The Driver's Eye: Singapore

It may not yet have the history of a Monaco or Monza, but Sky Sports F1's Anthony Davidson says Singapore already deserves to be considered one among the sport's elite events.

There are some circuits in motorsport that simply pass you by during a career and I fear that in my case it will be Singapore. I was due to race in its inaugural grand prix in 2008 only for Super Aguri, the team I was driving for at the time, to pull the plug at the start of the season and leave the sport. I hope I'm wrong and I'll still have the chance to race at Singapore at some point in the future, otherwise it's always going to be a massive regret of mine to have missed out on driving around a circuit which many drivers say is the hardest on the calendar. Yet the difficulty of Singapore is part of its appeal and to win here must be one of the most rewarding achievements in F1. It's a track which a driver will curse and enjoy at the same time - a bizarre mix of pain of pleasure! And the event itself is also definitely one of the most popular: Singapore has proved to be a win-win for everyone since its addition to the calendar and across the entire spectrum of F1 there's hardly ever been a complaint made about the place. Trust me, that's very rare in a paddock with such a wide spectrum of opinions! I'm also a big fan of Singapore. The circuit is great - offering true opportunities to overtake and true chances to make mistakes that will be punished - while the venue itself feels alive and oozes atmosphere throughout a F1 weekend. Racing at night just makes it extra special and you see details at Singapore which you just don't see anywhere else, from the helicopter shots from above the circuit to the chance to see straight into the eyes of the drivers (because there's no glare from the sun, and visibility is so important when driving at night, the drivers wear clear visors here) from the on-board cameras. Those shots offer an amazing insight into the concentration required from a F1 driver when he's at work and are a valuable reminder there's a human being and an athlete required to deliver a huge amount of physical effort. And an effort it really is around a very busy and bumpy lap which has more than twenty corners, requires eighty gear changes and, in terms of its average duration, is the longest of the year. Add in the battle against the humidity, the bumps, tunnel of noise and the static air that builds up and you can understand why the drivers say it is so tough. There's just no relaxing around here. It's a brutal challenge and I think the only reason we don't hear the drivers rave about it is because they know what a tough slog it's going to be; it's a circuit which doesn't offer any rest and every lap of Singapore requires a huge amount of mental focus and dexterity. Most of the drivers will now be familiar with the idea of staying on European time for an event which is run at night. In my experience, staying on European time is definitely the best way to approach the weekend, but I've also found that the trick is to arrive relatively late. If you arrive early then your body will start wanting to adjust to local time - we're naturally not nocturnal so your body will start to become sleepy during the night and so on. It's true what they say about ignorance being bliss because if you start questioning what time it is in Singapore then you're certain to start disorienting and confusing yourself. Fortunately, now that the event has been on the calendar a few years, most of the hotels are also familiar with the process and understand that we don't want housekeeping calls at a normal waking-up time and some of them have even started putting on afternoon breakfasts for their F1 guests. Singapore itself is a city which always blows me away whenever I go there. It's got a great vibe, it feels safe and accommodating and the only problem I've ever encountered there is coming out of the circuit at three or four in the morning and finding somewhere to eat that's still open! One year, I can remember Crofty and I ended up roaming the streets on the way back from the track trying to find somewhere... and then ended up having some of the best noodles we've ever had! But that's what Singapore is like and it is races like this one which give you memories that last forever. In just a handful of years, Singapore has deservedly become one of the highlights of the year - and best of all, the more times you go, the better it becomes. AD