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

----
Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @bethonieboost & @F1Insider78

Singapore GP: Qualifying - RE-CAP & RESULTS

SINGAPORE GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

Lewis Hamilton took Pole Position ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. In a rare occasion, there were no penalties put in place post-qualifying.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP:

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

----
Article Written By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost

Singapore GP: Free Practice #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

SINGAPORE GP - FREE PRACTICE #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Sebastian Vettel bounced back from a difficult Friday to top the times in the final free practice session ahead of qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix.

    The Ferrari driver dominated the session to finish more than half a second faster than championship rival Lewis Hamilton, who had to settle for third behind Kimi Raikkonen.

    Both Ferraris were out on the ultra-soft compound early in the session, with Vettel leading Raikkonen when they returned to the pits after the first runs. As the session wore on and the track rubbered in times began to tumble allowing Valtteri Bottas in the Mercedes to come within two seconds of Vettel on the slower soft compound of tyres.

    Any hope of a tight end to the session was eliminated when Vettel returned to the track, lowering the benchmark to 1m38.054s and extending the gap to the rest of the field, including team-mate Raikkonen, who finished 0.4s off Vettel’s pace.

    Hamilton put on the ultrasoft compound in the final 20 minutes of the session but he could only manage third quickest, ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo.

    Max Verstappen spent the session struggling with his Renault power unit. He complained to the team about engine braking, which team boss Christian Horner claimed was a software issue. When asked for more specific feedback, Verstappen told the team “the product in the back of this car isn’t working like I want it”. He eventually finished sixth, a tenth of a second behind Ricciardo.

    Romain Grosjean took seventh ahead of the Force India duo and Fernando Alonso.

TIMES:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:38.054 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
2. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:38.416 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
3. Lewis Hamilton - 1:38.558 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:38.603 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
5. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:39.186 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
6. Max Verstappen - 1:39.265 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
7. Romain Grosjean - 1:39.747 / Haas-Ferrari / France
8. Esteban Ocon - 1:40.073 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France
9. Sergio Perez - 1:40.231 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
10. Fernando Alonso - 1:40.254 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:40.450 / Renault-Renault / Germany
12. Kevin Magnussen - 1:40.559 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
13. Carlos Sainz - 1:40.591 / Renault-Renault / Spain
14. Pierre Gasly - 1:40.686 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
15. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:40.798 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
16. Charles Leclerc - 1:40.915 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
17. Brendon Hartley - 1:41.562 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
18. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:41.884 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:41.953 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
20. Lance Stroll - 1:42.220 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

----
Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @bethonieboost & @F1Insider78

Singapore GP: Free Practice #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

SINGAPORE GP - FREE PRACTICE #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Kimi Raikkonen topped the second practice session of the weekend, taking Ferrari to the top with a 1:38.699. 

    Lewis Hamilton came 2nd with a 1:38.710, ahead of the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. Valtteri Bottas completed the top 5 with a 1:39.368. 

    Sebastian Vettel experienced a minor crash that resulted in a leak for his Ferrari. It ended his session a bit early but he was still able to secure 9th with a fastest time of 1:40.633.

    After finished in 20th in FP1, Vandoorne had a slightly better session this time around, managing to get his McLaren into 16th. Fernando Alonso broke into the top 10, slotting into 8th with a 1:40.459.

    The Williams duo was at the bottom of the time-sheet with Stroll in 19th and Sirotkin in 20th. It is still unknown if Sirotkin will get to keep his seat at Williams in 2019, but it's looking more and more likely that Lance Stroll is heading to Force India, in place of Esteban Ocon.

    Charles Leclerc was able to get out for this session after his FP1 crash that left his Sauber damaged. The team was able to fix it up and send him on his way. He ended in 14th with a 1:41.062. Team-mate, Ericsson, was a couple of spaces ahead in 12th with a 1:40.812.

TIMES:

1. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:38.699 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:38.710 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

3. Max Verstappen - 1:39.221 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:39.309 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:39.368 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

6. Carlos Sainz - 1:40.274 / Renault-Renault / Spain

7. Romain Grosjean - 1:40.384 / Haas-Ferrari / France

8. Fernando Alonso - 1:40.459 / McLaren-Renault / Spain

9. Sebastian Vettel - 1:40.633 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

10. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:40.668 / Renault-Renault / Germany

11. Sergio Perez - 1:40.774 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

12. Marcus Ericsson - 1:40.812 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

13. Esteban Ocon - 1:40.870 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France

14. Charles Leclerc - 1:41.062 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

15. Kevin Magnussen - 1:41.154 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

16. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:41.164 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

17. Brendon Hartley - 1:41.542 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

18. Pierre Gasly - 1:41.615 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

19. Lance Stroll - 1:42.141 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

20. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:42.181 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

----

Article Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost 

Singapore GP: Free Practice #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

SINGAPORE GP - FREE PRACTICE #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES 

    It was 1-2 finish on the time-sheets for Red Bull in the first practice session of the Singapore GP weekend. 

    Daniel Ricciardo took the top spot with a fastest time of 1:39.711. While Ricciardo is leaving the Austrian team at the end of the year, it's clear he's still giving his all.

    Max Verstappen was close behind in 2nd with a 1:39.912. Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel took 3rd, ahead of team-mate, Raikkonen and Nico Hulkenberg, who had flying times in the Renault.

    Some drivers were caught out by Marina Bay's tight corners. Stroll went for a spin and Charles Leclerc, who is freshly signed to Ferrari, had a minor crash at the very end of the session, leaving plenty of work for the Sauber mechanics.

    Mercedes seemed to be having a tough start to the weekend as neither driver finished in the top 5. Hamilton was close however, in 6th with a 1:41.232. Bottas was a bit further down in 8th with a 1:41.429.

    Esteban Ocon, who still doesn't have a seat for next season, finished in 15th, while team-mate, Perez was a few places higher up in 12th. The most likely replacement for Ocon at Force India is Lance Stroll, considering his father does own the team, which has since been re-branded as Racing Point Force India.

    Stoffel Vandoorne, who is also searching for answers to his future, was last in the times, with a 1:45.160. Fernando Alonso managed 14th with a 1:42.630.

TIMES:

1. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:39.711 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
2. Max Verstappen - 1:39.912 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:39.997 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:40.486 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
5. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:41.105 / Renault-Renault / Germany
6. Lewis Hamilton - 1:41.232 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
7. Carlos Sainz - 1:41.329 / Renault-Renault / Spain
8. Valtteri Bottas - 1:41.429 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
9. Charles Leclerc - 1:42.035 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
10. Romain Grosjean - 1:42.108 / Haas-Ferrari / France
11. Marcus Ericsson - 1:42.408 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
12. Sergio Perez - 1:42.412 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
13. Kevin Magnussen - 1:42.452 / Haas-Ferrari / Haas
14. Fernando Alonso - 1:42.630 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
15. Esteban Ocon - 1:43.177 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France
16. Pierre Gasly - 1:43.240 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
17. Brendon Hartley - 1:43.485 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
18. Lance Stroll - 1:43.849 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
19. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:44.036 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
20. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:45.160 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

----
Article Written By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost

    

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.”

----

Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended - Quotes belong to Drivers

Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost

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)

----

Article Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost 

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

----

Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost 

Singapore GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

SINGAPORE GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton extends his lead of the Formula 1 championship with a win in the Singapore Grand Prix whilst title rival Sebastian Vettel collided on the opening lap.

    Starting from pole, Vettel quickly moved to cover a fast starting Max Verstappen, not realizing team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was alongside Verstappen after an amazing start from the Finn. The trio collided, Verstappen pushed into McLaren’s Fernando Alonso who was sent airborne.

    Verstappen and Raikkonen retired on the spot. Vettel was able to limp on a little longer but eventually brought his Ferrari to a stop on track. Alonso pitted to retire a few laps later.

    Hamilton led Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg in drying conditions after the safety car period. After a tough Friday and Saturday for Mercedes, Hamilton had the pace to keep Ricciardo at bay, even when Ricciardo pitted for fresh intermediate tyres. He eventually finished four and a half seconds ahead of Ricciardo, who took his third Singapore second place in as many years.

    Poor pit stops from Renault promoted Valtteri Bottas to third ahead of Carlos Sainz and Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg moved into fourth after the pit stops for slick tyres, but couldn’t keep up with Bottas. The Renault driver retired late in the race after a long stop to solve a hydraulics problem.

    Sainz, who spent the second part of the race battling with Sergio Perez, was able to keep the Force India driver at bay to take fourth, his best F1 result to date.

    Jolyon Palmer managed a fantastic start after the first safety car to pass Valtteri Bottas. Less than a week after discovering he wouldn’t be racing for Renault next season, the Brit was briefly running second during the pit stop window, but a poor stop dropped him down the order. He finished sixth after battling with Stoffel Vandoorne to take his first points of the season.

    Vandoorne took seventh ahead of Lance Stroll and Romain Grosjean.

    Esteban Ocon took the final points paying position after a race long battle with Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen, in which Magnussen almost pushed Ocon into the barriers. Ocon and Massa did make contact, but both were able to continue, eventually finishing 10th and 11th. The same couldn’t be said for Magnussen, whose MGU-K died late in the race and he slowed to a stop.

    Pascal Wehrlein was the final finisher in 12th. His team-mate Marcus Ericsson lost the rear of his Sauber and hit the barrier late in the race. Daniil Kvyat also ran into the barriers and brought out the safety car after locking up on the end of the back straight not long after the first safety car.

    Hamilton leaves Singapore 28 points ahead of Vettel, whilst Bottas closes the gap to second to just 23 points.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia / + 18 Points
3. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 15 Points
4. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain / + 12 Points
5. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 10 Points
6. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain / 8 Points
7. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Honda / Belgium / 6 Points
8. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada / + 4 Points
9. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / + 2 Points
10. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France / + 1 Point
11. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
12. Pascal Wehrlein / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

RETIRED - Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark / MGU-K
RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / Hydraulics
RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Collision
RETIRED - Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Renault / Russia / Collision
RETIRED - Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / Collision
RETIRED - Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / Collision
RETIRED - Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / Collision
RETIRED - Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / Collision

----
Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @Bethonie_Boost & @F1Insider78

Singapore GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

SINGAPORE GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Sebastian Vettel took Pole Position for the 2017 Singapore Grand Prix, while the Mercedes drivers were unable to find the pace and ended up finishing 5th and 6th. Marcus Ericsson was the only one to take a grid penalty due to an unscheduled gearbox change.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP:

1. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

2. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

3. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia

4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

5. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

6. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany

8. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

9. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Honda / Belgium

10. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain

11. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

12. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

13. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Renault / Russia

14. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France

15. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

16. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

17. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

18. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

19. Pascal Wehrlein / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

20. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden*

* - (Ericsson) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for unscheduled gearbox change

----

Article Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @Bethonie_Boost