Widespread praise for Singapore GP

Eurosport - Tue, 30 Sep 12:47:00 2008

Fernando Alonso was crowned Formula One's prince of darkness, after streaking to the chequered flag at the sport's first night-time grand prix in Singapore.

FORMULA 1 2008 Singapore GP Qualifiying Massa - 0

The Spaniard's triumph at Formula One's 800th race was heralded by customary champagne-fuelled celebrations, the podium jubilation adhering to time-honoured motor racing etiquette.

But while Renault's twice former world champion will be forever noted as the Singapore GP's first winner, the F1 honour roll will not so easily record the biggest winner of the weekend - the South-East Asian city-state whose staging of a spectacular and innovative race has left the motor racing world agog with admiration.

A jewel in the Formula One crown is how the sport's supreme Bernie Ecclestone described the Singapore race, adding that floodlit events were the future for the sport.

It helped that Sunday night's race was an action-packed roller-coaster of thrills, drama and daredevil driving.

"In this part of the world, for sure, night races will take off," the billionaire who owns the sport's commercial rights said. Ecclestone plans to turn the Japanese GP into a night race next.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis raved about the Singaporean extravaganza.

"It is not just a new experience," he said, "It is a real big step in the history of grand prix racing because it has been done so well.

"Everything has been proven now and we can take this model and apply it to anywhere in the world - either to bring to Europe the race at a time when people watch it, or even within Europe to make it more spectacular."

Williams team boss, the eponymous Frank Williams, echoed Ecclestone's thoughts.

"It has a good chance of challenging Monaco for being the jewel in the crown of Formula One," he told Autosport.

From the floodlit 5.067 kilometre track, strewn across Singapore's downtown like a luminous ribbon, to the state-of-the-art facilities and clockwork organisation, the entire staging of the grand prix has been an exercise in how to get it right.

Organisers had faced a headache of eye-watering proportions in their ambitions to step into the unknown and host the extravaganza under the stars.

For the lighting alone, 1,600 lantern-like projectors were rigged up, requiring more than 100,000 metres of cabling and 240 steel pylons to illuminate the track.

The result was some of the most spectacular images of any sporting event. Pictures of gleaming Ferraris speeding through a hi-tech cityscape vied with images of cars streaking past the world's largest observation wheel, the Singapore Flyer - pictures which filled the media and fuelled the appetite for motor sport.

More than 300,000 people poured through the gates over three days, a sell-out, and created a festival atmosphere.

Organisers set up "hawker stalls" offering visitors a taste of authentic Singaporean food while magicians, singers and jugglers entertained the masses.

"It costs a lot of money, the lights, the circuit and the organisation. But it is a great investment for the city. And, of course, it is fantastic for F1. It is, in the best sense of the word, a highlight," Mercedes motorsport vice-president Norbert Haug said.

Even the drivers, a breed of detail-obsessed, nit-picking perfectionists, gave it the thumbs up.

"The track and the facilities here have been phenomenal," championship leader Lewis Hamilton said after finishing third.

"The organisers should be very proud of the job they have done."

Reuters

Comment 43 - 62 of 62

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  1. spend the surplus 505 million Euros at Silverstone to­ develop a much greater race

    From yekaterinabelle, on Wed 1 Oct 9:46PM

  2. dont upset the sponsors ,,,,genius Bernie is training­ them to splurge another ,,,505$$ million next year

    From yekaterinabelle, on Wed 1 Oct 9:44PM

  3. Comment 57 -- Totally agree with you! If Singapore­ track is such an eye sore in you guys'e eyes, then­ just switch the bloody channel and stop whining here!­ Blind yourself for the next 4 years during the sept­ period so that you will not see the race in Singapore­ again and whines again when sth happen.. *roll eyes*

    From nicole, on Wed 1 Oct 1:58PM

  4. Unless one enjoys procession driving Singapore is not­ the way forwards. For once we totally agree with­ Ferrari. As a racing venue the circuit is a total­ disgrace. Bernie for the good of the sport get the­ priorities right, Do the right thing. And forget­ Donnington give Silverstone a chance to put together a­ fantastic venue.

    From JAYANTILAL, on Wed 1 Oct 10:00AM

  5. Unless one enjoys possession driving Singapore is not­ the way forwards. For once we totally agree with­ Ferrari. As a racing venue the circuit is a total­ disgrace. Bernie for the good of the sport get the­ priorities right, Do the right thing. And forget­ Donnington give Silverstone a chance to put together a­ fantastic venue.

    From JAYANTILAL, on Tue 30 Sep 10:17PM

  6. by god, all of you idiots who think that their overly­ ill thought out opinions are anywhere close to accurate­ need shooting. F1 needs to adapt, evolve and change­ otherwise it will become a parody of itself. Nowadays,­ team know exactly what will happen at a dull, open­ track (such as Imola for example) by using computer­ simulators. New challenges provide exactly that,­ challenges. I think all involved with the race have­ given it thumbs up. I'd certainly rather watch­ that race over somewhere such as the Nurburgring. With­ the global economy going under, anybody keen to spend­ millions on a new race should be welcomed. Would you­ honestly rather see decrepid old race tracks that are­ falling apart being used?

    At the end of the day­ despite all of our (and Luca Di Montezemelos) opnions,­ it was a success, a classic, and is here to stay. Oh,­ and I dont recall the English commentators being­ embarresed to commentate on this track... Do people­ actually watch these races or dream them?!

    And the­ McLaren / Ferrari or Lewis / Everyone battles are­ getting ridiculous, people are acting like idiotic­ football fans.

    Just enjoy Formula One, support it­ and watch it, or dont wath it. Simple.

    From Paul, on Tue 30 Sep 6:08PM

  7. thank you to ferraribeng for actually seeing a rational­ point of view.

    From Thomas H, on Tue 30 Sep 5:39PM

  8. Ferrari and Massa should have their points for the­ season taken away and be fined 100 million dollars. ­ Obviously Massa tried to gain an unfair advantage. By­ driving away with the fuel hose still connected, it­ would save time on the next pit stop because they­ wouldn't have to re-connect it again. This may­ seem stupid on my part. I'm just trying to think­ like the FIA.

    From fishblue6, on Tue 30 Sep 5:27PM

  9. As I have said in other forums, if you offer Bernie 150­ million to hold a race in a flooded coalmine­ contaminated with toxic radiation, he'll stage the­ event the moment he gets the cash in hand. F1 as we­ know it is on its way out, the tracks that we all know­ and love will be replaced by these increasingly­ expensive "Spectacular Processions" and what­ was once a great sport will become little more than a­ series of occasions for the "Glitterata" to­ get together and celebrate their wealth...

    From USA 1, on Tue 30 Sep 5:24PM

  10. If you want to watch a race at night go to Le Mans,­ true motorsport fans go!

    From IAN T, on Tue 30 Sep 4:08PM

  11. massa came into pit lane leading race & pit crew­ sent him out last

    From serrrannos, on Tue 30 Sep 3:13PM

  12. Street circuits are @#$%, only good in video games.­ Bernie loves them because he can claw in more revenue. ­ If Singapore wants a loud, colourful and expensive­ night time spectacle, it should let off a few hundred­ tons of pyrotechnics. But then who would sponser that?­ Moto GP had a great night race this year, on a proper­ race track. Street circuits are only there for the­ Glitterati who can't be bothered to schlepp their­ arses over to the race tracks. They are only there to­ preen themselves in front of everyone else. Although­ they are the ones with the money, they don't care­ about racing. The rest of us couldn't give a stuff­ about them, we only want to watch racing. C'mon­ Bernie, get F1 back on track.

    Max

    From max.rackliff, on Tue 30 Sep 3:06PM

  13. we agree with FERRARRII totally EVERY WORD WELL­ SAID

    From serrrannos, on Tue 30 Sep 3:01PM

  14. YES FERRARI THIS CIRCUIT VENUE SETTING IN WIRE CAGE WAS­ TOTAL HUMILIATION FOR ``` F 1

    TOTAL FIASCO

    From yekaterinabelle, on Tue 30 Sep 2:39PM

  15. When will the FIA ban ferrari for a full race when they­ put people's lifes in danger.Once again their­ shambles in the pits plus why is no-one talking about­ Massa in the same incident driving out infront of­ someone entering the pitlane.Can someone tell me why­ did ferrari for their incident only get a drive­ thru,but teams that entered the pits when closed got a­ stop and go.To me the punishments should of reversed!

    From hotrijder7, on Tue 30 Sep 10:52AM

  16. anyone for scalectrix

    From wayne.self, on Tue 30 Sep 9:59AM

  17. dont complain marilynne ``` it only cost 550 millions­ euros
    all bin scrapped this week

    From yekaterinabelle, on Tue 30 Sep 9:04AM

  18. §§ first million euros motor race i've ever watched­ ,,,, but never again

    what a boring cynical event­ inside a cage built for circus elephants & clowns

    From marilynne, on Tue 30 Sep 7:05AM

  19. re #34 (tifosi4eva)

    Quote: 'Jarno managed to go so­ slowly he held everyone up giving them oppertunities­ and a need to overtake' and... 'the whole race­ was @#$% up and it meant that everyone was out of­ position, again promoting overtaking'

    The above­ blatantly shows you prefer 'racing' to be a­ processional affair rather than have any excitement­ brought about with over taking. Not suprising really­ since your beloved Ferrari drivers haven't proven­ themselves to be efficient in that department.

    Lastly,­ you've heard of the saying 'the pot calling the­ kettle black' right? How can you tell somebody to­ stop whinging when your comment about the Singapore­ race getting '@#$% up' oozed you whinging about­ race events? C'mon now, practice on yourself what­ you preach to others.

    From jammoisraw, on Tue 30 Sep 5:59AM

  20. I never went or watched on the box out of protest, but­ I've read the reviews and it seems like a­ procession whith no chance of overtaking as witnessed­ by LH having follow DC who was over a second down on­ lap speeds and they call this racing. The FIA want a­ procession with their favourites at the front. My­ friends say it was a great setting and they a great­ time but I'm looking for a more honest sport to­ occupy my time, please don't suggest football. Ex­ Ferarri and F1 fan

    From Ronsenglish, on Tue 30 Sep 3:50AM
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