ESPN F1

Although Singapore hosted numerous non-championship races in the late 60s and early 70s, there was not a race after 1974. The announcement of the new event came at the end of 2007 and was met with mixed reaction from fans. Excitement began to build when the FIA announced that to ensure prime-time viewing for the European market the Marina Bay circuit would host F1's first ever night race.

The non-permanent road circuit brought in innovative lighting techniques to ensure daylight conditions for the drivers and those working in the pits, while still offering spectators the atmospheric conditions of a night race. The first race in 2008 was won by Renault's Fernando Alonso, it was a complete sell-out, but will always be marred by the crashgate scandal. It later emerged that Renault asked driver Nelson Piquet Jnr to deliberately crash his car, in order to help his team-mate Alonso win the race.

For the 2009 race the circuit was modified through the first three turns to encourage more overtaking, modifications were also made to the high kerbs at turn ten that had caused so many accidents the previous year.

Claire Furnell November 2009