Highlights of the Singapore Grand Prix

First held in 2008, the Singapore Grand Prix has become a must-see event on the F1 calendar, offering countless spectacular moments, including several particularly memorable editions.

2008: Crashgate

Renault began 2008 after a mediocre 2007 season, having lost its champion Fernando Alonso, the driver who had won two world titles for the Viry-Châtillon team. Alonso returned in a car that could still produce flashes of genius. In Singapore, however, his victory was orchestrated. Suspicions began to arise when his teammate Nelsinho Piquet spun out on the formation lap, a prelude to what was to follow. On lap 12, Piquet was ordered by team principal Flavio Briatore to deliberately crash his R28 coming out of turn 17, triggering the safety car. This allowed Alonso, who had made an early pit stop and was at the back of the field, to take the lead. The incident also proved costly for title contender Felipe Massa, who was left with a fuel hose still attached to his car at the end of the safety car period, forcing him to retire. Alonso won the race and repeated his feat at Fuji the following weekend, without any irregularities. The scandal, dubbed “Crashgate,” made headlines around the world and led to the dismissal of Briatore and Piquet in 2009. The loss of Massa was particularly painful: he finished 13th with zero points, when just one point would have allowed him to win the championship on his home soil in Brazil. The legal battles continue, and the question remains whether Massa will ever be crowned champion, even fifteen years later.

2015: Vettel's dominance, Mercedes absent

By 2015, Mercedes was already well into a period of dominance, and few could regularly challenge them. The only exception was Sebastian Vettel, who had just joined Ferrari. He immediately caused a sensation by outperforming the two Silver Arrows in Malaysia thanks to a daring strategy, then repeating the feat in Hungary. Singapore promised to be another showcase for Maranello's new star. The race unfolded simply: Mercedes lacked speed and suffered from reliability issues, notably Hamilton's retirement, leaving Ferrari with a clear run. Vettel had secured a spectacular pole position the day before and remained unperturbed, even commenting over the radio when a fan broke through the barriers and entered the track: “There's a fan on the track. ” He went on to win what would become his third victory of the season, cementing his status as Ferrari's top driver.

2017: The collapse of the Reds

The 2017 season saw the rivalry between Vettel and Hamilton, and between Ferrari and Mercedes, reach its peak. Vettel was just three points behind Hamilton and started the Singapore Grand Prix from pole position. At the start, he overtook Verstappen, who had made a better start, and his teammate Kimi Räikkönen, who had also made a good start. Chaos ensued when the top three on the grid collided, eliminating each other. Vettel's race ended prematurely when he crashed into the wall. Hamilton won the race, marking a decisive turning point in the championship. From there, Vettel made a series of mistakes, ending the season with a modest victory in Brazil, and his situation did not improve the following year.

2019: Vettel's final season, with the help of Ferrari

Singapore was particularly important for Vettel. In what had been a difficult year for Ferrari, all eyes were on rising star Charles Leclerc, who took pole position in dominant fashion and looked set to claim the third victory of his career. However, Ferrari chose to give Vettel, who hadn't won a race in nearly a year, a chance. The scenario was reminiscent of Monaco in 2017: the car that wasn't supposed to win was called back to the pits early, only to get stuck in traffic. Vettel pitted after Leclerc, using the overcut to his advantage. The result was Vettel's 53rd and final Grand Prix victory, a win that was anything but conventional. He still holds the record for the most wins in Singapore, with five victories to his name.