BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld has added his voice to safety concerns for formula one night racing.
Singapore, Australia and Malaysia could be among the first ever grands prix to be held under floodlights next year, but Red Bull’s Mark Webber warned at the weekend that the concept should only be pursued if outstanding questions about safety can be answered.
“The question of whether it rains has been mentioned,” the Australian said, after taking a black Renault Megane Coupe Cabriolet convertible for a spin around the proposed 4.8km Singapore street layout.
Webber added: “If it rains, the glare is something that needs to be looked into.
“There are unanswered questions.”
German Heidfeld, 29, is similarly enthusiastic about the basic idea but warned that making night racing safe is not simply a matter of erecting a few light towers.
“It is not like a football game where you need a few lights.
“Just imagine if there is a power cut,” Heidfeld told the Bernama news agency.
“In football you can stop the game but in formula one, when we’re driving at 300kph and it is dark … I don’t want to be in the situation.”
