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The CHESHIREMagazine | Motoring

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T
he hot and humid Singapore Grand
Prix has one of the most interesting
histories of all the modern F1 races.
Ofcially launched as the F1
Championships inaugural night race in 2008, at
that time the track was also the rst street circuit
in Asia. Although daytime events had been
held here back in the 1960s and 70s, the
notoriously-dangerous track was closed
following the traumatic events of the 1972 and
1973 races, when crashes caused the deaths of
Singaporean driver Lionel Chan and
Swiss driver Joe Huber.
Re-launched in 2007 following
an agreement between Bernie
Ecclestone and the
Government of Singapore, F1
drivers of the 2008 season were
suddenly faced with a brand-
new challenge; a night race. Although the track
was illuminated, the contrast between the
bright lights and dark shadows caused concerns
for some teams as to the safety of their drivers,
especially given the history of the Marina Bay
Street Circuit, which is littered with accidents.
The very rst of these new races caused huge
controversy when, on the fourteenth lap,
Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr crashed into
the circuit wall at turn seventeen. At the time,
the crash was dubbed an accident and
explained by the altered driving
conditions of the difcult night-
time circuit. However, after being
unceremoniously dropped from
the team following a disastrous
2009 season, Piquet Jr claimed
his former manager and team
boss Flavio Briatore had
ordered him to crash deliberately, in order to
promote the chances of teammate Fernando
Alonso. As a result of the incident, Alonso had
managed to sneak in an extra pit stop before
the safety car, and went on to win the race
despite starting back at 15th on the grid. To this
date, the race-xing scandal of the 2008
Singapore Grand Prix (dubbed crashgate) is
one of the most notorious in F1 history,
resulting in the Renault team being disqualied
from Formula One, and Briatore being
suspended from all Formula One and FIA
(Fdration Internationale de lAutomobile)-
sanctioned events indenitely (although this
judgement was later overturned).
The tracks challenging conditions always
make for interesting races, so F1 fans will be
keen to see whether the 2014 Singapore Grand
Prix will shake up this years Drivers and
Constructors Championships, currently both
being dominated by Mercedes. Nico Rosberg
and Lewis Hamilton are still holding a strong
lead, boasting 202 and 191 points
respectively, although Daniel
Ricciardo, their nearest
challenger, is making headway
after a win at the Hungarian
Grand Prix has brought him
within 60 points of the two
leaders. With only eight races
left in the 2014 season, the
pressure is on to catch these
two warring teammates.
Will Sebastian Vettel
(currently in sixth place having
reached the podium only twice this
season) be able to defend his 2013 victory
and take the winners spot again to pull ahead
of Graeme Lawrence (1969, 1970, 1971) as the
tracks most frequent winner? With the
Mercedes boys and Vettels Red Bull teammate
Ricciardo in top form, we doubt it, but watch
this space its going to be an exciting race.
This years Singapore Grand Prix takes place 19-21
September. Sundays race begins at 8pm local time
(formula1.com)
F1: after dark
PREVIOUS
WINNERS
2011-2013: Sebastian Vettel
2008 & 2010: Fernando
Alonso
2009: Lewis Hamilton
ENTERTAINMENT
Famous for its musical
entertainment, visitors to this years
Singapore Grand Prix will not be
disappointed, with Jennifer Lopez,
John Legend, Robbie Williams and
the Pet Shop Boys set to make
appearances during the
three-day celebrations.
Lap Record: 1:48.574 - S Vettel (2013)
Number of Laps: 61
Circuit Length: 5.065 km Race Distance: 308.828 km
As the drivers, teams and fans prepare for the
2014 Singapore Grand Prix, we look back over
one of the F1 calendars most dramatic races
WOR DS : J E NNI F E R MAS ON