room maids came in.
An F&B outlet on the 70th floor of the hotel was booked by an oil and gas company entertaining their clients from across the region.
At the Shaw Parade, the employees of the Frost and Sullivan consultancy group as well as other corporate occupants also had their parties, with wifi laptops linked to the F1 website, at the void desk facing the circuit.
Back on the track, there were SIC people and a few jibes were made about Singapore's high prices, tickets being about three times that of Malaysia's.
From Malaysia's marketing and tourism point of view, which is core to the building of the SIC and the hosting of the Petronas F1, it would be dangerous to underestimate the Singapore GP's challenge to the Malaysian GP.
The unique selling points Singapore has are its party atmosphere versus Malaysia's indecisiveness on innocuous pop acts like Avril Lavigne.
Also, the night atmosphere is far more comfortable and suitable to sports enthusiasts as well as the participants. Other plus factors include the city's affluence, its sophisticated entertainment industry, adequate hawker food stalls and drinks stands (S$20 per mug of beer) and its upcoming casino resorts.
On the corporate side, there are more regional headquarters, including the financial sector, in Singapore than Malaysia and F1 is vastly funded by corporate sponsors.
For many like Compaq or Credit Suisse, if the budget is only enough for one F1 event in Asean, which would they choose?
It's a tough act to follow but of course one that can be faced if the facts are accepted and then dealt with.
First thing to do is to privatise one part of the SIC to generate a more lively atmosphere for tourists and F1 fans to party. After all, we should remember that one of the main players who made F1 happen in Singapore, hotelier Ong Beng Seng, is also a former Taiping boy.
(Copyright 2008)
