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Could haze cloud the F1 Grand Prix?

The haze does look to be easing up in Singapore, but as it could return with a vengeance next week, some are starting to worry about the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix. Will it be affected?

After hitting a high of 62 on Monday, the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading in Singapore tapered off to 29 on Thursday. But Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan warned that “early next week, we might get a return of the haze”.

This could have a negative impact on the upcoming F1 night race between 23 and 25 September.

Drivers and car enthusiasts whom Yahoo! Singapore spoke to said that if the haze becomes severe, it may affect factors ranging from engine performance to all-important visibility for race car drivers.

Head of driver development at Team Lotus Alex Yoong said that visibility may be affected if the haze “worsens considerably”.

Automotive journalist Brendan Mok agreed, adding that an aggravated haze situation may potentially be very dangerous for race car drivers in particular.

“When you’re going that fast, everything (you see) is tunnel vision (which is already blurry), and reactions have to be in split seconds. A severe haze would make that much worse,” he said.

Mok also said that as the haze worsens and oxygen content in the air becomes lower, the engines in F1 race cars could be adversely affected.

“F1 engines spin up to 17,000 rounds per minute, so even the slightest distortion in the air that they take in can result in a noticeable decrease in power,” he told Yahoo! Singapore, adding that the resultant difference in performance could be quite minute, and that the haze would have to be “quite intense” for there to be any serious effect on an F1 car engine.

For spectators, doctors advise that if the haze worsens around the island, people who are more susceptible to irritation and respiratory illnesses should refrain from spending too much time outdoors.

“Given the recent hazy air condition in Singapore, more people might experience irritation of the eyes and nose,” said senior consultant at Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s respiratory and critical care medicine department, Sonny Wang.

He added that elderly people and patients with underlying chronic heart and lung diseases may find their conditions worsening.

“Generally, these people should stay indoors and limit their physical activity when the PSI reading is high,” he added.

When contacted, spokespersons from the Singapore Grand Prix told Yahoo! Singapore that they are not making any contingency plans yet, although they are monitoring the haze situation closely and will issue further updates if necessary.