The Singapore Grand Prix is unlikely to be twinned with the event in nearby Malaysia, claims Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Although the short distance between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore would make it logistically easy to run the events back-to-back, Ecclestone has made it clear that he expects the night race in Singapore to take place later in the season.

"I can only see a positive impact for Malaysia," Ecclestone told the New Strait Times . "The races will be at different ends of the racing calendar.

"The Malaysian GP would probably remain (at the start of the season), while the Singapore race will probably be at the end."

Big challenge

There has still not been any official confirmation of the Singapore Grand Prix, and Michael Roche, who is heading the feasibility study for the race, said that there are plenty of issues to resolve.

"We don't have the luxury of space in an island city state. That is always the big challenge - trying to make it feasible," Roche explained.

"They've improved a lot of the road systems. A lot of land has been reclaimed, giving us the luxury of being able to create a pit area.

"But nothing has been confirmed yet. The reason we're hesitating is that it's such a massive jigsaw puzzle. Each time we think we've overcome an obstacle, we lift up the stone and there are other issues and obstacles."