F1 S'pore 2023: 2 grandstands added to 'mitigate' capacity loss due to works on Marina Bay floating platform

SINGAPORE — Spectators at this year's Formula One (F1) race in September will be able to catch the action from two new grandstands, located opposite the Singapore Flyer and under the Benjamin Sheares Bridge respectively.

In a statement on Monday (April 17), event organisers Singapore GP said that the new seating areas would "mitigate the overall reduction in capacity" due to the upcoming closure of the Bay Grandstand at the Marina Bay floating platform.

The new Sheares Grandstand will be positioned at the first turn of the street circuit under the Benjamin Sheares Bridge, while the Promenade Grandstand will be at the end of the circuit.

Tickets for these grandstands will be priced from S$1,188 onwards, and will allow ticketholders access to all zones in the circuit, the organisers added. 

Seats at the existing grandstand located at the entry to the F1 Pit Building will also be priced similarly.

Other ticketing options, such as single-day and premier walkabout tickets, priced from S$128 onwards, were also released for sale on Monday. 

"All walkabout ticketholders will have access to strategically located viewing bleachers within the Marina Bay Street Circuit as well as the entertainment in Zone 4," the organisers said, referring to the area around the Padang where concerts are held during the event.   

The Float@Marina Bay is slated to be transformed into the NS Square, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2017.

Works were supposed to start in 2022 and finish by the end of 2025, but were delayed due to Covid-19. This meant that the site could be used for both the National Day Parade and the F1 race last year.

"Singapore GP will continue to explore additional areas for ticketholders to view the race," the organisers added. 

Due to the floating platform's redevelopment, this year's race circuit will have its distance reduced from 5.063km to 4.928km, and the number of laps increased from 61 to 63, organisers said last year.

Responding to TODAY's question on what the overall drop in capacity is with the two new grandstands, Singapore GP said that it is still exploring "all possibilities to increase capacity" for the event, and it is thus "not possible to provide an update at this time".

Mr Steeve Cupaiolo, founder of Silk Road Sports Consulting who regularly attended past years' races, told TODAY that the introduction of the new grandstands is welcome news because without them, it would mean that fewer spectators would be able to experience the race.

He said that he had initially expected fewer seats because of the closure of the platform. 

"In the end, there might be less frustration since there are so many people looking for tickets," Mr Cupaiolo added.