Singapore GP organisers prepare haze measures as air quality turns unhealthy

Singapore Grand Prix organisers have outlined contingency measures after wildfire haze pushed the city-state's air quality into the unhealthy category on Tuesday. According to reporting by The Guardian's Adam Hancock, officials were not expecting disruption to the Formula One racing schedule, although worsening conditions could bring restrictions on some outdoor activities around the event.

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The haze has travelled from fires in neighbouring Indonesia, with this year's conditions intensified by a strong El Niño. Wang Jingyu, an assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University's National Institute of Education, told The Guardian that regional rainfall had been about 80% below normal since June. He linked that shortfall to the most intense fire season in more than a decade, with fires affecting parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan.

An FIA spokesperson told the newspaper that contingency arrangements were in place should the haze deteriorate. Any limits on outdoor activity were considered more likely to affect entertainment than members of the paddock. Singapore race organisers said N95 masks would be made available on site if needed and that they would coordinate with relevant agencies over any problems involving visibility, public health or event operations.

The governing body said it had no visibility concerns, while a Formula One spokesperson said conditions at the event location were not causing concern and rejected the suggestion that the event was at risk. Several teams also told The Guardian they had not changed their plans. Audi said its drivers were prepared for different conditions, including variations in air quality.

Experts interviewed by the newspaper nevertheless raised questions about prolonged exposure. Chris Carlsten, a University of British Columbia medicine professor, said polluted air could affect cognitive performance. Environmental physiology researcher Chris Tyler, who has worked with Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz, noted that outdoor exercise used to prepare for Singapore's heat could expose drivers to pollution over several days. Those comments described potential effects, not confirmed impacts on competitors.

The report also highlighted spectators' potentially longer exposure while attending concerts and other activities around the circuit. Rain could ease the haze, with afternoon thundery showers forecast for Friday and Saturday. For now, officials' preparations address possible deterioration while the racing schedule remains unchanged.