Every year for three nights, Singapore lends its streets for the most dramatic race in the Formula 1 calendar that sees the best F1 drivers and biggest music acts in the world come to town to put on a show. Unfortunately, race promoter Singapore GP Pte Ltd and Formula 1 announced the cancellation of the F1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2020 due to continuing prohibitions on business and social activities in the city.
Even with three months to go till the popular night races, there is a lot of construction and planning to be done. Things like constructing the circuit and stands for the audience – which usually starts in May – cannot go on because of legal restrictions that remain in place. On top of that, worldwide travel restrictions prove to be another factor in making the decision. Taking the responsible route, the authorities and parties involved have decided to prioritise the safety of the general public.
Deputy Chairman of Singapore GP Pte Ltd, Colin Syn said in a statement: “The last few months have been extremely challenging on all fronts, and we have now made this difficult decision which Formula 1 and our stakeholders accept we have had to take. Ultimately, the health and safety of our contractors and their workers, spectators, Formula 1 crew, staff and volunteer marshals is our number one priority and we thank everyone for their patience and unwavering support thus far. While we are disappointed that we won’t be able to host the race this year, we look forward to welcoming fans to the race next season and wish the Formula 1 community well as it starts its season in July.”
The F1 races in Singapore have been a huge fixture on the social and entertainment calendar since 2008 and have welcomed celebrities and huge acts like Gwen Stefani, Muse, Lewis Hamilton, Maroon 5, Bon Jovi, Justin Bieber, Rihanna and more. In the meantime, F1 fans in Singapore can look forward to a host of exciting programmes in the coming months as part of the continued efforts to engage fans and promote the sport in the country.
At least with the cancellation, there will be certainty and closure to the F1 fans, ticketholders and commercial partners who have been waiting for confirmation for months since the Covid-19 situation happened. Singapore GP will provide existing ticketholders with automatic refunds within 30 business days, or if preferred, an option to keep their ticket for next year’s event. Ticketholders will be contacted with more information on the next steps. Those who purchased via SGP’s Authorised Ticketing Partners should contact them for refunds.
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