Ground broken for Singapore track

Singapore formally began construction of its Formula One Grand Prix facilities Friday with a groundbreaking ceremony for the new pit building. The facility along Singapore's waterfront will hold 36 garages for 12 racing teams on the ground floor.

"Today's groundbreaking event marks an important milestone in our preparations to host the F1 race in September next year," Lim Neo Chian, chief executive of Singapore's tourism board, said at the site — which is now a verdant but muddy field beneath an expressway off-ramp.

Singapore is to host its first Grand Prix street circuit race on September 28 next year.

"The pit building that will rise from this piece of land that we now stand on will be one significant milestone that all will watch closely," said Lim Hng Kiang, minister for trade and industry.

"In terms of physical work, this is the first step," Nick Syn, technical manager for the race promoter, Singapore GP Pte Ltd, told reporters.