Thu, Jul 3 01:18 PM
SINGAPORE (AP) _ Singapore's preparations to hold Formula One's first night grand prix are on track with three months to go, the city-state's officials said Thursday as organizers released more tickets. Race promoter Singapore GP said it will be releasing tickets for an additional 1,600 grandstand seats on Friday to meet strong demand for the Sept.
28 race. The additional tickets bring the race's total daily capacity to 100,600 people, the promoter said.
"We are pleased to say that we are on schedule in all areas of race preparation," Lim Neo Chian, chief executive of the Singapore Tourism Board, told reporters during a briefing. Lim said that all road surfacing and resurfacing works have been completed for the 5-kilometer (3.14-mile) street circuit that winds along streets lined with high-rise buildings and newly restored, British colonial-era mansions.
The completed track is ready for a mandatory circuit inspection by FIA race authorities this month, he said. Progress was also being made on the installation of a lighting system that will allow the race to take place at 8 p.
m. local time (1200 GMT), making it the sport's first race to be held at night, Lim said.
A night race on the F1 circuit especially in Asia allows for broadcast times to become more accessible to European and North American television viewers, but the idea has previously been met with mixed responses from teams and drivers, with safety concerns the main issue as F1 cars do not have headlights and reach speeds of more than 300 kph (186 mph). Lim said construction of the pit complex which houses garages, the race control center and the winners' podium was nearly finished.
"There's much to look forward to as we race toward this historic event in September. With just three months to go, we'll be revving up race preparations on all sides," Lim said.
Officials from the Land Transport Authority said the final pieces of race infrastructure would be assembled from Sept. 20, a week before the race.
These include more than 500 pieces each of concrete barriers and debris fencing, spectator and perimeter fencing along the circuit, 16 grandstands and temporary pedestrian overhead bridges. The city-state has the rights to hold the race for five years with the option for the Formula One Administration to extend for a further five years and expects annual tourism receipts from the event of about 100 million Singapore dollars (US$66 million).
Singapore GP said in a statement that more than 92 percent of tickets have been sold, and that it was adding 1,100 grandstand seats priced at 698 Singapore dollars (US$514) for a three-day pass, as well as another 500 seats at S$1,388 (US$1,022). To encourage visitors to Singapore to stay beyond the race, the tourism board has organized a "Singapore GP Season" of events including outdoor riverside concerts and parties, walking tours, music festivals and late-night shopping.
The race is part of Singapore's efforts to boost tourism revenues, along with the construction of two casino resorts expected to contribute S$2.7 billion (US$1.8 billion) to the economy. ___ On the Net: http://www.
singaporegp.sg.
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