Singapore GP organisers prepare haze contingencies as air quality turns unhealthy

Singapore Grand Prix organisers have outlined contingency measures after smoke from Indonesian wildfires left the city-state's air quality classified as unhealthy on Tuesday. According to reporting by the Guardian, the FIA has plans in place should conditions deteriorate, although disruption to this weekend's racing schedule is not expected. Formula One also said conditions at the event site were not a concern.

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Singapore's National Environment Agency issued the unhealthy classification as haze from fires in neighbouring Indonesia spread across the city. The Guardian reported that this year's conditions have been intensified by a strong El Niño, with fires affecting Sumatra and Kalimantan. Wang Jingyu, an assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University's National Institute of Education, said regional rainfall had been about 80% below normal since June.

Race organisers said N95 masks would be available on site if needed. They will coordinate with the relevant agencies over any decisions prompted by problems involving visibility, public health or event operations. An FIA spokesperson told the Guardian that a worsening situation could bring restrictions on outdoor activities, but these would be more likely to affect entertainment events than members of the paddock.

The governing body's current assessment does not identify visibility as a problem for drivers around the illuminated Marina Bay Street Circuit. Several teams also told the Guardian they had not altered their plans. Audi, making its first appearance at the Singapore Grand Prix, said its drivers were prepared for different conditions, including changes in air quality. Those responses distinguish the existing contingency preparations from an announced change to the event.

The haze nevertheless adds to the environmental demands surrounding a race already associated with high humidity and a tight, twisting circuit. Chris Tyler, a University of Roehampton researcher who has worked with Formula One drivers, told the Guardian that extended exposure to pollution could complicate the outdoor exercise drivers use to adapt to Singapore's heat before racing.

Singapore has encountered similar conditions before: Lewis Hamilton said during the hazy 2019 race weekend that he had been advised against running outdoors beforehand. For this year's event, thundery showers forecast for Friday and Saturday afternoons could offer some relief. For now, organisers' preparations include masks and coordination with public agencies, while the FIA reports no visibility concerns and teams continue with their existing plans.