Hamilton looks to heavens for Singapore night race

Hamilton's appeal to be reinstated as Belgian Grand Prix winner was dismissed in Paris on Tuesday - he had been demoted from first to third at Spa-Francorchamps in the September 7 race after cutting a chicane - and the Briton now starts the sport's first night race on Sunday with 78 points to Massa's 77.

The untested street circuit will throw up a number of unique challenges to the drivers, but it is Singapore's tropical climate which is likely to prove more decisive than any floodlights or sleep patterns - and it should work in the McLaren man's favour.

Heavy rain has fallen at night since Sunday and local meteorologists are predicting a 50 per cent chance of rain come the weekend.

Hamilton came through rain and chaotic conditions to triumph on Monaco's street circuit earlier this season and is acknowledged as a great talent in the wet.

Certainly a slippery, metal barrier-lined Singapore circuit would seem to suit him more than his immediate rivals.

The 23-year-old was relaxed and confident when he jetted into the South-East Asian city-state late on Tuesday, joking and laughing with fans at an exclusive welcome party.

He told guests he was focused and looking forward to the challenges of the Singapore race and later vowed to put the failed appeal behind him.

"People will probably expect me to be depressed about (the appeal) result, but that isn't me," he said in a McLaren statement.

"All I want to do now is... get on with what we drivers do best - racing each other."

Not only is Hamilton considered a more accomplished wet-weather driver than his Brazilian rival, but a rainy race would play into McLaren's hands for a second reason, too.

Ferrari have struggled to heat up their tyres to optimum levels in races this year and that will be a much bigger issue in the wet and at night, when track temperatures are lower.

Hamilton and McLaren would most likely prefer rain on all three days. Like Monaco and Valencia, the tight Singapore circuit is expected to present few overtaking opportunities and grabbing pole position from tomorrow's qualifying will be as vital.

It will not be lost on Massa that his poorest finish this year was at the wet and windy British Grand Prix where he spun repeatedly on his way to 13th position.

"I would prefer it to be dry in Singapore," the Ferrari driver said after a wet final day of testing at the Mugello circuit in Italy last week.

"But we can do well and have a consistent race in the wet too."

F1 statistics - Singapore Grand Prix

Milestones

Singapore will be Formula One's first night race, the first to be held in the island state and first on an Asian street circuit.

The track is expected to be the second slowest of the season, after Monaco.

The Singapore GP will also be the 800th round of the Formula One world championship since the first at Silverstone in 1950.

Formula One's previous landmark races are:

1 - Britain 1950, Giuseppe Farina (Italy), Alfa Romeo.

100 - Germany 1961, Stirling Moss (Britain), Lotus.

200 - Monaco 1971, Jackie Stewart (Britain), Tyrrell.

300 - South Africa 1978, Ronnie Peterson (Sweden), Lotus.

400 - Austria 1984, Niki Lauda (Austria), McLaren.

500 - Australia 1990, Nelson Piquet Sr. (Brazil), Benetton.

600 - Argentina 1997, Jacques Villeneuve (Canada), Williams.

700 - Brazil 2003, Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy), Jordan.

Wins

Germany's Sebastian Vettel, triumphant at the previous Italian Grand Prix in Monza for Toro Rosso, was the third first-time winner of the season after Poland's Robert Kubica (BMW-Sauber) and Finland's Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren).

All three were on the podium at Monza.

The German is the 101st grand prix winner since 1950.

Of the 20 drivers on the starting grid in Singapore, 12 are now race winners. BMW-Sauber's Nick Heidfeld (146 races) is the active driver who has done most starts without winning.

Ferrari have won seven races to McLaren's five this year. Since 1950, the Italian team have won 208 races. McLaren have 161 wins and Williams 113.

New races

Ferrari have a track record of doing well at new races on the calendar. Felipe Massa won in Valencia this year while now-retired Michael Schumacher won the first races in Bahrain (2004) and Indianapolis (2000). Rubens Barrichello won the first in China (2004) and Eddie Irvine the first in Malaysia (1999).

McLaren won the first in Turkey (2005) with Kimi Raikkonen, now world champion with Ferrari.