Is Singapore the worst track on the calendar

[Mark]

It's certainly the most boring to look at, just concrete barriers.

[Koz]

Yes, it is absolutely hideous... Just concrete... Dark... I'll as far as saying it is depressing to watch.

[Dave B]

Valencia will always be the worst, by a long chalk.

[pino]

Valencia will always be the worst, by a long chalk.

Totaly agree :up:

[steveaki13]

Funny how peoples view differ, its one of the new circuits I like.

I hate UAE, Bahrain and Valencia but I always like the challenge Singapore poses. Also the wide shots of sky scrapers, road cars and F1 cars makes it a fantastic mix.

so my answer is certainly no.

[Koz]

Valencia isn't great, but it doesn't depress me as much as Singapore.

[Daniel]

Valencia will always be the worst, by a long chalk.

Completely agree. Not quite sure why Singapore is any worse than any other street circuit. If you don't look outside the track Monaco could be considered just as boring aside from the tunnel. Perhaps Singapore seems boring because you can't see as much of the scenery because it's dark.

[Mark]

Probably, might be better in the light.

[Koz]

Now I remember what it reminds me of... Escape from New York... Weird.

[Sarah]

I know the BBC guys say they like being there but the atmosphere just doesn't come across on TV. I don't like any of the new circuits.

[F1boat]

Personally I like this GP very much, I think that it is the best new race in F1.

[Nikki Katz]

As new tracks go I don't mind Singapore. Valencia is easily the worst track. It's the ugliest by far, also the layout tends to spread out the field to make overtaking impossible even with the flappy wings and bad tyres. I also don't really think that "street circuit" and "high speed" should be in the same sentence, it's unnecessarily dangerous for somewhere that doesn't actually provide good races.

[Dave B]

I know the BBC guys say they like being there but the atmosphere just doesn't come across on TV. I don't like any of the new circuits.

The circuit looked phenomenal in HD, I must say, especially when it got properly dark.

[wedge]

It's certainly the most boring to look at, just concrete barriers.

Armco/concrete - aren't all street tracks like that?

Singapore has an interesting backdrop.

Valencia I absolutely detest. Pits apart the rest reminds me more of Hull.

The Birmingham Superprix was a hundred times better than Valencia.

[BDunnell]

The Birmingham Superprix was a hundred times better than Valencia.

I couldn't agree more!

[The Black Knight]

Valencia is the worst track by a mile.

[markabilly]

Valencia and Singapore, both boring, except for wrecks and safety cars.

[tfp]

Totaly agree :up:

+2 :up: If they do one thing to change F1, they need to never go back there...

[The Black Knight]

I was at the Singapore GP last year and I've driven the circuit at night in my own car. From a spectators point of view it's one of the most amazing races of the season. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it this year but I had an amazing time there last year and I'll definitely go back next year if I can.

I really like this track and I wouldn't like to see it go from the F1 calendar. I loved last years race between Seb and Alonso. It was great to see them both push each other for 2 hours.

Ok, Seb is in a league of his own this year, but it still provided a lot of entertainment and there's nothing like seeing an F1 car at full throttle in the dark.

[steveaki13]

Personally I like this GP very much, I think that it is the best new race in F1.

My thoughts exactly

[Daniel]

The sooner Valencia and Singapore disappear off the calendar the better IMO. They are pretty dull lets face it.

Whilst I'm not a huge fan of Singapore, I'd rather see Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Valencia gone first. the racing today wasn't bad was it?

[truefan72]

i Think with the DRS and kers, this track has become quite entertaining. Plenty of passing, plenty of action
Today's race was pretty good

[airshifter]

Whilst I'm not a huge fan of Singapore, I'd rather see Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Valencia gone first. the racing today wasn't bad was it?

I have to agree. As far as street circuits go, Singapore is really the best of the current tracks. If you take away the history and the tunnel at Monaco it's really not much of a track. For that matter the tunnel just dresses up a boring sweeper before one of the only passing opportunities on the entire track.

Singapore is a very wide track for a street circuit, has a reasonable mix of corner types, at least some run off areas, and is right now the longest race of the season.

[Roamy]

i rate the crap tracks as follows
1 Monaco
2 Singapore
3 Valencia

[jens]

In the new DRS and Pirelli era I don't know, which track is the worst. All can provide good racing.

In terms of the lights I must say that although the effects at night look quite stunning..., then whenever I see the camera view from the sky showing the lighted up circuit in comparison to the surrounding areas, I can't help but feel that this is a huge waste of money and it should be used for something else - well, like improving the society.

[truefan72]

I have to agree. As far as street circuits go, Singapore is really the best of the current tracks. If you take away the history and the tunnel at Monaco it's really not much of a track. For that matter the tunnel just dresses up a boring sweeper before one of the only passing opportunities on the entire track.

Singapore is a very wide track for a street circuit, has a reasonable mix of corner types, at least some run off areas, and is right now the longest race of the season.
agreed :up:

[truefan72]

In the new DRS and Pirelli era I don't know, which track is the worst. All can provide good racing.

In terms of the lights I must say that although the effects at night look quite stunning..., then whenever I see the camera view from the sky showing the lighted up circuit in comparison to the surrounding areas, I can't help but feel that this is a huge waste of money and it should be used for something else - well, like improving the society.

I think Singapore Society is quite fine, and the money and PR they get for holding a spectacular night race is beyond the amount of money they spend on electricity to light up a track.
Singapore is a city state and a pretty one at that. I've been there once and if things work out would go there for the 2012 race. Even my non F1 friends find the whole event rather spectacular and love the way the city looks.

[schmenke]

Probably, might be better in the light.

It would really be interesting to see that circuit during the day :up: .

Having said that, I've never been a fan of street circuits, with the exception perhaps of Monaco.
I find street circuits, with their walls of unending armco barriers, tend to provide a sterile platform for viewers. Each corner tends to blend into the next, with no real character or sense of where the drivers are on the circuit.

[D28]

I find street circuits, with their walls of unending armco barriers, tend to provide a sterile platform for viewers. Each corner tends to blend into the next, with no real character or sense of where the drivers are on the circuit.

This is it exactly. F1 cars are just too fast to be confined to street circuits. I would keep Monaco, but only for historical reasons.
Sinapore suffers from following races at 2 classic circuits, Spa and Monza. These tracks allow F1 cars to strech out and show what they were designed for.
I don't think they were designed with night racing in mind. Drivers need all the possible advantages in the vision department, they must be compromised somewhat by the electric lighting. I'm wondering if impaired vision played some role in the accidents, particularly Schumacher's.
I think night racing is a gimmick F1 could well do without.

[AndyL]

I'm wondering if impaired vision played some role in the accidents, particularly Schumacher's.

I haven't heard anyone suggest that before but it seems quite plausible. Martin Brundle reckoned the low seating position in an F1 car might be to blame for all the aviating over the kerbs, but other tracks have similar kerbs and don't have the same problems. I can imagine the flat artificial lighting might well make it harder for drivers to pick up their reference points.

[Roamy]

In the new DRS and Pirelli era I don't know, which track is the worst. All can provide good racing.

In terms of the lights I must say that although the effects at night look quite stunning..., then whenever I see the camera view from the sky showing the lighted up circuit in comparison to the surrounding areas, I can't help but feel that this is a huge waste of money and it should be used for something else - well, like improving the society.

Actually the society is quite good over there. The place is very clean and they kick the sh!t out of anyone who breaks the law (caning)

[edv]

The circuit looked phenomenal in HD, I must say, especially when it got properly dark.
This.
The broadcast has provided the greatest eye-candy of the year, IMO.

[Zico]

i rate the crap tracks as follows
1 Monaco
2 Singapore
3 Valencia

I agree about Singapore and Valencia but you can't be serious about Monaco? Its up beside Spa as one of my favourite races in the calender.. being so tight and narrow it really conveys the speed across well on TV (especially in-car footage) and the smallest error will end your race, making it edge of the seat viewing for me. The drivers love it too.

[Big Ben]

bahrain and abu dhabi are by far the worst tracks for me

[zako85]

I really liked watching this race. Visually, it was very appealing. The venue and surroundings were beautiful. The narrow track surrounded by walls conveyed a sense of speed that's greater than normally would have been. An extra level of skill was required from drivers to keep the cars from making contact with the walls. There was a good amount of action. I liked Vettel's and Button's performances, even though they were barely seen on camera... all in all ok track.. probably not the best, but far from being the worst..

[Mark]

Monaco doesn't come across the same as any other street circuit. And I include those I've seen in other formulae such as IndyCar in that it doesn't have the same concrete canyon effect that you can see the character of the place, probably due to the ultra compact nature of Monte Carlo that you just don't find in your average large city.

[Kevincal]

Hungary SUCKS. Singapore is not bad.

[djparky]

I don't mind Singapore- but I generally dislike all the Tilke tracks except Turkey and Malaysia

[IceWizard]

I wouldn't say that Singapore is one of the best tracks on the calendar but I certainly wouldn't class it as the worst. Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Hungary and Valencia are all worse in my opinion. In fact I think it's good to have another street circuit on the calendar and a night race. It adds an extra dimension to the championship.

[Allyc85]

I quite like Singapore the track looks amazing and the fact its one of the longest and hardest races of the year really adds a different dimension to the championship.

I quite like the really tight left, right left chicane but I cant help but feel that some of the other chicanes could be opened up a tad to add a tiny bit more flow to the circuit.

[steveaki13]

I quite like Singapore the track looks amazing and the fact its one of the longest and hardest races of the year really adds a different dimension to the championship.

I quite like the really tight left, right left chicane but I cant help but feel that some of the other chicanes could be opened up a tad to add a tiny bit more flow to the circuit.

Totally Agree

In a world championship you need all manner of tracks.

We have Monza and Belgium which are the fastest races on the calender

We have Monza also as the shortest GP in terms of time.

We have Monaco as the circuit in which you have the ultimate challenge of concentration.

Malaysia and Singapore as the most physical challenges

And Singapore as well as that is the longest and toughest race of the year.

So all these events make a world championship for me so I feel it has a place in F1.

[anthonyvop]

Singapore is spectacular. The cars and atmosphere under the lights are a sight to behold.

[call_me_andrew]

Watching the prerace at Singapore this year, everyone was commenting how Singapore had become a favorite track. It's not my favorite, but it could be a lot worse.

Valencia is the worst! I think Hungary could be made into a good track with a few modifications.

[wedge]

Singapore is spectacular. The cars and atmosphere under the lights are a sight to behold.

There's a terrific bird's eye view of Singapore where there's a building that looks very similar to the Spinners/Police HQ scene in Bladerunner