264,108 spectators attended the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix race weekend according to race organisers at Marina Bay Circuit.
Organisers of the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix have announced a race weekend attendance of over 260,000 for the 14th running of Formula 1’s original night race. The official figure – 264,108 – is down by just under 40,000 on the 2022 figure. However, the drop in attendance is due to the removal of the Bay Grandstand, rather than any lack of interest.
Tickets for the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix sold out, while 2024 Super Early Bird tickets have also already sold out within 72 hours of being available. A number of fans have noted price hikes on Super Early Bird tickets compared to the 2023 offering. Regular Early Bird tickets for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix will go on sale on September 26.
Red Bull’s Winning Streak Comes to an End
Red Bull’s record-breaking 15-race winning streak finally came to an end at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz recording the second win of his career in a lights to flag victory. The race came to a thrilling conclusion, with Sainz finishing less than a second ahead of former team-mate Lando Norris. The Mercedes drivers had been in hot pursuit of the leading pair, until a race-ending crash for George Russell on the final lap.
Why Did Attendance Drop at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix?
Attendance at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix was anticipated to be around 250,000 over the three-day race weekend. The actual figure of 264,108 exceeded expectations. The 2023 attendance figure is down by 40,000 on the record-breaking 2022 number.
Despite the loss of the Bay Grandstand, race organisers added six new grandstands and increased their walkabout (general admission) offering. Strong demand saw all of the 10,000 tickets in the new ticket categories sell out.
The ongoing redevelopment work of The Float @ Marina Bay is expected to be completed by 2027. It is currently unclear whether Formula 1 will return to the former layout of Marina Bay Circuit then, though artists impressions of the new development make this seem unlikely. The revised 2023 layout of the track – which was around ten seconds faster per lap than the old configuration – was a hit with most of the drivers.
65,000 Attend Nightly Singapore Grand Prix Concerts
The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the more expensive to attend on the current Formula 1 calendar. Prices are somewhat justified by the range of concerts which take place on race weekend. This year, Post Malone, Kings of Leon and Robbie Williams were among the trackside headliners.
According to The Straits Times, 65,000 of those in attendance at the Singapore Grand Prix stayed around for Post Malone and Robbie Williams’ headline sets after the Formula 1 action concluded on Saturday and Sunday.
2023 Formula 1 Attendance Likely to Exceed 2022 Figure
Official Formula 1 attendance figures in 2023 are now just under 4 million – though official attendance numbers for the Azerbaijan and Monaco Grands Prix have not been announced. It means that from the 15 races so far this year, overall attendance is already at a higher level than the 4.1 million who attended the 21 races in the 2019 season.
Next, Formula 1 heads to Suzuka for the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix. This will be the first race at Suzuka fully open to international visitors since before the coronavirus pandemic began. Last year, attendance at the event reached 200,000 – the highest number at the track in a decade. This year’s figure is likely to be larger.
With a number of high-attendance races still to come in 2023 – such as the United States Grand Prix and the Mexico City Grand Prix – Formula 1 is on track to exceed its overall figure of 5.7 million from 2022.
