Five memorable moments in Singapore Grand Prix history

As the Singapore Grand Prix looks to return to the country's shores on Oct 2, here is a look at five memorable moments since the Formula One night race began in 2008:

1. Chaos at the startline, 2017

In what was a disastrous start to the 2017 race, three top drivers - Red Bull's Max Verstappen, as well as Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen - collided barely 10 seconds after powering off.

Vettel had swerved aggressively towards his left, sandwiching Verstappen between him and teammate Raikkonen, resulting in a wipeout of the front row.

The incident dented the German's title hopes as rival Lewis Hamilton took full advantage and went on to win the race, extending his lead in the overall table, one that he held onto till the end of the season.

 

2. Mark Webber hitches a ride, 2013

The Australian ran across the track to catch a ride as Fernando Alonso briefly halted for him to get on. Mercedes' Hamilton and Nico Rosberg both had to slow down and swerve to avoid Alonso's stationary Ferrari.

Webber's taxi ride on the sidepod of Alonso's Ferrari was a gesture that many fans enjoyed but the stewards took a dimmer view of the Spaniard's generosity, meting out penalties to both drivers.

3. Mariah Carey slips in front of crowd, 2010

Famous for its off-track concerts, the Singapore Grand Prix was graced by American pop diva Mariah Carey in the 2010 edition. She was belting out her signature tunes when gravity got the better of her and she took a tumble on stage.

Her back-up dancer helped her get back on her feet as she continued singing the 1991 hit Make It Happen. She completed the remainder of her 90-minute set in front of a 35,000-strong crowd all while barefooted.

4. Alonso and 'crashgate', 2008

Alonso's win in the inaugural 2008 race was shrouded in controversy as the Renault driver was found to have received a sporting advantage when his teammate Nelson Piquet Jr crashed deliberately on the 14th lap.

Piquet crashed into the circuit wall at Turn 17, resulting in the deployment of the safety car while the debris was cleared. Alonso had made an early pit stop in the 12th lap after starting with a light fuel load to seize an early lead. This allowed the Spaniard to outpace the other cars while they were pitted under safety car conditions. Alonso subsequently won the race despite being 15th on the starting grid.

5. Felipe Massa's fiery pit stop, 2008

After starting the 2008 race in pole position, Ferrari's Felipe Massa's hopes of winning the race were dashed when a dreadful mistake during the pit stop saw him exit the garage with a fuel hose dangling from his car. The Brazilian went the full length of the pit lane before the team's mechanics removed the hose from his car. He rejoined the race at the back of the pack and finished the race in 13th.

The Singapore result put Massa seven points behind Lewis Hamilton at the top of the Drivers' Championship and to add salt to the wound, the Brazilian eventually finished the season one point off Hamilton's title-winning tally of 98 points.