Snakes & Devils

The FIRST book on the history of the Singapore Grand Prix

To buy a copy of SNAKES & DEVILS

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Singapore Rare Books LLP ~ by appointment only ~ 21 Kalidasa Avenue Teacher's Housing Estate Singapore 789400 Office: (65)6575 7281 Email: SRB01@singnet.com.sg

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The Singapore Grand Prix ran from 1961 till 1973. The first event was called the Orient Year Grand Prix and held on a stretch of Upper Thomson Road that encompassed the Sembawang Hills Circus and a section of Old Upper Thomson Road. The Singapore Grand Prix s by no means single-seater procession and included the Saloon & Tourer and Sports & GT car support races along with the very popular races for Motorcycles. The book chronicles the 13 golden years of Grand Prix racing in Singapore with an appendix of lap records and race winners for all the classes of racing.

Snakes & Devils traces the turbulent history of the Singapore Grand Prix and tells the story in a highly pictorial chronological format that is both entertaining and engaging. Through extensive research and copious interviews with drivers, sponsors and organisers across three continents, author Eli Solomon has produced the authoritative guide to the original Singapore Grand Prix. Included in this volume are rare archival and private photographs, many of which have never been published before.

The book includes forewords by three times World Formula 1 Champion, Sir Jack Brabham O.B.E, O.A., and the last Singaporean to win the coveted Singapore Grand Prix, Rodney Seow.

Time to dispel the myths - a series in this website that looks at some of the myths surrounding the Singapore Grand Prix that ran from 1961 to 1973.

Snakes & Devils - why bother using this as an accurate account of history? Because of the depth of research that went into it over six years. You don't call a Merlyn Mk5/7 a Brabham BT16/18 unless you do not know the difference between one and the other, or copied the programs and press clippings because that was deemed sufficient depth required to satisfy those not interested in factual accuracy.

MYTH 1 - A glaring example that often gets the uninformed into trouble and differentiates proper research from general reporting is the general misconception that Grand Prix programs and newspaper reports are always correct. The 1972 Singapore Grand Prix program's incorrect reference to a particular entry led to the same incorrect reference in press reports and 36 years later it is still considered true by the experts. Snakes & Devils dispels the myth that a Merlyn Mk7 crashed in the Singapore Grand Prix of 1972 and here's the proof.


Crashed car in 1972 - a single-seater that went off at one of the dog-legs leading to Long Loop. The GP program listed this as a Merlyn Mk7. The press listed it as a Merlyn Mk7. Everyone believed it was a Merlyn Mk7 for the last 36 years. But why did it look more like a twin-cam Brabham (note twin-cam engine and typical Brabham dash and suspension layout). Because it was!	The same Brabham in the 1971 Grand Prix. Note that this is not a Merlyn Mk7. The Brabham ran a twin-cam engine - Webers on the right, headers on the left. Trailing arms and Brabham magnesium wheels (I have a set on my own BT18 Brabham) clearly show this to be a Brabham. The Merlyn Mk7 had a push-rod engine - carbs and headers on the left. Dimensionally the two cars are totally different - one was a Formula Junior spec car, the other Formula Libre (or F2 if the need arose).	The car that the everyone claimed was the one that crashed - taken at the 1968 Singapore Grand Prix with Brian Stock at the wheel. This is a Merlyn Mk7 (really an ex-works earlier model if one wants to get really technical about things). If everyone says its an airplane then it must be an airplane even though it's a balloon. Say it often enough and everyone will believe it so.	The car that actually crashed in 1972, shortly before the incident that led to the death of the driver.


The crashed car when it FIRST raced in Singapore in 1968. Note the twin-cam engine. This car ran No.16 until it was purchased by its next owner - who ran it in 1971 with no. 56 and in 1972 with no. 130. White helmet in 1971, red in 1972.	The same Brabham from a 1968 Grand Prix photograph. This car was often referred to as a Brabham BT18 and, as its owner said, had been "purchased from a fellow competitor but it was pretty twisted…and… thoroughly uncompetitive.” Very sad indeed, with mismatched Weber carburetors (one was a 40DCOE and the other a 45DCOE!).	This is a Merlyn Mk7. Actually it's not really a Mk7 but an ex-works Mk5. The difference is that the 7 had inboard suspension while the 5 didn't. Big difference between a Merlyn Mk 5/7 and a Brabham BT18 - like comparing your arse and your elbow. Note the shark nose front as well. This was chopped off shortly after (see photo above from 1968 - minus shark nose).	The actual car that crashed in 1972, shortly before crashing. No, this isn't a Merlyn Mk7 but a Brabham. Not a BT18 as it had been referred to by its previous owner but more like a BT16 instead. Best of all, it actually has BRABHAM printed on the nosecone so it's hard to deny that it was not a Brabham.

MYTH 2 - Vern Schuppan's March 722 with revised Falconer bodywork between 1972 and 1973 as seen in the photos below. The one on the left reveals a front-mounted radiator, retro in certain respects but probably a reflection of the condition in Singapore that merited this alteration from his 1972 configuration of side-mounted radiators. This may have negatively affected the polar moment of inertia but would have kept the car from boiling over during the 50 lap Grand Prix. Note also the sponsorship logos on both cars - dating the left one to 1973 (post demerger and the formation of Singapore Airlines) and the right one from 1972 (when Malaysia Singapore Airlines existed as a single entity). Both cars are essentially identical outside of the revised bodywork.

About the Author

Eli Solomon has spent a lifetime, punctuated by a spell as an equity salesman in an investment bank, in the company of good and bad cars. His interests are varied, and his latest venture is into the world of rare Southeast Asian books with the formation of Singapore Rare Books and Asia Rare Books. He now spends equal time between Hong Kong and Singapore.

His racing interests include wringing the neck out of his single-seater Brabham BT18 at historic motor sports events when he can afford to, and rebuilding old race cars, including one that was entered in the Singapore Grand Prix of 1971 and 1972. He has also written a bibliography on Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles for the National Library of Singapore, and a chronology of the life of Colonel William Farquhar, first Resident of Singapore, for Singapore Resource Library. Eli's latest book is titled Lost Circuits of Southeast Asia, a history of the sprints, hill climbs and circuits events that took place of the course of the 20th century in Southeast Asia.