Rolex brought its A-game at Singapore Grand Prix 2023

As the official timepiece of Formula 1, Rolex offers an unparalleled experience whether you’re the racer or a spectator

The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the most highly anticipated on the Formula 1 calendar every season. Formula 1’s first night race, which began in 2008, is one of the most popular destinations for both racers and fans. Add to the fact that the race is conducted on the roads in the heart of a bustling ultra-modern city with the Marina Bay skyline in the background, and you have a novelty that is simply hard to beat—or resist.

Adding to the excitement is one of the most physically demanding races, with sharp corners that guarantee to give the wheels a rigorous workout and a humid climate that would make drivers lose as much as 3kg of body weight during the course of the 63-lap race!

The Singapore Grand Prix race circuit goes past the former Supreme Court building

Above The Singapore Grand Prix night race circuit goes past the former Supreme Court building

Rolex has been the global partner as well as the official timepiece of Formula 1 since 2008. A watchmaker synonymous with prestige and precision, its association with Formula 1 is fitting, given that the race shares similar values.

Keeping a close watch on the race is the unmissable Rolex Pit Lane Clock that accompanies the apex of motorsports to all 22 races across five continents season after season. Looking out onto the Singapore Grand Prix circuit from the confines of the Rolex Suite in the Paddock Club, Sir Jackie Stewart muses: “Singapore is a special country, there’s nothing like it. Everything here is immaculate, the streets are immaculate, the sights are immaculate. The whole operation is typical of Formula 1, making it a remarkable event in the middle of one of the major cities of the world.”

Above Rolex Testimonees Sir Jackie Stewart and Mark Webber at Singapore Grand Prix 2023

The Rolex Testimonee and three-time Formula 1 champion is regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time. Besides his exceptional driving skills, Stewart is also a vocal advocate for improving safety in Formula 1.

He was instrumental in introducing seat belts, safety barriers, and improved emergency response, among others. The latter now comes in the form of the Aston Martin FIA Safety Car that launches into action to neutralise the race should there be an accident or the discovery of a foreign object (like a monitor lizard out on an evening stroll as was the case at the recent Singapore GP) on the circuit, to allow the relevant personnel to safely attend to the situation.

“I have in my home a series of wooden benches dedicated to my friends who were killed in F1,” Stewart shared. “Racing was very dangerous and I lost friends like Jim Clark, Graham Hill… I could give you a long list of my best friends and none of them are here today.”

Scottish racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart after winning the Monaco Grand Prix in 1966 (Photo by Victor Blackman/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Above Scottish racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart after winning the Monaco Grand Prix in 1966 (Photo by Victor Blackman/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

This sobering reminder aside, the spritely 84-year-old still displays a remarkable enthusiasm for the race, calling it “an extraordinary sport”. Stewart continues to travel around the world, sharing his passion for the sport that he has spent most of his life in.

“The sport is continually improving and F1 is now bigger than any other sport in the world. It was never like this in the beginning. It used to be a sport of men but now it is a sport for both men and women,” Stewart enthused.

He believed that Rolex is the right partner for Formula 1. “Everybody has a dream to own a Rolex and [the brand] came into the sport the right way. For one, it always chooses to forge long-term relationships, especially with its brand ambassadors—I joined Rolex in 1968. You don’t hear of many sportspeople who get to partner with the same company, especially Rolex, for so long. Plus, it is the official timepiece so it has become an integral part of F1.”

Above A bird's eye view of the Singapore Grand Prix race circuit

Stewart opined that Max Verstappen was the best driver right now. “He drives well and has the right team behind him,” he said.

Stewart, however, did predict that Verstappen wouldn’t be able to keep up his winning streak for long (Verstappen had won 10 races consecutively before Singapore). “Statistically, he can’t go on winning. Nobody is ‘bulletproof’,” he quipped.

Carlos Sainz eventually took the pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix. Verstappen finished fifth.

If our weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix was any indication, Formula 1 is a sport like no other. Stewart concurred: “It’s glamorous, colourful and exciting.”

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Rolex brought its A-game at Singapore Grand Prix 2023