By Lai Jun Wei and reader Ranen Sim. Photos by Les Tan and Vanessa Lim.
Watching F1 live gives you a prison-like view with a $168 walkabout ticket. And walkabout means what it says – no seats provided. (Photo 1 © Van/Red Sports)
While an estimated 100 000 people were down at the Singapore Grand Prix circuit, several people including Ranen and I decided to watch the race from home because we didn’t have tickets. As we soon found out, watching the race from home was better than watching it live at Marina Bay.
When you’re there, at the speeds the cars are going, they whiz by in a few seconds and you have to wait ages for them to come by again. At home, you are able to have a holistic view of the race, watching the race from different angles thanks to the many different cameras set up throughout the circuit. It’s the magnificent experience of being “everywhere”.
In all probability, most folks watching live at Marina Bay would have missed the Felipe Massa’s accident in the pit. There were numerous replays of Massa pulling away from the pit lane, running over his mechanic, fuel hose still attached. There were slow motion replays and shots from different angles. It seemed just like a perfectly choreographed movie.
I could see into Lewis Hamilton’s eyes, which were totally like saucer plates, wide open as he tried to adjust to the night conditions early in the race. Then there were the behind the scenes moments, where you could see the unhappy faces of the Ferarri crew after Massa’s mess. Also, you could view the top three drivers as they went in for their weigh-in session after completing the race.
I had the ultimate F1 experience at home. I had the television switched on and two computer screens displaying the live timings and position standings while I viewed the visual commentaries being updated on the Formula One website. With the television broadcasting the audio commentaries and the computer showing the visual commentaries, I could get a clear sense of the entire race. Maybe hearing the roar of the engines would be exhilarating, but I’d settle with turning up the volume to a comfortable level so as not to burst my ear drums.
Apparently most didn’t know who was who and what was going on at the circuit. While there was a big screen in front of the grandstands, only those seated there could hear the commentary. Television commentaries helped fill in the informational gap, and the pre-race and post-race reviews were a bonus. One of the commentators forgot where he was. “Autumn leaves are falling in Singapore,” he said. Huh? Hello. This is the tropics.
The rendition of Singapore’s National Anthem by Janami Sridhar cannot be faulted but I would have preferred someone else back here on home soil. Jacintha Abisheganaden would have been a good choice. How about Dick Lee? Asian Idol Hady Mirza? The Singtel grid girl who was holding up the Singapore flag behind her looked bored during the anthem.
At the prize presentation ceremony, protocol was thrown out the window. PM Lee wasn’t introduced as he presented race winner Fernando Alonso with the trophy. I suppose that’s the F1 style.
The French national anthem the ‘La Marseillaise’ was also played. Strange, because none of the racers were French. Lewis Hamilton gave second placed Nico Rosberg a brotherly hug, beaming all the way whereas he gave what seemed like just a tap to Fernando Alonso. Clearly, the rivalry between Alonso and Hamilton from last year still existed.
Sitting at home with the air-con on, eating a home cooked meal, I thought of my crew mate Vanessa Lim who was at the circuit surviving on cookies given to her by some friends she met to avoid paying the high hawker prices. I guess the organisers feel that since people are willing to fork out hundreds of dollars for a ticket, they wouldn’t mind paying $8 for a hot dog or $10 for chicken rice.
Undeniably, watching F1 live would definitely have its pros too. You can smell the burning rubber as the cars speed past, and the deafening noise must be exhilarating as well. You would definitely feel the rush should you happen to witness a high speed crash right in front of you. Spectators were enthusiastically snapping away when Nelson Piquet Jr. crashed into the wall. But how often do you get to see a crash up close?
The Formula One race is definitely a must see for die hard fans. But for people who are mostly impartial about it, staying home is no loss.
(© Lai Jun Wei)
An obstructed view of a McLaren Mercedes. (Photo 2 © Van/Red Sports)
Another view of what walkabout ticket holders get. (Photo 3 © Les Tan/Red Sports)
Trying to get a view. (Photo 4 © Les Tan/Red Sports)
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TheChance – I appreciate your educating us, but surely the sarcasm was unnecessary. If only experts and know-it-alls are allowed to say their piece, then the sport, any sport, will die a slow and painful death.
The French national anthem was for the winning Constructor (Renault), which is a French team but based in England. The team national anthem is played after the winning Race Driver’s national anthem, in this case “La Marcha Real” for Spain’s F. Alonso.
Title should be “Why watching (and not knowing) F1 at home is better”.
yes. A lot of those with the walkabout tickets had that. I was looking at someone’s during the Massa incident. LOL
I was at the circuit for the practice session, and at home for the final. The first roar of the engines as the cars passed by was incredibly thrilling. But that wore off very quickly, and I’d have to say TV was the superior experience. Having earplugs stuck in my head is not my preferred way of spending an evening.
What might even things out is if they increased the number of superscreens, and brought down the price of the audio/video sets.
Jan – Like Junwei, I was puzzled by the French anthem. Thanks for explaining!
I think the Kangaroo TV is about $160 for the three days, if I remember correctly. I saw a video and it was quite funny because it showed the audience at an F1 race. When the cars came by, everyone would look. When the cars were gone, everyone would look down at the screen. You need both for a complete live experience.
So cheapest grandstand ($248) plus Kangaroo TV ($160) = $408 for three days for complete experience.
I find $168 for the 3 days quite ok, I quite enjoyed myself and the atmosphere, though wasn’t able to follow the race =). In between practice sessions, got to talk to couple of people about SIN GP.
But its true, TV gives so much more [cable’s so much better than CH 5 =p]
* the surviving on cookies part – makes me look quite sad but find it funny =D (hahah.)
I enjoyed the early days of Grand Prix racing in Singapore when it used to be held at our old Upper Thomson Road circuit. As teenage schoolboys, a few of my best buddies and I bought the cheapest tickets which come with no seat allocation and sat on some vantage point under the rubber trees. There were no LIVE cameras anywhere to help us, no “LIVE” telecast…nothing. But we carried a small transitor radio as it was “Live” on the airwaves.
Staying at home then was not an option as you will miss everything totally. That’s why, come Grand Prix season in Sg, we would be there faithfully. The tickets were affordable back then.
And you get to see many crashes both of cars and motorcycles..as they were raced in tandem by categories.
I enjoyed watching the recent F1 night race LIVE from home,with all the creature comforts…as Jun Wei shared.
We got to actually see MORE !
That is why they have Kangaroo TV. It’s really a must have for people there if they are not near to any big screen. It’s optional of cos.
Hi schmalzy, what makes you think I cannot afford to buy the tickets? There are more important things in life than blowing $7000 to sit in one spot watching cars go by. If I wanted to do that, I would have gone overseas and sit by the highway. Cheaper.
Well, certainly not everyone can afford to go to F1.
For those who didn’t get to go and thought they missed out, they can be comforted by the fact that watching it on television was a better spectacle and story to follow.
Did you write this just to comfort yourself that you couldn’t afford tickets to go to F1?
Aiyo, another one. Ha ha. As I’ve commented on Christy’s, I’ll just say this again – and to be fair – I don’t think one is better than the other. It really depends on what you are after in watching/following a sport and in fact, I think a balance of both makes up the true and wholesome experience of enjoying a sport.
Since there are 3 days in a GP, so my take is this: go ‘live’ on the 1st or 2nd day to get an invaluable ‘feel’ of how your fav driver is going to maneuver through the circuit and stay home on race day just because there is too little a ‘live’ experience can offer for the strategic component and complexities of the ‘real’ game. 🙂 Having the ‘feel’ of the circuit does enhance your race day experience on TV.
Uhm, the French national anthem because Renault is a French team. Lewis and Nico are ‘best buds’ since they were racing as juniors together, they are both my age!!