Singapore Wins An Award

Forgive me for saying this, but in terms of the success of the year's two new Formula 1 races, the Singapore Grand Prix and the European Grand Prix in Valencia, I have to say that the difference was really like that between night and day.

Singapore, the sport's first night race, did not win over everyone just because it was at night. It was everything else too. Where people got robbed - literally - all over Valencia, Singapore is one of the safest cities in the world. Where Valencia produced certainly the season's most boring racing - there had to be one or two out of 18 - Singapore was spectacular with a surprise result. Where the backdrop of the Singapore skyline was spectacular, the backdrop of Valencia let down somewhat - despite the formula that should have worked of a harbor with boats and an interesting city. Still, I enjoyed Valencia for many other reasons - the food being one of them, the ocean being another - and I will look forward to returning, hoping they get the problems sorted out.

For all of the above reasons, it is of no surprise to me that Singapore won the award as the Motor Sport Facility of the Year at the Professional Motor Sport World annual awards ceremony held in Cologne, Germany on Tuesday 11 th November. It is the third year of the awards.