Before the Formula One race comes to Singapore, people here will be able to look at some rare wheels at an exhibition that is part of this year's Singapore Heritage Festival.
About 40 vintage and classic cars, including a Lotus Europa TCS, a 1926 RollsRoyce, a 1972 Morris Mini and a 1930s vintage Bentley, will roll down Connaught Drive on July 27.
The Singapore owners of some of these cars will also tell the stories behind them.
The $1.8-million festival, organised by the National Hertiage Board (NHB), runs from July 12 to 27 at 15 venues islandwide.
This year, the board is highlighting heroes from all walks of life, from motoring and the arts to music and the culinary world.
Among the personalities who will be sharing their stories this year are food writer and consultant Violet Oon, awardwinning chef Randy Chow and former athlete C.Kunalan.
At a briefing yesterday, NHB chief executive officer Michael Koh, 47, said: 'We hope that visitors will be inspired by the qualities of the heroes who have lived before us, as well as those who live in our midst today.'
The organisers are hoping to attract 1.6 million people, compared to last year's visitorship of 1.4 million.
With cars as one of the main draws, that may well be possible.
Dr Ivor Thevathasan, 65, former president of the Malaysia and Singapore Vintage Cars Register, said: 'I have always considered cars an integral part of Singapore's motoring heritage and I think this is a good way of highlighting it.
'Not many people know this but Singapore's first rally was held in 1911.
The car collector, who has a 1930s Austin Seven and a 1925 Buick, among others, will talk about his fascination with cars.
He said: 'I used to collect dinky toys as a little boy and for the longest time, I wanted to be either a train driver, a race car driver or a pilot.'
He ended up in the medical profession and is currently a senior family physician with the Raffles Medical Group.
But his interest in cars has not waned and he has also had the rare opportunity of driving alongside F1 champ Michael Schumacher at the Ferrari Test Track in 1998.
It is stories such as these that the organisers hope will resonate with visitors.
Festival director Thangamma Kartigesu, who is in her 40s, said: 'This is a first step towards educating Singaporeans about being a hero to somebody. To do that, we have looked for people and personalities with extraordinary spirit.'
The Singapore Heritage Festival 2008 is on from July 12 to 27. Events will be held at various venues islandwide. Call 6736-0503 or visit www.heritagefest.org.sg for details.
This article was first published in The Straits Times on 02 July, 2008.
