mrbrown: 21 ways to save money at the next F1

When Second Minister for Trade and Industry Mr S Iswaran said that Singapore was in "no hurry" to extend the Formula One race beyond its current contract, and that he would "like to see it continue on a mutually beneficial basis", I read that as SingaporeSpeak for "Got discount or not?"

I don't blame the Government if they are having second thoughts about staging the F1 night race here for another five years. It costs S$150 million (US$115.4 million) annually to stage the race, the Singapore Government foots S$90 million (US$69 million) of the bill (with taxpayers' money) and we rake in about S$100 million (US$77 million) in tourism each year from it.

It doesn't take a math genius to see that this isn't exactly a lucrative thing for us to stage.

That is why I propose we try to find ways to save money for future F1 races in Singapore. I asked the greatest minds of the country to mull over this, with this hashtag: #waystosavemoneyatnextF1

1. @mrbrown: Lose the high-powered lights at the Singapore night circuit. #F1 drivers to drive with night-vision goggles.

2. @mrbrown: Computer graphics fireworks for TV audiences. (Actually, didn't China "enhance" their fireworks for tv too?)

3. @TheFakeSIM: Drive in the day!

4. @yatblaster: (WRS CEO) Isabella Loh should run next year's race. She'll cancel it anyway, so we'll save money!

5. @ShunfuMart: Instead of cars, the drivers race shopping trolleys around AMK Hub NTUC (Supermarket).

20. @mrbrown: Get cheaper music acts like Rick Asli, Shakilah and Linkin' People's Park. #waystosavemoneyatnextF1Speaking of Grid Girls, since the winner of F1 sponsor SingTel's Grid Girls contest is named Mio, which is coincidentally the name of their pay TV service, will StarHub name their Grid Girl, Sparky?

7. @BB_See: Make the teams buy COE for every car (And make our Certificates of Entitlement valid only for one year!)

8. @ShunfuMart: Don't bother to close the roads. That would also make it more interesting. 9. @ngyanghan: All Grid Girls to wear less cloth. (I support this wholeheartedly. After all, our weather is rather hot and humid.)

10. @mrbrown Make the drivers run the 61 laps.

11. @Gabriel_Fu: Hold a taxi race instead. (Some of them really drive like Formula One drivers, I admit.)

12. @artstages: Share cost with the Malaysian Government. Race starts from Marina Bay circuit & ends at Sepang Circuit. Same same ~300km (First you have to clear the P.I.T.A. two-finger biometric scanning at Malaysian Customs though.)

13. @BB_See: Close ECP (The East Coast Park Expressway) and sell tickets to watch from there.

14. @longadin: Actually, putting Isabella Loh in charge is a bad idea. You spent everything & she cancel it last minute.

15. @BB_See: Sell tickets to listen to the race

16. @AmreshTheKumar: Only ask Taufik Batisah to perform instead of bringing in world renowned acts for #F1 Concert

17. @rekkin: Pole position to be determined at the amusement arcade racing Daytona. (Makes you wanna sing the theme song "Daytonaaaaaaaaaa!")

18. @weiwulah: Get London Weight Management to manage F1 They make heavy spenders feel guilty.

19. RT @integratedmalay: Make the teams rent the garages from the PA (A "non-partisan" People's Association race!)

20. @mrbrown: Get cheaper music acts like Rick Asli, Shakilah and Linkin' People's Park.

21. @mrbrown: Stop asking Bernie Ecclestone if we are still the "Crown Jewel" of the #F1 Just "Crown Bauble" will do.

Speaking of Grid Girls, since the winner of F1 sponsor SingTel's Grid Girls contest is named Mio, which is coincidentally the name of their pay TV service, will StarHub name their Grid Girl, Sparky?