As F1 race enters 10th year, some changes are needed

While we debate the reasons for this year’s slump in Formula One attendance — economic downturn, Zika or otherwise — it is also a time to take stock (“Economic downturn blamed for worst-ever F1 ticket sales”; Sept 20).

So far, the F1 race has enthralled us and has been a glittering event in Singapore, with its crescendo next year after a blazing start in 2008. Now we must think of ways to make it more viable in the near future.

F1 has long been perceived as an elitist sport, with a bias towards the upper classes rather than the masses. Maybe this notion should be erased by broadening its appeal and seriously wooing the crowds.

It is important to keep spectator interest alive, as F1 is a visual sport with little to indulge in otherwise. As the night race completes a decade next year, some changes must be made in the ticket structure.

Unfortunately, the tickets are overpriced and beyond the common man’s reach. To boost sales, the organisers should think about concessional tickets and also introduce lower-priced ticket categories.

Since Singapore is among the few Asian countries hosting this event, efforts should be made to draw more tourists at this time of the year.

Instead of barricading the entire event, maybe the public could be allowed fleeting glimpses of the race from certain vantage points.

While I acknowledge the efforts on the part of the organisers to stage this event, it is all the more imperative that a cross-section of Singaporeans savour this spectacle.