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ShareMumbai: I knew the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix was going to be special. The first race to be held under lights was bound to be spectacular. I could feel the buzz around the circuit which was located right in the heart of Singapore's business district.
One could hear the thunderous roar of the engines from any part of the Marina Bay.
During the three days before the race, I was lucky enough to take a walk on the circuit and study its kerbs and straights. More than the unique nature of the circuit, it was breathtaking to see thousands of lights that were lined along the track.
The race itself was quite thrilling. Compared to my previous assignment -- the European GP at Valencia, which was one of the most boring races ever -- the Singapore GP was exciting. The race itself was full of drama and action.
Though I am a diehard fan of Fernando Alonso, I knew the double world champion, who had a poor qualifying result, had little chance of finishing in the top 5. That Alonso would win the race was unthinkable.
Around Lap 11 or 12, a Renault crashed. For a moment, I thought Alonso's race was over. However, the giant screen showed it was Nelson Piquet Jr. The safety car was duly deployed and there was some technicality related to the opening of the pit lane. Most of us were surprised to see Alonso take the lead.
From then on, there was no stopping him.
Alonso's victory was not the most memorable part of the race, and nor was the accident.
The most distinct memory was the pit stop of Ferrari's Felipe Massa that cost him the race. The sight of Massa exiting the pit lane with the fuel hose still stuck to the car, remained the most memorable part of the race...till this week, when allegations were made that the race may have been fixed. It's been more than a week since the can of worms was opened...and I still can't believe it.
