Start shots: Singapore Grand Prix

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The pole sitter has never lost the lead on the first lap of the Singapore Grand Prix.

However the configuration of the first corners at the Marina Bay track invites drivers to cut across the run-off area to gain an advantage. That has often been a cause of disputes, as recent races have shown.

2008

Having comfortably taken pole position Felipe Massa led the field to turn one at the first Singapore Grand Prix. Further back Fernando Alonso, who started 15th following a technical problem, cut across the inside of turn one and gained several places. But that turned out to be one of the less controversial aspects of the eventual race winner’s day…

2009

The clean side of the track was the place to be in 2009: Lewis Hamilton led away from pole position while Nico Rosberg passed Sebastian Vettel from third on the grid. Fernando Alonso, who started fifth, briefly got ahead of Mark Webber only to be re-passed by the Red Bull driver further around the circuit. However the stewards ruled Webber had passed Alonso off the circuit at turn seven, and handed him a penalty. An unhappy Webber pointed out Raikkonen had done much the same at Spa earlier that year without penalty.

2010

Vettel started second again in 2010 and got away better this time, but pole sitter Alonso stayed ahead after swinging sharply across to keep the Red Bull driver behind. Jenson Button also got away well from turn four but team mate Hamilton kept him behind in an orderly run through the first corner.

2011

The Red Bulls occupied the front row but both were challenged by the fast-starting McLarens and, as they reached turn one, Alonso’s Ferrari. While Mark Webber slipped from second to fourth, Button and Alonso profited at his expense. Rosberg cut across the turn two run-off, moving ahead of Massa, but he let the Ferrari driver back through later around the opening lap.

2012

Four cars arrived at turn one side-by-side in 2012, leading both Mercedes drivers to make use of the run-off. Further ahead Hamilton kept his lead by Pastor Maldonado,who joined him on the front row, ran deep at the first corner and was overtaken by Vettel.

Towards the back Vitaly Petrov locked up in his Caterham and hit Massa, laving the Ferrari driver with damage.

2013

It looked like Vettel’s 2013 dominance might be broken when Rosberg beat him to turn one from second on the grid. But just as happened the year before with Maldonado, Vettel switched back on Rosberg in turn two and moved back ahead. Romain Grosjean fought hard to hold on to his third place but was undone by Alonso, who swept around the outside and completed a brilliant start from seventh to claim third.

2014

The Mercedes drivers were separated by just seven-thousandths of a second in qualifying, but hopes for an equally close race were dashed when second-placed Rosberg suffered a pre-race power unit failure. Hamilton therefore had an unopposed run to turn one.

Alonso was far too ambitious with his braking point for turn one and passed both Red Bull drivers in the run-off area, He allowed Vettel to re-pass him, but not Daniel Ricciardo, and the stewards decided that was sufficient.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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9 comments on “Start shots: Singapore Grand Prix”

  1. Giuseppe Giugliano
    15th September 2015, 11:59

    Basically it’s all about Alonso’s starts here.

    1. Yeah. He showed how to make the ‘widest arc possible’ work in 2013 and showed how not to do it in 2014.

  2. Keith, you’ve put “Towards the back Vitaly Petrov locked up in his Caterham and hit Massa, laving the Ferrari driver with damage.” at the bottom of the 2011 race, when it was during the 2012 start.

    1. @jdc123 Thanks I’ve moved the sentence.

  3. It still makes me sad seeing pictures of Kubica, such a great driver.

    1. Yes (@come-on-kubica)
      15th September 2015, 22:57

      Yeah, he was a probable world champion. Thinking back 2010 probably had one of the most talented fields in F1 history. Stacked with world champions ad race winners.

  4. Look how dusty it was in its first races in 2008 and 2009!

    On a side note, that YourSingapore advertisement always catches my attention.

  5. Say or think what you will of the inaugural 2008 race (I think ppl focus too much on Alonso rather than the actual culprit, Piquet, who committed the despicable offense), but Alonso has always done VERY well at this track.
    1st, 3rd, 1st, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 4th is amazing considering he never had the best car in any of those years. His holding off of Vettel in the superior RB6 in 2010 was 2005 Imola-esque.

  6. As twisty and full of turns this track is, still remains as one of my favourite modern tracks. It’s a pleasure to watch the cars here, the revs jumping when the car hits the bumps and is always unsteady. Along with Istanbul and Sepang, Marina Bay is Tilke’s top 3 to me.

    Still a long way from other street circuits though. Long Beach will never be surpassed.

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