[jfxavier]

Singapore has always been a pretty picture to look at even without the F1 circus coming to town.


History:
In May 2007 it was announced following the agreement of a five-year deal between Formula One Management CEO Bernie Ecclestone, Singapore entrepreneur Mr Ong Beng Seng, and the Singapore Tourism Board, that in 2008 Singapore will be hosting the first night-time event in Formula One history.
The inaugural Singapore Grand Prix proved a huge hit, staged on a new street circuit, with the city's famous skyline providing a truly spectacular backdrop.


It instantly established itself as one of the most dramatic and atmospheric races on the calendar. The timing of the event also means it can be broadcast at a convenient time for European television audiences as well as thrilling local fans. The event is more than just a motor race. "We envision it to be a national festival, and one that presents many opportunities for participation for everyone, both visitors and Singaporeans alike," said Singapore's Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Mr S Iswaran.


Preview:
The Singapore Grand Prix is Formula 1’s only true night race. It starts two hours after sunset, at 8pm local time, and it takes the drivers nearly two hours to complete the 309 km/192 mile race under the dazzling lights that surround the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Its been the longest race in the calendar for many years now.

Using public roads around the Marina Bay area, the circuit utilises powerful lighting systems to replicate daylight conditions. It’s only in its eighth year, yet already the event is one of the most prestigious on the World Championship calendar.

The 5.065km/3.148-mile street circuit has 23 corners, of which 10 are taken in first or second gear. It has an average speed of 170km/h 106mph), which makes it the second slowest circuit of the season after Monaco; but despite the relatively slow speeds, the race remains one of the biggest physical challenges for the drivers. Cockpit temperatures regularly exceed 50 degrees and there are few straights along which to cool down.
The track weaves its way through downtown Singapore and passes many of the city-state’s most famous landmarks.

Looks like using the public roads for racing comes with its own unique set of problems. Tim Goss, technical director of McLaren talks about the underground electrical current transmission near the Anderson Bridge that can sometimes play havoc with the cars’ electrics in their race preview.

“Singapore has a quirky little technical problem that’s specific to the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Near the Anderson Bridge the cars pass over something underground – we’ve never ascertained what it is – that creates electrical interference on the cars. Sensors start showing some strange readings and the actuators that control the throttle position and the clutch start moving and are no longer under the control of the driver.
“It lasts for a very short period of time, but the worrying thing is that if we get that little burst of electrical interference just as the car is making a gear change, it can upset the delicate timing of the throttle, the clutch and the gear change barrel. It can actually upset the shift and cause a gear to break.
“The first time we went to Singapore it was quite a serious problem because we’d never experienced it before, but we now know what countermeasures to take, such as electrical shielding on the car and a few other software changes.”

Changes to the track for 2015 GP:



For this coming weekend’s F1 meeting the track will see a track layout change which affects turns 11 and 13 and completely altering the radius of turn 12 as the cars track has been moved to the alternate lane of the bridge. All this adds up to an increased angle on the approach to the hairpin. “It’s a fantastic challenge to translate changes to Singapore’s Civic District into improvements to the Marina Bay street circuit”, says Track Engineer, Jonathan Giesecke who has overseen the change. “I expect the modifications from Turns 11 to 13 will enable closer racing and the potential for additional passing opportunities.”
This is the third alteration to the circuit since the inaugural race in 2008. The changes have been approved by the FIA, and because these changes will alter the overall length of the circuit, lap times records might be set this weekend.

Weather:
Pollution levels in Singapore have soared due to forest fires raging in Indonesia. The Indonesian government has declared a state of emergency and pollution standards index levels in Singapore reached 147. This is a recurring problem for Singapore, however the PSI scores around 150 are considered “unhealthy”.
A spokesperson for the Singapore F1 race organisers revealed: “The possibility of haze is just one of the many potential issues that are covered in the overall 2015 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix Contingency Plan, The plan was formulated and refined with stake holders, government bodies and the Formula One community. In the event that the haze caused visibility, public health or operational issues Singapore GP would work closely with the relevant agencies before making any collective decisions regarding the event.”

Tyres:
The asphalt around the Marina Bay circuit is slippery, so Pirelli is taking its two softest tyre compounds to the race – the Supersoft (Option) and the Soft (Prime). Singapore has the highest number of corners of any circuit on the Formula One calendar (23), creating more work for the tyres. Ambient temperatures tend to be in the region of 30-35 degrees centigrade even at night, making it perfect territory for the high working range of the soft tyre. Drivers will have to manage the supersoft carefully, in order to benefit from the compound’s maximum performance by not overheating it.
Expected performance gap between the two compounds: 1.8 – 2.2 seconds per lap.
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
“Since joining the calendar in 2008, Singapore has always provided a truly stunning spectacle that showcases what Formula One is all about: the most advanced technology in the world, under the spotlights. As this is a street circuit, we’ve nominated the two softest and fastest tyres in the range: they offer the maximum mechanical grip and a rapid warm-up, which are two keys to success in Singapore. There are lots of factors for the teams and drivers to consider when planning strategy: the unusual track temperature evolution, a big performance gap between the two compounds, the need to save fuel over the long and demanding race distance, as well as the high likelihood of a safety car, which has featured at every race in Singapore so far. Because of all these variables and also the assorted street furniture - painted white lines, manhole covers and so on, which have caught out a few drivers in the past - the work done in free practice to capture all the necessary tyre data will be even more important than usual.
"During these days, we will also be defining, together with the FIA, a clearer procedure enabling the teams to more easily follow the rules regarding tyre usage. This is important to avoid any misunderstandings, by giving the teams more precise indications to comply with, thus avoiding what happened to Mercedes in Monza.”

Track Stats:



Circuit length : 5.065km/3.148 miles

Run to Turn One : 200 metres/0.124 miles

Longest straight : 832 metres/0.517 miles, on the approach to Turn Seven

Top speed : 305km/h/190mph on the approach to Turn One

DRS zones : Two – on the approach to Turn One and, again, on the approach to Turn Seven

Pitlane length : 420 metres (0.3 miles), which is long. A pitstop takes about 29s

Race distance : 61 laps (full world championship points awarded after 75 per cent distance/45 laps)

2014 winner : Lewis Hamilton (60 laps in 2h:00m04.795s)

2014 pole position : Lewis Hamilton (1m45.681s 172.538km/h @ 107.210mph)

2014 fastest lap : Lewis Hamilton (1m50.417 165.138km/h @102.612mph)

Full throttle : 45 per cent.
The track has a stop-start nature, with the longest uninterrupted period of full throttle being just 9s

Brake wear : High.
There are 16 braking events around the lap, with few cooling opportunities between each. Brake fade is very much possible.

Gear changes : 80 per lap/4,880 per race

Chances of a Safety Car : High.
There has been at least one Safety Car period in every Singapore Grand Prix

Weather forecast : Hot and humid.
The 30-degree heat and 70 per cent humidity make this race one of the toughest physical challenges of the year for the drivers

Blasts from the past:

2008 – The inaugural Singapore Grand Prix was won by Fernando Alonso after his teammate Nelson Piquet Jr. crashed in order to bring out the safety car and benefit the Spaniard’s strategy. Felipe Massa led the race from pole position, but his race was ultimately destroyed by driving away from his pit box with the fuel hose still attached.
2010 – Fernando Alonso qualified on pole and led every lap on his way to victory. Sebastien Buemi and Heikki Kovalainen had an incident leading to the Lotus Racing driver seeing his car go on fire on the main straight, forcing him to put out the fire with an extinguisher borrowed from the Williams garage.

What to expect in 2015:
Last year’s race was won with a three-stop strategy by Lewis, although several front-running drivers made it to the end with two stops. So a mix of 2 & 3 stopping strategies can be expected.
Lewis Hamilton will once again be the favourite for pole and the win this year. Mercedes will be the favourites to lock out the front row again, though Ferrari and Red Bull are expected to be hot on their heels. Sebastian Vettel has enjoyed a period of dominance at this track, with three consecutive victories from 2011-13, ensuring that he is the most successful driver at the track from Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, who won in 2008 + 2010 and 2009 + 2014 respectively. Redbull have won this race more than any other constructors.
Lewis could match Ayrton Senna's number of wins and most consecutive pole positions this weekend.

Drivers standings:


Constructors Standings:


Timings (IST):


Sources : FIA preview & media kit, Formula1 website & team reviews.

[jfxavier]

Team Previews: Source - Formula1 website.

Williams
Felipe Massa
“It’s a fantastic race and I love to visit Singapore; the city is incredible and the people are really friendly. There are a lot of passionate fans so I hope we can deliver a good performance. It’s not easy to get the set-up perfect and the tyres working in the ideal operating window, and these are challenges we will face from the start of the first session. Of the last remaining races this season this is probably the hardest track for our car, but that doesn’t mean we can’t deliver a good haul of points.”
Valtteri Bottas
“Singapore is a very cool place and quite unique in that it’s a night race. Being in the middle of the city I can walk to the circuit from my hotel which is convenient and adds to the sense of atmosphere. For the fans there is nothing more you would want really - you can see the city and racing all in close proximity. For the team it’s a challenging track as there are so many corners with different characteristics which makes it hard to get the balance perfect. The heat, humidity and intensity of the track also makes it very physically demanding. There have been a few changes to the track layout this year so it will be interesting to see the effects these have.”
Rob Smedley, Head of Performance Engineering
“On the back of a successful weekend in Monza, the team heads to Singapore in good spirits and hopeful of scoring some good points. It’s a street circuit and a night race so it poses some very significant challenges. It's very long with 23 corners which are a challenge for the drivers physically, and also for the engineers because of their relative low speed. It starts off as an understeer circuit which develops to include tyre degradation on the rear tyres which causes traction issues in the race. The ambient conditions are tough on both the drivers and the crew alike, as are the abnormal working hours which everyone has to get used to. There have been a few small changes in the layout but the drivers have worked in the simulator to understand this. Singapore has become a jewel in the crown of Formula One as it epitomises what we love about the sport.”

Toro Rosso
Max Verstappen
“Racing in Singapore is going to be something really special. I’m really looking forward to the challenge. It’s true that we’ve already experienced a bit of night racing in Bahrain this year, but that was a permanent track and now we will be racing on a street circuit, which is always more tricky… It reminds me of Monaco, as we will be driving close to the walls and it won’t be easy to overtake, but I’m sure we will have some good fun out there!”
Carlos Sainz
“The race programme is so weird! Not the usual driver routine at all… Breakfast at 15:00, lunch at 19:00! We go to sleep very late, wake up late… To drive at night is always different, our night vision needs to be perfect! However, I’ve been told that the lights are really strong and you can’t really tell it’s night-time.
“It seems like a pretty interesting track: long, with a lot of corners, braking, bumpy… And it will suit our car quite well! I’m very happy to have finished the race in Monza after four retirements in a row, and hopefully we can now make the most out of this weekend - Singapore is a very good opportunity for us to score points!”

McLaren
Fernando Alonso
“Singapore is an incredible place for a race. It’s really unique in every way, and as a driver it’s a privilege to be part of such an amazing night show under the spotlights. It’s a Grand Prix that many people look forward to and I’m really excited to go back there.
“The heat and humidity make it tough for the drivers and everyone in the garage. It’s a very challenging race physically, so it’s important that we train properly and prepare effectively to keep ourselves on top form all weekend. It’s a really fun circuit to drive, so I’m looking forward to getting to Marina Bay and soaking up the amazing atmosphere.
“I’ve won twice in Singapore and I love racing there, so with my engineers we’ll be focussing on setting up the car as best we can for this circuit as soon as we arrive. It’ll be interesting to see how our car responds to the high-downforce setup there and I hope we can have a more positive weekend.”
Jenson Button
“Singapore is always such a special race. It’s quickly become one of the most famous races on the calendar and it’s easy to see why. The whole setup is really special and racing under lights creates an amazing atmosphere that’s totally different from any other Grand Prix. There’s a real buzz about the place from the moment you step off the plane.
“There’s always a lot of anticipation in the build-up to this race, and for us it’s no different. We’ve had a couple of really challenging races, but we’ve said for a while that some of the circuits we go to towards the end of the season should be a bit better-suited to the stronger elements of our package.
“There’s no denying it’ll be hard work, and we aren’t expecting miracles overnight. But, Singapore is a fantastic circuit, it’s one of the longest races of the season in terms of time, and we quite often we see a safety car there. So, anything can happen; we’re hoping to learn a lot about how our car works in this configuration, and take as many positives from the weekend as we can.”
Eric Boullier, racing director
“Singapore marks the start of the final ‘fly-away’ leg of the season, and a set of new and different challenges for the whole team. It’s a relentless time of year which demands a lot from every team member, but we’re focussed on the challenge and working hard to complete the last third of the season on a more positive note.
“There is no denying that Spa and Monza were incredibly tough races for McLaren-Honda. We expected it, and it was no surprise when the results came, but it doesn’t make it any easier to bear. Saying that, we are entering a phase of the season where the circuits rely less on pure power and more on balance, characteristics that tend to suit our package better.
“Together, McLaren and Honda are constantly striving to improve our package and we have faith in our collective abilities to analyse our weaker areas and continue pushing forward. We won’t make any promises or predictions, but we love this circuit and hope to put on the best show possible under the incredible floodlights of Singapore. It is truly a spectacular location to host a Grand Prix and fully deserves its status as one of the flagship races on the Formula One calendar.”
Yasuhisa Arai, Honda R&D senior managing officer - chief officer of motorsport
"From Singapore, we now start our second round of fly-away races. After the classic circuits of Europe, a night race on the complex street circuit of Singapore will be a big change for the team, in both the preparation for the race and adjusting our body clocks.
“Our engineers are preparing to reach the ideal power unit set-up for the track's slippery and tight corners. The car's overall balance between power unit and chassis will be the key to a good weekend, so we hope to provide a good package for the drivers for the race."

Force India
Sergio Perez
“I’m heading to Singapore feeling very positive. We’ve shown in the last two races just how competitive we can be and I’m confident we can have a similar level of performance in Singapore. The team is pushing hard to bring performance to the car and we’ve still got developments coming through which will help us a bit more this weekend.
“The Marina Bay track is one of my favourites and I’ve scored points every time I’ve raced there. I always enjoy driving on street circuits because you have to be aggressive and precise, and that suits my driving style. It’s quite bumpy, too, so you need a car with good stability to ride the bumps. It’s also one of the most demanding races of the year because of the heat and humidity.
“I’m now feeling more comfortable with the updated car. I made a big breakthrough in Spa and since then I’ve had the confidence to push and get the most from our package. It’s a good sign for the rest of the year.”
Nico Hulkenberg
“I’ve always enjoyed racing in Singapore and I think it’s one of the best events of the year. The city is buzzing and there’s a great atmosphere wherever you go. When it’s all lit up at night it looks stunning. I often wonder how much work is required to transform such a busy city into a racetrack. It’s clearly a huge logistical operation, but it’s definitely worth all the effort.
“The track layout has some nice features, but the first sector stands out for me - especially the fast right-hand kink of turn six and the braking zone of turn seven. You need a car that’s able to ride the bumps, can use the kerbs and gives you confidence through the low and medium-speed corners.
“I think the Singapore Grand Prix ranks as the toughest race of the year because of the heat. It’s physically draining and you’ve also got the mental challenge of racing so close to the walls with a small margin of error. We go there knowing we’ve made some good steps with the car over the last few races and aiming for more good points.”
Dr Vijay Mallya, team principal
“The Singapore Grand Prix has already established itself as a firm favourite on the calendar. The organisers put on a fantastic event and I enjoy the unique atmosphere of the night race. It’s a venue where we’ve traditionally been competitive and we go there determined to build on our good track record.
“Singapore will give us another chance to optimise the b-spec version of VJM08 as we introduce another small update package. Having performed well on the high-speed circuits of Spa and Monza, we know we have the potential to get both cars inside the top ten, but it’s going to be quite a different challenge on the tight and twisty streets of Singapore.
“As I’ve been saying for a while, the midfield fight for fifth place in the championship is likely to go down to the wire. It was important to score good points in Monza to reclaim fifth place, but with seven races still to go we cannot afford to ease up. The development of the VJM08 will continue and we need to take every opportunity that comes our way.”

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
“Monza was an awesome weekend for me - one of the best I’ve had in Formula One. The car this team has built is just incredible and I can’t thank them enough for all their hard work. Of course, it was a shame for Nico and the crew to have the retirement - but I know he’ll bounce back and I’m looking forward to another battle in Singapore. This race is always a highlight of the season - a great city which looks really spectacular under the lights with the tricky street circuit below - my favourite kind of track to drive. You’ve got to stay 100 percent focused for a full two hours, which is tougher than it sounds with the crazy humidity. Any small slip and you’re in the barrier, so maintaining that total concentration is crucial. I’ve won there twice now - both times from pole, which shows you how important qualifying is too. It won’t be easy to make it three - far from it. But I’m riding high right now and I’ll be pushing for that hat-trick.”
Nico Rosberg
“Obviously, Monza didn’t go to plan. It was gutting to miss out on a good result so close to the end but now I approach the final seven races with the attitude that there’s nothing to lose. It’s maximum attack and I won’t be giving up the fight, no way. Singapore is one of my favourite races, so that’s a good place to start. It’s so tough on everyone - physically and mentally - and I love that challenge. I was only a few thousandths off pole last year and feeling good for the race until a problem with the steering wheel ended my weekend. I know I’ve got the pace to win there, so I’m hoping for a clean weekend and a chance to unleash this silver beast under the lights.”
Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“Monza was not an easy weekend. Both drivers produced very strong performances - but unfortunately only one got the result he deserved. When you are in a position like we currently enjoy, expectations are extremely high - and none more so than among our own people. This was our first retirement of the season which shows how far we have come but also that we are not invincible. Every detail matters and we are trying to take care of all of them. So, we take lessons from our failures and look to get back on top with both cars in Singapore. This won’t be easy, however, at a circuit which provides one of the toughest tests of man and machine on the calendar. We must be at our best here - and at each race that follows - to make sure the job is done.”
Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical)
“We came away from Monza with mixed feelings. It was a great performance and a fantastic victory from Lewis to achieve the Grand Chelem. But, on the other side of the garage, we let Nico down on two occasions with a pair of mechanical failures which unfortunately nullified a great recovery drive that should have brought at least a third-place finish. Now, we re-group and move on to Singapore. The season is far from over and things can change very quickly - so the target is a strong result with both cars there. It’s a challenging race - particularly on the brakes. The circuit sees a large number of braking events, with low average speed around the lap reducing cooling opportunities. It’s also a very bumpy track, with heavy use of the kerbs making it tough on the car. The layout makes overtaking a difficult task - often resulting in action-packed races, with unsuccessful passing attempts leaving debris on the track and resulting in frequent safety car appearances. It’s an interesting event - running on European time to allow for night-time track running - and provides a significant physical test for drivers and team members alike. It’s one that we all look forward to and we’ll be hoping to make it a memorable weekend.”

Sauber
Marcus Ericsson
“The Singapore Grand Prix offers spectators a great backdrop. It is always a very special race that I like a lot. I can hardly wait to get to Singapore, as this street circuit is one of my favourite tracks. The fact that the race is held at night brings a unique atmosphere with the city being under floodlights. For me it is definitely one of the highlights of the season. I am also looking forward to the Singapore Grand Prix because of our aero-update. Our goal is to get the maximum out of this innovation.”
Felipe Nasr
“Singapore is one of the nicest venues on the current Formula One calendar. I really enjoy driving on this fascinating street circuit. Racing there is a physical challenge, because of the high temperature as well as the high humidity. Managing to put in the perfect laps during the night race will also be challenging. You need to drive very precisely through every one of the 23 corners on each lap, especially the tight ones. We also have our aero-update there, which is important and encourages everyone in the team.”
Giampaolo Dall’Ara, head of track engineering
“Having closed the European season on two high speed circuits in Spa-Francorchamps and Monza, the Sauber F1 Team will face some sort of major changes upon returning to Asia. Firstly the street circuit in Singapore presents totally different characteristics in terms of cornering speeds, set-up and aero efficiency requirements; secondly the Sauber C34-Ferrari has undergone a rather significant aerodynamic refinement that will require track validation; and lastly the race weekend will happen late at night in significantly warm conditions. Furthermore, we are curious about experiencing the re-aligned track section between turns 10 and 13. Regarding tyre allocation, Pirelli will provide the soft and super soft compounds.”

Lotus
Romain Grosjean
“The track is really impressive with some technical parts and some classic street circuit ‘ninety degree’ turns. There are a few decent straights but it is mainly busy, busy, busy for us, with corner after corner. Going over landmarks like the (Anderson) Bridge and down the Raffles Boulevard make for a fantastic sight from both the cockpit and also for the TV viewers. This year will be interesting with the E23 as it is a car that does inspire confidence, and confidence is king when you’re on a street course. The biggest challenge will be if it’s wet at any time - then we really have to work hard!
“The key elements [of physical preparation] are sleep and hydration. It’s a humid heat so you sweat a lot - even walking into the track. Keeping hydrated is very important. It’s a race where we run unusual timings relative to the local day. Once you get used to waking up in the afternoon and then going to bed early morning, then it gets to be just routine. It’s no secret that I love my sleep so one of the most important aspects of preparation for me is ensuring that my room stays dark in the morning when we’re still sleeping due to the timings we run. I hope the hotel has good blackout curtains! If it doesn’t then it’s not unknown for me to tape black rubbish bags to the windows to keep the light out and guarantee my sleep!
“I really love racing at this track and in fact I love the country as a whole. The Singapore people are very friendly and it is nice to see so many coming downtown to the race. It has a completely unique vibe for the Grand Prix weekend and it takes on an ambience like nowhere else we go to.
“I love the mix of cuisine you find in Singapore. For what is a relatively small place there is such an amazing fusion of cultures and this means there’s a really diverse mix of foods. You can get some really interesting dishes from the street vendors and there are some world class restaurants in town too.”
Pastor Maldonado
“I’m positive. Singapore’s a fantastic event, it’s a fun circuit and we’ve got a great car. We’ve shown at many different circuits that we can perform well this year so it’s another race where we want to get out there and put in a strong performance.
“Traction is fundamental in Singapore, it’s a really big factor. This is because the corners are generally slow and tight, so it means the way we exit them will be critical to ensure a good lap time. It will be tough to regulate the torque and the traction out of the slow speed corners. Then you look at all the normal things for a fast lap. It’s a track where you can’t make mistakes because the walls are so close.
“Overall it is a very demanding track [physically] where you get no rest at all really. You are constantly turning or braking and there are only two short straights, not enough to really have a proper rest. But I like it this way because you get a rhythm going quickly. Physically it is tough because the humidity is so high and the race so long, much longer than Monza for instance.
“To be honest it is not too different to racing in the day or at night. The main reason is quite simple - when we drive we do not look upwards, we are always focusing on what is straight ahead. The big change is the temperature of the Tarmac which is slightly cooler at night. So we have a slightly different approach because of this. We have to adapt our styles a little and make sure we create heat in the tyres as much as we can.”
Nick Chester, technical director
“[Singapore] should be pretty good for us. We’ve shown the E23 to be pretty capable in low-speed corners and over kerbs which is positive. We may not be quite as good as we have been at the medium-downforce tracks but there’s scope for a good weekend.
“There are a lot of walls and not so much run-off meaning there’s plenty to think about. You’re dealing with very slow speed corners and a lot of kerbs which means many demands on the car. There are many braking points – even though there aren’t any high speed stops, the brakes really take a pummelling as they’re always being used and they get no time to cool down. Lots of braking means lots of accelerating afterwards, so you need good traction. There’s plenty to think about for the drivers and engineers alike.
“It is a high-downforce track, so everybody will be running toward their maximum-downforce set-up. Then it really is all about how you manage the mechanical set-up to get the best out of the car in terms of handling the kerbs. Ensuring a good level of grip in the low-speed corners is crucial at Marina Bay.
“It will be down to the drivers to report back what the car is doing and let the engineers re-balance the car as the track temperature comes down. With previous years’ experience we have a fair idea of what sort of adjustments we need to make. The temperature does fall quite a bit, changing the grip and balance of the car somewhat. As the track temperature comes down the grip difference front to rear can change and make it tricky to get the car balanced following the earlier hotter practice sessions.”

Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo
“Well it is hot! And very humid! I think it’s all those tall buildings downtown - the heat doesn’t have anywhere to go. It’s the most physical challenge of the year. It’s the only race of the season where you crack open your visor to let in some cool air and instantly wish you hadn’t because it’s hotter outside. By the warm-up lap your chilled drinks bottle is the temperature of a freshly-poured cup of tea. It’s a tough place to race - but I love the challenge. I think most of the drivers do.
“I like the track. Street circuits are fun: you’re bouncing off the kerbs, kissing the walls, it’s cool. And the city’s great. Good restaurants, good atmosphere, great nightlife. Yeah, my kind of place...”
Daniil Kvyat
“It’s definitely one of the most challenging races of the championship. It’s the longest, one of the hottest, one of the most physically demanding races we face but having said that I do like the track, because although it’s a street circuit, it’s quite a bit quicker than Monaco. As Grands Prix go, it tends to have more atmosphere than the average...
“Last year it was extremely tough because my water bottle didn’t work, so it was a very difficult race. But this year I think I’m much better prepared from a physical point of view, so it should be fine. For example, Malaysia this year felt a lot more comfortable than last year and it’s similar, so I think I will be okay.”

[Hatari]

Haze threat subsides. Given the nature of the circuit, the 160bhp ERS deficit that McLaren have to Mercedes should be minimal. Inability to finish in the Top 10 will result in a lot of bashing again. Best opportunity for McLaren to catch up to Sauber in the standings.

Can we hope for some rain though.

[arun_kun]

Haze was lot less on my way to office this morning. Things will improve over the weekend. Anyone from teambhp attending the race ??

[GTO]

Originally Posted by jfxavier

Lewis could match Ayrton Senna's number of wins and most consecutive pole positions this weekend.

And also match Senna on the number of race starts! If he manages it, this will be Lewis' 8th straight pole. Wow. This is Hamilton's season and he's not putting a wheel wrong. The Singapore track is waiting for him.

Lets hope there's more overtaking, thanks to the revised turn 11 - 13 stretch.

[jfxavier]

DRIVERS – Romain Grosjean (Lotus), Sergio Pérez (Force India), Valtteri Bottas (Williams), Roberto Merhi (Manor), Pastor Maldonado (Lotus), Felipe Nasr (Sauber).



PRESS CONFERENCE
Source : http://www.fia.com/news/2015-singapo...ess-conference

Q: Let’s start with you Romain, back on the podium this year. Do you see many opportunities for getting up there again in the remaining races of 2015.

Romain GROSJEAN: Well, let’s put it this way: we didn’t think any podium was possible this year – we did it. So, yeah, I think we’re always eager for more, always trying to do our best. Spa was a beautiful opportunity for us and hopefully there will be much more coming. The best we can do is try to work hard and do the same.

Q: Looking ahead to 2016, your thoughts on that? Obviously you’re wanting to see what’s going to happen with Renault and the Lotus deal that’s been discussed a lot – but if that didn’t happen, would you consider… your name has been linked with the Haas team, for example, is that something you would consider.

RG: I think the other thing I can tell you is that my decision is… I’ve made my decision, everything is clear in my head and I know what’s going to happen for me in the future – but if you don’t mind I won’t tell you any more.

Q: Sergio, coming to you, on the same topic of 2016, Robert Fernley in the press conference in Monza alluded to the fact he was hoping to conclude things with you for next year by Singapore. Have you got any progress report?

Sergio PÉREZ: Yeah, definitely progress has been made but we are not yet in a position to announce anything.

Q: Two consecutive top six finishes for you, for the first time in your career, at the moment on a good role, in a good way, coming to a track where you’ve always been in the points in the past. So you must be feeling fairly good about life I would think…

SP: Yeah, definitely. I’m really optimistic. As you say, we’ve had a really good run up until now and hopefully we can continue. The car is improving. We just getting better and better so hopefully we can have a strong finish again. As you say, every race I have done here I’ve been into the points. I hope I make it again and in a better position.

Q: Valtteri, your 50th grand prix start this weekend. The result in Italy was your best for some time. I guess from the outside one might say that this season has been something of a missed opportunity for Williams in one sense: a struggle for consistency. Is that your assessment as well, or are you please with what’s been done?

Valtteri BOTTAS: Well I have to say I’m not really that pleased for the results. Of course we aim to make a step forward. I think we’ve improved from last year but, compared to others, not really. So, as a team, I think everyone in the team is expecting more and we are aiming to do better in the future and obviously I’m staying with the team so it’s very nice to start building from this because I still think we’re not yet at a peak and we can definitely do better. From my side also, it’s been a very mixed season. A lot of things have not been going to my side, so unlucky races, unlucky results. That’s how it is sometimes. Always need to look forward.

Q: You mentioned you are confirmed already for 2016 so what are you telling the team you want for next season to kick on from where you are now.

VB: Downforce! And power! That’s what keeps you going. I think as a team we really need to improve in all areas like we’ve seen we’ve had quite a few issues still with pitstops and some mistakes from us, as a team. We’re still just getting stronger in all areas. Unfortunately, sometimes the way to improve is to do that mistake and then learn from it. I’m sure that soon there will be no more mistakes we can do. We can always just make sure we learn from those and improve. Like I said before, I think we definitely can be stronger than this year.

Q: Roberto, the news that you’re driving two more races for the rest of 2015, shared with Alexander Rossi. Can you explain the situation to us.

Roberto MERHI: At the beginning of the year when I came to Melbourne with Manor, they gave me a great chance to be part of the team and to be a driver of the team but for sure I didn’t know how long it was going to end up. At least I did 12 races, that is really good, I think, for a driver in Formula One that is quite difficult. And they gave me a good chance to be there in the car for 12 races and I want to say thank you for them but obviously I think they have taken a decision that is better for the team in a long-term result. We hope that I am still competitive for the last two races I have this year and I will try to prepare now all the weekends that I go together with the team, from now to the end of the year, and try to improve and learn as much as I can, to get ready for the race in Sochi and in Abu Dhabi.

Q: The team’s been doing some wind tunnel development work. Is this with an eye on 2016 as much as on 2015 do you think?

RM: The main focus already is on the new car in ’16 because now it’s quite the end of the year and for sure the target for the team is next year to be a competitive team fighting for a good result, for points and I’ve sure they’re going to achieve. And yes, sure, I think they’re trying to put all of their effort into 2016. It’s the best thing to do for them and is the thing they are doing.

Q: Pastor, happy memories of qualifying second here back in 2012 but this year, astonishing record, you’ve retired from eight out of the 12 races and on many occasions you’ve been the first car to go out. How much bad luck can one man have? What’s been going on?

Pastor MALDONADO: We’ve been having a bit of problems and yeah, it was not, maybe from the really beginning of the season, the best start for us even if we improve the car compared to last year. It is how it is. We cannot change the past, we just need to work harder for the future and try to get better and better every race.

Q: As discussed with Romain a minute ago, there’s obviously a lot of discussion around your team for next season, possible Renault takeover. How are you approaching discussions on next season? Do you think you’ll still be racing with this team in 2016?

PM: I hope so. We’ll see.

Q: Felipe, Sauber has been slightly more competitive in the last few races, qualifying just outside the top ten, consecutive points results. What’s been going on, on the technical side, that’s facilitated this?

Felipe NASR: Well actually I think the last few races it was clearly some circuits that was coming more to our, let’s say, advantage, looking to our car and how it performs. I think those races, they clearly helped us in some ways – the likes of Spa and Monza – by having the long straights. Unfortunately I had bad luck in these last three events. If you look back at Monza, I started just outside the top ten, was running into the top ten into the early laps and then I got a puncture. It’s one of the missed opportunities but this is racing. Sometimes it goes like this, so I wasn’t able to get the points out there but this weekend we’ve got something to look forward. It’s our first proper update in the year, since Australia, so we’re getting the car all around being updated. It’s one to look forward.

Q: Same question I put to Valtteri a moment ago, you’re already confirmed for next season. What are you telling the team? Your objectives for next year – what are you asking for?

FN: Well basically what we’re having now, this update, it will important to validate these numbers on track and this will guide us for the 2016 car. We know the areas we have to improve. It’s all-around improvement, mainly on downforce I would say but it’s not like a specific point, it’s a general overview of the package. This weekend and how we take it onwards to the end of the season will be important to understand how the car is reacting.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Manuel Franco – Diario AS) Questions for Roberto: the first one is how Manor told you that you will not drive in this race and the second question is what options you have for next season?

RM: Obviously I came here... I flew on Monday and when I arrived the team give me the news that I would not be driving and Rossi would be in my place for the four or five races of the remaining seven. For next season, we still don’t know yet. We are looking for a Formula One seat and we will try to find the best option possible but obviously these days I think a budget is really important and at the moment it’s hard to find.

Q: (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) Valtteri, never points for you in Monaco or in Singapore; are street circuits some kind of weak point for your team?

VB: No, we’re going to fix it this weekend. Definitely. Monaco was a big struggle last year and this year and Singapore – I think we’re going for points, we were trying for a mega-long stint to keep the position last year and then in the end my tyres were finished and I think it was on the last lap I dropped out of the points. It is possible to get points and for sure maybe the luck has not been on our side but we need to improve the car so that it’s also quick in these kind of places. Actually we do have some updates on the car here for the front wing and for the rear brake ducts so it’s there and hopefully those create a bit more downforce.

Q: (Dan Knutson – Auto Action and SpeedSport Magazines) Sergio, in Monza you told us you were getting quite close to a deal with Force India. Are you any closer to finalising things?

DK: Yeah, I think we are just in the final bit. I hope very soon we can finalise everything. The team is happy to keep me and I’m happy to stay so I see no reason why it shouldn’t happen soon.

Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) Pastor, James mentioned your run of bad luck this season. Given that there isn’t a huge amount of run-off at Singapore and I don’t imagine there’s a huge amount of spares at the Lotus team this weekend either, is this a weekend for caution to be exercised or will you be giving it full beans as you often do on street circuits and often to great effect as well? How do you approach this weekend? You’re a very good street circuit racer but do you need to back off a little bit?

PM: I think we need to approach the weekend as normal. We are looking forward to doing our best and to get what we deserve is to push very hard and to try to put the car in the best position we can.

Q: (Dan Knutson – Auto Action and SpeedSport Magazines) Romain, we go to two very different circuits: Monza, high speed, almost no downforce; here, a lot of downforce. How do you switch gears as a driver and is one track more difficult to the other or is it just a different challenge?

RG: I think it’s a different challenge. Most of the people think Monza is fairly simple, it’s a straight line and chicanes and another straightline and then a chicane, but it’s quite hard to keep the rhythm in the car and braking in the right place and then taking the corner well. You kind of lose concentration in a straight line and then you come back whereas here is more intense. The first sector is quite long and fine but then you get to sector three where it’s corner after corner, where you need to think about your rear tyres, your braking point, the throttle is a big issue and you slip and so on so they are both very challenging in different ways but I don’t think there are any tracks which are easy nowadays in Formula One.

Q: (Ben Edwards – BBC TV) This could be a question for anyone, but Valtteri, maybe I could ask you: is there any further understanding from your point of view about Pirelli tyre pressure checks? Have you talked to the team about what might be different in terms of procedure this weekend and is there anything there?

VB: Not really fully aware of what’s been decided. I heard something had been decided but I’m not sure.

Q: Have any of the other drivers already had a briefing ahead of that, can you add anything on the tyre pressures? Sergio?

SP: All I know is that the FIA is thinking of changing the procedure but we will have more information as a team about that.

Q: (S’. Dipak Ragav – The Hindu) Sergio, you are now 13 points ahead of Lotus and I believe you have an update package for here and one more at Mexico. Do you think this is Force India’s best chance of finishing fifth in the Constructors’ title, considering McLaren’s troubles this year? How confident are you?

SP: Yes, definitely. I think we are already fifth. I mean 13 points is nothing, really. It can change from one weekend to another. It’s not like we have a huge advantage. I think we are obviously going to fight really closely with Lotus. Toro Rosso are also in contention. The next one is 50 points ahead which is Red Bull and as well, if we have two good weekends and they go back then there’s every opportunity for us to do even better so right now, what we can do is just maximise everything with both cars and try to score as many points as possible with both cars.

[jfxavier]

Originally Posted by Hatari

Haze threat subsides. Given the nature of the circuit, the 160bhp ERS deficit that McLaren have to Mercedes should be minimal. Inability to finish in the Top 10 will result in a lot of bashing again. Best opportunity for McLaren to catch up to Sauber in the standings.

Can we hope for some rain though.

Alonso is hopeful of a points finish on Sunday.

"The best was Monaco, probably. The second-best was probably Hungary because it's the second with the lowest power effect - and this is the third lowest," he explained.

"On paper it's like that but it's also true the car is improving. The car that we arrived with in Monaco was not very developed and it was like winter testing for us because we missed the testing [due to unreliability] and the car we have now is a little bit more prepared.

"So even if this is the third lowest power-effect circuit, the whole package arrives a little bit more ready. So we have a good opportunity in front of us to be in the points again. We didn't have many opportunities this year to be in the points and hopefully we don't miss this one."

Source : http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/124...-waste-of-time

Honda has released a short video o the F1 project.

https://youtu.be/MRDluXzgT7w

[ecenandu]

Redbull looking strong, not only the outright pace but also in their long runs. The tyre degradation also looked good. Dani doing 1:51:100 average on supersofts which is, surprisingly .5 seconds faster than Hamilton on a similar stint length and same tyre.

But it will be interesting to see tomorrow as track temperature will go up for the FP3 session. Looks like Merc got a good fight, this weekend.

Alonso seventh fastest, but I will wait till tomorrow to see their actual pace.

On a side note, now seeing how Redbull is strong with their chassis, will this make Ferrari change their minds in supplying the engines to them. Will we see Redbull with an year old Ferrari engine next season. Interesting times ahead.

[ecenandu]

Ferrari and Redbull killing it, what happend to the Mercs. Alonso 7th fastest, interesting qualification ahead.

[fz_rider]

The FINGER rises again ! What a lap, simply flying! Ferrari, Red bull, Ferrari, Red bull. That's top and second row for you.
The run of Mercedes powered engine for pole, finally ends!

[ecenandu]

Well, well, well what do we have here.

Vettel on pole, and Merc P5, P6; who would have thought that. That was an awesome lap from Vettel, never backdown through out the qualifying session. I'm very pleased to see this and for the record, this is the second dry pole position for the Ferrari in this decade. The last one was by Alonso in 2010 at Singapore.

And don't even argue that Vettel won 4 world championship only because of the car.

[jraj]

It's awesome to see RBR mechanics giving the thumbs up to Sebastian and he returning the same.

Shows how much it means to them to relegate Merc's to the 3rd row for the race start

[Hatari]

That was some lap by Seb. Strategy will be key tom.
Shame about McLaren not being allowed their fastest laps due to the Sainz crash.

Very curious to know what the devil is wrong with Mercedes.

[StarrySky]

Originally Posted by Hatari

Very curious to know what the devil is wrong with Mercedes.

RedBull and Ferrari (Alonso) were not far off the Mercs in Singapore last year as well. Probably they had enough performance in hand last year to still be on pole, but not so this year. I guess it's just that the Mercs are not suited this track at all for some reason. I will be surprised if normal service isn't resumed at Suzuka.

[ecenandu]

Originally Posted by StarrySky

RedBull and Ferrari (Alonso) were not far off the Mercs in Singapore last year as well. Probably they had enough performance in hand last year to still be on pole, but not so this year. I guess it's just that the Mercs are not suited this track at all for some reason. I will be surprised if normal service isn't resumed at Suzuka.

But that doesn't account for 1.4 second deficit. Mercs have been on the back foot after Pirelli tyre pressure saga. Ferrari wasn't that far behind Merc in the Italian GP qualification. If not for the Vettel's mistake in the final lap there, Ferrari would have been more closer.

As you said, I also believe Mercs will be back in business at Suzuka.