Don’t you just love the smell of burning rubber? Naw, not that PVC get-up Miley Cyrus wore to twerk Robin Thicke! But the groove of the Bridgestones and the slick of the Pirellis as they grip the chicanes to overtake. Yes, the Prison Break barriers have been locked down since whenever in the Marina Bay area; for the annual biggest buzz in the city – na-ah, not NDP, that’s like nation-building, we’re talking petrolhead hits here – the SGP F1 (Singapore Formula One Grand Prix Formula 1).
SingTel’s SGP F1 2013 is our sixth “rush hour” (make that coupla hours) and the one week in the year when there’s a palpable throb downtown. In the trains and hotel lobbies, through malls and food centres, overalls come and go, of every stripe and colour and rank (racing teams, security, constructors, mechanics). The shortest of those guys in overalls are most likely the drivers.
We too have had our rubbers burn out from underfoot as we chased the drivers racing to meet their endorsement obligations, putting in appearances at sponsors’ showrooms.
First off the grid was Mika Hakkinen, yes, yes, we know he no longer drives, in F1 circuits; in fact he kept reminding the crowds who’d turned up at the Johnnie Walker event celebrating a new global initiative – I am not driving. Driver Sergio Perez and Hakkinen are Responsible Drinking ambassadors for Johnnie Walker whose golden rule is: If you drink, don’t drive.
So of course we bussed it to next on publicity pole, Felipe Massa. F1 Ferrari driver Massa joined gastro chef Ryan Clift for a hot date with fans. Fuelled by Shell V-Power, the pair – one cooked, one tasted – met over a carrot. Well it had to be something reddish (Scuderia Ferrari). Carrot gnocchi anyone? (Carrot V’Dumplings.)
Will they send a Mercedes-Benz? For Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton yah, rest of you guys hotfoot it. The winning duo for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1Team had a meet-and-greet which turned into a meet-and-greet-and-weep. Eight-year-old Alex Kattoulas was picked from the throng of excitable fans to sit up there on the podium in Millenia Walk with his hero Hamilton. The go-karter schoolboy could not contain his joy and teared, but not before giving Hamilton a bag of Haribo candies. (Lewis’s favourite sweet. Okay no cracks about that pussycat doll.) It was obvious Hamilton was in pole position here with Rosberg bringing up the rear, and the champ obliged his colony of worshippers. Some of who walked off with nifty prizes. Like for knowing the name of his dog. I didn’t catch it.
We did catch F1’s 2012 champ Sebastian Vettel though, as he officiated at a Singapore first: The opening of Casio’s world’s first G-Factory Premium store in the Marina Bay Sands Shoppes. The Red Bull driver was some minutes late, due – you do believe it – to the closure of roads because of SGP F1… It was a short and sweet visit as Vettel entertained a doorstop Q&A, presented grandstand tickets to a prize winner, posed with the Casio MD, and handed out autographed cards.I think he was wearing a Casio Edifice timepiece. And it was time to go. (More photos here.)
See you on the Marina Bay Circuit. I hear Paris Hilton is confirmed. For what I can’t tell.
