Planet-F1

Singapore timetable under the spotlight

Friday 28th March 2008

Toro Rosso's team manager Massimo Rivola has urged the Sporting Working Group and the FIA to reconsider the timetable for the Singapore Grand Prix.

The race on the streets of Singapore in September will mark Formula One's first night race, and although the race is still months away, not many drivers will have had practice runs under lights when the historic event takes place.

Rivola, who attended the MotoGP night race in Qatar earlier this month, is worried about the drivers' preparations for the event.

While MotoGP teams had two full days of testing prior to the race in Qatar, F1 drivers are scheduled to get only 90 minutes under lights on the Friday before qualifying on the Saturday.

Rivola believes several issues still need to be sorted out.

"I have asked for the matter to be added to the agenda for the next meeting of the Sporting Working Group (SWG), so let's see," Rivola told Autosport.

"At the beginning I was not relaxed but not so worried, but after I saw Qatar and I spent time there, I am not confident 100 percent now. I am talking about the safety of the drivers - because I am not worried about having to work all night if it is for our job.

"The safety issue we have to consider more carefully.

"Personally I am not relaxed, let me put it like this. Honestly, I would like to test but it not possible and too expensive to realise. I am sure it will be fine in the end, but there are still some points to discuss.

"The most important is that our schedule should be all over the night, rather than split between day and the night. The sunset in Singapore is at 7pm and at the moment the plan is to have first practice finish at 6pm and second practice to start at 8pm."