Nothing Else Comes Close - Part 2

When it was announced back in November of 2007 that Singapore was to host a Formula One race through the streets of Marina Bay, then logically given our big event of the year was / is a street race, then it'd be something of a no-brainer that GPA would offer it.  However.......

Such an impressive sight

Whilst not a pessimistic soul by nature, I've seen so many F1 events announced, only for them to never come to fruition, that I decided not to bother with it in the 1st year for fear that it wouldn't go ahead, or that they'd run into some catastrophe or another.  Neither of these eventualities befell the event, and the race went ahead, billed as the 1st ever night time race.  It had an immediate impact on me as a lifelong F1 nut, the images being beamed to my telly-box at home of the race cars literally shimmering below the remarkable custom made lighting that surrounds the 5.0km track and then there's THAT back-drop.  I remember watching for the 1st time and texting Dave; "with our without customers, I'll be there next year."

So it was in 2009, on the way home from my 40th birthday celebrations in Australia/Malaysia that I'd

Pete, Di, Vas & Andrea

visit Singapore for the 1st time to see what, as a business GPA could offer for this event.  There was a lot of 'behind the scenes' stuff that I won't bore you with, then I sided on offering a 16th floor balcony overlooking almost 40% of the track and off we went to market with it.  In year one, in the main due to the economic recession that was now taking a strong grip of people's spending habits, we struggled with only 4 guests going, these same 4 would return to every single Singapore Grand Prix since then, one couple from Brisbane who'd traveled with me to Monaco before, and one couple from Port Hedland in Western Australia who'd never been to an event with me.  They've now done 7 Singapore's, a Monza and two Silverstone's! This year (2015) was the 1st Singapore GP without either of them, and whilst you'd expect me to say this as an exercise in PR, they were missed.

Melben with the locals

The event itself if ran at night, which effectively means you have the whole day to yourself. I always go out the weekend before as it takes me some time to adjust to the time zone, I believe there is evidence to support flying East is a lot tougher on you than going West.  I don't know, I'd normally fly out and spend a week or so with Dave "acclimatising".  That's what we called it anyhoos.  Dave
was now established with his marshaling crew, and they'd have a 'local' night out before the race weekend got underway, and via my friendship with Dave, I'd blag an invite to these dinners, getting to know many locals in the process.  And what a great bunch they are too, some ex Pats, some Ozzies, some locals and from all walks of life, but all brought together by their love of F1.  These same marshals and I are still friends today, we've taken the time to remember Dave at each Singapore GP since his passing.

The GPA guests typically arrive on Wednesday to the main hotel we use, and from that point onwards it becomes the most social event we do.  Everyone has the daytime to themselves to

Pitlane shenanigans 

chill/shop/sightsee then in the evening we have a get together in the lounge and head off for a track-walk.  Over the GP weekend, nothing really happens until 17:00 onwards, and then it continues until the wee small hours, this year I excelled myself not getting back to my room until 08:30......I've genuinely still no idea how that happened other than to say we were in a basement nightclub with no windows, I actually shit myself when I emerged to bright daylight and was more than a little confused as to how on earth I'd managed to lose an entire night - it felt as though I'd only been out for a couple of hours.  In fact, we were out in Club 1 from 12:00 to 04:00, then club 2 till 06:00 then club 3 till daylight.  Suffice it to say, the following day I was not a well man.  (When I say following day, I mean 15:00 same day)

The race itself isn't always a 'cracker', it can be a little staid but does indeed have its moments.  For me, going to an F1 event has to be about more than simply witnessing a 'great race', because if one is honest, the best place to watch a 'great race' is at home where you see all the action, you are abreast of what is happening and you can immerse yourself in the racing action.  Singapore is an event, it is a destination, it is as much about what happens off track as happens on track. Is it because of the late

Singapore GP

start? Is it because of the fun atmosphere? Is it that spectacular back-drop, is it the cars looking at their glorious best below those 2000 watt lamps which straddle the track or is it merely that everyone is in their "carefree-happy-holiday-mood" - I cannot tell you definitively as it ticks all of the aforementioned boxes for me and every single year without fail I sit on board my plane with a glass of fizz in hand thinking that it won't be as good this time as it was last time, and every single year, for a variety of reasons I have the best time.....at an event where I am working.....the other GP I offer don't offer the same levels of enjoyment if you combined them all, so I find myself compelled to agree with those marketing types from the Singapore Grand Prix: "Nothing Else Comes Close".