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The first F1 race races arrived in Singapore yesterday (Sept 18) from their flights.
Virgin, Team Lotus and Hispania Racing Team were the early birds, moving their multi-million dollar race cars into their respective garages.
The cars were seen with their yellow Pirelli P Zero. Two tyre types will be used in the race - soft (yellow) and super-soft (red) tyres.
Equipment from the 12 teams - about 440 tonnes in all - will have landed here by today, according to a Straits Times report.
Already, freight containers bearing the liveries of Ferrari and Mercedes were seen parked outside their garages yesterday, the report said.
Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel and other drivers will be in town from today to get an early start on the race, the paper said.
As with previous years, most will be keeping to European time in order to keep their bodies accustomed to the usual F1 schedule.
But what's different is that this year's championship could be decided at the Marina Bay circuit here if Vettel finishes on the podium and his closest rivals do not finish high enough.
A three-minute fireworks display will add a new twist to this year's Singapore Grand Prix which will be seen by more than 100 million viewers worldwide, the report said.
The report also said that preparations for the world's only night race have moved into high gear.
Special vehicles called trackjets were sucking up the dirt and dust from the roads around the circuit as finishing touches were applied to the grandstand suit.
Organiser Singapore GP's technical director Lawrence Foo told the paper that 90 per cent of the work along the track is completed.
Safety barriers and fences are fully up and the resurfacing before Turns 5 and 7, the bumpiest section of the circuit, was completed in July.
Trackside facilities such as hospitality suites and seats are about 80 per cent finished.
tonyng@sph.com.sg
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