Coulthard predicts tight season in F1

SINGAPORE - More than 50,000 people, including petrolheads and curious onlookers, gathered at Orchard Road yesterday to catch a whiff of Formula 1 action on Singapore's most famous strip.

They lined both sides of the famous street from Ion Orchard to Mandarin Gallery, as David Coulthard drove a Red Bull Racing showcar, at the Red Bull Speed Street event.

The former Formula 1 ace delighted the crowd down the 800m stretch with short sprints and manoeuvres like burnouts and doughnuts in 20 minutes of action.

The 40-year-old Scot, who retired in 2008, has kept his eye on the first few races of this season's campaign, was hugely impressed with the drive of Lewis Hamilton at the last race in Shanghai, when the McLaren ace took the chequered flag ahead of Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, who had seemed unbeatable after two wins out of two, in Australia and Malaysia, respectively.