by Dieter Rencken

Following last year’s ‘Singapore Sling’, which resulted in bans from Formula 1 for ex-Renault team boss Flavio Briatore and engineering executive Pat Symonds (and controversial immunity for co-conspirator Nelson Piquet), all folk in F1 hoped for a fascinating contest in the south-east Asian city state. And, so it turned out – except that for most the fascination was found not on-track, but in the paddock and surrounds of the illuminated street circuit.

However, don’t for a single moment get me wrong: the night race was great, and after last year’s ‘Crashgate’ affair the 61-lap grand prix was precisely the sort of tonic F1 needed to deliver in the wake of the scandal, even if Piquet’s replacement Romain Grosjean caused sniggers when he spun his Renault at precisely the same point as the Brazilian Crash Test Dummy did smite the wall at Turn 17.

Okay, rookie Grosjean did it on Friday and not during the race, but still it created guffaws of laughter in the Media Centre, particularly when one hack pointed out that even when pushing the Renault beyond the limit, Grosjean’s contact only ripped the nose off, whereas Piquet’s crash to order effectively wrote the chassis off!

But, if Singapore marked Formula 1’s second-ever night race, it also marked the first time the two FIA presidential hopefuls – alphabetically, Jean Todt and Ari Vatanen – found themselves within the same realm since announcing their candidacies. The differences in their approaches could not, though, be more marked.

For starters, the former, who for some reason shied away from being seen in an F1 paddock for most of this season, again did so in Singapore despite his hotel being highly visible from the circuit. Instead the Frenchman received journalists and team principals grateful for a few words in his suite high above the street track. A sort of ‘if you wish to hear me, you come to me’ style.

Endorsements for the former Peugeot and Ferrari sporting boss flew thick and fast all weekend, with the scene being set by a release from Bahrain, which stated that Sheikh Al Khalifa of the Bahrain Motor Federation was supporting a man who must rank as the least sporting manager in the history of motorsport – witness his massaging of results in various categories, be they in rallying or F1.

Then, under the full glare of TV cameras, Todt made his F1 appearance – by way of a grid walk prior to the start, his access no doubt facilitated by Bernie Ecclestone, who had, in turn, denied Vatanen the same privilege in Monza a fortnight ago. Any guesses whom the F1 tsar endorsed? Wonder why...

In an interview during the weekend, when asked about his intended management of the FIA and F1 should he be elected, Todt reportedly told a British journalist – who published the quote – ‘I am not sure that they (automobile club members) are concerned with who is going to be the F1 commissioner. Do you think people in South Africa care what is happening in F1?’

Why he should ask such an astounding question about the sport’s following in a country which celebrated its first world champion (Jody Scheckter, in a Ferrari, to boot) fully six years before Alain Prost brought F1 glory to France; about a country which presently has as many grands prix on the calendar as does Todt’s own country remains unexplained. Why pick on South Africa in particular?

Could revenge be the motive, for Jody recently declared his support for Vatanen supporter, while Motorsport SA’s Beaulah Schoeman has been chosen to sit on the Finn’s Senate should he be elected? Worse, was Todt simply displaying ignorance about a country which saw 50 000 fans cheer as three F1 cars tested at Kyalami and broadcasts F1 coverage throughout Africa? Either way, revenge and ignorance are hardly traits one expects in a presidential hopeful.

By contrast, Vatanen made himself available in the paddock all weekend, and was able to announce an expansion of his ‘slate’, with the likes of Prince Feisal and luminaries from Ireland, Netherlands and Finland joining his ticket. His open, glad-handing style was reminiscent of a statesman genuinely interested in the welfare of those in his domain, and in the process he made many friends during the weekend.

The most interesting observation of the weekend, though, came from an influential team principal: asked to comment on Todt’s presentation to them, saliently made in a five-star hotel on Friday, not the paddock, he replied, ‘Interesting, but, you know what, it really is too close to call’.

Given that just two months ago, when Vatanen announced his decision to stand against his former team boss (in the Peugeot rally team), he was perceived as having about as much chance as Piquet of winning this year’s championship, the comment represents a remarkable turn-around for the former member of parliament and 1981 world rally champion.

A closing thought: that you have read this column through to this point proves that ‘people in South Africa (really) DO care about what is happening in F1...