Watching F1 live is a unique experience. So if you’re heading to the Singapore Grand Prix next month, here’s how to make the most of it.
The Singapore Grand Prix is a special one to us Filipino F1 fans. It’s the one closest to home.
Only a three-hour flight away, you could be on your way to the Marina Bay Street Circuit in a month. So if you’ve got plans to go, here are a few tips I have for an experience that will definitely be worthwhile.
The best seats in the house?
Of the three times I’ve watched the Singapore Grand Prix, I’ve found that two tickets are most worth your money.
The Pit Grandstand is great for obvious reasons: you’ll be sitting right across the team garages. Seats in this section will therefore give you the highest chances of seeing your favorite drivers, team principals, and heck, even celebrities!
From the Pit Grandstand, bring the right camera and you could end up with photos like these.
All for the ‘gram (if only Instagram was a thing in 2009).
Plus: Pit Grandstand ticket holders have access to all the zones around the track. This is definitely a perk.
But we get it—the Pit Grandstand isn’t the cheapest ticket on the market. But the most underrated seats aren’t even seats at all, in my opinion. It’s the Walkabout tickets.
The Premier Walkabout ticket allows you to have access to all the zones around the track—you just won’t have a designated seat to park your bus. But in comparison to the four other tickets that will let you roam all over the Marina Bay Street Circuit, this one costs less than half.
The flexibility we had with a Walkabout ticket was such a huge perk. We started the race day from the pit area, getting to see all the drivers and crew members entering. And as the race went on, we slowly made our way all the way to Zone 4, stopping at the Walkabout viewing areas to catch the race.
Of course, you don’t get the advantage of having a seat to watch from. But still, we got to see cars from so many vantage points. And by the time we hit zone 4, we were right on time for the post-race concert. And in my opinion, the acts are not to be missed.
Don’t skimp on the acts.
Truthfully speaking, an F1 race isn’t the most exciting sport to watch live. The cars zoom past you so quickly when you’re watching that unless a collision or an overtake happens right in your area, you’ll basically just be watching the race from a huge TV.
So let the concerts give you a little something extra to add to your experience. After all, you are paying.
Every year, the Singapore Grand Prix invites artists to perform on all three days, and the Saturday and Sunday concerts have consistently been good. And this year, they didn’t hold back. They’ve got Marshmello, Green Day, Black Eyed Peas, and The Kid LAROI coming to play.
They usually save the post-race act for their main event. So if you’re planning on watching the race, I suggest making a plan so that you wind up in the concert area by the end of it.
There’s definitely something special about celebrating your favorite driver’s win (or mourning his loss) at a concert with a bunch of other fans. And this is something unique to the F1 experience—don’t get FOMO.
Drop everything and hit the drivers’ parade.
The thing about the concerts, however, is that they sometimes coincide with other events on track. For instance, when I was watching Dua Lipa perform in the afternoon before the race, as much as I was enjoying it, I had to leave midway to catch one of the best parts of watching F1 live: the drivers’ parade.
But as much as you love whoever is performing at the moment, or if you’re in the middle of merch shopping, drop everything and watch the parade.
The drivers’ parade is literally what it sounds like: the drivers parading around the track. Usually, each driver gets into his own car and is driven around the track for the fans’ delight.
They drive pretty slow, but not slow enough. Still, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the faces of the drivers you admire so much. Plus, it’s the only actual time that they’ll get to hear your cheers (or boos).
The parade only lasts around ten to fifteen minutes at most, so whatever it is you put on hold, you’ll be able to get right back to it without missing too much.
The Marina Bay Street Circuit Experience
In comparison to watching other sports live, like the NBA finals, watching F1 live was very different. This is because I personally had the most fun because of what other was to do outside of the race.
When you’re watching the race itself, your favorite cars and drivers will only pass you by once a lap, and it happens in the blink of an eye. And as great as that is, the other stuff is worth it too.
So my advice would be to enjoy the entire Marina Bay Street Circuit experience. Flip through the map they give you and find out what else there is to do. Buy food, have drinks, dance to concerts—enjoy the whole thing.
After all, how often do you get to watch the Singapore Grand Prix?