LOCAL motor racing fans are concerned that eight top teams in Formula One are planning to form their own championship.
The move is in response to the proposed budget cap by the International Automobile Federation, the sport's governing body.
Some, like student Lim Jia Jie, felt that the competitiveness and prestige of F1 would be lost.
Said the 21-year-old: 'Viewership would most certainly be affected.
'Imagine if the Tour de France had most of the big teams pulling out, and being replaced by Malaysian and Singapore teams. Who would want to watch? Where's the competition? It's just not the same any more.'
Businessman Mohammed Yusoff, 49, agreed, saying that F1 should be like it is, without restrictions.
'F1 is all about the glamour, about seeing the latest technology being tested on the road,'' he said. 'If it's going to be F1 with new teams, then, to me, it's not F1.'
Student Samuel Khaw, 21, added: 'I don't think I would still follow F1. There won't be much excitement with half the teams gone.'
Others like sales manager Colin Chua, 39, however, would still watch F1 and any other championship there may be.
'The point is all about there being the true spirit of motorsport,' he said.
Perhaps Terry Tan, 47, who started watching F1 in 1986, summed it up best when he said: 'It's a sad, sad day for Formula One to see no compromise.'
He felt it would be a let-down for Singapore, which has worked so hard and long to bring in F1, only to have the top teams possibly not racing next year.
'I'll still support the Singapore GP since we're hosting it, but I doubt others will,' he said.
'Singapore will be hurt quite badly if the teams do pull out. It's difficult to justify people coming here to watch the race with the absence of top names.'
However, Vic Naidu, 25, who was a marshal at last year's Singapore GP, was more optimistic.
'I think motorsport fans would still support the Singapore GP because this kind of event is something we rarely get on our shores,' he said.
