SINGAPORE, Sept 28 - Nico Rosberg was a relieved man on Sunday after the Williams driver risked all to secure a career-best second place at Formula One's first night race in Singapore.

The German had made a poor start and dropped two places to 10th, stuck in a caravan of cars behind Toyota's Jarno Trulli and in danger of losing contact with the first eight drivers around the tight Marina Bay Street Circuit.

"My start wasn't great on the dirty side of the track," the 23-year-old told reporters. "I was stuck behind Jarno and my team told me if I didn't get past him my race was over.

"So I just had to get by him and I risked it.

"I went for it a couple of times and was pretty close. In the end, I locked up all four wheels and got past despite flat-spotting my tyres afterwards.

"I then had to do one qualifying lap after another to get clear again."

Rosberg then inherited the lead after the safety car was deployed following Nelson Piquet's crash on the 15th lap.

With leader and pole sitter Felipe Massa making a disastrous pitstop when all the leading contenders came in for a change of tyres, Rosberg was well-placed despite collecting a stop-go penalty for refuelling when the pitlane was closed.

The German had built a large enough advantage at the head of the pack to re-emerge in second place behind eventual winner Fernando Alonso.

"The safety car came out just when I was coming in and I couldn't believe it," added Rosberg, who's previous best finish was third place in this season's opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

"But it turned out well in the end and its very nice to be up here celebrating my second podium. It gives the team a big boost... not only now but for the off season.

"I think we deserve the success too. We have had a lot of bad luck, so it's nice that the luck was on our side for a change.

"Fernando was just a little bit too quick for me to go for the win, so I just made sure I could stay ahead of (third place finisher) Lewis until the end of the race."