A MAJOR upset.

Or in footballing terms, it would be like Hull City winning the English Premiership in their debut season.

That's the best way to sum up the overall impact of the first SingTel Singapore Grand Prix in the prestigious and evolving world of Formula One.

Three awards.

And three times, the Singapore Grand Prix came out on top to provide more evidence of F1 business supremo Bernie Ecclestone's claim that it will be the new 'jewel' in F1's crown.

First, it was named the Motor Sport Facility of the Year at the Professional Motor Sport World annual awards in Germany last month.

The Singapore Grand Prix street circuit was commended for the revolutionary lighting that replicated near day-time conditions and the spectacular way it wove through the city centre.

Then, earlier this month, the Autosport Pioneering and Innovation Award was given to Singapore Grand Prix organisers at the Autosport Awards gala event in London.

On Friday, at the FIA (F1's ruling world body) Gala Awards in Monaco, Singapore GP won the Promoter of the Year Award.

This wasn't supposed to happen to a debutant, a new kid on the block, a hyped-up night race venue which had lingering doubts over it right till race weekend.

So how did Singapore melt the heart of the F1 world in just 14 months since it won the race bid in May last year?

'The track and infrastructure owes its success really, to the human element, and the real answer lies in the new Singapore mindset,' replied Teo Hock Seng candidly.

Teo is chairman of Singapore GP, organisers and promoters of the race.

At 62, the no-nonsense managing director of Komoco Motors - that distributes the popular Hyundai vehicles here - is famous among local sports fans for being the S-League's most colourful chairman (of Tampines Rovers' fame).

He sometimes acts as a public voice for the notoriously media-shy hotel and property mogul Ong Beng Seng, who set up Singapore GP Pte Ltd.

Involvement

Teo continued: 'In all my decades of experience and involvement in the Singapore sports scene, I've not seen anything like this national effort.

'This was a true world-class Singapore sporting showcase.

'It's the first time a big premium sports event has been brought to Singapore.

'It's the first time the private sector and the public sector worked hand in hand, day and night, around the clock, despite the odds, to do it in 14 months.'

Reflecting, Teo said this is more than being about just the awards.

He said: 'The SingTel Singapore Grand Prix was not just historic for its famous technical reasons.

'It was historic because it reminded us that the typical Singaporean spirit is still lurking, in the bottom of our hearts, no matter how much we've changed through the years.

'There was no 'it's your problem, not my problem' mentality.

'Everyone had a 'can do' attitude.'

Teo said the evidence could be noted from the day it was first announced that Singapore had won its F1 bid.

'You were there at the press conference yourself, you heard the phone banter between Bernie and Minister (S) Iswaran (Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry).

'I think a lot can be drawn from the way they interacted then, and the way it's turned out since.'

During that press conference, Ecclestone - known for his straight-faced comments mixed with typical British humour - said: 'It's not been too easy, without being rude to government officials.'

Mr Iswaran then quipped: 'Be kind, Bernie, be kind.'

Ecclestone replied then: 'But you've done a good job and it's all gone through fine.'

Private room

During an interview with the Singapore press in a private room at the Singapore GP's pit building in September, Mr Iswaran came in and sat quietly in a corner.

Ecclestone quipped: 'I've already said all the bad things about you. It's their turn to grill you.'

To which Mr Iswaran laughed, and asked Ecclestone to continue being the 'man of the moment'.

Teo reflected: 'From Day One, the relationship between Bernie Ecclestone, Ong Beng Seng and our government, has been very cordial.

'There was seriousness when needed.

'At the same time, there was always a healthy sense of humour.

'That's how the trust and belief was built up in Singapore.

'Everyone could see there was commitment and a focus down the line in Singapore, from top to bottom.'

Teo Hock Seng on how to raise Singapore GP's game next year, in tomorrow's paper.