Two-time Formula One champion, Mika Hakkinen, provided a taste of things to come when he drove down Saint Andrew's Road in the MP4-22 car used by the McLaren F1 team last year.

Excited fans and curious onlookers packed the periphery of the cordoned-off road as the Finn put the silver and red car through its paces.

180-degree spins, sprints, and hard braking that would snap the neck of mere mortals were the order of the day as the 40-year-old showboated in one of the most highly-engineered machines in the world

But given the short length of road that was used for the demonstration and the proximity of spectators to the 'racetrack', neither car nor driver were pushed very hard.

Still, those who had waited in the blazing hot sun enjoyed the sample of Formula One action, even if it they did get slightly sun-burnt in the process.

Miss Foo Mei Wan, 30, was among those who sat through the two-hour sun-drenched show.

"It's really exciting to see a F1 car live in action up close," said the accountant, who is looking forward to the the SingTel Formula One Grand Prix here in September.

"A night race will definitely be better though, because I felt like I was almost getting heatstroke today!"

This is not the first time a Formula One car has sped down Saint Andrew's Road.

A show car that was used by the Red Bull racing team and Scuderia Toro Rosso (Red Bull's sister team) in earlier seasons was the first car to burn rubber on Singapore roads.

The difference this time?

This car has won races and had podium finishes, plus it almost brought Lewis Hamilton a world championship in his rookie season.

JOIN THE PACT

Hakkinen is in Singapore to help launch Johnnie Walker's responsible drinking campaign, "Join the Pact".

Having retired from racing in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series last year, Mika Hakkinen has become an ambassador for 'Responsible Drinking', preaching the "Stay in control - never drink and drive" message to motorsports fans around the world.

To 'Join the Pact' and win an opportunity to meet McLaren main man of the moment, Lewis Hamilton, come September, visit www.jointhepact.com.

Related:
VIDEO: Hakkinen Highlights
GALLERY: Mika takes the McLaren MP4-22 to the streets
VIDEO: Tour of the McLaren MP4-22
McLaren MP4-22 technical specs