The who’s who of the Formula 1 Grand Prix — F1 drivers, racing legends and team owners — together with celebrities, royalty, ambassadors and music stars in a glamorous VIP lounge setting taking in live performances, fashion shows and an eclectic variety of fringe activities — The Podium Lounge CEO and founder, Robbie Hoyes-Cock, has cracked the code to creating the world-class celebrity-driven F1 weekend after-party that gets talked about for months after the confetti has been cleared away.
Now into its ninth year, The Podium Lounge Singapore returns to The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore with a three-day programme that dazzles and delights. Built on the successful formula of curating events that appeal to the jet-setting party elite — many of whom follow the F1 circuits around the world and attend the Podium Lounge editions in Monaco, Abu Dhabi and Melbourne — the line-up includes DJ sets and performances by Pixie Geldof, Coolio and Macy Gray; fashion shows curated by The Yak Magazine featuring Mthemovement, Mauricio Alpizar and Erika Peña Jewelry; and brand launches (this year’s showcases include the new Aventador S by Lamborghini, a Diamond DA 40 aircraft by Wings Over Asia, a selection of rare single cask whiskies by B28 Whisky Fund, a new fragrance launch by Bulgari, and an exhibition of artwork by Sundaram Tagore Gallery.)
The Podium Lounge Singapore has now grown to host close to 10,000 guests over three nights of the Grand Prix season. “There really isn’t much margin for error,” Hoyes-Cock says. “As the old adage in the world of event-organising goes: ‘You’re only as good as your last party!'”
What can partygoers look out for at this year’s Podium Lounge that’s different from past years’?
I’m particularly excited about former Ferrari F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella DJing and guest hosting. I’m pretty sure he is the only F1 driver who now actively DJs at parties around the world. We’re also thrilled to have two Grammy Award–winners perform live: Coolio on Saturday and Macy Gray on Race Night (Sunday).
How has Podium Lounge in Singapore evolved since it was launched?
We expanded The Podium Lounge overseas in 2013 and hosted sell-out parties in Melbourne, Monaco and Abu Dhabi. Being able to wave the Singapore flag across some of F1’s most prized host cities has been something that I have taken especial pride in. Having grown up in Singapore and lived here since 1982, taking a home-grown and Singapore registered company international is absolutely fantastic.
When we launched in 2009 we were very much DJ driven and would mainly book local DJs. We have morphed into an intimate concert style of event, which offers a thrilling six hours of live music entertainment by global stars, as well as fringe performances such as acrobatics with silks and hoops, a grid girl dance routine, international fashion shows and brand activations.
The Podium Lounge has very much become a VIP Table–driven event, where guests party in groups on their table and enjoy world-class European-style bottle service. We no longer have a dance floor at the event, though our top VIP tables (which range in pricing from $1488 for 4, up to $28,888 for 25) allow guests to sit right besides our performance stage and get up close and personal with our celebrity talent.
To you, which cities (besides the ones that host Podium Lounge) have got the most vibrant nightlife and what do you like best about them?
London and Berlin. London because of the sheer variety of venues, old and new that cater for such an international crowd, from students to billionaires and everybody in between. Berlin because of the egalitarian approach they take to clubbing — there is no VIP, everybody queues and most importantly you’d be the first one to leave if you left the club at 5am!
What are your fondest memories from past editions of Podium Lounge?
My fondest memory of The Podium Lounge was in 2013 when Red Bull Racing chose our event on the rooftop poolside of the Yas Viceroy Hotel in Abu Dhabi to host the victory celebration for Sebastian Vettel on winning his fourth consecutive World Championship. I presented Sebastian (who was wearing a rather fitting t-shirt that read “Keep Calm and Jägerbomb”) with a 12-litre bottle of Moët & Chandon in a procession of 20 female models (each carrying a Jeroboam of Moët & Chandon with sparklers) to Freddie Mercury’s ”We Are the Champions”. It was an extraordinary moment and it still gives me goosebumps thinking about it, even more so because it was our very first international Podium Lounge event.
In 2016 I was having a bottle of Peroni with Rio Ferdinand at the bar when a man came up, quite sozzled, and started exclaiming directly in front of us, “You’re Rio! No Way! Rio Ferdinand! Oh my god wow!” To which Rio Ferdinand replied, “Aww no mate, that’s not me, but I get that all the time,” The inebriated guest then profusely apologised and wandered back off into the party. I turned to Rio and said that was just genius, to which he replied, “It works every time.” Hahaha!
In 2015 we hosted Kristian Nairn (better known as Hodor from Game of Thrones) and at 6ft 11in he is literally a giant. In the chauffeured car we used to ferry Kristian between meetings, he had to sit in the front and almost put the chair into the full-recline position in order just to fit into the car!
Our most wild guest performer was SKY BLU from LMFAO who shuffled down our catwalk with a bottle of champagne in hand and then proceeded to spray (F1 Podium style!) at all of our VIP Table guests, including the American Ambassador to Singapore!
What are your tricks for keeping your energy up till 4am over three consecutive nights at Podium Lounge?
Mirroring the F1 drivers’ sleeping habits whilst in Singapore. They all remain on European time — in fact, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, where the majority of the drivers stay, actually puts on a late breakfast that runs on till 2.30pm. So sleeping in till after noon helps. So too does Red Bull, which has been a sponsor of ours now for the last 9 years running!
It will be the 10th consecutive year of Podium Lounge in Singapore in 2018 — could you give us a hint of what this bash might involve?
There may not be a Singapore Grand Prix in 2018 as the race has yet to be renewed, although it has been included in a provisional calendar. Assuming it is renewed, we will upping the ante once again with our talent bookings and will pull out all the stops to host the ultimate A-list party for Asia’s jet-setting party elite in our 10th year in Singapore!
The Podium Lounge
September 15–17
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore Grand Ballroom
podiumlounge.com/sg; for VIP tables and corporate hospitality bookings, email vip@podiumlounge.com
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