Kaya Toast & Singapore Snacks for the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix

When the race starts in Singapore it is 20:00 local time – and for us in Germany it is Sunday, 14:00 CEST. An afternoon, not an evening. That is exactly why brunch and sweet snacks fit so well: kaya toast with cold butter, crisp kaya crackers, satay with peanut sauce and a strong kopi. Here is our plan for a race day that tastes a little like a hawker stall.

When is the race? Singapore Grand Prix start time

The Singapore Grand Prix on the Marina Bay Street Circuit is Formula 1’s night race – under floodlights since 28 September 2008. In 2026 it is also a sprint weekend. For Germany, that mainly means an afternoon race start. Singapore is six hours ahead of Central European Summer Time; session times in CEST:

• Friday 9 October: Practice 1 at 10:30, Sprint Qualifying at 14:30

• Saturday 10 October: Sprint at 11:00, Qualifying at 15:00

• Sunday 11 October: Race at 14:00 (20:00 local time), finishing by around 16:00 at the latest

In Germany, every session is live on Sky Sport F1 and streams on WOW. On free-to-air TV, RTL shows only Saturday’s sprint (from around 10:30); Sunday’s race is not on free TV.

The heart of the spread: kaya snacks for race afternoon

When we think of Singapore, we think of kaya first: coconut, egg and pandan, a kopitiam breakfast classic – and ideal brunch-style finger food for an afternoon race on the sofa. The snacks are ready in minutes and follow the same idea: soft, caramel-like kaya, something crisp and a slice of cold, lightly salted butter. Two ideas are plenty.

Kaya toast bites with cold butter

The classic, snack-sized. Toast thin slices of white bread until golden and crisp, spread one slice generously with kaya, add thin slices of butter straight from the fridge and close with a second slice. Press lightly and cut into bite-sized squares. The contrast is the point: warm, shattering toast, cool butter, soft kaya. Best made in two or three fresh rounds. Full method in our kaya toast recipe.

Kaya butter crackers

In Singapore, kaya butter crackers are an old-school snack, and the Ya Kun chain still has them on its menu. Sandwich a teaspoon of kaya and a thin piece of cold butter between two plain cream crackers – that is all. Put them together just before serving so they stay crunchy. Perfect for the stretch of the race when nobody wants to look away.

Both snacks need nothing more than one jar of kaya. If you do not have one in the cupboard, ours comes in a 275 g jar for €5.90, in Original or no added sugar.

Singapore street food around the track

Food is part of any race weekend in Singapore, thanks in large part to hawker culture. On 16 December 2020 it was inscribed on UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Not far from the circuit: Lau Pa Sat (Victorian cast-iron market hall, a National Monument since 1973) with Satay Street on Boon Tat Street, and Makansutra Gluttons Bay by the Esplanade with satay, oyster omelette, fried carrot cake, chicken wings, Milo Dinosaur and fresh coconuts. More on the tradition in our post on Singapore’s kopitiam culture and where kaya comes from.

Savoury sides: satay skewers with peanut sauce and chicken wings

For the start of the race, something savoury is in order. For four: cut 500 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs into strips; marinate at least 30 minutes with two chopped garlic cloves, a teaspoon each of ground turmeric and ground coriander, a tablespoon of brown sugar, two tablespoons of soy sauce and a tablespoon of oil; thread onto soaked wooden skewers. Grill pan three to four minutes per side, oven at 220 °C around 12 to 15 minutes, or air fryer at 200 °C about 10 to 12 minutes, until cooked through and lightly caramelised at the edges.

Quick peanut sauce: warm four tablespoons of peanut butter with 150 ml coconut milk, a tablespoon of soy sauce and a teaspoon of sugar until smooth; season with lime and chilli. Serve with cucumber and red onion. Meanwhile in the oven: marinate 1 kg chicken wings in two tablespoons of soy sauce, a tablespoon of oyster sauce, a tablespoon of honey and a crushed garlic clove; bake at 200 °C for about 35 to 40 minutes (turn halfway) until dark and sticky.

Drinks like at a hawker stall

Kaya calls for kopi with sweetened condensed milk – at home, strong filter coffee with a spoonful of condensed milk gets you close. Prefer creamier? Make a kaya toast latte. Something cold belongs on the table too: iced Milo (Milo Dinosaur style with a heaped spoon of extra powder), coconut water – or Tiger Beer, the lager many people associate with Singapore.

Race-day timeline

• 12:00: Marinate the satay, stir the peanut sauce, cut the cucumber and onion, chill the butter.

• 13:15: Wings into the oven, satay onto the skewers.

• 13:40: Satay into the grill pan, drinks at the ready.

• 14:00: Race start with satay, wings and peanut sauce.

• Around half distance: a round of kaya butter crackers.

• Around 16:00: Chequered flag and coffee time with kaya toast bites, plus kopi or a kaya toast latte.

By then it is around ten at night in Singapore, and usually all that is left on the coffee table is a few toast crumbs and a last sip of kopi.

Quick questions

What time does the race start in Germany?

The race starts on Sunday 11 October 2026 at 14:00 CEST, which is 20:00 in Singapore. It lasts no more than two hours and finishes by around 16:00 at the latest.

Is the race on free TV?

Not in Germany. It is live on Sky Sport F1 and streams on WOW. On free-to-air TV, RTL shows only Saturday’s sprint, with coverage starting at around 10:30.

What is typical food in Singapore?

Typical dishes come from the hawker centres, such as satay, oyster omelette, fried carrot cake and grilled chicken wings. For breakfast, the kopitiam serves kaya toast with cold butter, soft-boiled eggs with soy sauce and white pepper, and kopi.

Monkey Jam is not affiliated with Formula 1. The terms “Formula 1” and “Grand Prix” are used for descriptive purposes only.