For avid Formula One (F1) fans, the passion for the sport often extends beyond simply watching the races on TV. It can manifest in various forms, from collecting memorabilia to attending live events. But for one man, his love for F1 has taken a unique spin as he has transformed his room into a haven for everything related to the sport.
Clarence entered the F1 world when he was just 15 and saw Sebastian Vettel win his first World Championship with Red Bull Racing. Now 28, Clarence is still a die-hard fan of Red Bull Racing. “Always have and always will, as it was love at first sight,” Clarence said.
Inspiration behind the F1-themed room
It all started back in 2019 when Clarence had just gone to the Singapore Grand Prix for Saturday’s Qualifying session. He was fortunate to attend the Driver’s autograph session and receive autographed driver cards. When Clarence had the idea of displaying them, his father went a step further and asked, “Hey, why not start making an F1-themed room?”
Off they went to the paint store and got to painting Clarence’s room that night. What started as a fun home project for the father-son duo became a true-blue commitment to decorating the room. “I really liked the idea of waking up to the sport that I am passionate about,” Clarence explained.
Red Bull feature wall
Image credit: Clarence
One look at Clarence’s feature wall and anyone can make an educated guess that Clarence supports Red Bull Racing. The walls were painted in the representative Red Bull colours of blue, red, and yellow, with a literal red bull on the wall.
After painting the walls in themed colours, Clarence used spare yellow paint to hand-paint the outline of a bull on the otherwise plain red wall, emulating the actual Red Bull F1 cars. The number 38 represents Clarence’s birth date and is also the number he uses in F1 games. “It just helps me make the fantasy of becoming an F1 driver a little more ‘real’,” he says.
Image credit: Clarence
The most expensive collectible happens to be the main piece to Clarence’s feature wall: the Red Bull Racing Team Shirt signed by Max Verstappen, Clarence’s favourite F1 driver. “I am a huge supporter of Max Verstappen because of his natural talent, aggressive racing style, and his ‘win at all costs’ mentality,” Clarence said.
Yet, Clarence’s favourite memorabilia is something more simplistic – his collection of autographed driver cards. He shares that it reminds him of the best day of his life, when he got to meet his favourite drivers IRL.
F1-related memorabilia
Image credit: Clarence
Clarence has plenty of F1-related collectibles displayed around his room, with the majority shelved above his bed. Calling it the “F1 altar”, notable collectibles include mini helmets from the Red Bull shop, autographed hats, and miniature cars. The total damage? Only $500, surprisingly.
“I tried to cut costs whenever I could by finding good deals on Carousell or DIY-ing certain items. Many of them were also free gifts,” Clarence shares.
DIY wet tires and street circuit
Image credit: Clarence
In the continuous effort to limit his spending, Clarence embarked on a DIY journey to further decorate his room. Inspired by the idea of DIY-ing wet tires on YouTube, Clarence went to a local go-kart track and asked the staff for unwanted, used tires. After bringing them back home, he then disinfected the tires and began spray painting one in yellow and the other in blue.
Image credit: Clarence
Another DIY project was the 3D-printed Marina Bay Street Circuit layout. Clarence found the 3D template online and approached someone to print it out. This 3D-printed piece cost $15, which Clarence thought was a good deal. The very on-theme circuit layout now sits snugly between miniature cars.
Racing simulator
The setup consists of an entry-level simulator, Logitech 29, and a Playseat Challenge chair.
Image credit: Clarence
You don’t have to get a racing simulator to prove your status as an F1 fan, but those who want the ultimate driving experience usually have to sink hundreds of dollars to get one. On the flip side, Clarence found his racing simulator on Carousell for approximately half the retail price.
He shares that he used to drive it almost every day but has recently cut it down to once a week due to his busy work schedule.
Marker-friendly cupboard for race analysis
Image credit: Clarence
Adjacent to the red bull wall lies a huge floor-to-ceiling white cupboard with a mounted TV. After a long day at work, Clarence unwinds by watching races. Here’s a fun fact about Clarence: he has never missed an F1 race since 2016. 8 whole years of pure dedication.
What lies above the TV is not just storage space, but a white cupboard made to function as a drawing board. On it, Clarence has drawn out the Marina Bay circuit layout with carefully written notes using a marker. All in all, this contraption is useful for a die-hard fan like Clarence, who seeks to be on his A-game during races.
Image credit: Clarence
A DIY F1-themed HDB room
Clarence’s room has become much more than just a place to sleep or work. It is a shrine to his love for F1, where he can escape from the stressors of daily life and fully indulge in his passion. He spends hours in his room, watching past races, tinkering with his miniature cars, and driving away on his racing simulator.
Currently, Clarence shares that he is thinking of painting one side of his room orange to represent Max Verstappen’s fan base: The Orange Army. To follow up on his F1-themed room, check out his TikTok, @clarenceinorange.
To those who are similar F1 fans or have an equal passion like Clarence for other franchises, we encourage you to boldly create spaces that reflect your unique interests.
In Clarence’s words, “Do what makes you happy! Some people might not like it, but it’s okay because it’s your room and you’re the one spending the most time in it.”
Read more articles here:
Cover image adapted from: Clarence
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
