There are two types of photographers at a Formula 1 race. There are the official F1 photographers who wear fancy jackets and are allowed to shoot from almost anywhere; they are also known as “lucky bastards”. Then there are the rest of us who are confined to one location and can’t see very much, let alone photograph it. This is particularly true at a street circuit like Singapore where you are very close to the cars, but then have to be protected from airborne cars and assorted components by a wire fence which is rather hard to shoot through.

For this reason I decided not to take my serious camera to Singapore. I would take the LX3 for some general shots, and just take hand baggage with some spare clothes. Then I foolishly bought my friend in Singapore a condo warming present of a corkscrew; one of those monster corkscrews that could also be used for digging escape tunnels should you happen to be imprisoned. I then realised it would also be useful as a tool to intimidate airline pilots and that I would not be allowed to take it on the plane. Which meant I would have to check in my baggage. Which meant I would have nothing to hand carry. Which meant I decided I might as well carry my big camera after all. So I did; and once I arrived in Singapore we went straight to the track for the Friday evening practice which ran from 2130 to 2300. The track lighting provided enough illumination for the drivers, but not enough for photography without cranking up the ISO, but I got some reasonable shots. Here are some of them: