Always a gorgeous sight on the television every year.

In ten days, the lights will go out to start the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. In just over a week, the first practice sessions will take place on the streets right in the heart of the city-state. And right now, I’m already very excited!

I attended every edition of this race faithfully for the last six seasons, and I spent good money that could have gone towards another holiday on watching the racing up close. This year will be no different. A world-class race that the F1 circus enjoys attending and that I could easily commute to via public transport is one of the few things that make me happy to live here.

One of my favourite things to do in the days leading up to the race is to walk the Marina Bay street circuit and see it take shape around me, and it is entirely possible up to midnight on Wednesday evening. A section around the paddock will be off-limits but I can still see the corners up-close and admire the landmarks from the middle of the street, which would be suicide at any other time of the year!

I’ve put together a gallery to take you on a walking tour around the track. With the exception of the first, penultimate and last photos, they were all taken at ground level at different times of the day before the race weekend. That means anyone can enjoy the same views that I managed to capture, and then some.

Over the next few days, I’ll run a couple of articles about making the best of the weekend as a race fan and my previous experiences. I’ll walk the 5-km track again with a few Couchsurfing friends too, so say hi and join in if you’re around!

Sector 1

The view from the Flyer of the pit building and the front straight on the right. It’ll be ‘green’ and slippery due to the lack of racing throughout the year and all the trash from the parties, marathons and cycling events that take place there.

Brake hard from 260km/h for the first corner under the flyover, then flick the car into the right-handed Turn 2, which tightens into Turn 3

Turn 4 is a little kink that precedes this run into…

... the right hand Turn 5. A good exit is important here.

… the right hand Turn 5. Move the barriers away and it becomes a wide-entry corner. A good exit is important here.

The run under the malls through is 700 metres long. Turn 6 is taken at full throttle.

The cars reach 290 km/h before they hit the anchors for Turn 7, a 100km/h left hander and the major overtaking hotspot. If you manage to hold the car on the outside line you can still get the inside line for Turn 8.

Sector 2

Turn 9 leads into a 400m run past the old city hall and supreme court into Turn 10, which used to be a notoriously tight chicane.

A little S bend follows before the track reaches its narrowest point on the 110-year old Anderson Bridge. Felipe Massa was still able to pass here!

After the left-hand hairpin at Turn 13, the track opens up over the Esplanade Bridge. Turn 14 400 metres away shares the same junction as Turn 8 and is another prime overtaking spot.