Singapore To Host FI Race

Mokhzani: Street circuit will not affect us

SINGAPORE: Singapore has won a five-year deal to host a Formula One race on a street circuit starting next year, and hopes to break new ground by staging the first Grand Prix night race, a government minister said yesterday.

The race could be held in September or early October 2008, and the city-state has the option to extend the deal for another five years.

"Singapore could potentially stage the first ever night race. It would be unique, different, and allow the Singapore event to reach out to television audiences in Asia, Europe and even the US," said S. lswaran, Minister of State for Trade and Industry.

Meanwhile, Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir, chairman of the Sepang International Circuit said in Kuala Lumpur that Malaysia's F1 Grand Prix will not be affected by Singapore winning the right to host a race.

“I congratulate Singapore on joining the club of F1 hosts. Next year will be their first year and it will be our tenth," said Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir, chairman of the Sepang International Circuit.

"The people in South-east Asia will have a chance to see both now, a city street circuit and ours, which is a race circuit, so it will be interesting," he said.

Malaysia's Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said last month said there should only be one F1 race in South-east Asia, but Mokhzani said the development would promote the sport.

"It will not affect F1 in Malaysia, instead it will promote F1 in the region," said Mokhzani.

"Theirs ... will be towards the end of the year and ours will be at the beginning, so we will get to see how the season starts and ends," he added.

Last month Mokhzani announced that Malaysia had won the right to host Formula One races until 2015. - AFP

F1 Experience At Pit Lane Park

The BMW Sauber Pit Lane Park is open to motor enthusiasts and the public until today at KLCC's centre park along Jalan Binjai. The pit lane offers a miniature racetrack, mini grandstands, an F1 training centre and garage, a display of BMW race cars and more. The highlight of the event is this year's BMW Sauber F1 team race car, the F1.07. The Pit Lane Park is a travelling interactive experience designed to bring people closer to the world of the BMW Sauber F1 team, offering visitors all aspects of the F1 that they would only normally see and hear from a distance.

Simulator Fun

Intel is showcasing audio-visua multiplicity through the most realistic graphic-intensive out-of-car racing experience via the F1 simulators on April 7 and 8 form 10am to 10pm at Low Yat Plaza's Concourse. Each race is five minutes per session. The race simulator is powered by the Intel CoreTM Duo processor which excels in running the most intense applications with performance up to 40% faster and with improved energy efficincy.