Sport - For F1,the future is night

Dhananjay Khadilkar

Bernie Eccelstone plans another night race in Japan; terms Singapore GP as jewel in the crownMUMBAI: Singapore has perhaps been the most photographed city during the last three days. The ‘Monaco of the East’, as Singapore is called, was host to a night Grand Prix, something the world of Formula One had never witnessed before. All the pre-race fears turned out to be unfounded as the Singapore night Grand Prix turned out to be a winner in every sense - visually spectacular, perfectly organised, massive audience, both in stands and on television and more importantly a fantastic race.The overwhelmingly positive reaction of fans and drivers has meant that Bernie Ecclestone’s latest experiment has been a roaring success. And this could very well be the path that F1 management takes in the future. Already, the Formula One supremo is talking about holding the Japanese Grand Prix at night. Even before the green light was on, it was obvious that the GP would be a huge success. A staggering 100,000 people had congregated on the track to witness history being made at Singapore. What was significant was the fact that almost half of them were from Europe, which draws maximum viewership for Formula One. The stunning images of the fully-lit track against the backdrop of Singapore flyer and the well-lit buildings mesmerised the TV audience. While Ecclestone described the event as a jewel in the Formula One crown, BMW boss Mario Theissen termed it as the highlight of the season. “It’s an important city - business-wise - a region that will be really diving into the atmosphere of Formula One. We have a spectacular setup, with the first night race, a city Grand Prix, a very special one. So I think it will be the No.1 event this year,” Theissen was quoted as saying.McLaren chief Ron Dennis considered it to be a big step in the history of Grand Prix racing. “Everything has been proven now and we can take this model and apply it to anywhere in the world,” he said. As the history of F1 shows, the relationship between the host and F1 management is reciprocal. While F1 generates huge revenues through television rights, the host city is able to generate huge business thanks to the huge influx of tourists. Hosting a Grand Prix also means recognition of its infrastructure and logistical excellence.With the phenomenal success of the event, Ecclestone is now keen to repeat the experiment in Japan. “We’re going to try to get Japan to do it,” he remarked. Already reports have started streaming in that the organisers of Suzuka circuit have already started preparations to host a night race next year.