Poor air quality but race goes on

FORMULA One officials are hopeful this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix will go ahead despite dangerous levels of air pollution affecting the city state.

Lewis Hamilton is expected to arrive later today for the sport’s spectacular night race — but the championship leader is set to be greeted by a dense cloud of haze.

Forest fires in Indonesia have caused air pollution to reach “unhealthy” levels for the first time in more than three years.

Singapore’s National Environment Agency warned the situation could deteriorate in the next 24 hours, urging people to “reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion”.

The race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit is regarded as the most physically demanding on the sport’s calendar due to the humid climate.

However, bosses say a contingency plan has been established by the race’s organisers to cope with the poor air quality.

An F1 spokesperson said: “The Singapore race organisers have covered the issue of air quality in the contingency plan for this year’s grand prix alongside stakeholders, government bodies and the Formula One community.

“They have put in place a number of measures, including public information at the circuit and have taken measures to reduce the impact of the haze for the race weekend.”

A spokesperson for the Grand Prix added: “The haze situation is highly changeable not only from day to day but from hour to hour.

“Therefore, it is currently not possible to reliably predict what the PSI level might be over the race weekend.

“We will continue to work closely with all the relevant government authorities to receive the best possible forecasts when they are available.”

Hamilton’s Mercedes team are understood to be monitoring the situation but are hopeful it will improve before the action begins on Friday.

Hamilton, who is

63 points clear in the title race, will land in Singapore after launching the latest collection of his fashion label in Milan on Monday night.