Singapore Grand Prix

The Singapore Flyer stands above the race course Sunday night beside the newly completed Marina Bay Sands Casino

 The Passengers watched last night's 2010 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix from an apartment office perched high above Marina Bay.  From our hosts' festive eyrie we had a commanding view of about half of the street circuit.  In the photo above the Formula One cars start underneath the Singapore Flyer ferris wheel, which hosted the pit lane, and return there after zooming past the stands of the National Stadium overlooking the water.  The photo below shows the circuit at left running between the government buildings and the dark, grassy padang.  The drivers then reemerge into view at the lowest part of the illumined track, where they make a sharp turn beside the Fullerton Hotel before racing across the straight along the bridge and past the Esplanade theatres (those shiny Durian-shaped buildings).  I tried to post photos of good quality.  Click them for a larger view.

The Marina Bay Circuit illuminated for the 2010 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix

The action was loud even from our vantage sixty-eight floors above the water.  The rain held off all day, despite a few dark, overcast moments, and racing fans were rewarded with exciting competition.  Ferrari driver and pole sitter Fernando Alonso carried the day with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber right behind.  This was the third running of the Singapore Grand Prix, and the event is expected to become a fixture of the Formula One calendar for some time, though an extension has not been announced.