The Singapore Grand Prix is undoubtedly one of the best, strangest weekends on the Formula 1 calendar, where, each year, 20 of the fastest drivers in the world cruise beneath the lights of Marina Bay, surrounded by skyscrapers, colonial architecture, and the thousands of people who have spent the preceding three days eating, drinking, dancing, and generally enjoying all that this iconic city has to offer.
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The race itself remains one of the great spectacles in Formula 1, becoming one of the top bucket-list destinations for any motorsport fan looking to make the annual pilgrimage.
But in recent years, the Grand Prix has become as much about all that happens around the track as the unique racing on it, as Singapore transforms the city into a ten-day celebration of motorsport, music, food, nightlife, and luxury retail.
So, if you're heading to Singapore this weekend for the F1, this is the B.H.-approved guide on how to do it properly.
The Race
Singapore has been home to Formula 1's original night race since 2008, and there remains something uniquely cinematic about watching an F1 car disappear beneath the floodlights with Marina Bay's skyline glowing behind it.
Winding through the main arteries of Singapore’s CBD, race fans are offered a smorgasbord of spectating options from the official to the unconventional. For diehards, there is no better place to be than the grandstands at Turns 1 and 2, with Zone 1 access, and views of pit lane, pit exit, and the third DRS Zone down the straight.
If you’d like to enjoy the action from a variety of vantage points, including the sweeping right-hander at Turn 5 into the first DRS zone, a Premier Walkabout pass provides access to zones 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as the stages for the epic post-track performances. Not only is it great value, but the flexibility to move freely between zones means you soak up more of the atmosphere and hospitality as a fan.
The 2026 edition, however, comes with a significant new flavour: the Singapore Grand Prix will host an F1 Sprint for the first time, adding a timely refresh to one of the Formula 1 calendar’s most important weekends. It also changes the weekend considerably.
Friday begins with a single practice session at 4:30 PM, before Sprint Qualifying starts under the lights at 8:30 PM. Saturday brings the 21-lap Sprint from 5 PM, followed by the traditional Qualifying session at 9 PM. Then, on Sunday night, the main event gets underway at 8 PM.
For fans who arrive in Singapore for more than just the off-track activations, that’s a hell of a lot more racing for your hard-earned buck.
Off-Track Events
Singapore has long blurred the line between Grand Prix and music festival, but 2026 takes things to another level with a host of international artists to suit all types of fans.
JJ Lin, Split Enz, and Cortis will kick off proceedings on Friday, with the F1 Drivers’ Fan Forum giving fans a chance to share the same sweet air as their favourite drivers (and another reason to arrive a couple of days before the main event).
The Killers lead a blockbuster Sprint Saturday (working title), with Goo Goo Dolls, Zara Larsson, and a DJ set from Australia’s own Flight Facilities rounding out the mini-festival of headliners, leaving you to wonder if you’re still there for the Formula 1.
James Arthur, Major Lazer Soundsystem, Mark Ronson, and Lana Del Rey close out the weekend on Sunday, alongside a lengthy supporting cast spread across the circuit's various stages. Singapore GP says there will be more than 100 hours of entertainment across the entire weekend.
Stay at the Bay
There's no denying that Singapore has some of the world’s best stays for a long weekend. The Fullerton Hotel, perched above Turn 13, is the epicentre of F1 activity over Singapore Grand Prix weekend, with well-heeled fans and luxury brands descending on the iconic property over the three days.
Its sister property, The Fullerton Bay Hotel, will play host to Amber Lounge’s annual after-party, where for S$1,250 (~AU$1,401), you can rub shoulders with F1 drivers while enjoying free-flow champagne and performances by international music artists like the Black Eyed Peas’ APL.DE.AP and J. Rey Soul.
Other hotels in close proximity to the track are The Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Mandarin Oriental, Fairmont, and Conrad Centennial. So you’re not short on options.
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Behind the Rope
Now, for those in the room who have travelled for a Formula 1 weekend (which I’m guessing is a large chunk of you), the chequered flag is only the beginning of what to expect through a Grand Prix in 2026.
Such is the internal competitive nature of the travelling F1 convoy that host cities go above and beyond for the influx of motorsport fans looking to extend the entertainment beyond just what’s available on-track.
And across Singapore's F1 weekend, which has become something of a nocturnal sport in its own right, rooftop bars, hotel lounges, and nightclubs across the city are gearing up for another weekend for the books.
The most obvious place to start is the aforementioned Amber Lounge at The Fullerton Bay Hotel's Clifford Pier, which returns for two nights across race weekend. Saturday sees APLE.DE.AP and J. Rey Soul of the Black Eyed Peas take over the decks, while Grammy Award-winning artist Eve headlines Sunday's post-race party. There'll be cocktails from Native alongside the music, with individual passes starting at S$850 (~AU$955) on Saturday.
For something with a view, CÉ LA VI is going all in for the Grand Prix, turning its Marina Bay rooftop into a front-row seat for the action. Plenty of reasons to stay upstairs long after the cars have disappeared into the night, with F1 events running on October 8, 10, and 11.
Meanwhile, HighHouse is getting a Chivas Regal makeover for race weekend, complete with a dedicated Chivas bar and illuminated DJ booth. The headline attraction arrives after midnight on Sunday, when DJ duo NERVO takes over, with the night also serving up the Leclerc Spritz, a cocktail created with Chivas Regal global ambassador Charles Leclerc – though, unlike Melbourne 2025, there’s no suggestion that the Ferrari driver will make an impromptu appearance before Lights Out. Entry is S$50 at the door and includes a complimentary Leclerc Spritz.
And if you somehow still have energy left on Sunday morning, Lulu's Lounge is hosting Australian burlesque performer Lucy Lovegun alongside Jakarta-based DJ Gish, with its regular Sunday brunch getting a Grand Prix makeover of jazz, dim sum, and daytime burlesque.
Get Out of the F1 Bubble
There are plenty of places to keep the night alive when you’re not trackside cheering on your favourite drivers in Singapore; take some time to explore the city’s melting pot of culture. The easiest way to get around is by Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) - and you can tap on and off using your credit/debit card.
Start off in Chinatown, where a Buddhist temple (Buddha Tooth Relic Temple), mosque (Masjid Chulia), and Hindu temple (Sri Mariamman Temple) are literally just a few doors down from each other – a great representation of Singapore’s multi-cultural roots. Your visit to Chinatown is not complete without a stop at Chinatown Complex, one of Singapore’s largest hawker centres.
Kampong Gelam and Little India are next on the agenda, and a great way to explore these precincts is in a vintage Vespa sidecar. Book a tour with Singapore Sidecars, and zip through the narrow lanes for plenty of photo opportunities before coming to a stop at Clarke Quay.
Just a stone’s throw away from the circuit is Singapore’s civic district, which juxtaposes the city’s modernity with heritage buildings from the city’s colonial past. Discover the largest collection of Southeast Asian art at the National Gallery, followed by a meal at National Kitchen by Violet Oon for traditional Peranakan fare in a sophisticated setting.
After dinner, enjoy cocktails at some of the best bars in Singapore – Your Mother’s House, Bartenders of Pony (BOP), Hup San Social Club – where you won’t necessarily run into the hordes of fans descending on the city for the Formula 1. These are the places with a little less polish, but still with heaps of personality.
The Famous Orchard Road and Beyond
Everyone knows the famed Orchard Road in Singapore, and this year you can count on being more than just a part of the Grand Prix Season Singapore festivities; in 2026 it’s getting its own paddock.
From October 8 – 10, Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza will transform into Orchard Paddock, a free open-air festival bringing the energy of race weekend into one of Singapore's most famous shopping districts.
Running from 4 PM until midnight, the three-day event will combine live music, late-night food, and a series of racing-themed activities, complete with special appearances from George Russell and Kimi Antonelli on opening day.
Singaporean acts including ALYPH, YAØ, 53A, Reverie and Dreamsound will take to the stage, while visitors can jump into racing simulators, try their hand at go-karting with Dorifto! SG, hunt down exclusive Hot Wheels collectibles, and even have a crack at one-minute bullet chess.
There will also be open-air screenings of racing films after dark, including The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
Head over to Visit Singapore to start planning your itinerary, and get your race tickets below.