KEY POINTS:
Nearly a year ahead of the event, preparations are under way for the first night race in the history of Formula 1. Approval has been received for the Singapore street circuit, including a state-of-the-art bespoke lighting system. The race will be the biggest sports event the republic has ever hosted.
Singapore received in-principle approval from the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in September for the proposed 5.067km-long street circuit, which is designed to offer multiple overtaking opportunities as well as challenging turns.
Set against the Singapore skyline, spectators should get a close-up view of the city as the circuit passes historic landmarks such as the City Hall, and modern buildings along the Marina Bay. The cars are expected to reach 300km/h in certain parts of the track.
Lighting specialist Valerio Maioli of Ravenna, Italy, has designed an illumination system to maximise visibility for night-race conditions.
It's designed to minimise glare and reflections from a wet surface or spray from cars by using lighting projectors strategically positioned on one side of the track.
The logistical set-up is vast - 108,423m of cables, 240 steel pylons and about 1500 light projectors will be used, with a power requirement of more than three giga-watts. The lighting will be four times brighter than lights at sports stadiums.
