MY HEART swelled with pride when I surfed the Internet last Saturday, reading about the SingTel Singapore Grand Prix.
The British newspapers praised the spectacle of Formula One's first night practice session, and The Times came up with this gem of a description of the street circuit:
"Like a twinkling necklace adorning a beautiful woman." Magnificent. It aptly described the spellbinding sight of
the brightly-lit circuit snaking around the iconic Singapore cityscape, and under the glittering traffic on the East Coast Parkway.
The familiarity of the landmarks, coupled with the novelty of seeing cars hurtling past them, sent Singaporean pulsesracing throughout the weekend. Was yours? I hope it has dispelled the initial hesitation about the race.
This Grand Prix is, in essence, a meeting point between Singapore and the world.
Both were tentative before the races got underway. Singaporeans wondered what to make of this 'rich man's playground', while the world wondered what kind of environment this exotic island will throw up.
But how they embraced each other during a weekend of excitement.
Ticket-less Singaporeans were spotted at Marina Square straining their necks, even squatting low, just to catch glimpses of cars roaring by on opposite sides of the fences.
Those with walkabout tickets ambled around the circuit, eagerly searching for safe viewing spots as close to the race track as possible.
Foreign F1 fans, as well as the race teams' working crew, enjoyed themselves at the various shopping malls and the numerous all-night parties.
Then there were the drivers, the real stars of the show. Singapore should be thankful for the various colourful personalities on display.
Lewis Hamilton - a warm gentleman off the tracks, a cold assassin on it.
Kimi Raikkonen - painfully private as he battles numerous setbacks that dogged his season.
Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso - brooding Latinos who are wily warriors on the tracks. And Sebastian Vettel - the goofy upstart who looked as stunned by the spectacle as we were.
Indeed, as the weekend progressed, the Grand Prix became far less a rich man's playground and more a spectacle for all.
Still, for a first-time event, there were some visible kinks.
The temporary walkways were bumpier than the race tracks, while a large pile of artificial fertiliser was dumped too
near one of the overpasses.
But there is nothing that cannot be fixed by the time the race returns next year.
And by then, Singaporeans and the rest of the world will be hooked, eager to relive the thrills again.
It may not yet have the prestige of the Monaco Grand Prix - still the most glamorous street race - but the Singapore race is well on its way to becoming an international marquee event.
