IN A new series, I will be looking back at six classic races every weekend from the country about to stage an event in the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship. As Singapore has only held three races before and not all of them have been classics, here is a varied selection of events from events no longer on the F1 calendar, plus one from the Singapore Grand Prix. The races come from between 1991 and 2010. Enjoy the archive!
1993 – Portugal
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| LAST: Title for Prost came in Portugal 1993, before retirement |
WINNER: Michael Schumacher (Benetton Ford), 2nd: Alain Prost (Williams Renault), 3rd: Damon Hill (Williams Renault)
THIS was the weekend which saw Alain Prost announce his retirement from Formula One at the end of the season, paving the way for Ayrton Senna to join Williams for 1994. Senna would have a new team-mate for this race, with flying Finn Mika Hakkinen promoted into the McLaren race team. Hakkinen sensationally outqualified Senna and was racing well, when he crashed heavily out of the final corner, fortunately without any injury. By that stage, Senna had already disappeared with engine trouble. Ferrari had their most competitive weekend of the season, with Jean Alesi leading the first stint and Gerhard Berger making a dramatic exit into the barriers from leaving the pitlane! In the end, the race turned into a tactical battle between Prost and Michael Schumacher for victory. Schumacher abandoned his plans for a second tyre stop and showed his gritty determination to win his first Grand Prix of a frustrating season. However, second place was good enough for Prost to seal his fourth world championship.
1995 – Pacific
WINNER: Michael Schumacher (Benetton Renault), 2nd: David Coulthard (Williams Renault), 3rd: Damon Hill (Williams Renault)
THE TI Aida circuit in Japan was never a favourite with the drivers, but the 1995 event, moved to a late season date following the Kobe earthquake earlier in the year became the setting for the championship decider. David Coulthard started on pole and dominated for the majority for the race, but defending champion Michael Schumacher fought back from a poor start to snatch second place from the Ferrari’s of Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger. He closed in on Coulthard and once again, the Benetton’s superior strategy came into force in overwhelming the Williams. Schumacher won the race and wrapped up his second successive drivers title. Damon Hill was a distant third and had to concede defeat to the class act of 1995. Michael Schumacher did it his way!
1997 – Luxembourg
WINNER: Jacques Villeneuve (Williams Renault), 2nd: Jean Alesi (Benetton Renault), 3rd: Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Williams Renault)
LITTLE did we know it at the time, but this would turn out to be Jacques Villeneuve’s final ever win in Formula One. It put him nine points clear of Michael Schumacher with two races remaining and it owed to a huge slice of luck. Held at the Nurburgring, Mika Hakkinen had taken pole position for the first time in his career and drove into the distance, backed up by David Coulthard. Then, in two nightmare laps for McLaren, Coulthard stopped with an engine failure on the pit straight. Moments later, Hakkinen was pulling onto the grass with the same problem, which meant his elusive first victory would have to wait. Villeneuve led home Jean Alesi, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Gerhard Berger to a Renault 1-2-3-4 Grand Slam. Jacques cause was aided by Ralf Schumacher’s acrobatics at the first corner which took out his Jordan team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella and his own brother. Michael was less than amused!
2001 – USA
WINNER: Mika Hakkinen (McLaren Mercedes), 2nd: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari), 3rd: David Coulthard (McLaren Mercedes)
JUST two weeks after the terrorist attacks on America, Formula One put a smile on the faces of the US people again in the first major sporting event to be held in the country since that fateful September 11 day. McLaren’s Mika Hakkinen recovered from a grid penalty to take an excellent win in the penultimate race of his career. On a two-stop strategy, Rubens Barrichello pushed Hakkinen all the way, until a rare Ferrari engine failure with four laps to go robbed him of a brilliant podium. Despite being outfoxed by Hakkinen and brilliantly passed by Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Schumacher was second whilst Jordan’s Jarno Trulli won an FIA appeal against a technical disqualification a month later to get his fourth position back. Both Williams BMW cars retired, with a dying engine ending Montoya’s hopes of back-to-back wins. The 2001 US Grand Prix was also the final race commentated in F1 by the legendary Murray Walker, who hung up his mic for ITV in emotional fashion. At least he left on a high from a wonderful event in the light of such tragedy.
2005 – San Marino
WINNER: Fernando Alonso (Renault), 2nd: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari), 3rd: Alexander Wurz (McLaren Mercedes)
WHEN Kimi Raikkonen claimed pole position and starting cruising away in the opening laps, it looked like Imola 2005 was going to be a typical procession. However, McLaren’s reliability jinx struck again, as driveshaft failure on the ninth circuit ruled Raikkonen out of proceedings. Fernando Alonso took the lead and built a significant cushion over the rest of the chasing pack, led by BAR’s Jenson Button. In the midfield was Michael Schumacher, following a mistake in qualifying which left him 13th on the grid. When others infront pitted, the Ferrari was unleashed and started lapping two seconds faster than anyone else on the track. He passed Button easily and hunted down Alonso. Overtaking was incredibly difficult on the Autodromo Enzo E Dino Ferrari track and try as he might; Schumacher couldn’t find a way past Alonso, down to the Spaniard’s amazing defensive driving. Alonso held on to take a significant victory, his third in a row. Jenson Button finished third, but BAR were caught cheating with fuel being used as ballast discovered after the race. The team lost their Imola points a fortnight later and got banned for two races for the indiscretion. UK viewers complained in their droves after ITV took an ill-judged commercial break with three laps to go of the race, right at the heat of the Alonso/Schumacher battle. Many believe this was the death knell in their F1 coverage, which ended three years later.
2010 – Singapore
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| CLASH: The shunt with Webber last year wrecked Hamilton's hopes |
WINNER: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), 2nd: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing Renault), 3rd: Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing Renault)
LAST season, Fernando Alonso held off a charging Sebastian Vettel to take a brilliant victory on the night streets of Singapore. Despite two Safety Car periods, the Spaniard held off Vettel all the way. A minor brush with the barriers in qualifying cost Vettel the pole position and ultimately, the race. Third place was enough for Mark Webber to retain his championship lead, whilst fourth spot kept Jenson Button in the race. However, Lewis Hamilton’s title bid took a fatal blow, as he controversially clashed with Webber after a Safety Car period. Despite minor contact, terminal damage was done to the McLaren and ended his race. The most spectacular image of the season came when Heikki Kovalainen’s Lotus blew up and caught fire on the pit straight, with the brave Finn having to double up as a temporary fire marshal to extinguish the rapidly increasing flames.
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