Singapore promising feast of technology

The world's first Formula One night race in Singapore will be a feast of hi-tech gadgetry, organizers say, featuring electronic flags and with around 1,500 lighting projectors illuminating the city. But the iconic checkered flag will not be lost, with organizers sticking to the black-and-white fabric symbol to signify the race end.

The Sept. 28 night race will see the introduction of electronic flag displays to replace those traditionally waved by race officials, Valerio Maioli, the race's lighting designer, told Reuters in an interview.

Colored flag signals are an important part of Formula One as they are one of the few ways teams can inform drivers of circuit conditions.

The new system will use electronic boards along the track to display the different flag colors.

"It is a more centralized system and I think it makes it more efficient," Maioli said.

The electronic flags would work well at the night race because of the brightness of the display board, he added.

Maioli said the installation of the lights was likely to stretch into early September.

"The lighting installation is proceeding very well …. the only possible area of delay will be the short stretch in front of the Bay Grandstand as the area is being used for National Day celebrations," he added.

Using public roads that snake around Singapore's financial district, the track will be four times brighter than a typical sports stadium, organizers said.