The 6th edition of Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix (GP) was recently concluded over the weekend from Friday 20th September 2013 to Sunday 22nd September 2013 at the Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore’s Marina Bay area. The 2013 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore GP lived up to its tag line for 2013 to bring the pre-race weekend events, race weekend atmosphere, fun and carnival closer to the spectators, creating a Singapore Style Formula 1 experience for people from all walks of life. On Thursday 19th September 2013, there was a Flag Off for the 2013 Formula 1 Singapore GP weekend with Rev Up Singapore campaign and members of the public were able to walk around and explore the famed Marina Bay Circuit Pit Lane and Zone 1 Carnival Village. I was there too, soaking in and enjoying the fun on Thursday night and the Thursday Pit Lane Experience was awesome!
The 2013 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore was my 6th time participating and enjoying the Formula 1 carnival and racing action, that you can see here in my Flickr Collection – SingTel Formula 1 Singapore GP Collection! Growing and enjoying home ground Formula 1 action and carnival, I was able to see the changes and improvements over the past 6 years. The atmosphere was still awesome with great visitor numbers to the Singapore GP race weekend. For 2013, I went on Friday 20th September 2013 to photograph and enjoy the race weekend atmosphere with my fellow photographer friends and social media enthusiasts at the Marina Bay Circuit. Since I started shooting Formula 1 action in 2008, this particular segment of sports photography is not an easy journey to learn and capturing the racing photographs was very challenging due to the restrictions and constraints.
Accumulating and writing my Formula 1 experiences, I wrote a F1 Photography Tips here in 2009 to share with my friends and readers and it served me well! My 6th edition of Singapore GP was probably my best year in capturing F1 cars in action, it took me 5 years to reach this level through my limited F1 photography opportunities, my sports photography coverage over the years and my highly trusted telephoto lens for sports and wildlife, the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L lens. I mentioned earlier that while my original F1 Photography Tips served me well, it’s time to come up with a F1 Photography Tips Version 2.0 from me!
The artistes and performers line-ups over the 3 days of racing weekend and a closing concert on Monday 23rd September 2013 was electrifying and big. Huge crowds packed the Padang to catch the big performances, giving Singapore GP race weekend additional fun, entertainment and excitement for their fans and spectators. Famous stars and celebrities graced Singapore GP race weekend over the years and the future stars and performers line-ups will only get bigger and better! I enjoyed myself on Friday night with Big Bang from Korea performing at the Padang, the crowds were crazy and singing away.
Stationing myself at Turn 11 during Friday Free Practice One and Turn 13 during Friday Free Practice Two, these are my two favourite spots for capturing F1 cars in action at the Singapore GP. These two turns usually have many photographers and spectators watching and capturing the F1 cars in action! I am looking forward to 2014 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore GP, I am planning to shoot from Zone 1 at Turns 1, 2, 3, 22 and 23 respectively, on top of Turns 11, 12 and 13. Spending Saturday and Sunday at home watching Singapore GP 2013 from my television, it was a magnificent and gorgeous view from the skyline, an aerial view of the Marina Bay Circuit and the Marina Bay area lighted up. Singapore’s Marina Bay Circuit is definitely the crown jewel of Formula 1 and we are proud of that! Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull Racing won the 2013 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore GP, with Fernando Alonso of Ferrari coming in second and Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus F1 coming in third. Here are my selected photographs from 2013 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore GP racing action and Thursday Pit Lane Experience!
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.