3 times F1 Singapore GP caused a seismic shift in the championship battle

The F1 Singapore GP has been on the calendar since 2008 (yes, the infamous crashgate). Since then, the race has been a permanent fixture except for a 2-year break during the pandemic.

The race was the first night race added to the calendar, but other than that, there's one very special thing about the F1 Singapore GP is that it comes in the second half of the season, and this is precisely the time when the intensity of a title battle heats up.

Ever since its addition to the calendar, there have been times when the race has caused a seismic shift in the championship battle. Let's take a look at the three times where this happened.

#1 2008 F1 Singapore GP (Crashgate)

When the 2008 F1 season ended and Felipe Massa lost the title to Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the season by just one point, this was one of the races that was often looked back at by many as the one where the title battle possibly flipped.

In the inaugural edition of the F1 Singapore GP, Felipe Massa was dominating the entire field. He secured pole position without breaking a sweat and was leading the race comfortably as well.

A surprise crash for Nelson Piquet brought out the safety car, and it led to a poor pitstop for Felipe Massa, eventually ruining his entire race.

It was these 10 lost points that would eventually cost him the title. Which is also the reason why the eventual revelation of the crashgate and the subsequent lawsuit have been so significant. Without Nelson Piquet's intentional crash, Felipe Massa would have been the 2008 F1 World Champion, and the fact that it got taken away by what were uncouth circumstances does create controversy.

#2 2017 F1 Singapore GP

The 2017 F1 Singapore GP was the race that, in essence, put the stamp on the title battle that season. The Mercedes and Ferrari cars had different strengths and weaknesses that season, and this was a race where Sebastian Vettel was supposed to have an advantage over Lewis Hamilton.

The belief was further solidified when Vettel secured pole position with Max Verstappen alongside him. Lewis Hamilton was on the second row.

The pre-race shower meant that the track was damp, and hence drivers had to be a bit careful at the start. The start proved to be Vettel's undoing, where the German would have a three-way collision involving him, Verstappen, and Raikkonen.

The collision essentially handed the F1 Singapore GP win to Lewis Hamilton on a platter, as he would go on to win the race and open up a massive lead over his title rival.

#3 2018 F1 Singapore GP

The 2018 season, just like the one in 2017, was the point where Lewis Hamilton leveled up in a manner that shocked everyone. On a track where Ferrari and title rival Sebastian Vettel were expected to do well, Hamilton just put together a sensational lap in Q3 to secure pole position.

The lap helped him beat his rival and, in essence, cause a mental defeat that was enough for him to cruise to the title afterwards.