ONLY the most passionate Formula One fan would do something like this: Buy an antique racing car, stick his favourite team's colours on it and display it around Singapore to whip up Grand Prix excitement.

Pramodh Raja, an events executive with the Singapore Cricket Association and a national cricket team player, did just that from Tuesday to Saturday.

He placed his prized possession -- a 1940s Ferrari replica model -- on a rented pick-up and drove to "areas where there are a lot of people" to garner support for Force India.

F1 supporter with replica of 1943 car.
ST PHOTO: Lim Sin Thai

"People were curious, and wanted to find out more about the race and Force India," said the 29-year-old. "No one laughed at me.

"I though I had to do something for Force India because it is a young team and I wanted to appreciate and acknowledge the effort put in by its owner Vijay Mallya. I have been a fan of his for many years."

(Mallya is an Indian drinks and aviation billionaire, who also owns the Indian Premier League cricket team Bangalore Royal Challengers. He has a house in Singapore.)

Cricket is Raja's primary passion. But he has become an F1 buff since the first night race was held here last year.

A month ago, he spotted a dust-covered replica racing car -- one-sixth the size of an actual F1 car -- at an antique shop on Serangoon Road. He bought it for $1,000.

He did not want to spoil the original colours. So he put Force India stickers on the car.

Then, as the Formula One fever swept the Republic, he hired a Nissan pick-up for $40 a day and went about garnering support for the fledgling F1 team, who are lying ninth among the 10 teams.

F1 supporter with replica of 1943 car.
ST PHOTO: Lim Sin Thai

F1 supporter with replica of 1943 car.
ST PHOTO: Lim Sin Thai

"I like Mallya because he named the team after a nation," said Raja. "Other teams have the company's name."

The slogans draped on the sides of the pick-up are: "Mallya we are with you", "Support Force India" and "Mallya all the way".

So, how are Force India going to fare in this year's Singapore Grand Prix?

"I have this feeling they will come in the top three," said Raja.

Now, that's the kind of fan F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is looking for: Passionate about his team to the core.

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IN THE well-oiled world of Formula One, most drivers are media-trained to death, have an entourage organising their lives and are each seen as a mini coporation.

But scrape beneath that PR-gloss, there is at least one old-school driver, with his own rules, his own character and his own mysterious ways.

Give Kimi Raikkonen a rabbit to chase and that is all that he cares about.

Forget about the niceties, the PR drivel and mountains of technical information, the Finn just wants to race and nothing else.

This is a point he made in Singapore.

He showed up at sponsor events and walked the track wearing a red Ferrari shirt, camouflaged bermudas and slippers combo on Friday.

He mumbled when asked about Crashgate and his future with the Scuderia but his answer is clear: He has nothing much to say simply because he is not Nelson Piquet Junior/Pat Symonds/Flavio Briatore and nothing official has come from Ferrari on his rumoured departure.

Raikkonen, who has said that he will give his best at SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, tempered his statement when he explained his current poor form — it is the machine that takes the blame.

This is a point he made at a Shell event at ION Orchard, a comment he repeated again at St James Power Station, where he appeared at a Puma party.

Ferrari will not be pleased to hear that but chances are, he probably doesn't care.

This is a man so laidback that on his F1 debut for Sauber in 2001 at the Australian Grand Prix, he was asleep 30 minutes before the race before he went on to score a championship point at the age of 21.

Six years later, he almost fell asleep inside his scarlet machine at the same event.

Ferrari engineers struggle to comprehend him as the team radio would go silent, only for it to be broken by Raikkonen's whispers.

Only one man in the garage understood what those short, clipped sentences meant — Andrea Stella, an engineer.

Thus, the "Kimi-translator" was promoted to be Raikkonen's personal race engineer as the conduit between pilot and pit wall.

That is a topic from The Straits Times that brought a smile for longer than usual from the dude they dub "Iceman".

See, he is not that arrogant, ignorant snob some have tried to paint him out to be. Beyond the deadpan, this is a man who knows how to joke.

Somebody once asked what his tires felt like. "Rolled as usual," he replied, poker-faced as usual.

When Lewis Hamilton described his first F1 win as "better than having sex". Raikkonen's simply was: "Maybe he never had sex."

He may not be a quote machine. But sometimes, less is more.

Read more:
Iceman keeps cool
Brawns quickest in 1st practice
Mallya plans to be in Singapore points
Smooth operator

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MAY 12, 2007: The day after it was announced Singapore would be hosting a Formula One race for the next five years, organisers were already thinking far ahead.

"The biggest challenge is getting people back in the second, third, fourth, fifth years," Singapore GP executive director Michael Roche told us back then.

"We know Singaporeans always want to be involved in anything that's held for the first time, but we need novel ideas that will draw them back in subsequent years."

Nearly two years on, two other issues have also surfaced that will determine whether the 2009 event, set for September 25th to 27th this year, is as successful as last year's.

The first is the poor economic climate, which has already claimed several major Wall Street institutions and forced F1 to undertake a raft of cost-cutting measures. 

In the light of retrenchments and uncertainty in the jobs market, most Singaporeans will be less willing to splash out on F1 tickets - considered by many to be a luxury. 

The second is the challenged posed by new kid on the block, Abu Dhabi, which will claim much of the novelty value that Singapore enjoyed last year. As with all things to do with the emirate, Abu Dhabi is working on a lavish, seven-star project that is bound to impress the world.

A brand-new motorsports circuit, now under construction, is part of a $40 billion development funded by Abu Dhabi’s ruling elite and a partially government-backed developer. The facility includes a marina and seven hotels, including one built over the track!

Organisers there are also reportedly keen on following Singapore's lead in staging a night race, though this has yet to be confirmed.

But what Abu Dhabi is promising will very likely mean that hard-core F1 fans from Europe, the sport's traditional heartland, will have more incentive to attend what promises to be the "race of the season".

Europeans would also not need to pay as much in airfares to travel there, compared to a long-haul trip all the way to Singapore.

Singapore organisers thus have a tough task this year if they want to match last year's race-day spectatorship figure of 100,000.

Their decision to introduce early-bird prices when public tickets go on sale in March is a step in the right direction. Last year, three-day public passes ranged from $168 to $1,388 and fans can probably expect the majority of these tickets to be cheaper this year.

Prices for the two cheapest options - general walkabout ($168) and Marina Bay grandstand tickets ($248-$298) - are not expected to increase too.

But more can, and should, be done to pack the Marina Bay circuit once again.

For instance, why not have discounts for students and families? 10 to 20 per cent off for those still schooling, as well as discounts for say, a family of four, would go a long way to attracting more fans.

For many families who decided not to attend the F1 last year, the main obstacle was the cost. This would amount to over $600 for a family of four, for three-day general walkabout passes. Grandstand tickets would burn an even bigger hole in the pocket.

Another strategy to draw more fans in is in the off-track entertainment, a rarity in other F1 venues.

Last year's race was praised by overseas visitors because of the varied music and entertainment acts sprinkled around the circuit, in areas like the Padang and outside the Esplanade.

Guest DJs were flown in by clubs like Zouk for dance parties, and there was live music by local bands and oveseas ones like The Whalers as well.

Why not aim for bigger headline acts this year, and even more entertainment stages so fans will have even more variety to choose from?

All this will make the entire race-day experience more worthwhile, and provide more value at a time when fans want to get the most out of any dollar spent.

The various challenges posed to this year's F1 are by no means insurmountable, and with good planning and some novel ideas, Singapore may once again be celebrating a job well done on the last weekend of September.

That would provide a bright spot, amidst all the economic gloom these days.

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"MY comments seem to have become a major news story!"

That was opening quip from Christian Horner, the team principal for Red Bull racing, in his e-mail to yours truly.

The Red Bull boss wrote in to clarify the brouhaha over his own comments last weekend.

Then, Horner suggested that an MRT train passing underground might have generated static to surge Mark Webber's mean machine at Turn 13, just outside Fullerton Hotel.

Nein, said SMRT, who explained that the nearest track, running from Raffles Place station, is at least 200 metres away.

Associate Professor Seah Kar Heng, from the National University of Singapore's department of mechanical engineering, agreed that the sheer distance meant that the malfunction was unlikely to be caused by a passing train.

The academic, who contacted The Straits Times to share his views, also added an important piece of information: The cars gearboxes will have sufficient shielding against electro-magnetism and static.

Some of Assoc Prof Seah's former graduates were picked as scrutineers for the Force India, Toro Rosso and... Red Bull teams.

Scrutineers are officials who are appointed to inspect and ensure that F1 cars adhere to safety and race regulations.

An expert, who has experience building race cars, dismissed Red Bull's claims as "ridiculous" in a phone call to this reporter.

"That's bull,'' a friend of mine, an F1 nut, texted, obviously punning on the team name.

In other words, it was virtually impossible for an MRT train to derail Webber's car.

One vibe that I got was how some teams wanted to stir controversy after the race was done and dusted.

Like Ferrari supremo Luca di Montezemolo, for example.

The Italian, who watches the races from the comfort of his home near Bologna, labelled the Singapore race "a circus" after Felipe Massa's pit-stop disaster and Kimi Raikkonen crashed out at the tricky Turn 10 outside Singapore Cricket Club.

That prompted Singaporeans to bite back at di Montezemolo with letters to The Straits times condemning his insulting remarks.

Even Formula One Management boss Bernie Ecclestone chipped in, countering that if the Singapore night race was a circus, he thanked Ferrari for "supplying the clowns".

Let's be honest.

Ferrari was failed by trying a newfangled "traffic light" system instead of the traditional "lollipop". The gadget wrongly signalled Massa to proceed with the fuel rig attached to the car.

Quite rightly so, the team will now revert to the conventional "lollipop" to avoid further embarassment.

As for Raikkonen, the Finn stumbled at the bumpy turn and spun out of control.

But 14 other drivers coped with that and completed the 61-lap race on the night the Prancing Horses felt like they were donkeys.

Singaporeans have every right to be proud of the night race, which received near universal acclaim for the spectacular show. They just don't like people to rain -- or pour cold water -- on their parade.

It's funny how Ferrari never raised a hoot when Massa qualified on pole while Raikkonen sat comfortably in third. They let fly only when both drivers failed to bring home the bacon.

But let's hope this whole episode will close and let the disappointed teams regroup and rethink their strategies for tackling the Singapore circuit next year.

For all the beautiful night lights and the breathtaking city skyline, there is no escaping the fact that this is a most demanding track that requries every once of effort and concentration from the drivers.

Hopefully, Red Bull and Ferrari will take note and come back as stronger challengers.

Perhaps, a diet of sour grapes and humble pie might help.

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FOR the first time in my life, I watched an entire Formula One (F1) race from start till finish. It was a remarkable feat, considering I'm not a massive fan and have always regarded the F1 sport somewhat as glorified traffic.

But as much as I am reluctant to say it, I did feel a surge of pride watching the cars race through the world's first night-time street circuit, our city skyline brilliantly lit as a stunning backdrop to a really dramatic race.

Who would have thought Ferrari's Massa who started first would end up in the lowest rankings, while Renault's Alonso who started in 15th position would emerge champion of the historic night race.

But gripping as the race was - with three car crashes, two safety car episodes and a barrage of pit-stop blunders to hold my gaze for close to two hours - I started to contemplate the irony of the event, (here to stay for the next four years at least) and how it holds against Singapore's ambition to become a leader in environmental sustainability.

With the F1, there's no doubt that the environment takes a backseat. Online forums reveal disgruntled citizens not too happy with this hypocrisy, since there is no reconciling gas-guzzling cars with reduction of greenhouse gases. One blogger even wrote, "When it comes to F1... there is no swell of pride... all I feel is a swell of nausea".

Which made me think: what exactly is the carbon footprint of the Grand Prix? Is it even possible to calculate it?

Each of the F1 car consumes up to a litre of fuel per kilometre - and for every km, it spews 1.5 kg of carbon dioxide emissions - largely regarded as the culprit for global warming. So twenty cars at about 305 km each for the entire race, translates to about 9,150 kg of emissions.

On top of car emissions, each F1 team operates more than 30 tonnes of equipment which again consumes copious amounts of energy to transport to the site.

And let's not forget the lights that garnered so much praise for the Singapore Grand Prix organisers - with 108,423m of power cables, 240 steel pylons, approximately 1,600 light projectors, a staggering 3,180,000 watts is used.

If you consider the hundreds of thousands of tourists who flew in for the event, the total carbon footprint of the event is even more mind-boggling.

Yet in the midst of all this seemingly indulgent energy-busting event, there were some comforting signs that signalled that the F1 sport in the coming years might get greener.

Firstly, there was the Singapore Freeport skylounge at the Fullerton Hotel, which built a solar canopy to offset half the energy it used to entertain some 250 guests in its suites. It might pale in comparison to the total footprint of the event, but at least it was a step taken in the right direction. The firm has also promised to donate the installation, worth more than $100,000, to a local school in Singapore.

Car-maker Honda, also stood out for its cars being the only ones not drowned by sponsor logos. Forgoing millions of dollars in sponsorship deals, Honda had artwork on its cars depicting the planet earth, as part of a strategy to give the sport "a more relevant and ethical image".

Nick Fry, the Honda team principal, had said that the sport "has to change or it will wither on the vine and become extinct - just like the dinosaurs".

Intrigued by the green credentials of the sport - a under-reported aspect of the event, even at this newspaper - I went and looked up what the F1 was doing to make itself relevant in today's context of global warming.

After all, I think it's unrealistic to think the sport will be stopped altogether, after decades of tradition and with a massive global cult-following.

Besides, we should realise that innovations made in the sport gets passed down to the average consumer vehicle in making it more energy efficient. Not to mention, there are the arguments that the event will boost the country's economy, its tourism and its image, leading to investment opportunities with countries all over the world.

So if the F1 is here to stay, then let's look at how it can be improved.

And there's some good news: the sport is changing. It will get greener, simply because it has to.

Formula One's governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), has been reported to want the sport to cast off its gas-guzzling image. It has proposed rule changes for 2011 that include, for example, a switch to smaller turbo-compounded 2.2 litre engines running on biofuel.

Another rule would require cars to have a 25kg device to store brake energy to use when accelerating. Also planned are limits on the number of staff teams can take to races and on wind tunnels, which use vast amounts of electricity.

Such modified rules of the game could lead to technological advancements that cater specifically to making transport in everyday-life more efficient. And the sport could also do well with more marketing on its impending "green" changes.

Needless to say, some F1 bosses are not too happy with the environmental concerns pressurising the sport. One head honcho, who has vocally said this isn't a priority, even came up with a lame defence that "the millions of people watching F1 races on television are thus not using their cars while the race is under way".

The way I see it, he will soon be a lone voice protesting against a very real tide of change. The sport cannot continue to enjoy its popularity if it doesn't address the environmental concerns surrounding it.

Meanwhile, all eyes will be on whether the FIA will do what it says. And in Singapore's case, when the novelty of the first night-race wears off next year and it has to up its game, the country could do well by distinguishing itself from other destimations if it engineered a much more environmentally-friendly event.

That, I think, is a sure-win strategy to stay ahead in the game. Not to mention, it will help to keep its own citizens happy and proud hosts of the F1 sport.

I mean, I might even watch the entire race from beginning till end when it comes around next year again.

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WHEN was the last time 100,000 tried to squeeze into a sporting event in Singapore?

Never. But it has finally happened at the SingTel Singapore Grand Prix.

A sold-out crowd filled the Marina Bay circuit all for the same purpose - To be part of history as the world's first Formula One night race flags off in the Lion City.

But organisers Singapore GP have went the extra mile to make the experience even more memorable and to attract repeat customers over the coming years.

Mobile discos have proved to be a smash hit as F1 devotees partied before and after the race. A myriad food stalls showcase the country's gourmet, especially to our visitors from overseas.

And the word out on the street circuit is that this is the best Grand Prix ever, rivalling the picturesque Monaco and eclipsing Britain's historic Silverstone . Even Formula One Management supremo Bernie Ecclestone has given the island an emphatic thumbs-up.

Singapore has got off to a flyer in her maiden F1 lap. With the country given a five-year deal to organise the race, the stakes will be even higher next year as four laps remain.

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8:00pm: HISTORY was made at 8pm, with the world's first night race revving off under cool conditions here in Singapore. And what a start pole-sitter Felipe Massa made, opening up a 1 second gap over McLaren's Lewis Hamilton after the first lap.

Looks like it's Massa's chequered flag to lose, with the Marina Bay Street circuit offering precious few overtaking opportunities.

8:26pm: Who says overtaking is impossible in Singapore? A trundling Jarno Trulli is passed spectacularly - first by Nico Rosberg in his Williams, then Fernando Alonso in his Renault and Nakajima.

It's now 13 laps into the Singapore GP, and Massa appears uncatchable. Hamilton remains on his tail, about 3 seconds behind. Massa's Ferrari has caught a bit of debris in the front wing, but it hasn't caused him any trouble - yet.

Meanwhile, Alonso hits the pits first to grab a change of tyres and to refuel.

8:41pm: What a disaster for Felipe Massa. After making a good start, he had a disastrous pit-stop with 44 laps to go. He left the pits with the fuel hose still attached to the car, and was forced to stop at the pit exit while mechanics rushed over to detach it. Total time lost - about two minutes.

We'll have to wait and see how it affects his race, with the safety car still being deployed after Renault's Nelson Piquet's crash a few laps earlier at the floating platform.

Williams' Nico Rosenberg now leads the pack with Toyota's Jarno Trulli second.

          Massa's pit-stop blunder.  Source: AP

9:12pm: Stop-Go penalty - Now it is Rosberg and Kubica's turn to be punished. Rosberg has stopped for 10 seconds.

9:15pm: Lap 29 - Toyota's Jarno Trulli is now ahead of the pack, from 10th on the starting grid.

Lap29 - Red Bull's Mark Webber is out of the race.

Lap 33 - Former world champion Fernando Alonso is the new race leader. He started today in 15th position.

9:25pm: News from the pits - The Ferrari mechanic who was floored during Massa's nightmare pitstop has just been sent to the hospital. The good news is that he is not seriously injured.

Lap 42 - Things are heating up at the Marina Bay circuit. There is a battle brewing between former teammates Alonso and Hamilton, after the Brit stormed to second-place.

9:43pm: Lap 48 - Alonso is going strong, and is a good 16 seconds ahead of his nearest rival Rosberg.

Lap 50 - Force India's Sutil is out of the race after crashing near the floating platform. He is the fourth retirement of the day. The safety car needs to come out again.

9:48pm: Lap 50 - Make that five. Trulli's Toyota fails and he is done for the night.

Lap 54 - With seven more laps to go, Alonso still leads. Four seconds behind is Rosberg.

10:00pm: Reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen is out. He goes into the wall near turn 10, at the end of St. Andrew's Road. Ferrari will not score any points at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Alonso pulls off an extraordinary win in the Singapore Grand Prix.  Source: AFP

10:02pm: Chequered flag - Fernando Alonso, the man who said 'The race is over for us, finish' after disappintment during qualification, wins the Singapore Grand Prix. Nico Rosberg takes second place. Lewis Hamilton completes the podium and extends lead in the driver's standing.

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HE'S currently the speediest man on the Formula One World Championships circuit, and my bosses gave me the task to chase him down.

Fortunately for me, as lightning quick the McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton may be around a track, the 23-year-old Briton cruises in a relaxed first gear otherwise.

Catching him was a breeze. Interacting with him was sheer delight.

I didn't expect it though. From what I had read about him, many rivals and fans felt the current F1 driver standings leader was arrogant.

(Can't blame them. Hamilton has proclaimed himself as the fittest driver on the paddock, said that Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen didn't "have the balls to brake late", and that Felipe Massa, who trails him by just a point, has to "work damn hard to keep up with me.")

But, after following him around at three events over two days, you can take my word for it: Hamilton is a genuinely nice chap.

"Hi, I'm Jeanette from The Straits Times," I said, when I met him for the first time at the Hugo Boss boutique at Ngee Ann City on Tuesday.

"Hi Jeanette. Nice to meet you. How you doing?" he replied, with a warm smile and firm handshake. And this took place just hours after he stopped off a plane from Paris.

On Wednesday, we exchanged greetings for the second time when my colleague Rohit Brijnath and I had a one-on-one interview with him thanks to M1 & Vodafone. He was as pleasant as before.

Then, barely 10 minutes later at a Nescafe event, we met again. I had to go on stage to receive a signed and framed poster of him as a token of appreciation from the coffee brand.

"Oh hello again, for the third time," I said. "Don't you get sick of this?"

"Hi again. No, no problem. It's part of the job," he smiled.

Sure, some celebrities pick their moments. They know they have to be nice to certain people, like the media or sponsors, who can make or break them.

But, not Hamilton.

He is a crowd pleaser. He stops to give out autographs and pose for photographs. He makes an effort to remember your name.

Ironically, this is the same guy who drives seemingly without respect and professes his displeasure in not winning.

"I hate to lose," he told ST. "It's a feeling in your gut, a feeling in your heart, everything just sinks."

But, he claimed he was just "a normal guy in this huge business".

I beg to differ.

Hamilton, after all, said driving in traffic was a "great experience".

"It really teaches you patience," he told media on Thursday.

It's not normal to enjoy traffic jams.

But, then again, it's not normal for a big star to be so down-to-earth, nor a 23-year-old man to drive so incredibly fast.

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THE first roar of an engine was heard around the Marina Bay Formula One street circuit yesterday, but this was no high-speed F1 machine.

It was the safety and medical cars that did laps around the 5.067km track, ahead of today's practice sessions.

Senior officials from the world motorsports governing body, the International Automobile Federation, also went around the track to make sure everything was ready for the big weekend.

It was also a busy day at the pit building - where the team garages and media centre are housed - yesterday.

Engineers put the final touches to the F1 cars to get them ready for the weekend.

The various pit crews also went through rehearsals of pit-stops.

This is when cars come in for refuelling or tyre changes. Naturally, it was the Ferrari crew that elicited the most attention, with over 20 press photographers scrambling for a good picture of the Tifosi.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone also dropped in to visit the facility, and looked pleased as he was given a tour by Singapore organisers.

Free practice will begin today at 7pm, and it will be the first time many Singaporeans get to hear the unmistakable roar of an F1 engine.

I - and I'm sure countless others - can hardly wait.

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AN F1 race is never complete without them.

No, I don't mean the drivers or the cars.

ST Photo: Kevin Leong

I'm talking about the grid girls. The glitz and the glamour. The eye candy among the machines. The yin to complement the yang in what is essentially a male-dominated sport.

On Monday, I met some of the 44 SingTel grid girls who are tasked with lighting up the track at the world's first night race. Nine of them dropped by at our SPH office, and I took the chance to interview half of them, which you can read about in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.

Judging from the number of office staff who stopped in their tracks to check out the girls during their photoshoot, it is clear that they are a draw.

ST Photo: Terence Tan

Whether grid girls are mere sex symbols is somewhat debatable. But few would question their effectiveness in sparking curiousity or attracting attention.

As Singapore gears up to host its first ever F1 Grand Prix, these girls will do their part to ensure that eyeballs are drawn to the street circuit. While Lewis Hamilton and Co will do their bit to ensure the attention remains fixated at the Marina Bay area.

One thing is for sure: motor racing fans can expect Singapore's very own grid girls to bare more than just their midriff. As one of the grid girls revealed, they will bring their personalities to the table, for they see themselves as heartlanders who are friendly and approachable.

Come raceday, keep a lookout.

Watch an audioslide show of Xinyi's interview with the grid girls here.

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F1 fans looking for a macro view of the world's first night race can consider making a pitstop at the Singapore Flyer.

On Wednesday, members of the media were given the chance to check out the aerial race track views from the giant observation wheel.

Indeed, the Flyer offers a unique vantage point for high-speed aficionados who already have tickets to the Singapore Grand Prix (you can't get in without a ticket on race day).

For $29.50, you can see about 80 per cent of the track.

Visitors to the Singapore Flyer would get these vantage points if they board the world's largest observation wheel come race day on Sep28.
ST Photos: Terence Tan

With the exception of the bit after turn 1, Nicoll Highway and parts of Esplanade Drive, much of the 5.067km circuit can be seen from ground-up to 165m in the air.

While the Padang is visible from the capsule, having a pair of binoculars would enhance your viewing experience.

The clearest views throughout the half-hour ride are of the start/finish line and the area surrounding the floating platform.

Fans also need not worry about missing the action on ground zero as the live screening of the race can be seen from within the capsule.

But ultimately, the Singapore Flyer is just one of many places where one can catch the Singapore Grand Prix.

Come raceday, spectators will be in the driving seat as they decide where they want to witness the historic night race from.

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Terrence Voon believes that the F1 circus won't drive bargain-hunters away.

THERE are just over three weeks to go before the Formula One circus come to town, and malls in the Marina Bay area are buckling up for a street fight.

Road closures and traffic jams in the surroundings areas are expected to deter shoppers come September 28. In anticipation of this, malls like Marina Square, Suntec City and Raffles City are fighting back with late-night shopping deals, motor racing promotions and even go-kart races.

But will shoppers bite?

Memories of near-empty malls at the IMF-World Bank meetings two years ago spring to mind. Back then, Singaporeans stayed away in droves, intimidated by the traffic diversions and security checks. Even the international delegates at the meetings skipped the shops, content to stay cocooned in their meeting halls and hotel rooms.

Instead of a retail boom, it was a retail bust.

Malls are expecting a different story this month. Many shop-owners are hoping for a shopping craze, fuelled by the high-octane racing action just outside their walls.

For one, the security checks at the Singapore Grand Prix will be nowhere near as tiresome as those that guarded the IMF meetings in 2006. Furthermore, there's likely to be a carnival atmosphere both inside and outside the malls.

After all, the occasion is all about fast cars and glamourous celebrities - not staid meetings and stony-faced politicians.

But this Singapore shopper is still not quite sure if shopping in the Marina Bay area during the race weekend is worth his while, especially when malls in the heartland areas offer a less-congested alternative.

Sure, it's nice to have free shuttle buses and the odd F1 driver dropping by to sign autographs. But what shoppers really want, is a good deal.

Forget the gimmicky road shows, the free balloons and whatnot. Give us discounts of Great Singapore Sale-proportions.

Slash the prices, and the crowds will come - road closures be damned.

Just take last weekend for example.

Everyone knew the roads surrounding Suntec City would be choked with traffic. But with high-tech gadgets on offer on the last day of Comex, it would take more than a traffic jam to prevent price-conscious Singaporeans from grabbing that bargain-basement-priced LCD TV. What's one hour of my life when I can save several hundred dollars at one go?

Not every Singaporean is an F1 fan, but you can bet your last discount coupon that few people in this country will turn down a good bargain.

Read Terrence Voon's full report in The Straits Times today.

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