2008 Singapore Grand Prix

Championship standings

Hamilton leads Massa by one point. Ferrari lead the Constructors’ on 134 points.

Previous race

Vettel took Toro Rosso’s maiden victory at Monza in the wet — becoming the youngest driver to win a Formula One race at 21 years and 73 days. Kovalainen finished second. Massa was sixth, narrowing Hamilton’s lead to a single point with four races remaining.

Background

This is the first ever Singapore Grand Prix, and the first Formula One race held at night anywhere in the world. The Marina Bay Street Circuit uses nearly 1,600 light projectors suspended ten metres above the track, generating 3,000 lux — approximately four times the intensity of a standard football stadium lighting system. The circuit required 108,423 metres of cable and is powered by twelve twin generators producing an estimated three megawatts. Practice, qualifying and the race all take place at night. Teams and drivers have adapted their schedules accordingly, waking around midday local time and working until 4am. This is also the 800th Formula One World Championship race.

Drivers and teams have expressed concern about significant bumps on the kerbs at the Turn 10 chicane. Safety measures in case of rain have also been discussed.

Practice

Hamilton was fastest in the first session, ahead of Massa and Räikkönen. Webber crashed at Turn 18 in FP1, damaging his front suspension. Barrichello crashed backwards into the barriers at the final corner, and Trulli spun at the same corner then rejoined by driving the wrong way; Trulli was fined €10,000 for the misconduct.

Alonso displaced Hamilton from the top of FP2 with his final flying lap; Kovalainen was third, Massa fourth, Rosberg fifth. Bourdais nearly collided with Heidfeld’s BMW as he exited the pit lane into the first corner. Glock lost his front wing after hitting the wall at Turn 7, Fisichella had gearbox problems, and Massa mistakenly followed an escape road off the circuit.

Alonso was fastest again in the final session, with Hamilton second and Massa third. Numerous drivers reported problems with bumps on the track surface, narrowly avoiding accidents. Fisichella’s Force India launched off the kerbs at Turn 10, damaging the front wing and suspension.