Alonso wins race in Singapore Grand Prix

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Alonso wins race in Singapore Grand Prix. Photo: EFE

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Renault's double world champion Fernando Alonso won his first race in more than a year on Sunday while Lewis Hamilton extended his championship lead to seven points after a sensational Singapore Grand Prix.

Ferrari's Felipe Massa, a point behind Hamilton before Formula One's first night race, suffered a potential hammer blow to his title hopes after a pitstop blunder sent him from first to last. Germany's Nico Rosberg finished second for Williams with Hamilton third for McLaren. The result left Hamilton on 84 points to Massa's 77 with three races remaining.

Brazilian Massa had started on pole position and was on course to take the championship lead from Hamilton before a disastrous pitstop changed the complexion of the race.

The Ferrari man was given the green light to go but the fuel hose was still connected as he accelerated away. The Ferrari dragged the hose down the pitlane, knocking over mechanics in the process, before Massa stopped and waited for assistance.

After mechanics struggled to remove the hose, the Brazilian rejoined the race at the back of the field. Alonso, who had started in 15th place, took advantage of a safety car interlude and the pitstop blunder to move up the field and collect the 20th win of his career and first since Italy last year for McLaren.

Singapore Grand Prix result:

1. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 1hr 57min 16.304 secs
2. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams-Toyota +00:02.957secs
3. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 00:05.917
4. Timo Glock (Germany) Toyota 00:08.155
5. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 00:10.268
6. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 00:11.101
7. David Coulthard (Britain) RedBull - Renault 00:16.387
8. Kazuki Nakajima (Japan) Williams - Toyota 00:18.489
9. Jenson Button (Britain) Honda 00:19.885
10. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) McLaren 00:26.902
11. Robert Kubica (Poland) BMW Sauber 00:27.975
12. Sebastien Bourdais (France) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 00:29.432
13. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 00:35.170
14. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Force India-Ferrari 00:43.571
15r.Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari + 4 laps
r. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 11 laps
r. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India - Ferrari 12 laps
r. Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 32 laps
r. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Honda 47 laps
r. Nelson Piquet (Brazil) Renault 48 laps
(rank: r = retired)