54-610: The Marina Bay Street Circuit (otherwise known as the Singapore Street Circuit ) is a street circuit around Marina Bay , Singapore , encompassing the planning areas of Downtown Core (Turns 4 to 19) and Kallang (Turns 1 to 3). It is the venue for the Singapore Grand Prix . The track is 4.940 km (3.070 mi) long in a harbourside location similar in style to the Circuit de Monaco and
108-494: A Second World War civilian memorial; and Turn 10 was named Singapore Sling . The Singapore Sling was changed for the 2013 Grand Prix and Turn 10 is now a flowing left-hander. Drivers have commented that without the Singapore Sling chicane, the track is much more manageable. In January 2010, it was reported that race organisers were considering changes to the circuit for the 2011 season. No major changes were made to
162-586: A vascular disorder in the United States as the operation required had not yet been developed in Singapore. He returned back sometime in February 1972. On 2 March 1981, it was found out that Sheares had lung cancer . On 3 May, Sheares briefly went unconscious whilst at home, it is suspected that he suffered from brainstem ischaemia which caused him to go unconscious. On 7 May, Sheares slipped into
216-402: A Singapore-born woman of Chinese and Spanish descent. Known affectionally as Ben or Bennie when he was younger, Sheares showed ambition to become a doctor – a dream deemed almost impossible for someone who was Asian and came from a poor family in the early colonial days of Singapore. However, his sister Alice encouraged him to follow his dream against his mother's wishes for her son to take up
270-615: A clinic at Battery Road. He had been serving as a Honorary Consultant at KKH after his retirement. Following the death of incumbent president Yusof Ishak , six people – Yeoh Ghim Seng , Othman Wok , Wee Chong Jin , Ismail bin Abdul, Punch Coomaraswamy , and A. P. Rajah – were considered to be the most likely candidates for the role in November 1970. It was ultimately announced in December that Sheares would succeed Yusof and he became
324-533: A coma after developing a cerebral haemorrhage . On 12 May, two nurses from the Ministry of Health and a security officer with oxygen cylinders and a stretcher were sent to his house. He died later that day at 2:10 pm. He was buried at Kranji State Cemetery . Then- United States president Ronald Reagan stated that Sheares' had "an unselfish public devotion which all Americans admire." Then- Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia Sultan Ahmad Shah stated that he
378-446: A curve to the right for turn 2, while turn 3 is to the left at just 90 km/h (56 mph). Now, the car is on Republic Boulevard (along turn 4) speeding up to 260 km/h (160 mph), then heading to right-hand turn 5, braking to 145 km/h (90 mph). On Raffles Boulevard (where the second DRS zone is located), flat-out for turn 6, to the fastest part of the circuit at speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph). Cars enter
432-405: A differing method instead of the lower Caesarian. When Sheares became the head of department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the 1940s, he perfomed the first lower Caesarian section in Singapore which eventually became the standard routine in Singapore. Sheares also created a technique to make an artificial vagina for those born without one. This gained him worldwide recognition after he published
486-731: A doctor. In 1923, he enrolled into the King Edward VII College of Medicine (now the National University of Singapore ) to begin his medical training. Sheares was aware that his family could not see him through the school fees afforded by the College, therefore he won a generous scholarship offered by the Council of the Medical College with his exemplary academic performance. With this scholarship, he
540-435: A job as a clerk and start helping out with the family bills as soon as he completed his Senior Cambridge Examinations (present-day GCE Ordinary Level ). Sheares was educated at Methodist Girls' School , when it was co-ed , and St. Andrew's School before transferring in 1922 to study at Raffles Institution , the only school equipped with scientific laboratories – making it an ideal place to further his ambition to become
594-626: A race, although qualifying laps are typically faster. The fastest qualifying lap was 1:29.525, set by Lando Norris in the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix . As of September 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Marina Bay Street Circuit are listed as: Street circuit A street circuit is a motorsport racing circuit composed of temporarily closed-off public roads of a city , town or village , used in motor races . Airport runways and taxiways are also sometimes part of street circuits. Facilities such as
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#1732775830660648-554: A regular sports stadium, are specially designed to minimize glare and surface reflection, and to meet F1's TV broadcasting standards. Marina Bay Street Circuit starts with a specially made pit straight with the first DRS zone. The pit straight approaching just below the Benjamin Sheares Bridge at a speed of 308 km/h (191 mph) before braking into left-hand turn one to 146 km/h (91 mph). The opening sequence of turns 1, 2, and 3 are shaped like an 'S',
702-502: A safety measure to compensate for the higher speeds, an extra layer of TecPro barriers were added to the end of the Turn 10 run-off. In 2015, the FIA approved minor changes to the layout of the Marina Bay Street Circuit ahead of the 2015 Singapore Grand Prix . The modifications run from Turn 11 to Turn 13; drivers will still turn right at Turn 11 but it will now kink left slightly on entry, with
756-581: A street circuit is also called "legal street racing". Local governments sometimes support races held in street circuits to promote tourism . In some cases, short segments or connector roads of the circuit are purpose-built for the racecourse, and remain in place year-round, but are not otherwise utilized by public traffic. active circuits in bold Benjamin Henry Sheares Benjamin Henry Sheares FRCOG FACS (12 August 1907 – 12 May 1981)
810-509: A trained midwife of ethnic Chinese descent in 1939 and they had three children together. Their daughter, Constance Sheares (born 1941), is an arts administrator , curator, and writer. In 1955, Sheares and his family were robbed in their bungalow , which was then provided by the University of Malaya in Singapore, and had S$ 10,000 worth of jewellery and cash stolen from them. In November 1971, Sheares underwent medical treatment for
864-508: A very unforgiving circuit, especially given the hot and humid conditions of the Singapore climate. 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton commented that it was twice as hard to negotiate as the more famous Monaco street circuit and unexpectedly physical – requiring double the amount of energy over a single lap as compared to the Monaco circuit. Several drivers, including Sébastien Bourdais and Fernando Alonso , expressed their concern about
918-415: Is expected that the temporary layout change will drop F1 lap times by about 20 seconds. In June 2022 started the works to upgrade most of the circuit's asphalt, in view to ease the porpoising effect on the 2022 cars . For the purpose of the night race, approximately 1600 custom-made floodlights are spread around the 5.067 km (3.148 mi) Marina Bay circuit. The lights, four times brighter than at
972-536: The National University of Singapore and he served in that role till 1981. In 1974, Sheares was re-elected president by Parliament and served a second term. Whilst serving his second term as president, Sheares taught demonstration classes at KKH to gynaecologists . In 1975, Sheares was made an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine by John Stallworthy . After his second term, Sheares had originally planned to retire as he felt that he did not have
1026-614: The National University of Singapore are named after him. Sheares was born on 12 August 1907 in the Straits Settlements (present-day Singapore) to an Eurasian family with an English lineage. He was the second of six children to his father Edwin Henry Sheares (1863–1940), an English technical supervisor of the Public Works Department , and his mother Lilian Jane Sheares (1880–1971; née Gómez),
1080-805: The Padang , past the City Hall . The track then goes onto the Anderson Bridge , past the Fullerton Hotel and make a tight left turn to Esplanade Drive beside the Merlion Park . It joins Raffles Avenue, then returning to the pit area via a second temporary road around the Singapore Flyer. The track was widely criticised by F1 drivers for being excessively bumpy, particularly on Raffles Boulevard between turns 5 and 7, resulting in
1134-721: The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh to join the Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons but returned back to Singapore after being called by then- Governor of Singapore Franklin Gimson to return to his post as Acting Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology as the previous Professor had retired. Upon his arrival back to Singapore, he was appointed the Acting Professor and the job of Professor
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#17327758306601188-528: The University of Malaya in Singapore . He later became the Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the university, a rare feat for a local as usually high-ranking colonial officers held such positions. Sheares retired in 1960 and was in private practice before being elected as the president of Singapore by Parliament following the death of Yusof Ishak , the former president, on 23 November 1970. He
1242-474: The Valencia Street Circuit . The circuit was designed by KBR , and is a modification of the original one first proposed by Hermann Tilke . The circuit has a FIA Grade 1 license. The circuit held a unique record of having at least one safety car appearance in every race until the 2024 race. There has been a total of 24 safety car deployments in 15 races. On the day of confirmation of
1296-438: The 23-turn layout, was deemed to be "difficult and incredibly dangerous" by several drivers due to the fast nature of the corners where they were situated. The problem was deemed to be primarily due to the speed differential of those entering the pits and those continuing on another lap and their sharing of the same race line. The controversial pit entry at Singapore was then modified ahead of Saturday's qualifying round by extending
1350-788: The Chairman of the Board of Examiners, who had previously examined him for his MRCOG, and the professor at Royal Postgraduate Medical School in Hammersmith . With these referrals, Sheares met with the Selection Board in London and, in January 1950, became the first local Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Malaya in Singapore. In December 1951, Sheares used the remainder of his Queen's Fellowship study to go to
1404-418: The FIA had been involved in the development of these kerbs, in response to the drivers' concerns FIA race director and safety delegate Charlie Whiting agreed to lower the kerbs at the turn 10 chicane ahead of Friday's free practice. The kerbs were further reduced in height for Saturday's qualifying round and Sunday's race. The chicane at Turn 10 was reprofiled for the 2010 race in an attempt to make it safer and
1458-566: The Singapore Grand Prix in the 2008 Formula One season , a routemap was published. The pit area of the circuit is located in an empty plot of land off Republic Boulevard and beside the Singapore Flyer . A temporary road leads from the pit area and under the Benjamin Sheares Bridge to Republic Boulevard and turns onto Raffles Boulevard. It then proceeds along Nicoll Highway , Stamford Road and Saint Andrew's Road around
1512-448: The St. Andrews Road (in front of the Padang ), reaching speeds of 276 km/h (171 mph). Turn 10 is a left-hand turn at 150 km/h (93 mph). Turns 11, 12, and 13 were reprofiled before the 2015 Singapore Grand Prix . Drivers still turn right at turn 11, but it will now kink left slightly on entry, with the track shifting to the left-hand side of Fullerton Road . This will change
1566-447: The United States for a year. During this period, he studied at different teaching institutions in the United States, such as Mayo Clinic . Contributions by Sheares to obstetrics include the lower Caesarian section , which he pioneered, that resulted in a lower mortality and morbidity rate in pregnant women than the upper Caesarian section. Initially, very few Caesarian sections were carried out in Singapore and, when they were, used
1620-440: The apex at turn 7 under heavy braking, slowing from 320 km/h (200 mph) to 127 km/h (79 mph). Turn the car slightly to the right at the start of Nicoll Highway , picking up the throttle to 220 km/h (140 mph), braking to the right for turn 8 to 81 km/h (50 mph), onto Stamford Road at 191 km/h (119 mph), before braking to 140 km/h (87 mph) entering turn 9. The braking leads to
1674-444: The cars approach turn 18 is determined by the exit of turn 17, therefore most of the drivers exit turn 17 very close to the wall to gain a speed advantage. Running down towards turn 18 passes the 165 m (541 ft) tall Singapore Flyer , where turns 18 and 19 are taken flat-out at about 180 km/h (110 mph) before picking up the throttle again towards the pit straight across the finish line. Official lap records are set in
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1728-401: The circuit's inception in 2008 and is expected to make way for the construction of NS Square in 2022. This re-profiling was not made in 2022, but it will be made before the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, as the official ticket sale page showed the new circuit layout map. This change will be made temporarily for the 2023 season and will decrease the circuit length to 4.928 km (3.062 mi). It
1782-495: The current 5.063 km (3.146 mi). The circuit was expected to receive another re-profile from the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix . In August 2020, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced plans to redevelop the Marina Bay Floating Platform into a community space centred on the city-state's policy of National Service . The floating platform has housed the Turn 16–19 series of corners since
1836-423: The energy for another term, but then- Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew persuaded him and Sheares, then aged 70, took on his third term as president in 1978. Sheares served as president until his death in office in 1981. Devan Nair succeeded him as president. According to a medical assistant of his, Sheares had possibly donated his entire salary as president to charity. Sheares married Yeo Seh Geok (1919–2012),
1890-408: The high and harsh kerbs at the chicane at turn 10 of the street circuit. Ferrari's Felipe Massa compared the kerbs akin to "little tortoises that would wreck the car if you get something wrong". The drivers were worried that hitting the bumps could cause suspension damage or even damage a tub. They also raised concerns that the bumps would pitch them into the wall on the outside of the corner. Whilst
1944-423: The layout for the 2011 race, however Singapore Tourism Board has sought submissions on opportunities to reinvigorate the layout or completely relocate it in the future. For the 2013 season, the FIA approved of track configuration changes. The Turn 10 chicane, known as 'Singapore Sling', was removed and replaced with a single-apex left-hand bend. The corner entry speed increased by about 40 km/h (25 mph). As
1998-554: The local patients section of the hospital. After the war, Sheares was appointed as the Acting Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Malaya in Singapore (present-day National University of Singapore), which he held onto until May 1947 when he went to London for his postgraduate studies at London University to get a degree of Member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (MRCOG) in January 1948. He had planned to take an examination at
2052-643: The method in a 1960 paper titled Congenital Atresia of the Vagina: A New Technique for Tunnelling the Space Between Bladder and Rectum and Construction of the New Vagina . From 1953 to 1955, Sheares helped design new additions to the KKH building such as the out-patient department and the front block of the hospital, stating that, "[KKH] was initially just a maternity hospital and I had to design
2106-512: The new buildings in such a way that the maternity operating theatres were in a different block from the gynaecological operating theatres." In 1955, Sheares became the first Singaporean to be awarded a fellowship by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists , following his contributions to the sector. In 1959, Sheares advocated for voluntary sterilisation as a way to reduce population growth which he garnered criticism for. He later stated that he believed that his critics assumed he
2160-519: The paddock, pit boxes, fences and grandstands are usually installed temporarily and removed soon after the race is over but in modern times the pits, garages, race control and main grandstands are sometimes permanently constructed in the area. Since the track surface is originally planned for normal speeds, race drivers often find street circuits bumpy and lacking grip. Run-off areas may be non-existent, which makes driving mistakes more expensive than in purpose-built circuits with wider run-off areas. Racing on
2214-428: The pit entry line away from the pits. This change compelled drivers to commit to the pit entry earlier, providing additional warning to those following behind. In March 2009, three of the circuit's corners were given names after a competition amongst local F1 fans to submit ideas. Turn 1 was named Sheares after Benjamin Henry Sheares , the second president of Singapore; Turn 7 was named Memorial due to its proximity to
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2268-503: The profile of turn 12, as drivers will now use the other side of the Anderson Bridge at 190 km/h (120 mph), while the hairpin at turn 13 (in front of Fullerton Hotel ) has been widened by a metre in order to increase overtaking opportunities with braking to 67 km/h (42 mph). The car is now at Esplanade Bridge (where the third DRS zone is located) crossing the Singapore river, building up speed to 290 km/h (180 mph). Turn 14 almost meets turn eight, diverting to
2322-483: The right at 90 km/h (56 mph) onto the Raffles Avenue (in front of Esplanade ). Following a reprofiling before the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix , a long straight on Raffles Avenue (where the fourth DRS zone is located) replaces turns 16–19, bypassing the technical Float section. Previously the turn 20, turn 16 is now a massive braking point, turning hard right before slinging back left for turn 17. How fast
2376-411: The second president of Singapore on 2 January 1971 after he was sworn in, following an unanimous agreement by Parliament . His mother was 91 years old when she learnt that her son had become the president of Singapore. Just two weeks before she died, she said " God has blessed Bennie especially after the way he looked after us and me. " During his first term in 1971, he was appointed Chancellor of
2430-503: The track shifting to the left-hand side of Fullerton Road. This will change the profile of Turn 12, as drivers will now use the other side of the Anderson Bridge, while the hairpin at Turn 13 has been widened by a metre in order to increase overtaking opportunities. Other changes were made before the 2018 Singapore Grand Prix , the track was reprofiled at turns 16 and 17, taking it from a length of 5.065 km (3.147 mi) to
2484-459: The turns more gradual by moving the kerbs, however Lewis Hamilton said in an interview this modification made the chicane more dangerous by making the entry to the corner smaller, calling the complex "the worst corner in F1". In 2013, ahead of the race, the chicane was removed and replaced with a left turn, resulting in faster lap times. The entry of the pit lane, which begins at the penultimate corner of
2538-488: Was "an illustrious son of Singapore who had contributed much to the existing close relationship between [the] two countries." Then- Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said "his humble and unassuming manner belied an intense commitment to excellence". Sheares is the first and only president to serve three terms and was also the longest-serving president at 10 years, before it was surpassed by S. R. Nathan in January 2010, who served for 12 years. Locations in Singapore such as
2592-580: Was a Singaporean physician and academic who served as the second president of Singapore from 1971 until his death in 1981. Of Eurasian descent, Sheares was born in Singapore under British rule and graduated from the King Edward VII College of Medicine . He studied obstetrics and gynaecology and worked as an obstetrician at the Kandang Kerbau Hospital (KKH), eventually serving as the Acting Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at
2646-594: Was able to give $ 50 monthly to his mother for the support of his family. Upon his graduation in March 1929, he served as an assistant medical doctor at Sepoy Lines General Hospital (present-day Singapore General Hospital ) before specialising in and becoming an obstetrician at the Kandang Kerbau Hospital (KKH) in April 1931. Sheares was also the first local to become an obstetrician. By 1937, Sheares had become responsible for all obstetric patients at KKH. In 1940, Sheares
2700-563: Was advertised in the British Medical Journal . Sheares faced prejudice as despite serving as the Acting Professor for two years prior, the role of Professor was not given to him as he was a local and high-ranking colonials usually held such positions. He needed two referrals but neither his previous boss nor the Principal Medical Officer gave him references. Sheares eventually got his referrals from
2754-531: Was advocating for forced sterilisation , when he was really advocating for voluntary sterilisation, further saying, "they also did not [ sic ] understand the consequences of letting the population grow un-checked." Sheares retired in June 1960 from the National University of Singapore as he was suffering from health complitcations such as gastric ulcers . He went into private practice and worked at
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#17327758306602808-783: Was awarded the Queen's Fellowship which would have granted him a two-year postgraduate training in Britain. However, his studies were postponed due to the Second World War . During the war in 1941, whilst working at KKH, it was damaged by the bombing from the Japanese military and it was converted into an emergency general hospital for injured civilians. Later during the Japanese occupation , Sheares served as head of department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medical Superintendent for
2862-439: Was known for pioneering the lower Caesarian section in Singapore and creating an artificial vagina . The lower Caesarian section has since become the standard procedure in Singapore. Sheares remains the only president to have been elected for three terms and was the longest-serving president at 10 years – a record surpassed in January 2010 by S. R. Nathan who served 12 years. Both the Benjamin Sheares Bridge and Sheares Hall at
2916-511: Was sworn in on 2 January 1971. Sheares initially wanted to retire after finishing his second term as he felt that he did not have the energy for another term, but then- Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew persuaded him to stay and Sheares took on his third term. He served as the president of Singapore for three terms from 2 January 1971 till his death in office on 12 May 1981. He was succeeded by Devan Nair on 23 October 1981. Regarded as "the father of obstetrics and gynaecology in Singapore", Sheares
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