F1RST

Spotted months ago at HKIA

Finally, the F1 circus had come and gone.

It was surreal, this glamourous and glitzy world-class event in shiny Singapore. Cars were tearing down roads, several times the speed limit, irregardless of lane markings and bus lane timings. It was another one of those (shameless) publicity stunts, where all the dust is swept under the carpet and everybody gives a big wide smile when the curtain goes up and the spotlight is turned on(in this case, ~1500 lights).

Admittedly, Singapore put up an outstanding performance. True to STB's Singapore tagline, the race was unique. Proving our obssession with No. 1s, we staged the world's first night race, incidentally on Asia's first street circuit. Strategically chosen camera angles, well-orchestrated camera zooming, media helicopters busy hovering over the bay...these gave the world the best views there were of our sparkling city-state. Personally, there was hardly a boring moment, being in the thick of the action, hearing the roar of the engines and watching the cars speed by. (Digressing, I was told that the deafening engines could be heard at my house. That is, when the Grand Prix was at the Old Upper Thomson Rd circuit decades ago). The historic race night was the most exciting of all, with all the crashes, overtakings and pit(stop) falls before our very eyes.

28th September 2008 was not only the night Alonso was crowned champion of the 2008 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix. It was also the night that Singapore was given pole position amongst the Grand Prix hosts.

World premiere of a race

...
Quickened pulses racing its veins,
The Lion City roars anew.
-Yours truly