2009 Singapore Grand Prix
The 2009 Singapore Grand Prix (formally the 2009 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore on 27 September 2009. The 61-lap race was the fourteenth round of the 2009 Formula One season. It was the second Singapore Grand Prix to be part of a Formula One Championship and the tenth Singapore Grand Prix overall. It was also the second Formula One race to be held at night.
The race was won by McLaren-Mercedes driver and reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton. Toyota's Timo Glock finished second and 2008 race winner Fernando Alonso took third position, making this the only race of the season with neither a Brawn nor a Red Bull driver on the podium. This was also the last race of 2009 for Glock, as he was injured during qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix and was replaced by test driver Kamui Kobayashi. Heikki Kovalainen scored his last World Championship points at this race, as did second-placed Glock.
As a consequence of the race, Championship leader Jenson Button extended his lead by one point finishing in fifth, one position ahead of Brawn teammate and Championship rival Rubens Barrichello. Fellow rival Sebastian Vettel had been challenging Hamilton for the lead before a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pitlane scuppered his strategy.
Singapore Grand Prix
The Singapore Grand Prix is a motor racing event which forms part of the Formula One World Championship. The event takes place on the Marina Bay Street Circuit and was the inaugural night race and first street circuit in Asia designed for Formula One races.
The original Singapore Grand Prix was held at Thomson Road from 1966 to 1973, before returning to the calendar in 2008 at Marina Bay. Fernando Alonso won the inaugural Formula One edition of the renewed Grand Prix, driving for the Renault team amid controversial circumstances, when it emerged a year later that his teammate Nelson Piquet Jr. had been ordered to crash on purpose by senior team management to bring out the safety car at a time chosen to benefit Alonso. The race itself was also notable for being the 800th Formula One World Championship race since its inception in 1950, and the first ever Formula One race held at night.
Since its inception, Marina Bay has been known for featuring at least one safety car in every race edition, with a total of 24 safety car deployments as of 2023. The Singapore Grand Prix has been considered to be one of the most challenging and unique tracks on the Formula One calendar. Sebastian Vettel has the most wins on the track, with five Singapore Grand Prix victories. In 2022, a contract extension was announced which will put the race on the Formula One calendar until at least 2028.
Revised Formula 1 circuit layout from 2023, track to no longer include Bay Grandstand
Works on NS Square are scheduled to start in March next year and are expected to be completed by end-2026. They were due to begin in March 2022, but were rescheduled to start a year later due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "The track will no longer include the Bay Grandstand while the redevelopment works are under way," the race organisers said.
From the next race, the revised circuit layout will be reduced to 4.928km and the number of laps increased to 63. Turns 16 to 19 will be realigned into a 397.9m straight, bringing the circuit's number of turns to 19. The official lap record for the current layout of the Singapore Grand Prix is 1:41.905, held by Danish driver Kevin Magnussen.
Singapore’s estimated annual cost for hosting Formula 1 is $100 million, according to Channel News Asia. Host organizers Singapore GP Pte. Ltd. and the Singapore Tourism Board reportedly paid $35 million per Grand Prix in the previous contract, which ran from 2017 to 2021.
The race has reportedly generated more than $1.1 billion in tourism receipts, according to event organizers. This year’s event will take place on Oct. 2.
As part of the deal, the hosts have agreed to a number of changes:
- The events will switch to renewable energy sources and focus on recycling.
- Singapore will conduct a sustainability audit to ensure it’s following Formula 1’s sustainability goals — Formula 1 aims to be net zero carbon by 2030.
- The hosts said they will also focus on community relations, diversity, and health and safety.
Motor racing-F1 extends Singapore Grand Prix contract until 2028
"Singapore holds a special place on the F1 calendar, and this extension is part of our long-term commitment to continue to grow the sport in Asia," Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali said in a statement. "The Marina Bay Street Circuit hosted the first night race in F1 history in 2008, and Singapore has continued to thrill fans, teams, and drivers ever since." Singapore has established itself as one of Formula One's most glamorous and popular events since it made its debut in 2008. The race is staged in the heart of the city-state, with cars driving around a floodlit street track against a backdrop of glittering skyscrapers, while spectators are entertained by headline music acts.
Partly funded by the government, it has played a key role in boosting tourism to Singapore. The race has generated more than S$1.5 billion in incremental tourism receipts and drawn more than 550,000 unique international visitors to Singapore since its debut, according to organisers. The 2019 race, won by four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel for Ferrari, drew a crowd of about 268,000 over the whole weekend, the event's second highest, organisers said as they looked forward to welcoming fans back this year. “The Singapore Formula One race continues to be a strong focal point for tourists, global events and business meetings,” said Singapore’s Minister for Transport S Iswaran.
F1 extends Singapore GP until 2028
Race has been on the series' calendar since 2008 & absent from 2020 and 2021 calendars due to pandemic
Formula One has announced a contract extension with the Singapore Grand Prix for seven years. The new agreement will run from 2022 until 2028.
The Singapore Grand Prix first joined the Formula One calendar in 2008, however it was absent from the schedule in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to RacingNews365, the previous contract saw the series receive US$35 million per Grand Prix from the host organisers, Singapore GP Pte Ltd (SGP) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Channel News Asia pegged the overall cost of Singapore hosting its Formula One race at US$100 million a year.
The latest hosting contract has seen the organisers commit to improving the sustainability of the event. This includes switching to renewable energy sources, using recyclable materials and increasing recycling efforts. In addition, a sustainable audit will be conducted, ensuring that the Singapore Grand Prix is fully in line with Formula One’s own sustainability goals. SGP and STB have also pledged to connect with the local community, seek to promote diversity amongst event volunteers, as well as place greater emphasis on the health and safety of all attendees.
Marina Bay Street Circuit
- When was the track built? The Marina Bay Circuit arrived on the scene in 2008. A street track with the city's famous skyline as its spectacular backdrop, the initial circuit plan by Herman Tilke was refined by KBR Inc, while the event has quickly established itself as one of the standouts on the F1 calendar.
- When was its first Grand Prix? In 2008, Singapore had the honour of hosting the first night-time race in F1 history. The Grand Prix – the 15th round of that season – proved a huge hit with the teams and drivers, while Renault’s Fernando Alonso claimed a controversial victory.
- What’s the circuit like? The 5.063km Marina Bay Circuit is one of the most physically demanding on the calendar, its bumpy street surface coupled with humid conditions giving the drivers plenty to think about. With 23 corners, they are working the wheel a lot, too, around the high-speed lap – the physical stress causing them to lose as much as 3kg over the course of a race. The circuit also boasts some of the most unique features of any track on the F1 calendar, including Turn 18, which actually sees the drivers pass underneath a grandstand.
- Why go? If you want to see Singapore at its best, there’s no better time to do so than when Formula 1 arrives in the heart of this buzzing city. Get the lay of the land by taking a ride on the Singapore Flyer, a giant Ferris wheel overlooking the track’s permanent pits complex, then get stuck into Singapore’s incredible bar and restaurant scene. Cocktail fanatics should also make a pilgrimage to the famous Raffles Hotel – the proper home of the Singapore Sling (non-alcoholic versions are available!)
- Where is the best place to watch? Get yourself comfy in the grandstand located at Turn 1, which offers spectacular views as the cars accelerate into the first corner, before braking hard and whipping through Turns 2 and 3. You’ll get a great view of the start too – expect to see plenty of sparks fly as the drivers blast off the line.
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