For Aussie’s the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix is certainly the most accessible positioned in Melbourne Victoria. While that may satisfy your thirst for a round, the rest of the global motorsport competition plays out around the world and that means plenty of timezones. Drivers have the difficult task of fighting jetlag as they hop across the globe to chase that starting line. Equally fans of the sport in Australia face the challenge of staying up late, or even setting the alarm to wake for a 2am start.
Melbourne is a great way to start the year, but come September most F1 fans are itching for more. The next closest round for Australia is the stunningly beautiful night race in Singapore. An 8 hour flight and decent exchange rate, means the race is actually a great opportunity to get away, take some of that annual leave and get to the sport you love in person.
It doesn’t matter how big your TV gets, or how many pixels you have, nothing beats the experience of being there. Bathed in a wash of an exhilaration as the atmosphere delivered by the pinnacle of sporting competitiveness, that feeling of knowing the vehicles slashing past your inadequate vision are the best of the best anywhere on the planet. It’s a feeling no game will deliver, you just have to be there.
Melbourne is a great event, there’s no doubt about it, but why not back that up with an adventure across the globe in the second half of the year. You can use the Singapore GP as an opportunity to feed the motorsport beast that lives inside and the travel bug that you just can’t shake. There is no better way to kill 2 birds with one stone and keep your pants on.
This weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to take this trip and with a simple leave request for Friday and Monday, an international long weekend is not only possible, but happening right now.
The city of Singapore is one that is bathed in history but thriving with new construction. The combination of old and new is something most aging cities have to deal with and in Singapore it’s resolved better than any other city I’ve been to. Historic buildings are appreciated, but are welcomed into the 21st century and there’s no better illustration of that than on F1 weekend. This is the weekend in September where the city is on show to the world, so to support the night race, every building that can be embellished with lighting, is. Take the Fullerton Hotel for example, initially a Post Office constructed in 1928, it has since been transformed into a 400 room up market hotel that features a panoramic view that includes the F1 track.
This hotel features prominently in the backdrop of many F1 camera shots during the broadcast and allows onlookers to appreciate the history of the massive stone pillars and water features externally, while providing modern accommodation inside. In Australia a building like this would typically be heritage listed and prevent any serious modifications, so credit to Singapore for making the best of the old and combining with some stunning new buildings like the iconic Marina Bay Sands.
The best advice is to book early to score the cheapest flights to Singapore, so while the 2015 race is a year away, you move now to score the best deal.
Jason travelled to the Singapore Grand Prix for EFTM as a guest of G.H. MUMM
