Alonso wins in Singapore

Eurosport - Tue, 30 Sep 10:33:00 2008

Fernando Alonso won the Singapore Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton extended his title advantage to seven points after Felipe Massa finished out of the points following a calamitous pit-lane incident.

2008 Singaporean GP Renault Alonso - 0

The Spanish double world champion claimed his 20th career triumph by 2.95 seconds over Germany's Nico Rosberg in a Williams with Britain's world championship leader Hamilton in third.

It was the Renault driver's first victory since the Italian Grand Prix last year and capped a remarkable weekend that saw him top two of the free practice sessions but start 15th on the grid after a mechanical problem in qualifying.

Toyota driver Timo Glock was fourth with Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel following up his win in Italy this month with fifth. BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld took sixth.

The race was a new experience for every driver on a street circuit under powerful spotlights and it turned out to be one of the most exciting of the season.

Ferrari's Massa started from pole but a disastrous mistake cost him the race and valuable points in his push for the world title.

The Brazilian was in the pits on lap 15 when he was given the green light and drove off with the fuel hose still attached to his car, leaving one of the pit crew floored and subsequently carted off in a neck brace.

Massa ended up sitting in his Ferrari at the end of the pit lane as the crew ran after him and managed to pull the hose free, but it ruined his chances. He was given a drive through penalty and rejoined in 18th place.

It was a miserable night for Ferrari with defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen ramming his car into the barriers with just four laps left.

The Massa drama occurred after the cars came in when Nelson Piquet careered into the wall, causing massive damage to his Renault. He climbed out unscathed but the safety car was deployed.

Massa was leading at the time with Hamilton second but at the restart, Rosberg was in front and Alonso fifth.

But Rosberg was subsequently slapped with a 10-second stop penalty for coming into the pits before it had opened after the Piquet crash.

The complicated scenario saw Toyota's Jarno Trulli in the lead on lap 28 but without having pitted with Alonso second, Rosberg third and Hamilton charging in sixth.

With Trulli taking his first pit stop soon after Alonso amazingly found himself in front just after the halfway mark with a 4.9 second lead over Rosberg.

Alonso came in for his second pit stop on lap 41 and came out still ahead, marginally ahead of David Coulthard and Hamilton.

Remarkably, when Coulthard pitted soon after, he too drove off with the fuel pipe attached, knocking over a mechanic who was stretchered off with an injured ankle.

Alonso was cruising with a 23 second lead when Adrian Sutil shunted his Force India into the wall, bringing the safety car out again and wiping out the Spaniard's advantage.

When they restarted with seven laps left it was a sprint to the finish and two-time world champion Alonso made no mistake, writing his name in the record books as the first winner of a Formula One night race.

AFP

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  1. d bristow post 399 could not agree more with you alonso has got more out of that car than is realisticaly possible to get. Most people are quoting the LUCK of the crash which brought about the first safety car but what about the fuel pressure line failure which stopped him getteing the realistic grid position. He was without doubt going to be in the first two rows anyway he was so quick. His race pace too was just as good as anyones in clear air. well done to him. Got to have a chuckle at the red cars though Kimi has shown he can crash just as easily in the dry as in the wet ROFL at least I was when he hit the wall. And I think they need to get a serious grip on their pit safety before they kill someone. Once again a fuel rig problem and dangerous release from the pit box. P.S. can someone please explain to me why a car which gets caught out in circumstances beyond their control i.e. a safety car who must come into the pits to refuel or risk stopping on the circuit and who refuel safely get a 10 second stop go yet you only get a drive through for unsafe release of car from the pit box. Seems a bit wierd to me.

    From Kenneth, on Mon 29 Sep 4:14PM

  2. keithwatson1997, testa da cazzo !!!

    From , on Mon 29 Sep 4:03PM

  3. Alonso win was no fluke, Alonso carried that Renualt around on his back during the race. He performed well in practise and raced his best race since last year, both Alonso and Vettel are the drivers to watch in the grand prix circus. Lewis better make goood of his chances while he still has them or he might never be world champion.

    D.Bristow

    From d.bristow550, on Mon 29 Sep 3:43PM

  4. the ONLY exciting moment of the race was mad massa leaving pits with
    the crew stumbling along after him cheered on by Maclaren pit crew+++==== priceless

    From olga.wins, on Mon 29 Sep 2:23PM

  5. JBolan, you're not a Kenyan race steward are you?

    From usalien1967, on Mon 29 Sep 2:18PM

  6. jbolan: You are still a boring tw#t. Nobody thinks you are intelligent. Nobody thinks you are funny. Nobody thinks you are clever. You have absolutely nothing to say that contributes to this site. Will you please f#ck off, crawl back into your hole and die.

    From Biggles, on Mon 29 Sep 1:14PM

  7. I don't believe it!
    Have you heard that Ferrari are to complain about Hamilton!
    Oh look below, The decision's in already

    Hamilton has been awarded a 25 second penalty for not using dipped headlights. He loses his points

    From Grahame, on Mon 29 Sep 1:03PM

  8. Alonso and Rosberg - 1st class
    Hamilton - Intelligent drive to 6 points. What is the point of binning it when your nearest rival is 15th?
    Raikonnen - another Sunday, another wall. Aren't you getting bored with this tactic?
    Massa - serves you right for stealing a win when you never ever led the race.
    Ferrari - pathetic, sort yourselves out before you kill half the pit lane with a fire and a crash due to your incompetence.

    From Biggles, on Mon 29 Sep 1:00PM

  9. jbolan: You are still a boring tw#t. Nobody thinks you are intelligent. Nobody thinks you are funny. Nobody thinks you are clever. You have absolutely nothing to say that contributes to this site. Will you please f#ck off, crawl back into your hole and die.

    From Biggles, on Mon 29 Sep 12:50PM

  10. Talking b4 Sunday's race I was wondering if Kimi. R. would find another wall he did oops!!!! I agree with an earlier comment god does work in mysterious ways!!!!! great race though. WELL done all you Ferrari pit crew for the entertainment please don't get jobs in firefighting:-)

    From MJ, on Mon 29 Sep 12:28PM

  11. congratulations ++ more good luck to STAR ALONSO `` + RENAULT ````=== double world champ

    From sid69@..., on Mon 29 Sep 12:16PM

  12. well done for most welcome result to ~~ RENAULT ++ STAR ALONSO ++ PIT CREW++GREAT STRATEGY

    From startoratora, on Mon 29 Sep 11:47AM

  13. I usually watch each race with 3-4 good friends, all of which are Ferrari fans. I was LMAO watching the crew running down the pit lane after Massa while my friends sat with folded arms and rolling eyeballs. It was like watching the Keystone Cops. Thanks for the laughs guys. I guess I'll have to call it the "New Circuit Circus". First Valencia and now Singapore.

    From vinnydawg67, on Mon 29 Sep 10:32AM

  14. Did anyone notice that the Spa fiasco has taken the sting out of Hamilton's tail? FIA have killed racing. Without the apparent bias against McLaren and the previous anti McLaren / anti Hamilton sanctions, I am almost certain that Lewis would have attacked DC after the first safety car, overtake him and probably win the race. Instead, he appeared to be maintaining position behind DC and Rosberg, rather than risk further sanctions. FIA HAVE SIMPLY KILLED RACING. Congratulations to the organisers of Singapore GP, this is simply awesome.

    From olawale, on Mon 29 Sep 9:54AM

  15. g.gcww - Well said. I thought I was the only one that noticed Hamilton's apparent lack of aggression. Mind you, given the recent sanctions / penalties, he is probably playing it safe. With the Spa decision, FIA HAVE SIMPLY KILLED RACING.

    From olawale, on Mon 29 Sep 9:51AM

  16. What a great, gruelling circuit. How hot did those guys look when they finished?

    Point proven: Alonso is one helluva driver and probably the most naturally gifted on the circuit. A majestic drive, riding his luck and making the most of it with a superb car set up.

    As for Ferrari, what a cockup!

    Hammy played well but his old combatant and friend Nico was the class act this time. The guy has been long deserving. Should Mclaren go for another driver to sit alongside Hammy, it should be that boy. Kovi, seems a real nice guy but unable to keep the pace.

    From irwin.ford@..., on Mon 29 Sep 9:07AM

  17. Nelson Piquet jr should not be in F1, he seems not to be ready for it i just don't see him handling that car too well ever, and its not even the most powerfull car in f1. well done to Alonso for a cracking job for making use of a car thats been consistantly mid way. Yes i would like to see hamilton win the championship and Ferrari get rid of your pitting system, it will cost you in the long run as well as hospital bilss for pit crew

    From vagabond, on Mon 29 Sep 9:00AM

  18. Got back late Sunday afternoon from a short vacation to catch the race replay and could not wait to read the comments this morning.
    Congrats to Alonso, thanks for being big enough to admit about the luck. I can't believe the nonsense I've read about Briatore ordering Piquet to crash.
    Guys, give the whole FIA alliance with Ferrari a rest. It's getting a bit boring.
    Well done Lewis, I was hoping you'd keep your calm and be satisfied with the points you were going to get for taking third. Spa and Monza are history and you're on the right track. Keep up the good work.
    Kudos to Nico Rosberg for taking your penalty and still making the most of it, absolutely fantastic.

    From vinnydawg67, on Mon 29 Sep 8:54AM

  19. How sad for ferrari, devine intervention maybe, but I am still waiting for the ecclstone nazies to decide that it was Hamiltons fault and demote him to 9th position.

    From DAVID, on Mon 29 Sep 8:48AM

  20. I don't think that Hamilton tried hard enough to get past DC and it ruined his race. When he did get past him he went into the pits straight away, all he proved is he could pass if he wanted to. A wasted oppertunity!!!

    From GEORGE, on Mon 29 Sep 8:48AM
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