Paddock Postcard from Singapore

The Marina Bay paddock was filled with familiar racing faces, including world champions Sir Jackie Stewart, Alan Jones, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve, plus Mika Salo, Giancarlo Minardi, Craig Lowndes and Neil Crompton. Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Andrew Westacott paid a visit, as did artist Anna-Louise Felstead and chef Gordon Ramsay.

Mika Hakkinen was another former champion in attendance, here in his role as Johnnie Walker Global Responsible Drinking Ambassador as the world-famous Scotch makers were announced as the Official Whisky of Formula 1.

On track, Ollie Hancock took his Steve Nichols-tended ex-Emerson Fittipaldi Fittipaldi F5A to a spectacular victory in the invitation-only Masters Historic race, after a tight battle with Michael Lyons’ smoking ex-Rupert Keegan Hesketh 308E was finally resolved when the latter retired down an escape road.

Aaron Scott took his ex-Arturo Merzario March 761 to second ahead of Joaquin Folch’s ex-Nelson Piquet Brabham BT49C. They were followed home by Andrew Beaumont’s ex-Ronnie Peterson Lotus 76, Keith Frieser’s ex-Jackie Oliver Shadow DN1 and Doug Mockett’s ex-John Watson Penske PC4.

Other delectable machinery included John McKenna’s ex-Mario Andretti Parnelli VPJ4, Steve Allan’s ex-Alain Prost McLaren M30 and Robs Lamplough’s ex-Jean-Pierre Beltoise BRM P180.

Musically, a series of Singapore Grand Prix weekend concerts saw Jennifer Lopez headlining with Robbie Williams and Mayday, as well as Zone 1 Village stage performers Ziggy Marley, Pet Shop Boys and John Legend.