Friday, October 17, 2008

The Singapore F1 Grand Prix

Formula One Racing held its 800th race on Sunday in Singapore,with the Singapore Grand Prix - also the first Formula One race held at night. Organizers built, then lined a 5 kilometer track with over 1,600 lamps, said to be four times brighter than those used at football stadiums. Twenty drivers drove 61 laps for a total of 309 kilometers at speeds sometimes approaching 300 kilometers per hour - in a country that once banned the sport, in part for promoting reckless driving. Driver Fernando Alonso of Renault won the race with a time of 1:57:16.304.

Formula One cars drive around the Marina Bay Street Circuit of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix during the time qualifying session September 27, 2008. The Singapore GP on Sunday will be F1's first night race, the first to be held in the island state and the first on an Asian street circuit. (REUTERS/Tim Chong)

Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil passes spectators during practice for the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Workers paint the edging prior to the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Maye-E Wong)

McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car into a turn during the third timed training session on the illuminated Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Oliver Multhaup)

The city skyline with the illuminated Marina Bay City Formula One Circuit in Singapore is seen in this aerial shot taken Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Oliver Multhaup)

Renault Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain cycles along the floodlit street circuit at night in Singapore September 25, 2008. (REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad)


Singapore's skyline and (at bottom center) its Esplanade Complex are shown, as well as part of the illuminated street circuit of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix, September 23, 2008. (REUTERS/Tim Chong)

Force India Formula One driver Giancarlo Fisichella of Italy flies through the air on bend 10 during a practice session at the Marina Bay Singapore F1 Grand Prix circuit September 27, 2008. (REUTERS/Tim Wimborne)


Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella of team Force India gets out of his car after crashing into a barrier during the final practice session at the Singapore Grand Prix on September 27, 2008. (ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images)

The car of Force India Formula One driver Giancarlo Fisichella is lifted out of turn 10 after a crash during the third practice session on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore, Saturday Sept. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)


Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa (center) of Brazil and McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain drive down a straight on the Marina Bay street circuit during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix September 28, 2008. (Picture taken with a tilt-shift lens) (REUTERS/Tim Chong)


A view of the Singapore skyline and part of the illuminated street circuit of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix during the first practice session on September 26, 2008. (REUTERS/TZ Wong)


Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen of Mclaren leaves a pit during the first practice session at the Singapore Grand Prix on September 26, 2008 prior to Formula One's first ever night race on September 28. (SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images)


Spanish driver Fernando Alonso of Renault reacts after his car developed problems during the qualifying session at the Singapore Grand Prix on September 27, 2008. (BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)


Brazilian driver Felipe Massa of Ferrari prepares to leave a pit during the third practice session in the Singapore Grand Prix on September 27, 2008. (SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images)


Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil leads the pack over McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain at the start of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Oliver Multhaup)


BMW Sauber Formula One driver Nick Heidfeld of Germany steers his car into a turn during the third timed training session on the illuminated Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Oliver Multhaup)

A general view shows part of the illuminated street circuit of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at dusk September 23, 2008. (REUTERS/Tim Chong)


Spectators look on as Red Bull Formula One driver David Coulthard of Britain navigates past a corner at the Marina Bay Street Circuit of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix during time qualifying session September 27, 2008. (REUTERS/Tim Chong)


Ferrari driver Felipe Massa of Brazil leads the pack at the start of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)


Some of the pit crew are knocked down after they failed to get fueling hose off the Ferrari of Felipe Massa of Brazil as he speeds away after a pit stop during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Oliver Multhaup)


Pit crew members look on as Brazilian driver Felipe Massa of Ferrari leaves the pits with his fuel hose still attached and spraying fuel during the final of Formula One's first-ever night race at the Singapore Grand Prix on September 28, 2008. Massa dropped from first to last place due to the error. (EUGENE HOSHIKO/AFP/ Getty Images)


A McLaren Formula One car navigates past a corner near the Esplanade theatres at the Marina Bay Street Circuit of the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix during qualifying session September 27, 2008. (Picture taken with a tilt-shift lens.) (REUTERS/Tim Chong)


Spanish driver Fernando Alonso of Renault gestures after he won the final of the sport's first-ever night race at the Singapore Grand Prix on September 28, 2008, snapping a year-long win drought. (BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)


Third placed McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain waves after the Singapore F1 Grand Prix at the Marina Bay circuit September 28, 2008. In finishing third, Hamilton extended his championship lead to seven points after a sensational Singapore Grand Prix. (REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad)

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