Play time is over, as F1’s stars look to conquer red-hot Singapore circuit
After a slew of corporate and media engagements, the likes of Leclerc, Antonelli and Russell are ready to get down to business on the track
[SINGAPORE] All week long, Singapore has experienced Formula 1 (F1) fever as anticipation builds for this Sunday’s (Oct 5) night race – the 18th stop on a crowded calendar that is certain to deliver more thrills and spills.
In the build-up to the big day, the drivers have been doing more than just practising on the track. Many of them have been fanning out across the island to attend all kinds of engagements, such as meet-and-greet sessions with fans and appearances at corporate events.
Almost all the racers and their teams are ambassadors or partners with some of the world’s major brands, and these companies made the most of the opportunity to hold F1-related events for their customers and clients.
Pandemonium
At Adidas’ Brand Centre along Orchard Road on Thursday, there was pandemonium both inside and outside the store as hundreds of people tried to get a glimpse of Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
The 19-year-old, who is the youngest and the only Italian driver on the grid this season, was greeted by deafening cheers as fans jostled to score a precious selfie or an autograph.
Antonelli, who is in his rookie year and currently seventh on the drivers’ standings, is eager for a strong performance at Marina Bay this weekend as he looks to build on his fourth position at his last race in Azerbaijan a fortnight ago.
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A day earlier, his Mercedes teammate George Russell met some of Singapore’s young aspiring F1 drivers at a roundtable hosted by UBS at its office along Penang Road.
UBS has been a partner of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team since 2011, and since that year the team has won seven Drivers’ and eight Constructors’ world championships.
The 27-year-old British driver is a global brand ambassador with the Swiss bank, and he shared his story about how he started racing when he was just eight years old and had the chance to join the Mercedes Junior Programme.
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Russell said: “The biggest takeaway from the programme was how it gave me a chance to perform and fulfil my true potential. That is why I strongly believe in supporting the next generation of racers.”
Fan interaction
Another event that drew huge crowds – in the middle of a work day, no less – took place on Tuesday afternoon at the 313@somerset mall, where Ferrari superstar Charles Leclerc made an appearance.
The 27-year-old from Monaco, whose nickname is the “Prince of Ferrari”, was at apparel sponsor Puma’s flagship store where he interacted with fans.
The Puma ambassador spent time waving at the hordes of people outside, many of whom had turned up hours before his scheduled arrival.
Those in the know also made a beeline for Ten Square at Short Street that same day, as Leclerc visited the building that is famous for being home to the world’s first luxury car vending machine.
On the rooftop of the 20-storey tower, Leclerc joined local radio personality and fellow Puma ambassador Sonia Chew to taste some Singapore snacks such as gem biscuits, murukku and White Rabbit candy, all washed down with a glass of sugarcane juice.
Leclerc has eight F1 victories to his name but has not tasted a win at the Marina Bay Street Circuit yet, and this is something he hopes he can achieve this weekend. He has had a mixed season so far by his lofty standards, with five podium finishes but not a single victory.
Lando Norris, the 25-year-old racer from Britain, was another driver who caused a fair degree of commotion on Tuesday when he visited the Plaza Singapura mall’s main atrium.
The McLaren driver was the star attraction as he launched a pop-up event that celebrates Ralph Lauren Fragrances’ new Polo Red Eau de Toilette Racing Edition bottle.
Norris, who became a global ambassador of Polo Red in 2024, charmed the crowds as he interacted with some lucky customers and tried out a racing simulator.
With these corporate engagements done and dusted, the drivers will now turn their attention squarely on this weekend’s race, which has the distinction of being the first in F1’s history to be declared a heat hazard.
This means that drivers will be allowed to wear cooling vests as ambient temperatures are expected to be 31 deg C or more. The atmosphere will certainly be red-hot as Singapore gears up to crown its newest champion on Sunday night.
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