2026 F1 Singapore Grand Prix draws second-highest turnout of 301,294 fans
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- The 2026 Singapore Grand Prix drew 301,294 fans, the second-highest turnout on record and the biggest since the 2023 track change.
- Haze and heat did not stop fans from flocking to the event, as organisers said the race and track activities would go ahead as planned.
- Max Verstappen won the Singapore night race for the first time, while fans also enjoyed the first Marina Bay sprint race and major music acts.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – Despite hazy conditions that threatened to disrupt the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix from Oct 9 to 11, the event drew a sell-out crowd once again, with organisers announcing on Oct 11 a total attendance of 301,294 for the 2026 edition.
This was the second-highest attendance on record for the three-day race weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit and the highest since the track change in 2023.
The record turnout for the night race was 302,000, set in 2022 before the route was amended to omit the Float @ Marina Bay, which could seat 27,000. The revision was made for the construction of NS Square.
The attendance figures for 2023, 2024 and 2025 were 264,108, 269,072 and 300,641, respectively.
Although transboundary haze from Indonesian fires pushed the air quality into the unhealthy range for most of the weekend, organisers had maintained that the race and track activities would go ahead as planned.
The grand prix was also declared a heat hazard for the second year in a row, but the haze and heat did little to stop fans from flocking to the track to catch the action.
Five hours before the start of the race on Oct 11, about 100 supporters had already gathered at the fan stands just outside the paddock entrance to hunt for photos and autographs of their favourite drivers.
Malaysian Ivan Yuen, who flew in from Kuala Lumpur to catch the race in person for the first time, was not too bothered about the haze.
“I’ve always wanted to experience a night street race as I gathered from a lot of reviews that it’s really good and I wanted to experience it myself,” said the 36-year-old, who works in the sports industry.
“That (the haze) is beyond our control. In the worst case if anything had happened then of course we’d be disappointed, but everything’s been good and running as usual.”
Fans who caught the main race on Oct 11 witnessed history as Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen won the Singapore night race for the first time in 10 attempts. It sealed a perfect weekend for the 29-year-old Dutchman, who had also won the first sprint race to be held at Marina Bay the day before.
Chaos had reigned in the Republic’s maiden sprint race as wet conditions resulted in nine retirements, a record for the shorter-format event which was introduced to F1 in 2021.
While drivers were sceptical about whether street circuits like Marina Bay – where overtaking opportunities are limited – should host sprint races, fans enjoyed it.
Brothers Johnny and Billy Terbsiri, who travelled from Bangkok to attend all three days of the event, were among those who found it exciting. Business owner Johnny, 35, said: “It’s the first night race of Formula 1 and it’s my first time at an F1 grand prix. This is also not far from Thailand and there are a lot of interesting things to do too.
“It’s been really good. The rain made the sprint race more exciting and the haze has been okay because it can be worse in Thailand. It didn’t affect any of our plans and I can accept it.”
Off the track, the entertainment acts also thrilled the crowds, with a host of music superstars, including home-grown Mandopop star JJ Lin, American rock band The Killers and singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, who starred at the Padang.
Celebrities also made their way to Singapore to catch the high-octane action, with three-gold Winter Olympic freestyle skiing champion Eileen Gu, French World Cup-winning footballer Paul Pogba, three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade and socialite Kim Kardashian – who was in Singapore to support her partner Lewis Hamilton – among those spotted at the paddock.
It was also a memorable experience for Cambodian fan Noun Chanmakara, who was attending his first grand prix in person after following the sport for a decade.
The doctor, 34, said: “Singapore has the nicest grand prix, it’s well-managed, there are a lot of activities around so the ticket was totally worth it and it’s close to my country.
“It’s worth every penny. It’s very different from watching at home, everything from the sound and atmosphere makes it more exciting.”