Well we managed to scalp some "walk around"passes for the second day of the Grand Prix. It was a great time with great weather (for Singapore). The sound and speed of these cars is heart stopping.
After walking around the general admission area, it was clear our $200 scalped tickets were not going to let us get a very good view of the action. To really see the race we were going to have to break some rules. Armed with our biggest lenses mounted, and making sure not to look any security guys in the eye, we walked the Grandstand line... confident and with a mission. Spotting a likely opportunity, we walked directly towards some guards... with cameras & equipment in every hand, we looked at them as to say "get out of the way we are coming through and we're official". To which security stepped aside.
The Grandstand was great. We watched several time trials and practice sessions. About 5 mins before the last session ended we were busted... as some very late arrivals complained their seats were occupied. Oh well... no worries, at $500 per seat we figured we had gotten a pretty good bonus on our "walk around"passes!
The pictures are the best we could do under the circumstances. Light was pretty good for a night race, but still these cars are fast. With the Safety fence, the crowd’s heads and the high speed... well you can see that Hi ISO and lack of panning shots made for less than perfect pictures. Still in all, it wasa great event.
Below is some press info.
Already billed as one of the most dramatic and atmospheric races on the calendar, the 2008 FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore GrandPrix was held on an exhilarating street circuit in the very heart of downtown Singapore. The event has already confirmed its place in the history books as FORMULA ONE’s first race to be held night and its first street race in Asia.
The 5.067km long street circuit offers multiple overtaking opportunities and challenging turns as the drivers tackle the circuit in speeds in excess of 300kph. Located at Marina Bay, the circuit is just minutes from exclusive 5-star hotels.
Categories & Keywords
Category:Sports
Subcategory:Motor Sports
Subcategory Detail:Grand Prix
Keywords:First Night Race, Formula One, Grand Prix, Singapore