Singapore GP: Race - RE-CAP & RESULTS

 

SINGAPORE GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton claimed a dominant victory in Singapore as a poor strategy put Sebastian Vettel third, extending the gap at the top of the championship standings.

    Hamilton finished almost nine seconds ahead of Max Verstapen and 40s ahead of Vettel.

    The pole-sitting Mercedes made a strong start while fellow front row starter Verstappen was forced to defend against Vettel. The Red Bull put up a strong fight but Vettel had the better pace and was able to pull ahead at turn seven, just before the safety car was brought out.

    Further back, Sergio Perez collided with team-mate Esteban Ocon, forcing the Frenchman into the wall and out of the race.

    With tyre wear crucial in Singapore, Hamilton wasn’t quick to build a gap to Vettel, and all the front runners limited their pace in the first stint.

    The Ferrari was the first to dive into the pits just 14 laps into the 61 lap race, switching the hypersoft tyres to the harder ultrasofts. Vettel came out just behind Perez and he spent two laps struggling to find a way through before he was released into free air.

    Hamilton was the next to pit, taking soft tyres and returning to the net-lead.

    Verstappen followed on the next lap, also switching to the soft tyres. Despite his Renault engine spluttering as he left the pits, the Red Bull driver was able to emerge just ahead of Vettel, reclaiming the P2 he’d lost 16 laps earlier.

    Hamilton was unchallenged to the chequered flag, taking his seventh win of the season and extending his championship lead to 40 points.

    On the softer tyres, Vettel was forced to be more conservative than Verstappen and couldn’t push for the second place position. He nursed his tyres across the line, dropping half a minute behind the Red Bull driver by the chequered flag.

    Valtteri Bottas spent the majority of the race in “net” P4, but the position came under threat late in the race. The Mercedes driver was struggling to close the gap to back-marker Nico Hulkenberg enough to trigger the blue flags and felt as if he was being held up by the Renault. The lack of pace meant Kimi Raikkonen and Daniel Ricciardo were able to close the gap, but nobody was able to make a move before the chequered flag.

    Slower cars were also a problem for the midfield drivers. Perez, who started the race on the hypersoft tyres, came out behind the Williams duo of Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin after his pit stop. With both Williams drivers on soft tyres, neither were scheduled to pit soon and Perez would have to find a way past himself to keep his race alive. Sirotkin held Perez up and the Force India swerved at him as he came past, picking up a puncture and allowing Hulkenberg through to pick up the final points paying position

    The incident dropped Perez down the order again and he finished 16th, ahead only of Brendon Hartley, Kevin Magnussen, and Sirotkin.

    Fernando Alonso was the “best of the rest” driver and the final man who wasn’t lapped, finishing P7 ahead of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / + 18 Points
3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 15 Points
4. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 12 Points
5. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 10 Points
6. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia / + 8 Points
7. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain / + 6 Points
8. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain / + 4 Points
9. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco / + 2 Points
10. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / + 1 Point
11. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
12. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
13. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
14. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
15. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France*
16. Sergio Perez / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
17. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
18. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
19. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

RETIRED - Esteban Ocon / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Collision Damage

* - Notes Grosjean received a 5-Second-Time-Penalty for ignoring blue flags

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Singapore GP: Driver Preview Quotes

RENAULT SPORT FORMULA ONE TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - "The circuit itself is very physical and puts a lot of strain on the body. It’s up there as one of the toughest circuits of the season. It’s a long lap with corners coming thick and fast, with not many straights to have a break. The humidity makes it hard combined with all the action we’re doing at the wheel with non-stop corner combinations and frequent gear changes."

Carlos Sainz - "Last season’s Singapore Grand Prix was probably my best-ever race in my Formula 1 career. Everything clicked on the day and we ended up in fourth place. It was a very difficult race starting on the intermediate tyre and then picking the right time to go onto the supersofts, which took a bit of getting used to in the early running. But it was an incredible day, an amazing race and one which I’ll never forget. That said, every time I’m in the car, I’m gunning to better it."

ASTON MARTIN RED BULL RACING 

Daniel Ricciardo - "I have learnt to love the challenge of Singapore. For me, the first year I raced there in 2011 was one of the worst races I have been involved in. Physically it was so intense, I just underestimated how hard it would be. I wasn’t in a happy place after that race, it gave me a feeling I never want to experience in a race car again, so I made a promise to myself that I would always come to Singapore over-prepared. In a way this is now something I take pride in; I always get there feeling really sharp and well prepared. I now really like that challenge and I also thrive in the heat. In a strange way, the pain has become pleasure over the years. As everyone knows, I love street circuits. The feeling of driving on the edge, so close to the walls, is something you just can’t get enough of. It’s the original night race and the schedule is always pretty hectic but there is something kind of romantic about going to the track at night and then to bed at four or five in the morning. It’s a place where I also have good races and finish pretty strong. I’ve had four podiums and three second places in a row there, so it’s about time I win the damn thing.”

Max Verstappen - “I think the whole team is looking forward to Singapore because we know we have a real chance to have a good result there. The race has been a strong one for us in the past and I think we should be able to challenge for a podium this year. I really enjoy driving there; the track has a lot of corners and is quite bumpy but it makes it all the more interesting to find a good set-up for the car. The night race and hot temperatures really test you to the limit, for me Singapore is physically the hardest race of the season. I have been preparing for quite a while. A night race in general is a bit different with the lights, it adds an extra aspect that we don’t have at the majority of races. The atmosphere around the whole weekend creates a great buzz and is a perfect way to kick off the fly away races.”

RACING POINT FORCE INDIA FORMULA ONE TEAM

Sergio Perez - "I am really looking forward to racing this weekend. The last couple of events went really well for us and you can feel the positive atmosphere in the whole team, so we want to keep the momentum going.

    Singapore is a special event and I don't think there's any other race in the world like it. The city is buzzing and the circuit looks amazing when all the lights are on. The hotel is close to the paddock, so we walk to the track and that's a way to see the city and feel the atmosphere - something you can't really do at other races.

    The race is a big test for the body. When you're in the car, it is hard to breathe and you're sweating a lot. In the days leading up to the race I train in the toughest conditions I can to get used to it. The race is also the longest of the year in terms of time in the cockpit, so fitness is important. The best preparation is to sleep well and keep hydrated. The weird schedule makes it a bit strange, especially at the beginning of the week, but after a couple of days in Singapore it’s not a problem anymore.

    The Marina Bay Circuit is one of my favourites because I have scored points every time I’ve raced there. That’s seven times from seven races and I’m looking forward to making it eight out of eight. I love driving street circuits because you have to be aggressive and accurate, and Marina Bay is the type of track where you can make a difference as a driver.

    Being so close to the walls is always challenging but it’s fun as well. With the wide cars it’s tougher to overtake, but is not as tight as Monaco and there is enough space to make some overtaking moves.

    We're bringing an upgrade to the race, so I expect us to be competitive. Last year I finished fifth and after the breakthrough we had at Spa and Monza, I definitely expect to be fighting for a good amount of points this time as well.”

Esteban Ocon - “In the two races after the summer break we have shown good pace and scored a lot of points, so we go to Singapore aiming to continue this run of great races.

    Singapore is the toughest race of the year from a physical point of view. It’s hot and it’s humid, but I have been preparing for it with lots of cardio training. It’s important to eat the right things and drink a lot even before we travel to Singapore. Other than training in the heat, my routine doesn’t change much because we have to be very fit for all the other races already.

    This Singapore weekend has a unique schedule but I have a little trick for it. I always keep two different time zones on my watch – local and European. I keep to European timings and still manage to go to bed every night at 9pm, Paris time!

    The Singapore race is a fantastic event. Night races are always different and there is the added challenge of a street circuit. I admit I am not the biggest fan of the track layout, but it is a very challenging one. There are so many corners and lots of places where you can gain time or make a mistake, so it’s difficult to put together a perfect lap. My favourite part is the final sector where you have to get really close to the walls.

    We are bringing an upgrade to this race and we look forward to testing it on Friday. If we can get everything working properly then hopefully we can keep our position at the front of the midfield.”

ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the highlights of each season. It is probably the most spectacular circuit to drive on, as it is located in the city centre and takes place at night. It is also one of the toughest races of the year, with extreme heat and humidity making it challenging to drive, both physically and mentally. As a team, we are eager to bounce back after a difficult weekend in Italy, and we are determined to fight for a good result again. I look forward to being back in Singapore.”

Charles Leclerc - “The circuit in Singapore will be completely new to me. I have done some simulator work on the track, but it will be a special experience to drive there in real life. It will also be my first real night race, which is exciting. I look forward to that very much. It is one of the most renowned and popular Grands Prix on the calendar, and it will be a pleasure to meet the fans there. The track looks interesting, and the city vibrant – I can’t wait for this race weekend to begin.”

RED BULL TORO ROSSO HONDA

Pierre Gasly - “My only experience of Singapore is when I attended the race as third driver for Red Bull Racing. So at least I got to see the race at first hand and it gave me an understanding of just how hot and humid it is and what it’s like having a night race, getting up in the afternoon and going to bed in the early hours of the morning. I found it quite straightforward, sticking on European time and you just have to get used to driving under the artificial lights. It’s a different rhythm, but I quite enjoyed it when I was there.

    The super-sticky conditions mean it’s the most physically demanding race of the year. Even if I’ve never driven the track, looking at the layout, I can see it’s the sort of circuit I like, where you can get into a rhythm with a lot of corners. It turns a lot and it’s very technical. We knew the last two races in Spa and Monza were going to be complicated but, on paper, Singapore should suit our car a bit better. I’m looking forward to seeing how we go. I’ve been training for the heat, wearing lots of clothes and sweating a lot, making sure I felt much too hot and I will be doing that sort of training right up until the weekend, as well as spending time in the sauna. Marina Bay is one of my favourite tracks to drive on the video games, so I’m looking forward to experiencing the real thing.”

Brendon Hartley - “Singapore will be a new track for me and one that I have very much been looking forward to. All the drivers I have spoken to tell me it’s the most physical race on the calendar, partly because it’s a busy lap, but also because of the heat and humidity. Of course, I have done a lot of night racing throughout my career, at events like Le Mans, but with the floodlights it won’t be very noticeable, unless it rains.

    Historically, Toro Rosso has gone well here and while we knew the last two races would be tough, all of us at Toro Rosso see Singapore as a good opportunity to perform well. Last week, I drove the track on the simulator, which, as usual, is half for the benefit of the team and half for the driver. The track is accurately 3-D mapped so it was an opportunity to learn every bump and kerb. It allows me to get all my reference points and hit the ground running when practice starts on Friday. From a team point of view, it means we can do a lot of set-up changes before even getting to the track, trying them out to see if the driver gets a good feeling from them in the car. It’s not quite 100% the same as actually driving the track itself, as it’s not as hot and you don’t have the same forces going through the body. All the same, it’s a perfect way to prepare as you get some visual markers and an idea of where you are going. Apart from that, I have also done some heat training by exercising with a few more layers on. I am feeling fit and healthy, which can give you an edge come Sunday night and I’m really looking forward to the weekend.”

WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Lance Stroll - "Obviously this year I know exactly what to expect in terms of how the Marina Bay Street Circuit is. It is tight and twisty and one of the toughest both mentally and physically, especially because of the hot and humid conditions. I have great memories from last year as I started 18th and finished eighth. It was a pretty wild race with some rain before the start and I was able to make up five places on the opening lap. After that it dried out and then it was down to strategy and all that. We came away from a difficult weekend with a handful of points, which was great, and the party after the race was great."

Sergey Sirotkin - "Singapore is one of the races I’m looking forward to the most. It’s been really nice to race at some well-known European tracks, but I also feel like now is a good time to start doing some flyaway races again, and to see some new tracks. Singapore is somewhere everyone wants to race at. It’s a very challenging track which could potentially give us a lot of hopes, so I’m looking forward to it a lot. I’ve been there before but there’s not much I can say until I drive the track. It’s a special weekend with it being a night race, and the schedule being on European time."

HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “I do like the Singapore Grand Prix. I do like competing in the night. It’s pretty good fun. It makes some great footage, and clearly Singapore is one of the most beautiful races you can have by night. It’s pretty awesome. It provides something a bit different on the calendar. I’m very much looking forward to it and seeing what we can do there.

    It can be very physical. All week we never see the sunlight, so that takes a bit of energy away. Then it’s humid, it’s hot and it’s always a long race. We usually reach the two-hour limit. It’s very, very demanding. I remember back in 2013, I lost four kilos of water during the race, which is quite a lot.

    One of the big challenges is the heat and humidity, which is very, very difficult in Singapore. Another challenge is the race, as it’s usually about two hours long, and it’s a street circuit, so it’s very difficult. Mentally, it’s very difficult, as much as it is physical. It’s clearly one of the races where you need to be at your fittest in the season.

    I will do my best and do my best for the team. Hopefully, it will be a really good race for us with some strong points.”

Kevin Magnussen - “The biggest challenge (of Singapore) is probably physically, as it’s very hot and the race is extremely long. It always goes close to the two-hour limit. Physically, it’s a tough track, mentally as well. You don’t get a lot of rest on the track, and there are 23 corners, so you’re always working. There’s not a lot of time to relax over a lap in Singapore.

    There are some bumps around the track. You’re trying to avoid them as much as you can. It’s not possible to avoid all of the bumps as you need to take your racing line. It makes it easy to lock up in some places. If you miss your braking or get on the power a bit too early, there’s a wall and you’ll be likely to hit it. This makes the consequences a bit bigger for any mistake, which is cool.

    My expectations are that we can fight at the front of the midfield and that we can take the fight to Renault and fight for best of the rest like we’ve done many times this year.”

McLAREN F1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - "After difficult races in Belgium and Italy we say goodbye to Europe and start the fly-away chapter of the season. We were hoping to come away with points instead of two DNFs, but on the positive side we managed to find some pace on Sunday in Monza.

    The important thing for us to focus on is reliability, especially since Marina Bay street circuit should be better for us and our package, so we need to maximize our performance. Points are still definitely the target.

    The field is becoming very competitive as we progress through the season so we know we need to work hard to maintain the pace of development compared to our competitors. I’m looking forward to racing under the lights in Singapore and it’s always a fantastic weekend of racing for the fans.”

Stoffel Vandoorne - “Last year was my first experience of racing in Singapore and I really enjoyed it. In fact, it was there and in Malaysia that I scored my best result yet in Formula 1, in seventh place. It’s a track that definitely suits the strengths of our package more than others, so I’m hopeful of a more positive weekend where we can show improved pace and take the fight to our competitors.

    Although I’m very much looking to the future since I confirmed I won’t be racing for McLaren next season, I’m also 100 per cent determined to give everything for the remaining grands prix this season. Both the team and I are pushing very hard to get the best results we can with what we have, and it’s certainly not over yet.

    Racing at Singapore was an incredible experience last year and I’m really looking forward to doing it again. Going through the whole weekend on European time is one of the coolest things about this race and it’s a totally unique experience that we don’t get anywhere else we travel to on the calendar. Let’s hope we can have a positive weekend for the fans.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended - Quotes belong to Drivers

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Singapore GP: Circuit Preview

SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX 2018 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW 

Name: Marina Bay Street Circuit

Location: Marina Bay, Singapore

Opened: August 31st, 2008

Length: 3.146 Miles

Capacity: 90,000

Runs: Anti-Clockwise

Turns: 23 

Race Laps: 61

2017 STATS

Pole Position: Sebastian Vettel

1st Place: Lewis Hamilton

2nd Place: Daniel Ricciardo

3rd Place: Valtteri Bottas

Retirements: Kimi Raikkonen (Collision), Max Verstappen (Collision), Sebastian Vettel (Collision Damage), Fernando Alonso (Collision Damage), Daniil Kvyat (Accident), Marcus Ericsson (Accident), Nico Hulkenberg (Oil Leak) & Kevin Magnussen (Engine)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

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Singapore GP: Track Schedule

SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX 2018 - TRACK SCHEDULE 

September 13th / Thursday

18:00 - 19:00 - Press Conference

20:00 - 21:30 - Drivers Autograph Session

September 14th / Friday

16:30 - 18:00 - Free Practice #1

18:05 - 19:05 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

18:30 - 19:00 - Press Conference

20:30 - 22:00 - Free Practice #2

September 15th / Saturday

15:10 - 15:30 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

18:00 - 19:00 - Free Practice #3

19:10 - 20:25 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

21:00 - 22:00 - Qualifying

22:00 - 23:00 - Press Conference

September 16th / Sunday

17:30 - 19:15 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

18:30 - 19:00 - Drivers Track Parade

18:45 - 19:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

19:54 - 19:56 - National Anthem

20:10 - 22:10 - Race

* - Subject to change

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Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

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Singapore GP: Circuit Preview

SINGAPORE GP - CIRCUIT PREVIEW + 2016 STATS

Name: Marina Bay Street Circuit

Location: Marina Bay, Singapore

Opened: August 31st, 2008

Length: 3.147 Miles

Capacity: 90,000

Runs: Anti-Clockwise

Turns: 23

Race Laps: 61

2016 STATS

Pole Position: Nico Rosberg

1st Place: Nico Rosberg

2nd Place: Daniel Ricciardo

3rd Place: Lewis Hamilton

Retirements: Romain Grosjean (DID NOT START - Brakes), Nico Hulkenberg (Collision), Valtteri Bottas (Overheating) & Jenson Button (Brakes)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

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Singapore GP: Track Schedule

SINGAPORE GP - TRACK SCHEDULE

September 14th / Thursday

18:00 - Drivers Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

21:10 - 23:00 - Pit-Lane Walk (Community Engagement Walk)

September 15th / Friday

16:30 - 18:00 - Free Practice #1

18:05 - 19:05 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

20:30 - 22:00 - Free Practice #2

22:15 - 23:15 - Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

September 16th / Saturday

15:55 - 16:25 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

18:00 - 19:00 - Free Practice #3

19:55 - 20:50 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

21:00 - 22:00 - Qualifying

September 17th / Sunday

17:30 - 19:15 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

18:30 - Drivers Track Parade

18:45 - 19:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

19:46 - National Anthem

20:00 - 22:00 - Race

(Subject to change)

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Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

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Singapore GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX - RACE

    Nico Rosberg took a well deserved victory at Singapore in what may be the most exciting race of the season. It’s rare in Formula One that there’s much of a battle at the front of the field, let alone one that lasts until the very last lap, but a mixed up strategy in the night race made for a battle that kept fans and team personnel alike on the edge of their seats.

    There’s always a safety car at Singapore. This one came right at the beginning of the race, after a collision between Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz.

    Fourth place started Max Verstappen had a slow start, falling back through the pack. Sainz, starting directly behind him, tried to avoid his ex-team mate, but tangled with Hulkenberg.

    The Toro Rosso driver was able to keep going, but was forced to pit a few laps after the green flags returned when the meatball flags were brought out for some damage to the front of his car.

    Verstappen’s slow start promoted Raikkonen to fourth but the Finn wasn’t going to stay there for long. Raikkonen caught up with Hamilton and was in DRS range within twenty six laps, but it took another seven or so laps to make the move.

    When he did, it was a clean overtake for the Ferrari driver. Hamilton locked up his front right tyre at turn seven, allowing Raikkonen to get closer. At turn ten, the Finn dived down the inside to pass Hamilton.

    Further back, there was a battle for the bottom spaces of the top ten. It was a battle of Red Bull past and (possibly) future, as Sebastian Vettel tried to get past Sainz. Vettel started from the very back of the grid, but was on a charge.

    Esteban Gutierrez was following behind Vettel, hoping to follow the Ferrari through when Vettel inevitably got past the Toro Rosso driver. The trio came three abreast for a number of corners, but Vettel eventually got through. Sainz defended heavily, managing to keep Gutierrez behind him.

    Back at the front of the pack, the leading four pitted and, despite Hamilton hoping the team could do something different to get him back ahead of Raikkonen, there was no change of order. The gaps between the top four rose and fell like a spring, but there was no movement.

    Mercedes told Hamilton to switch to plan B. The race was reignited.

    “We need to pull Raikkonen in,” Hamilton was told. The Brit responded by setting the fastest lap of the race at that point, a Singapore race lap record.

    Raikkonen was told to keep squeezing Ricciardo, who was happily running in second, whilst Hamilton caught up with him. With less than two seconds between Hamilton and Raikkonen, the Mercedes driver dived into the pit, losing time but no positions.

    Ferrari panicked. When Raikkonen asked his engineer if they were going to respond, the answer he got was “we’ll let you know”. They did, pitting Raikkonen to put faster tyres on his Ferrari, but he left the pits behind Mercedes. Plan B had worked.

    Ricciardo decided now was a good time for him to pit too. It was a free stop with Hamilton so far behind him. Mercedes almost fell for the same trick they’d pulled on Ferrari, telling Rosberg to pit, only ordering him to abort that moments later.

    Ricciardo was catching him though, taking three seconds out of Rosberg’s lead in the first lap out of the pits. The Australian was told he would catch Rosberg with four laps to go and, as the clock ticked down, Rosberg’s lead grew smaller and smaller.

   There weren’t enough laps though. With the backmarker traffic and Rosberg finding extra pace from his car, the race ended with Ricciardo right under the Mercedes rear wing.

    It was another win for Rosberg that puts him back in the lead of the championship.

    Elsewhere, Vettel recovered all the way to fifth and was followed over the line by a recovering Verstappen.

 RESULTS:

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 25 Points
2. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 18 Points
3. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 15 Points
4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 12 Points
5. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 10 Points
6. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 8 Points
7. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 6 Points
8. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 4 Points
9. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia / + 2 Points
10. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark / + 1 Point
11. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico
12. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
13. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil
14. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain
15. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
16. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany
17. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
18. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

RETIRED - Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain
RETIRED - Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland /
RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / Collision

DNS - Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
No copyright infringement intended
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Singapore GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Times

SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #3

    Nico Rosberg topped the final practice session of the weekend and Hamilton found himself outside of the top 5 once again. Max Verstappen finished in 2nd with Raikkonen, Ricciardo and Vettel rounding up the top 5.

    Pascal Wehrlein had a minor crash during the session and was able to walk away, but he lost out on setting any more laps ahead of Qualifying. Felipe Nasr and Lewis Hamilton each had a significant spin during the session but both managed to avoid any major damage to their cars.

    Max Verstappen had a close encounter with a decent-sized Monitor lizard that got on the track and ran across just as Verstappen's Red Bull was approaching it. The lizard got away unharmed an marshals were seen chasing after it. The situation was definitely one of a kind.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:44.362 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Max Verstappen - 1:44.411 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:44.860 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:44.903 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:45.104 / Ferrari-Ferrari

6. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:45.316 / Force India-Mercedes

7. Daniil Kvyat - 1:45.503 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

8. Lewis Hamilton - 1:45.806 / Mercedes-Mercedes

9. Carlos Sainz - 1:45.879 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

10. Valtteri Bottas - 1:45.947 / Williams-Mercedes

11. Sergio Perez - 1:46.112 / Force India-Mercedes

12. Fernando Alonso - 1:46.164 / McLaren-Honda

13. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:46.316 / Haas-Ferrari

14. Felipe Massa - 1:46.529 / Williams-Mercedes

15. Kevin Magnussen - 1:47.116 / Renault-Renault

16. Jenson Button - 1:47.277 / McLaren-Honda

17. Felipe Nasr - 1:47.293 / Sauber-Ferrari

18. Romain Grosjean - 1:47.411 / Haas-Ferrari

19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:47.956 / Sauber-Ferrari

20. Jolyon Palmer - 1:48.689 / Renault-Renault

21. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:49.201 / Manor-Mercedes

22. Esteban Ocon - 1:49.565 / Manor-Mercedes

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Singapore GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Times

SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #2

    It was Nico Rosberg who topped the second session of the weekend, while Lewis Hamilton suffered technical issues and missed most of the session. However, Hamilton was still able to finish the session in 7th with a time of 1:45.275. Kimi Raikkonen finished the session in 2nd, followed by Verstappen, Ricciardo and Vettel.

    Romain Grosjean suffered more car troubles as well and completed just under 15 laps. He also had a minor crash which resulted in him losing most of the back wing of the car. A piece of the wing was left embedded in the barrier.

    At the end of the session, just as the Chequered Flag had been called, it was Fernando Alonso who stopped in one of the run-off areas with a suspected gearbox issue. In FP1, it was Jenson Button who had stopped on track. It looks to be a difficult weekend for the Woking-based team.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:44.152 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:44.427 / Ferrari-Ferrari

3. Max Verstappen - 1:44.532 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:44.557 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:45.161 / Ferrari-Ferrari

6. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:45.182 / Force India-Mercedes

7. Lewis Hamilton - 1:45.275  / Mercedes-Mercedes

8. Carlos Sainz - 1:45.507 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

9. Fernando Alonso - 1:45.779 / McLaren-Honda

10. Daniil Kvyat - 1:46.029 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

11. Sergio Perez - 1:46.063 / Force India-Mercedes

12. Jenson Button - 1:46.574 / McLaren-Honda

13. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:46.727 / Haas-Ferrari

14. Felipe Massa - 1:46.856 / Williams-Mercedes

15. Valtteri Bottas - 1:46.960 / Williams-Mercedes

16. Kevin Magnussen - 1:47.161 / Renault-Renault

17. Jolyon Palmer - 1:47.166 / Renault-Renault

18. Felipe Nasr - 1:47.531 / Sauber-Ferrari

19. Romain Grosjean - 1:48.391 / Haas-Ferrari

20. Marcus Ericsson - 1:48.487 / Sauber-Ferrari

21. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:48.505 / Manor-Mercedes

22. Esteban Ocon - 1:48.823 / Manor-Mercedes

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Singapore GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Times

SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #1

    It was a Red Bull 1-2 in the first practice session at Marina Bay Street Circuit. While most of the weekend is known for being under the lights of the circuit, the first session is done while the sun is still mostly out. Max Verstappen took the top spot on the time sheets with a 1:45.823. Ricciardo followed close behind. Vettel, Hamilton and Rosberg completed the top 5.

    Button's McLaren stopped on track only 4-5 minutes into the session and the circuit marshals had to push it all the way back to pit-lane and to his garage. He was back out by the end of the session but the same couldn't be said for the the Haas of Romain Grosjean. He endured mechanical issues early on in the session and never got to set a time.

    Nico Rosberg had a minor crash at turn 18, but was able to reverse and head back to the pits, only missing his front wing. Turn 18 has seen multiple crashes over the course of the time that the circuit has been in Formula 1 and the drivers know just how cautious you have to be in order to not have your race ended early. Other parts of the circuit are hairy as well and multiple drivers including Sainz, Verstappen and Vettel all had moments where they lightly tapped the walls/barriers but managed to avoid any major damage.

TIMES:

1. Max Verstappen - 1:45.823 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

2. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:45.872 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:46.287 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Lewis Hamilton - 1:46.426 / Mercedes-Mercedes

5. Nico Rosberg - 1:46.513 / Mercedes-Mercedes

6. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:46.890 / Ferrari-Ferrari

7. Carlos Sainz - 1:46.936 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

8. Daniil Kvyat - 1:47.683 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

9. Felipe Massa - 1:48.044 / Williams-Mercedes

10. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:48.109 / Haas-Ferrari

11. Fernando Alonso - 1:48.202 / McLaren-Honda

12. Sergio Perez - 1:48.214 / Force India-Mercedes

13. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:48.359 / Force India-Mercedes

14. Valtteri Bottas - 1:48.453 / Williams-Mercedes

15. Felipe Nasr - 1:49.595 / Sauber-Ferrari

16. Jenson Button - 1:49.615 / McLaren-Honda

17. Jolyon Palmer - 1:49.794 / Renault-Renault

18. Kevin Magnussen - 1:50.263 / Renault-Renault

19. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:51.122 / Manor-Mercedes

20. Marcus Ericsson - 1:51.479 / Sauber-Ferrari

21. Esteban Ocon - 1:52.379 / Manor-Mercedes

22. Romain Grosjean - NO TIME SET / Haas-Ferrari

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Singapore GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MANOR RACING F1 TEAM

Pascal Wehrlein - “Checking into my hotel room, seeing the view of the Marina Bay Circuit laid out right in front of me, was a very nice feeling. An incredible view of an incredible city and a fantastic location for a Grand Prix. Tough conditions, a demanding circuit for car and driver – exactly the kind of challenge I love. Bring it on!

I’m prepared for the fact that it will be tough-going; high temperatures, high humidity, 23 corners on a track that is not so long compared to some. The track conditions can be changeable, with two practice sessions in daylight, and qualifying and the race at night - and, of course, the rain. Plus, it’s a street circuit, so it can be quite unforgiving. But, you won’t find me complaining. Pretty much every track is new for me this season, so while each one is to be respected, I don’t worry too much about acclimatisation; it’s something I really enjoy. I’ll let you know how it goes!”

Esteban Ocon - “I’m loving and learning every minute - and there’s so much more still to come. It’s a big challenge stepping up to F1 in the middle of the season; so much to get to grips with and no time to stop and think, only to keep pushing forward. It’s a big test, but that works for me! In only two races I’ve had some things go well and some things go less well, but I’ve got two race distances under my belt and I’m really happy with the way I’ve slotted into the team, and with my own performances. Six of the next seven tracks are new for me, so some exciting challenges are ahead, which is great! Plus, we have some important objectives as a team, which we need to be very focused on.

I think we’ve shown that when everything goes our way, we can expect to be in Q2. Pascal has been able to show that it’s possible. So that’s the next target for me personally. When we start further up the grid, we can create opportunities for the race, and then, who knows, another point is a real possibility. At this stage, that would be a dream come true in a long list of dreams I’d like to realise.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Singapore GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “It’s pretty cool. Everyone loves it, especially the VIPs, who then go partying after the race. It’s a special one, for sure. It’s a race everyone waits for. It’s a tricky track, and you’re racing at night downtown when it’s very hot and humid, so there are a lot of factors that make it exciting. It’s actually easier at night because the lights never change. The luminosity is always the same. You stick with the same visor, and driving at those speeds in those conditions is absolutely fine.

There are a few corners where you can actually run wide and go over the kerbs. I think last year they removed some. So, yes, most of the time there are walls in close proximity - you pretty much have to hold your breath and hope for the best, especially when you’re pushing in qualifying, as you run so close to the walls - but there are a few occasions on the track when you can use a bit more of the width than was perhaps first designed. Especially between Turns 3 and 4, and on the long straight, it’s very bumpy. You really want to find the right line there. When you make an overtaking move there, you’ve really got to be sure you’ve got the car with you as it’s very tricky. To be honest, every corner is tricky.

It can be very physical. All week we never see the sunlight, so that takes a bit of energy away. Then it’s humid, it’s hot and it’s always a long race. We usually reach the two-hour limit. It’s very, very demanding. I remember back in 2013, I lost four kilos (nine pounds) of water during the race, which is quite a lot. Mentally it’s very difficult, as much as it is physical. It’s clearly one of the races where you need to be at your fittest in the season. We (drivers) love a challenge. That’s why we race in Formula One and that’s why we drive these cars and race at over 300 km/h (186 mph). We love it.”

Esteban Gutierrez - “I like very much the first section - Turns 1, 2, 3 and 4. You arrive very quick from the straight, so it’s a sequence of corners which makes it very interesting. I also like the last part where you have a lot of chicanes where you can use the kerbs. It’s a lot of corners in a very short period of time, so it’s very physical. The overtaking opportunities are on corner 1, corner 8, which is after the long straight, then after the hairpin, as well. There are two or three places which are pretty good for overtaking, even though it’s a street circuit and usually street circuits are a bit more difficult for that. The first time I came there was in GP2 and I went straight into practice without knowing much about it. There used to be a very special corner, a triple chicane, which now has been changed, so that part and that section will be new to me. I’m looking forward to getting to know it.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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Singapore GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Valtteri Bottas - “We’re back into the fly-aways with Singapore, one of the most challenging race weekends on the calendar. That track has so many corners, so as a driver to complete the perfect lap in Singapore it’s quite tricky. But it’s really rewarding when you do. Personally, I do like the challenge. It’s a night race and in terms of how much you need to focus, it’s probably the most difficult track after Monaco. There’s no room for mistakes. It’s extremely hot, which makes it much more physical for the driver and hard on the car. It’s a very unique and cool looking Grand Prix.”

Felipe Massa - “Singapore is one of the few night races that we have, together with Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. It’s a very difficult race. It’s very humid and so hot; a tricky race for everybody and one of the hardest on the calendar. That said, I really enjoy racing there and it’s a very rewarding track. It’s always a good feeling racing in Singapore.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Singapore GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “The Singapore Grand Prix is surely one of most exciting as well as challenging race weekends. The typically high temperatures, the high humidity, and the fact that the race is held at night makes it to one of the highlights of the season. For the spectators it is a real experience - besides the action on track, there are also many events going on off track. Thinking about last year’s race, I was very close to the points by finishing in P11. As we saw positive results from the car package during the recent race weekends, our aim is certainly to fight for points in Singapore.”

Felipe Nasr - “I like the Singapore Grand Prix a lot - the night race as well as the atmosphere in the city once Formula One is there makes it a special race weekend. It is a great street circuit and racing under these high temperatures is a real challenge. I have good memories from last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, as I was able to score one point. Looking back to the tests during the previous race weekends, I have confidence in our car, as I felt that we made a step in the right direction, although we cannot see it in the results yet. In Singapore a lot can happen during the race, so we need to take every opportunity that might come up.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Singapore GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - “Singapore has really become one of the highlights of the season, next to Monaco and perhaps Baku. It’s a street circuit; it’s a night race and it’s in a city which is one of the hubs of the world. The track is spectacular and you drive next to an amazing backdrop - definitely one of the best races you could have on the calendar.

The strange sleeping pattern you get into also adds to the unusual weekend - you sleep until late in the day and stay up well into the night - it’s an interesting way to break from the usual routine of a race weekend. It’s nice to have a change. Coming from Europe, this schedule makes it much easier on you because you don’t have any jet lag; you don’t have any adjustment to make and can go straight into the racing matters. The only struggle is to find any restaurants that still serve food after midnight when you’re finished at the circuit!

I’ve never had a chance to explore Singapore, partly because of the schedule, but also because Marina Bay is quite far from the heart of the city. Once the race weekend kicks off, it’s difficult to move around the town because many roads are closed so we usually end up not seeing too much of the place. It seems a fun city, though - Asian but with a European vibe.

The track is very challenging. It’s a very long lap, with many corners and that in itself is an added difficulty when you try to strike a balance for the set-up with the engineers: it’s never-ending! From a driving point of view, it makes it really hard to get all the sectors together and deliver the perfect lap. It’s also very hot and humid - you’re in the car for pretty much two hours in steaming hot conditions. it definitely tests you.

There are some nice corners, such as the fast right-hand kink of Turn 6 and the approach to Turn 7. The first sector is my favourite part of the lap - there are bumps and big kerbs, so you need a car that can take them nicely, and you need good traction out of the low and medium-speed corners to get a quick lap.”

Sergio Perez - “Singapore is unique - starting from the very special schedule we have there. The European season may be over, but we keep to their times: it’s a weird routine - you wake up late, go to the track in the afternoon and stay up late into the night. It’s a very demanding race from a physical and mental perspective: it’s hot, races usually last up to two hours and you have nearly 25 corners to get right every lap. There is no margin for error and generally the racing is very intense, which takes a lot out of you as a driver.

The key to being quick in Singapore is precision. You need to find every last millimetre of the track, almost kiss the walls and have a stable rear end of the car. It’s a circuit that can catch you out and I can’t remember a race there without a safety car, so races can be shaken up at any time. It’s also a track that rewards guts and where the driver can make a big difference. As a street circuit, it’s not as unforgiving as Monaco because the track is much wider, but it also means the speeds are higher and there are more overtaking opportunities. I have a good relationship with the place, with some strong results in the past. Hopefully I can do the same this year!”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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