Singapore’s F1 race has its detractors, but healthy ticket sales prove event has plenty of legs

EVEN after being a mainstay on Singapore’s sporting calendar for the last 15 years, the Formula 1 Grand Prix continues to be an event that divides opinion as far as its relevance and appeal are concerned.

There is the camp that insists the annual event – the sport’s first night-time race in Formula 1’s history – is nothing more than an extravagant waste of public funds (the government foots 60 per cent of the S$150 million cost each year) and largely only for the elite to enjoy. They bemoan the fact that there are lengthy and massive road closures, while the malls and eateries inside the Marina Bay Street Circuit often report a drop in footfall and takings during race week.

Then there’s the issue of Formula 1’s immense carbon footprint, mainly due to the sport visiting nearly two dozen cities every year and having to transport all the expensive cars and equipment from one venue to another.