F1 to get more night practice in Singapore

(GMM) Organizers of formula one's first night race in Singapore have agreed to modify the timetable of the inaugural September event so that drivers get more practice under floodlights.

Concerns were raised earlier this year that only 90 minutes of floodlit practice had been allocated before qualifying takes place after sunset at 8pm on Saturday.

Initial Friday practice, for instance, is currently scheduled to take place in daylight (4pm), and – similarly – pre-qualifying practice on Saturday is scheduled for 5pm.

But it now emerges that the FIA, which has notified the teams, is set to rubber-stamp a timetable change.

It is understood that the major changes to the timetable are later practice start times for the initial Friday and Saturday practice sessions.

Sunday's race start time of 8pm remains unchanged, but the knock-on effect of the other changes means that qualifying is set to begin as late as 10pm on Saturday night.

Elsewhere, organizers of the inaugural street race at Valencia have revealed that – to test the port circuit before the late August grand prix – regional F3 and GT races will be held there in July.