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Snakes and Devils - The colourful history of Singapore GP

Released in collaboration with TAG Heuer’s “Racing Legends of Time”, "Snakes and Devils" commemorates the world’s first night race. Author Eli Solomon chronicles circuit races from 1961-1973, pays tribute to legendary drivers, and painstakingly archives first-hand accounts and photographs.

Thirty-five years later, Formula 1 arrived in Singapore and Lifestyle discussed its significance with Solomon. Join Solomon as he races through history but ditch the devil-may-care attitude as you speed down the Thomson Road Circuit, across The Snakes, and through Devil's Bend.

Why were you most excited about Singapore's first F1 GP?

The fact that it's the first ever F1 night race and we can celebrate the return of Grand Prix racing to our shores after hibernation for thirty-five years. And it was a street race – which is great because it gave us a chance to turn Singapore into the Monaco of the East for a weekend.

Street circuits tend to be inherently boring to watch but having raced in Macao in 2003, I hardly think a driver would second that motion. I am also looking forward to a first class permanent circuit so we can race our own cars at our own doorstep.

Who do you consider to be the greatest motor racing legends?

Every era had its legends. Every historic motoring magazine has run reams of articles on this with Juan Manual Fangio and Sir Stirling Moss high up on the list. My personal favourite would have to be Ayrton Senna with Jackie Stewart a close second.

Senna because I grew up watching him outdrive everyone in the wet at Donington in 1993 and because he made a crappy but attractive looking Lotus look great. He felt it was his divine right to win! Sir Jackie because I loved the Tyrrell 003 F1 car of the early 1970s – the evocative shape with its blue livery that I could only appreciate in my Scalextric racing set.

Without Stewart, safety for race drivers may have remained in the dark ages. But I am also a fan of the designers, without whom the drivers would have had nothing. Gordon Murray stands out as one of the very best around – Brabham fan car in the same vein as Jim Hall's 2J Chaparral.

How is this F1 race momentous considering the history of the Singapore GP?

There are fantastic similarities and some spooky ones too. Both are street circuits. Both grabbed the imagination of the public. Both brought government into close contact with the private sector. Both were massive tourism boosters.

Spooky because when the Aussies arrived in Singapore in 1966, they shot film footage of their stay on the island and part of the colour footage was of their drive along St. Andrews Road and the Padang. If only Greg Cusack (the hot favourite in 1966) and Max Stahl (Editor of an Australian magazine at the time) could have known that they were reconnoitring the new circuit 42 years ahead of its time!

There are stark differences as well. The old Singapore Grand Prix was from a different era – an era where it was okay to have 15 events in a single weekend. And the old GP was essentially Formula Libre – not top-flight Formula 1.

Who do you think will win the Championship?

Ayrton Senna. But since this is not possible, I can think of only one driver who has the determination, balls and the car to drive a Formula 1 car like it ought to be driven; Lewis Hamilton! If it means that the stewards thrown their hands up in horror and other drivers bitch and moan about aggression, well, they ought to consider a career elsewhere. Without Hamilton, this season would have been a bore!

Photos reprinted from Snakes & Devils: A History of the Singapore Grand Prix by Eli Solomon with permission from Marshall Cavendish Editions.

Book retails at $85 (before GST) at all leading bookstores.