The Singapore Grand Prix remains one of the most anticipated every year. Not only does it feed the F1 frenzy for Asian fans, it's also unique in that it is the lone night race. Let's check out what's in store for the Mercedes AMG Petronas team once the lights on the Singaporean streets turn on for the race.
Being a night race, and also perhaps due to the challenge of actually racing on roads made for passenger vehicles, there has never been an uneventful Singapore GP―since the first one, the safety car has always found itself deployed on the track on race day. In addition, you take the challenge of Monza and double it, as evidenced by the sheer number of times drivers change gears each lap (80).
"Singapore is a one-off in lots of ways, with the city, racing at night and the circuit itself. It’s a brilliantly unusual race," said Michael Schumacher. "At first sight, everything seems more relaxed because the action happens at night, but of course it’s not like that at all… The nice thing is that the circuit is very technically demanding and it’s very tricky to get a perfect lap."
"The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the highlights of the season and it's such a fun weekend," added Nico Rosberg. "I really enjoy the Marina Bay track, it's a street circuit with a difference and with the intense heat and humidity, the sheer number of corners and racing under the lights, it really is a challenge."
The Mercedes team is looking to build on the momentum of its respectable finish at the previous race in Italy. We can certainly expect an action-packed event, from practice to qualifying and all the way to race day.
If you think being a manufacturer of electric vehicles means churning out model after unimaginative model, you just need to look at the latest concept car from smart. This is the smart forstars concept, which is slated to make its debut at the Paris Motor Show starting on the 29th of this month.
The forstars is a Sport Utility Coupe, or SUC for short. What this means is that the car gets ample room for a couple of people as well as their cargo. It also adds a dash of flavor into the existing designs in the smart lineup, although you might see the resemblance between this concept and the smart for-us concept pickup showcased by the brand at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year.
Why the name? According to smart, it's a reference to the video projector that is fitted into the front bonnet of the concept vehicle. This way, "film stars" can share their work anywhere, anytime―like, when stuck in the middle of nowhere, maybe. The name also references the glass roof that should provide for an excellent view of the stars in the night sky.
The concept model comes in a color called "alubeam rouge" with a generous addition of matte titanium and black for the accents. Hese are complemented by rhombus-shaped front and rear lamps, and the front headlamps are accented by "eyebrows," helping the front achieve a structure that is similar to a smiling face, giving the forstars an assertive yet friendly appearance. The interior comes with mother-of-pearl furnishings accented by brushed aluminum and some alubeam rouge as well.
Of course, it's the insides that really define this as a smart-branded car. It packs a 60kW magneto-electric motor that we've seen on the smart BRABUS electric drive. Top speed is stated to be over 130kph, and the lithium-ion battery supports 17.6 kWh of capacity.
"The smart is Europe’s most inexpensive series-produced electric car," said smart head Dr Annette Winkler. "Not only is it emission-free and fast, it is also possible to conveniently set the perfect interior temperature in advance with a smartphone, and it is simple to charge at a domestic socket. What’s more, with its powerful battery and integrated projector the smart forstars can transform any grey backyard into an animated open-air cinema."
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