[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by Andrew Benson, BBC Sport

The Singapore Grand Prix is a brutally demanding test of man and machine in one of the world's most exotic locations.

High temperatures, sapping tropical humidity and the longest race on the calendar already make Singapore unique, and that's without considering the fact the race takes place at night. This adds an atmosphere all of its own. The cars glisten under the powerful lights, the circuit is lined with large, coloured lanterns, Singapore's skyline provides a neon-hued, Bladerunner backdrop. Everything takes on a different feel.

Other than sharing the surreal experience of staying on European time - getting up in the early afternoon, going to bed just as it's getting light - the drivers have little chance to appreciate all that. Back in the refuelling days, Fernando Alonso was among many drivers to ask for it to be shortened, so demanding was it physically.

The Pirelli era has softened those demands a little, but Singapore, on a bumpy street circuit with 23 corners and lined with concrete walls, still vies with Malaysia for the honour of being the toughest race of the season.

Now, with a new ban on team radios due to come into force this weekend, it makes it even more fascinating. Messages from engineers to drivers about strategy are permitted, but drivers are no longer allowed coaching when looking after the tyres and the brakes and getting the start procedure right, which opens up some big question marks. It could be quite marginal on fuel, so the drivers will have to be careful to judge their pace, while monitoring fuel use by themselves.




Circuit Layout
The start is particularly crucial at Singapore as it’s very hard to overtake on this circuit and the field spread is significant, so gaining places on the run down to Turn 1 is vital.

The undercut is a very useful tactic here to gain places; you pit before the cars ahead of you, use the performance of the new tyres versus old and then gain places when they pit. Kimi did it very effectively last season on his way to a podium.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO2nBIdnpOU

Weather Forecast
The temperatures are always high for this event, around 30 degrees with high humidity, but amazingly none of the six races at Singapore have been affected by rain. There has been plenty of rain around the event, but not during the race.



Likely tyre performance
The Singapore lap is long and the great challenge is to look after the rear tyres; it is 15% harder on the rear tyres than Monaco, for example. This means that this combination of the softest tyres in the range will give less mileage and suffer more degradation than in Monaco, which could be done as a one stop race. In Singapore you have to stop twice, but timing is everything.

Number and likely timing of pit stops
The last time we had soft and supersoft tyres in 2012, the teams looked set to stop three times, but with the intervention of two safety cars, that was dropped to two stops.

Last year with the medium tyres it was an easy two stopper. We are likely to see two stops again this year. Early models suggest that a good strategy would be starting on supersoft tyres, stopping around Lap 18 and again on Lap 40.

Chance of a Safety Car
Because the track is lined with walls, making it difficult for marshals to clear debris, the chance of a Safety Car at Singapore is very high! There has been at least one Safety Car at every Singapore GP so far with an average of 6 laps spent under Safety Car.

Race Strategy Briefing



Courtesy: JAonF1, F1madness, F1Fanatic

[Blue_V]

With the new ERS, overtaking might get easier. Let it Rain ! Rain ! Perfect rain for a topsy turvy grid. Q1: Rain two minutes into the session. Since its a green track, top teams usually wait it out for the track to get rubbered. So any of the lower grid teams can get a banker lap on dry track. Rain eases off towards the end, track gets faster and faster. Whoever can get as late on the track, gets a faster time.

[Fullrevs]

Rain would definitely make things interesting. Its never rained during any of the sessions in the past 7 years. Despite the tropical weather conditions in singapore.

I wonder if any penalties for illegal radio transmissions will be levied. 5 second stop-go penalty?!

[GTO]

I'm hoping that because it's a street race and / or weather conditions, we won't see a Mercedes washout, but I know that's not happening. It's going to be Hamilton or Rosberg dominating again. Nevertheless, despite the three-pointed front row, we've had some entertaining last couple of races and that will only continue.

This new radio rule is stupid, just like the other changes they've brought in (no fuel pitstops etc.). Just goes to prove that the FIA is full of nincompoops. They change rules so fast that it all gets utterly confusing....for teams, drivers & fans alike. Idiots should get together & write a book "How to kill a popular sport".

[gtonsing]

Agree with GTO. I am thinking on how to switch to rallies, since there is not much of coverage from India. Fuel pitstops were amazing - instead of stopping them, it should have been made safer.
Having said that, its not going to be a good race for me since I am an ardent follower of SFI and they have not much of a chance in a track like this. Looking forward to see Hamilton and Rosberg fight.

[Speed.Demon]

Agreed that the new radio rule is bonkers.

I'm not a fan of the double points thing for the season finale either.

[zenren]

I was amused to see the best pit stop marked against Ferrari in the Singapore GP thread. They certainly have the most memorable pitstop in recent times with Massa in 2008 which eventually took away a big chunk of strategies out of the racing and made it boring. That practically killed excitement in F1.

Even the DHL fastest lap is a joke now, since it would go to whoever has newer option tyres in their last 4-5 laps and without traffic ahead. In olden times, the fastest lap of the race could happen during any time, just before any pit stop.

[deetjohn]

The usual! Ferrari tops the FP1 time sheet with Alonso and the Mercedes boys close behind. Maybe there are terms in the sponsorship contract linked to number of P1s in a season.


Here is a very nice read while we wait for Q. Lewis Hamilton v Nico Rosberg: Toto Wolff tries to keep the peace You really got to give it to Mercedes for letting their drivers race. For all we know, this season could have gone like 2009.

[thetinywanderer]

F1 is usually on Starsports 4 or HD2, but when i checked the schedule for tomorrow on their website i dont seem to find F1 there. I missed today's practice session, did anyone else get to watch it? If so, on which channel?

[zenren]

Originally Posted by thetinywanderer

F1 is usually on Starsports 4 or HD2, but when i checked the schedule for tomorrow on their website i dont seem to find F1 there. I missed today's practice session, did anyone else get to watch it? If so, on which channel?

It seems to be on Star Sports 2 according to tv.burrp.com.

[nipcarlover]

Originally Posted by thetinywanderer

F1 is usually on Starsports 4 or HD2, but when i checked the schedule for tomorrow on their website i dont seem to find F1 there. I missed today's practice session, did anyone else get to watch it? If so, on which channel?

Originally Posted by zenren

It seems to be on Star Sports 2 according to tv.burrp.com.

Yep, it was on Star Sports 2 along with HD2. Sadly, no Quali and Race in HD this time

[zenren]

Alonso tops FP3 with both Red Bulls closely in contention. Williams have also found the missing speed. Kimi seems to back to the P8-P10 area.

Potential Q3 contenders: Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari, Williams and 2 others.

Both Mercs seem to be sand bagging quite a bit in an effort to keep the other driver/crew guessing. With the new radio rule that denies the opportunity to let the other driver's sector times to be communicated through, I expect them to take out the real performance only in Q3 when it really matters. It should be interesting to watch.

[vb-saan]

That was one thrilling qualifying session! Loved the way Nico reacted when got pushed to P2

[zenren]

Finally an interesting Q3. Too bad Kimi couldn't give it a shot for the last lap. I hope the problem won't be too bad to cause a grid drop.

[deetjohn]

Wow! How close was that? 0.007 seconds could have gone either way.

Nico is stronger in this track and he will be gutted.