The Singapore Grand Prix – the first race in
Formula 1's 58-year official history to have been held at night and under spotlights – can go on to out-shine what has for decades been the most glamorous event on the sport's calendar, the Monaco Grand Prix.
That is the belief of Sir Frank
Williams, whose driver
Nico Rosberg finished a season and career-best second to
Renault's
Fernando Alonso in the Far Eastern city-state last weekend. F1 commercial rights-holder
Bernie Ecclestone has made no secret of his desire to see more races held in that part of the world – and more night races at that – and Williams, the top flight's longest-serving entrant, seems to agree.
The 66-year-old points to the economic prosperity of the Far East – particularly in China and India – whilst the rest of the world faces financial meltdown, as a factor not to be underplayed as F1 seeks to branch out into ever-more lucrative markets, and suggests the European hegemony of the world's most expensive sport may be coming to an end.
On the subject of Singapore, Williams is quoted by news agency
AFP as contending that the grand prix ‘will put more of a sporting face on this nation', adding that in his opinion the race stands ‘a good chance of challenging Monaco for being the jewel in the crown of
F1'.
“Empires go round and round,” he reasoned, “and I hope the Singapore Grand Prix will put more interest in Singapore and this part of the world.”
Alongside Singapore on the calendar are five more races in Australasia and the Middle and Far East – in the form of Australia, Bahrain, China, Japan and Malaysia – whilst Abu Dhabi is set to make its grand prix bow at the end of next season, South Korea is scheduled to jump into the fray in 2010 and India is mooted to join the club a year later again.
