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SINGAPORE: After three action-filled nights at the Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, fans gave the thumbs up to the second edition of the race.
Sure, there were gripes: The food was too expensive ($20 for a piece of chicken thigh with chips), and not enough seats (said the couple who walked the 5.1-kilometre circuit armed with their own plastic chairs).
But there was a wider range of savoury fare, too. And besides the well-publicised entertainment, one spectator declared that a major improvement was the drop in human traffic jams, a problem that plagued the inaugural race last year.
Security checks at the entrances were quicker, noted another fan.
"That's one common thing we keep hearing about this year's event," said Mr Jason Teo, one of the deejays playing outside Marina Square. "There's much more space to move around this year, which is a plus for most visitors."
Only 249,000 tickets were available for all three days this year (more than 96 per cent sold) compared to last year's 300,000 sell-out. Still, the race continues to hold appeal to some fans.
Englishwoman Grace Bellows, 32, has been to F1 races in Tokyo and Malaysia but still counts the Singapore GP as one of the must-go events in any race fan's calendar: "It's a city race and that's what makes it exciting."
Others less into the sport felt differently, as the novelty factor wore off for them.
"I've been here for three days and while it's fun, in the end, it's a bunch of cars roaring round a circuit with us in between," said a 55-year-old businessman who declined to be named.
Still, for many Singaporeans who are not F1 fanatics, they continued to enjoy the views of the race – and the brighter skyline this year – from the comfort of home.
"It was quite fun catching the race on television, I certainly got better views than those crowding in the stands," said graphic designer Maggie Tum, who is in her 30s.
"Besides, there's a lot of crashes, which is certainly more exciting".
- TODAY/so
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