02 August 2022
Get the lowdown on what's new in Formula One, go back-to-basics with exclusive #F1 Insights by our guest writers, and get tips from industry experts from the Formula One fraternity.
Get the lowdown on what's new in Formula One, go back-to-basics with exclusive #F1 Insights by our guest writers, and get tips from industry experts from the Formula One fraternity.
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Posted on 2 August 2022
We may not be wild about sipping champagne from a shoe but we surely can celebrate the adrenaline-fuelled race weekend with a round of drinks. Singapore boasts an exciting nightlife scene, with some of the best bars in Asia just a stone’s throw away from the Circuit Park. Skip the classics and go for something uniquely Singaporean – with alluring interiors and even more intriguing ingredients, check out these must-try cocktails that will get your heart racing faster than you can say ‘pit-stop’.
SINGAPORE SLING
You can’t leave the island without trying our most famous cocktail, the Singapore Sling. Widely regarded as the national drink, the Singapore Sling was concocted by Raffles Hotel’s then-bartender Mr Ngiam Tong Boon in 1915. This gin-based cocktail contains pineapple juice, lime juice, curaçao, Bénédictine, grenadine and cherry liqueur.
Long Bar, #02-01, Raffles Arcade, 328 North Bridge Rd
MADAME PRESIDENT
Image credit: Jigger and Pony
Recognised as Asia’s Best Bar in 2020 and the ninth best in the world, Jigger and Pony presents classic concoctions and fresh cocktail twists in the heart of the central business district. Take your pick from many standout drinks, but we say go for the one with the highest honour, Madame President with Monkey 47 Gin, kaffir dry vermouth, orchid and bitter melon liqueur and a Campari lollipop.
Jigger and Pony, 165 Tanjong Pagar Rd
MR BEAN
Get ready for an adventure with every innovative drink at the award-winning Jekyll & Hyde, one of Singapore’s pioneer cocktail bars since 2013. Don’t be surprised by intriguing additions – bacon, peanut butter, bananas and exotic spices – as you take your pick of a signature cocktail. Try the Mr Bean, a cocktail with Singapore’s popular tau huay soy bean pudding, butterscotch liqueur, Frangelico and vodka.
Jekyll & Hyde, 74 Neil Road
DEVIL IN THE DETAILS
Image credit: The Secret Mermaid
The devil is in the details at The Secret Mermaid, a tasting room and cocktail bar with a focus on presenting the largest menu of American craft spirits in Singapore. Try the Devil In The Details cocktail at this speakeasy, a rum infused beverage with white dragonfruit, pink dragonfruit, lime and lavender bitters.
The Secret Mermaid, 10 Collyer Quay, B1-09, Ocean Financial Centre
We strive for accuracy, but during these uncertain times, we recommend you visit bars’ websites to verify opening hours and for the latest information before heading out.
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Posted on 1 July 2022
Think you’ve covered all the attractions that Singapore has to offer? Think again. Set aside your guidebook and squeeze in any of these ten unique local experiences for a memorable Grand Prix weekend.
1. Challenge your friends to kart racing
Can’t get enough of motor racing? Challenge your friends and family to a fun kart race at KF1 or The Karting Arena’s electric go karts. Experience the thrilling twists and turns on the race track and see if you have got what it takes to come out as champion. Height and age restrictions apply.
2. Explore a military bunker or tour an old cemetery
Go nine-metres deep under Fort Canning Hill and venture into the Battlebox, a World War 2 secret Command Centre built in the 1930s. Join the guided tour through the twisting passages and gain an insight into Singapore’s wartime history. History buffs can also explore Singapore’s largest Chinese cemetery, Bukit Brown. This century-old cemetery houses the resting places of many Chinese pioneers who made significant contributions in Singapore’s rich history. Choose to walk self-guided or join a guided tour for an insight into their stories, the tomb designs and uncover secrets that lie within.
3. Go on an island-hopping adventure
Did you know Singapore has 64 islands that surround the mainland? Hop on a ferry and explore the islands in the Southern and Northeastern part of Singapore. Visit sacred sites on Kusu Island, go fishing or have a picnic on St John’s Island, swim in the beach paradise of Lazarus Island or go snorkelling at the Sisters’ Island Marine Park. If you’d like more adventure, book a kayaking expedition through the mangroves of rustic Pulau Ubin. Once there, don’t miss hiking through the Chek Jawa wetlands, a treasure trove of Singapore’s biodiversity.
4. Try your hand at pottery in an 80-year old dragon kiln
Explore Singapore’s oldest surviving brick-built kiln at Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle. Originally built for the mass production of latex cups, water jars and flower pots, the kiln now serves as a platform for artists, potters and members of the public to gain a deeper appreciation of the disappearing art of wood-firing. Go on a guided dragon kiln tour or try your hand at making a wood-fired piece in a pottery workshop.
5. Discover Instagrammable spots for the perfect #OOTD
Take out your smartphones and explore the most picture-perfect spots in Singapore. Spot the street art in Chinatown, Little India and Kampung Glam, photograph the colourful heritage shophouses in Joo Chiat and Katong, admire the magnificent Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay or head to the Fort Canning Park where you can walk back in time to the 14th century at the historical Sang Nila Utama Garden or snap an #OOTD at the Park’s iconic spiral staircase. Prefer an aerial view? Make a pit stop at one of the many rooftop bars in Singapore.
6. Visit Singapore’s more eclectic museums
Check out vintage toys at MINT Museum of Toys, gain an insight into Peranakan culture at heritage spaces the NUS Baba House or The Intan, step through a giant camera-shaped building into the Vintage Camera Museum, view dinosaur fossils at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, explore the world's largest display of contemporary design at the Red Dot Design Museum or why not catch a glimpse of Buddha’s tooth at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum.
7. Travel the world on a scent journey
Go on a scent discovery with a Master Perfumer at local perfumery Sifr Aromatics. Gain an insight into different perfume-making techniques on a scent journey across continents right in the heart of the Kampung Glam ethnic district. After your experience, go for a stroll and check out the boutiques at Haji Lane or fuel up at any of the restaurants or trendy cafes nearby.
8. Go round island on a bicycle
Rent a bicycle and see Singapore from a new perspective. Whizz through the numerous Park Connector Networks and be treated with spectacular sea views, idyllic parks and charming suburbs along the way. Whether you are a novice or an expert, there’s a cycling trail to appease everyone. Go for the scenic Mandai loop circuit which starts in the heart of the city and passes the old Singapore Grand Prix track at Old Upper Thomson Road. Seasoned cyclists can consider the 36-kilometre Coast-to-Coast trail which cuts across the island and covers some of the best parks and natures reserves in Singapore.
9. Go on a hiking trail through a nature reserve
As a city in a garden, there are abundant green spots on the island. Hike through the four nature reserves, discover Singapore’s rich flora and fauna or relax in one of more than 300 parks across the island.
Get closer to nature along the 10-kilometre Southern Ridges, which is also one of the best trails in Singapore for stunning views of the city, harbour and Southern Islands. Or hike a former railway line, the 24-kilometre Rail Corridor from the North to South of Singapore passing through lush green landscapes and heritage structures.
10. Fill your tummy with Singaporean delicacies at any hour
Join a local guide on a food tour of Singapore’s local cuisine, or plan ahead and go self-guided. From exploring the hawker culture – a UNESCO pick for its Intangible Cultural Heritage – to dining at a Michelin-star restaurant, there’s a culinary experience to appease every gastronome whatever the hour. Be sure to savour Singapore’s famous local delicacies like chicken rice, nasi briyani, nasi lemak, kaya toast, buah keluak stew and many more – the options are endless even after dark. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available.
We strive for accuracy, but during these uncertain times, we recommend you visit the attractions’ websites to verify opening hours and for the latest information before heading out. For more details, visit: https://www.visitsingapore.com
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Posted on 2 June 2022
There’s no doubt about it: Formula 1’s thrilling new era with its futuristic cars has already been a massive success with closer racing – across the first seven rounds – with a largely shuffled grid, Red Bull and Ferrari stoush upfront, and hyper-competitive midfield. Where will we be come the return of F1’s original night race, in Singapore, on September 30 to October 2?
The answer is, trackside and on the edge of our seats, as F1’s top guns take on Marina Bay in vastly more challenging cars – with no room for error, just one tiny lapse in concentration sending them straight to the scene of the accident. Add in cockpit temperatures of up to 60 degrees Celsius at racing speeds, and you have the world’s best racers on the absolute limit.
Will Red Bull Racing, though, get its first Singapore victory since 2013, given Sergio Pérez’s win at tight and twisty Monaco in May?
But, what’s different about these new cars? They use what’s known as ground effect aerodynamics (under the car) that pulls it closer to the track for higher cornering speeds, but also directs the air skyward as it leaves the rear wing to allow the pursuing car to close up, make a move and overtake.
That was the theory, but it’s no surprise we’ve seen success on-track with the project overseen by Formula 1’s esteemed managing director of motorsports, Ross Brawn – the mastermind behind Michael Schumacher’s titles at Benetton and Ferrari, and Mercedes’ recent dominance (2014-2020).
What are the new cars like to drive, though?
“At the end of the day it’s still a Formula One car and a lot of things are still the same on the system side and the way you set-up the car,” says Haas F1 Team’s Kevin Magnussen, who returned to the grid in 2022 after a year out.
“But, the new era cars drive a little differently, the tyres are different, and the way the car produces downforce comes from different places.”
As Magnussen says, the new cars are on different Pirelli tyres, with the sport switching from 13-inch wheels (that have featured in F1 since the 1960s) to more road-relevant low-profile 18-inch rubber.
The development work done by Pirelli was exhaustive, with more than 10,000 hours of indoor testing, and over 5000 of simulation. It also created more than 70 virtual prototypes and 30 physical ones, with 4267 laps driven, equating to 20,000 kilometres: half the earth’s circumference.
Given the huge technical challenge, most teams have opted to retain drivers for consistent feedback, though not all have, with the Silver Arrows opting to bring in highly rated young gun George Russell alongside Sir Lewis Hamilton. And he’s already proven quite the revelation, outpacing his illustrious teammate.
Russell replaced Flying Finn Valtteri Bottas, who’s now at Alfa Romeo Racing, alongside 2022’s sole rookie, Zhou Guanyu as China’s first ever F1 race driver. Over at Williams, Alex Albon has returned to the grid, after a season out as Red Bull reserve, pairing Nicholas Latifi. The Canadian is one of four drivers yet to race in Singapore, along with Zhou, Mick Schumacher who drives for Haas, and Yuki Tsunoda at AlphaTauri.
There’s much to look forward to, with races galore before the sport flies out to the hot nights and bright lights of the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022. Bring it on!
The Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022 will be held from September 30-October 2, with more information at singaporegp.sg
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Posted on 6 August 2021
Singapore Grand Prix past and present: How are they similar?
The Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix may have held its inaugural race back in 2008, but did you know that as a motor race, the Singapore Grand Prix actually has a rich heritage?
Yes, the engines were revved and the chequered flag was waved on this island as far back as 1961!
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore
Unlike its modern counterpart, however, the Singapore Grand Prix was not a Formula 1 race and had both car and motorcycle categories. The event was also held in the day on a circuit located at the Upper Thomson Road area.
From 1961 to 1974, 13 editions of the old grand prix were held, before it was discontinued due to safety concerns.
Despite the contrasting eras and technical differences between the old event and the new Singapore Grand Prix, however, both share essential similarities.
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore
Street Circuits
Both the old and current Singapore Grand Prix run on very challenging street circuits.
At 4.8km long, the old circuit ran clockwise along the old and new Upper Thomson Roads. The racetrack, which had around 13 turns, was known to have some notorious features, such as the treacherous Circus Hairpin and the dangerous Devil’s Bend. Cars were also known to lift off the ground when taking a right turn at high speed along the Thomson Mile!
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore(Left) and Formula 1(Right)
In contrast, the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix’s Marina Bay Street Circuit is longer at 5.063km. It has the most turns (23) and is just one of a few circuits in F1 that runs anti-clockwise. Threading the barriers under the lights of the racetrack, cars would reach speeds of up to 325km/h.
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore(Left)
While the Marina Bay Street Circuit does not possess the same notoriety as the old Upper Thomson Circuit, it is no less challenging for drivers. With ambient humidity at over 80 percent and cockpit temperatures reaching as high as 60 degrees Celsius, drivers are known to lose up to 3kg in body fluids during the race. The F1 night race also has a 100 percent record for the appearance of the Safety Car.
Boosting the local economy
Regardless of its era, the Singapore Grand Prix boosts Singapore’s economy through tourism.
The old Singapore Grand Prix was created as part of a government initiated tourism campaign called “Visit Singapore – The Orient Year”. The campaign sought to encourage tourists to visit the island through various events, including the race.
As it turned out, Singapore experienced a record year for tourism in 1961, with over 100,000 tourists coming here, thanks to the success of the old Singapore Grand Prix. These visitors also gave the local economy a vital leg up by spending an estimated M$79.5 million during their time here.
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore(Left)
Similarly, the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix is part of a larger campaign to give the Republic an added buzz in attracting visitors from overseas. The race, with its unique mix of lifestyle, sport and entertainment, has generated an average of $150 million in tourism receipts annually. That is more than $1.5 billion in earnings since its inception in 2008!
Furthermore, the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix has also generated good opportunities for local businesses with more than 90 percent of race-related works sub-contracted to Singapore-based companies. Our entertainment, hospitality and education sectors have also been significant beneficiaries.
High attendance rates
People have flocked to the Singapore Grand Prix, be it old or new.
Back in 1961, the first edition of the old Singapore Grand Prix saw more than 120,000 spectators attending the event over the 16 to 17 September race weekend. In fact, the attendance was so overwhelming on the second day that the police had to halt ticket sales at the main entrances an hour after the race had begun.
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore(Left)
Compared to the past, the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix is a much more orderly affair, but its attendance figures are pretty mind-boggling. The average attendance at each edition of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix stands at over 250,000. In fact, the most recent race held in 2019 set the second highest attendance record in its history, drawing 268,000 to the Marina Bay Street Circuit!
Both raised Singapore’s profile on the world map
The old Singapore Grand Prix’s success led it to become an internationally renowned event. It frequently attracted the participation of top drivers from the region.
International recognition was also given to races at the event. In 1966, its main car race received a listing on the world motor-racing calendar in 1966, although it was still not part of the world championship.
International audiences were also drawn to the grand prix. A half-hour film of the 1972 edition of the event was televised across Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and West Germany. The actual race itself was telecast live across Asian, Australia, and New Zealand in 1973.
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore
As part of the Formula 1 calendar, the Singapore Grand Prix of today hosts the pinnacle of world motorsport. The race is a well-known global event that is broadcast live to almost every country on the planet and is watched by millions around the world. In addition, it is also well-covered online, as well as popularly followed on social media. Over the years, the event has attracted a global audience of more than 930 million.
Every edition of the race has seen more than 250,000 attendees at the event’s Circuit Park over the three-day race weekend.
It is a pretty safe bet to say that while not everyone has the geographical inclination to know where exactly Singapore is on the world map, most will at the very least know of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix also known as the F1 night race.
Whenever the race rolls around into town, the Republic dazzles as a grand prix related festival of parties, concerts, conferences, and exhibitions is held, making it shine on the world map.
Regardless of the era, it is undeniable that the Singapore Grand Prix has the ability to give Singapore and the world a special buzz of excitement. Sparks fly whenever it is held and our place on the world map glows brighter than ever.
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Posted on 21 December 2016
Even though it was a third consecutive year dominated by the Mercedes drivers Nico Rosberg andLewis Hamilton, the 2016 season had many highlights; there were some fantastic races and theemergence of a real star in Max Verstappen, who broke the record for the most overtakes in a seasonof F1.
Mercedes won 19 of 21 races, the most victories in a season for a single team and in terms oflosing only two races to their opposition it was the team's most successful of the three seasonsunder the hybrid turbo rules. Now we need to change the record and hopefully next season will bringthat change.
Next year there will be new technical rules in F1, making the cars wider, faster and putting theemphasis back on the aerodynamics and less on the engine; that should mean that Red Bull come tothe fore as a competitor to Mercedes for wins and the championship.
But in terms of the season just ended, Nico Rosberg edged out Lewis Hamilton on points to winthe championship for the first time and then promptly retired!
Rosberg's success owed a lot to consistency and a little bit to luck as well. He had no majorreliability issues, whereas Hamilton suffered a series of setbacks with his engine early in theseason, which affected his qualifying primarily.
Later in the season, just after the Singapore Grand Prix, Hamilton suffered an engine failureduring the Malaysian Grand Prix when he was on target to win the race and score 25 points. Thatfailure was especially painful as Rosberg had spun on the opening lap and was fighting his way backthrough the field, so a win that day would have put Hamilton in a very strong position for thechampionship.
But reliability wasn't the only reason Hamilton lost the championship; he also had problems ofhis own making with the race starts. He struggled more than Rosberg to master the new single clutchsystems and lost ground at the start on a number of occasions in particular Bahrain, Italy andJapan. This cost him many points. There were also a few races where he was off form, like Baku,Singapore and Japan. Rosberg was more consistent across the season and with Mercedes' car having aperformance advantage at most venues, that was enough to bring him second place even on days whenHamilton outclassed him.
Rosberg's highlight was his pole and win in the Singapore GP, the bestdrive of his career and the race, which proved the turning point in the championship.
Behind the Mercedes battle, Red Bull regained their position as best of the rest with twovictories. Daniel Ricciardo won in Malaysia, while Verstappen won on his Red Bull Racing debut inSpain. Ricciardo was unlucky not to win in Monaco, having dominated the race from pole position,his team made a terrible mistake in the pit stops and it cost him the win to Hamilton.
Verstappen was a revelation and his drive in the rain in Brazil was one of the great wet weatherperformances of the last 20 years in F1. He finished third rather than second because his teammessed the strategy up, but it made for a thrilling climax to the race as he raced back through thefield after dropping down due to two additional pit stops.
The Dutch driver, who became the youngest ever F1 winner aged 18, whenhe won in Barcelona, made 78 passing moves during 2016, according to data calculated by Pirelli.That is the most since records began in 1983.
It was a year to forget for Ferrari. The team failed to win a race for the second time in threeseasons and they didn't get close to qualifying a car on the front row of the grid. Ferrari'schallenge faded as the season went on and Red Bull moved ahead of them on pure performance. Thebright side was Kimi Raikkonen rediscovering his touch, helped by the switch of front suspensionlayout. There was more upheaval behind the scenes as technical director James Allison left after adifference of opinion with Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne.
Force India had a great year, beating Williams to finish fourth in the Constructor'schampionship for the first time, while the new US owned Haas F1 team had a dream start with pointsfor Romain Grosjean in two of the first three races.
It was a very good, if not a great season, but 2017 promises to be on another level and we arelikely to see the most dramatic Singapore night race so far with these spectacular new cars.
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Posted on 30 November 2016
Nico Rosberg clinched his first world championship, after a tense 21 race battle with Mercedesteam mate Lewis Hamilton and it's hard to argue that he doesn't deserve it.
He's not as skillful a driver as the Englishman, nor quite as fast and he's less accomplished inwheel to wheel combat. He knows that, but he applied and wasn't daunted by losing two years in arow to Hamilton.
After the humiliation of the way he lost the title in Austin last year, he vowed that he wouldnever experience that feeling again.
The German was the more consistent driver this season, but also benefitted from superiorreliability. His record of qualifying on the front row of the grid for 27 races in a row speaks foritself. Hamilton had more pole positions and race wins, but he had some off days too and made poorstarts on four occasions, which cost him points.
Hamilton has the unenviable record of having seen a team mate win a world title in the same car,which is never easy to accept.
Ferrari end the season with something to smile about
It's not been a great season for Ferrari. They started the year with high hopes and had a chanceto win the first race in Australia. But a strategy mistake cost them and it was downhill from thereon.
They ended the season with a strong strategy and a podium for Sebastian Vettel, which sends theminto the winter with reasonable confidence.
The 2016 car had quite a serious weakness: it operated in too narrow a window of temperature. Toget the tyres working perfectly was a struggle if the track temperature was too hot or too cold. Awinning F1 car is always versatile.
The change of front suspension design this year gave Kimi Raikkonen the feel for the front endof the car that is so important to his cornering style and he really soared; outqualifyingSebastian Vettel 12-9 across the season, including the last four races.
Vettel had a poor year - his second in three seasons. He began the year with a string ofpodiums, but then after the European Grand Prix in June he scored only one further podium in 12races before Abu Dhabi.
Force India perform a miracle, Williams on the slide
Force India confirmed their fourth place finish in the F1 constructors' championship, beatingWilliams into fifth.
Considering their relative budgets, that is quite an achievement, especially as some of theirstaff have been poached by top teams. The core engineering team at Force India is very talented andclearly very efficient in terms of getting plenty of bang for their buck.
From Spain onwards they were serious contenders outside the top three teams and both Hulkenbergand Perez scored significant points on a regular basis.
Williams meanwhile has gone from third in 2014, the first season of the hybrid turbos, to fourthlast year and fifth this year.
The car this year wasn't fast enough and they made quite a few strategy mistakes. Next year theyhave to respond, but with Canadian teenager Lance Stroll coming in to replace Felipe Massa, thepressure is going to be really on him to score serious points from the outset in order to getWilliams back into the top four.
The task will be made more difficult by factory backed teams Renault and McLaren Hondaprogressing up the grid.
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Posted on 14 November 2016
Damp demolition derby
From Romain Grosjean's crash on the way to the grid, to Marcus Ericsson's shunt in the entry tothe pit lane, to Kimi Raikkonen bringing out the red flag to match his red face after crashing onthe Safety Car restart, the Brazilian Grand Prix was something of a damp squib punctuated by anawful lot of flying carbon fibre.
Racing conditions were wetter than wet, and even those drivers who were bemoaning a Safety Carstart could be found over the radio calling for the race to be brought to an early end.
One man who wasn't adding his voice to the chorus was Lewis Hamilton, whose main chance atsecuring the drivers' title for a third consecutive year depended on the race running to lap 54, sothat he could secure full points - not half points - for the win and take the title fight to theseason finale in Abu Dhabi.
Red flags in the rain
The first red flag came out thanks to a man in red, with Kimi Raikkonen parking his Ferrari intothe wall along the pit straight. The second red flag - which prompted thumbs down and loud jeersfrom the fans in the grandstands - came out thanks to the threat of worsening conditions, promptingqueries from several drivers as to why the race was being stopped in what they saw as normalextreme wet conditions.
Hamilton, whose title fight depended on a good result at Interlagos, called for Charlie Whitingto bring in the Safety Car before the race was red-flagged for a second time, telling the team"It's not even that wet now, I don't know why we're stopping" when the second stoppage occurred.Valtteri Bottas agreed: "What is the reason for the red flag? It's just wet weather. Are we racingor not?"
Mad Max: the redemption
In a race that saw six retirements and a series of stellar performances, the hero of the hourwas Max Verstappen. Running in second place after the final red flag, Red Bull called their driverpairing into the pits for a swap onto the intermediate compound that was always going to be agamble.
Felipe Massa's lap 48 shunt brought out the Safety Car, and both Verstappen and teammate DanielRicciardo took advantage of the opportunity to head back out on full wets, a move that saw both RedBull drivers slip down to the back of the pack.
Verstappen delivered the fightback to end all fightbacks, working his way through the back ontothe podium, passing Ricciardo in a stellar move around the outside on lap 59 and making up fivemore places than his teammate thanks to a determined drive that saw the young Dutch racer leavingSergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, and Carlos Sainz in his wake. Most bitter about the dust he wasforced to eat was Sebastian Vettel, who complained he has been pushed off track despite havingadvantage of track position. The stewards disagreed...
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Posted on 31 October 2016
Mad Max’s major mistake
Shortly after having a rule created to prevent drivers from repeating the sort of defensivemanoeuvres for which Max Verstappen has become notorious, the Dutch teenager found himself on thewrong side of the sporting regulations at Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix.
The closing laps of a largely processional race were livened up by a charging Verstappen tryingto snatch second place from Nico Rosberg. For much of the final stint, Verstappen had been givingchase to Rosberg, the two cars separated by a second or less for ten laps or more. On lap 50, theMercedes driver locked up under braking, reducing the gap behind to a manageable 0.3s. Verstappentook the opportunity that was offered to him, and pounded to pass. But it was not to be, and theRed Bull ran wide after executing the overtake, giving Rosberg the opportunity to reclaim theposition.
From that moment onwards, with Rosberg 2.3s ahead of Verstappen on track, the Dutch racer wasrunning ragged, driving with a desperate edge in an attempt to make up for his earlier error. Bylap 67, Mad Max was visibly rattled. And it was at this point that the Red Bull driver locked upand ran wide, passing Vettel off track and counter to the rules. The Red Bull pit wall instructedtheir driver to hand the position back, while Vettel was spitting bricks over the radio.
But Verstappen ignored the instructions, and crossed the finish line in third place, even makinghis way to the pre-podium green room to celebrate his success. It was not to be, however -- thestewards were quick to issue the teenaged racer with a five-second time penalty for unlawfullygaining a position off track, and it was Vettel who lifted the third-place trophy when all was saidand done.
Several hours after the podium, Vettel was issued with a ten second time penalty for dangerousdriving in the approach to Turn 4 while defending against Ricciardo; the decision promoted theAustralian to third place, pushed Verstappen up to fourth, and left the four-time world championlanguishing in fifth.
Perez on the prowl?
The second running of the rebooted Mexican Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was aless than thrilling affair until the final laps, when on-track battles between Sebastian Vettel andthe Red Bull driver pairing finally brought the race to life.
Evidence of the lack of excitement could be found on the world broadcasting feed, which keptreturning to a “battle” for tenth place between Felipe Massa and local hero Sergio Perez that beganon lap 25 and saw no lasting change of position before the chequered flag fell at the end of lap71.
Despite being a critical race for the outcome of the drivers’ championship, it was hard todevelop a clear narrative of the Mexican Grand Prix from a broadcasting point of view -- at onepoint the on-screen graphics referred to a five-man battle for first place, despite the fact thatthe top five cars at that time were split by more than 30 seconds. Race leader Hamilton had aneight-second advantage over second-placed Rosberg when the graphic appeared.
For much of the 71 laps run, little of substance was taking place on track. Despite minorrearrangements of position further down the field, the pace advantage held by the leading Mercedespair was strong enough that the only option for the team’s rivals was to try and outsmart theSilver Arrows by adopting unusual pit stop strategies in the hopes that an alternative approachwould bear fruit.
It was not to be. Mercedes were able to pull off a one-stop strategy on both cars that resultedin a one-two finish for the team, while Sebastian Vettel -- who briefly led the race during the pitstop window -- was only able to manage third place in the wake of a time penalty for MaxVerstappen.
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Posted on 24 October 2016
Start as you mean to go on
After the last round in Japan, when a poor start cost Lewis Hamilton his chance at a much-neededwin, the pressure was on the pole-sitter to get it right off the line at the Circuit of theAmericas. And get it right he did – the Mercedes driver managed to hold the lead up the hill intoTurn 1, and behind him teammate and championship rival Nico Rosberg was pushed down to third placeby the charging Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo.
Despite his strong start, the Australian driver lost out on second place thanks to a freepitstop for the Mercedes pair under the Virtual Safety Car brought out when teammate Max Verstappenretired trackside halfway through the race.
For Hamilton, it was a far easier afternoon. The Briton led the US Grand Prix from lights toflag, except for brief windows around the pit stops. Despite his strong performance, however, itwas not a win Lewis was taking for granted. “I felt more comfortable at the start but I wasworrying all the time. Reliability was the only thing on my mind,” said Hamilton, after therace.
Max’s misery
The US Grand Prix was a comedy of errors for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, although it willprobably be a few days before the Dutch racer can see the funny side of a Sunday afternoon that sawa strong performance scuppered by equipment failure.
Having started on an aggressive strategy that saw the teenage racer make his first stop on lap10, Verstappen had worked his way up from a post-stop ninth place to sixth by lap 12 and fourth bylap 18. Max dove into the pits at the end of lap 26 to discover that the Red Bull crew werecompletely unprepared for his arrival, as they hadn’t called him to box.
The 9.2 seconds lost in the chaos that ensued while the team prepared themselves for theirdriver’s unscheduled arrival saw Verstappen emerge in seventh place, saying over the radio that “Ithought you boxed me, sorry!”.
Sorry though he might have been, minutes later Verstappen’s afternoon dawdled to an end when agearbox failure saw the 19-year-old limping along the track for a very slow lap 29. He radioed theteam to explain that “something is hitting the engine; the faster I drive the harder it hits”.Given that Verstappen was barely moving at that point, the team called their driver to stop in agravel trap on the back straight, bringing out the Virtual Safety Car on lap 31.
Problems in the pits
Pit stop problems didn’t end with Verstappen’s unexpected arrival. Another man whose race endedprematurely on Sunday afternoon was Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. The Finnish racer had been on strongform all weekend – when the Scuderia’s relative lack of pace is taken into account. Kimi spent muchof the US Grand Prix running in and around fifth place, ahead of his multi-titled teammate ontrack.
By the time Raikkonen made his final stop of the day – shortly after the Virtual Safety Carperiod caused by Verstappen’s retirement had ended – he was running in fourth place. The fresh softrubber he was given in the pits should have presented Kimi with the opportunity to give chase tothe leading pack and possibly fight for a podium, but it was not to be.
Raikkonen pulled away from his box before the right rear tyre had been properly fitted, causingthe wheelman to tumble backwards as the car wrenched itself away from his still-active wheel gun.As the number 7 car was pulling up the hill to Turn 1, Raikkonen received an urgent radio call fromthe team, telling him to stop the car. Despite an attempt to roll back down the pitlane, the Finnwas forced to retire from what had been a good afternoon on track.
After the chequered flag, Scuderia Ferrari were fined €5000 for the unsafe release, but the realpenalty came in the form of lost points from what looked like being a strong finish for theFinn.
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Posted on 10 October 2016
All over at the start (or was it?)
Not typically a man to crumble under pressure, when Lewis Hamilton botched his start at Sunday’sJapanese Grand Prix, dropping from the front row to eighth place before the end of the first lap,it looked as though the Mercedes driver were waving goodbye to his championship chances.
Instead, Hamilton showed the determination that has characterised his career, driving withcontrolled hunger to recover what had at one point been a 19.6s deficit to race leader NicoRosberg, securing his 100th podium finish in Formula One only 0.7s behind the second-placed car ofMax Verstappen.
While the race win was out of reach within seconds of the start lights going out, Hamiltonlivened up the closing stages of the race with a hard-fought battle with the Red Bull ahead, thegap between himself and Verstappen waxing and waning but never drifting far from the 0.7s thatseparated the pair as they crossed the finish line.
In order to make it work the Briton ran slightly longer than the frontrunners during his firststint, inheriting some positions while others pitted and passing others on track. But the realsuccess came in Hamilton’s second stint, on new hard tyres, which saw him passing Daniel Ricciardo,Felipe Massa, and Valtteri Bottas in quick succession and then powering on to lap the SuzukaCircuit around 0.5s a lap faster than Rosberg, chipping away at the gap to the front.
When Rosberg made his second stop at the end of lap 29, he emerged behind his teammate. Threelaps later, Hamilton made his second stop, returning to the track in third place with a 16-secondgap to the front. While that gap never closed entirely, by lap 47 it had shrunk to 4.8s, and thatpodium finish was enough to keep Hamilton’s title hopes alive for at least another weekend.
Palmer’s gift to Lewis
Jolyon Palmer had an unwitting impact on Lewis Hamilton’s championship chances on Sundayafternoon in Suzuka, something the Renault F1 driver would hardly have thought possible at thebeginning of the Japanese Grand Prix.
After Hamilton fluffed his start, and was running in the mid-field, those who had managed totake advantage of his early error began to pit around laps 12 and 13. The early strategic stopsfrom both Daniel Ricciardo and Kimi Raikkonen saw both men return to the track behind Palmer, andwhile the British rookie did not prove impossible to pass, neither the Red Bull nor the Ferrariwere able to make short work of the task.
A solid defensive performance from the young racer slowed down both Raikkonen and Ricciardoenough that when Hamilton made his first stop the Mercedes driver exited the pits with Ricciardoslightly ahead on track and Raikkonen - who was in the middle of a pit-straight battle with theForce India of Sergio Perez - just behind.
With the Ferrari visible only in his wing mirrors, Hamilton was able to make the most of hisfresh rubber to swiftly pass Ricciardo’s Red Bull, leaving the Australian racer little more than adistant memory for the duration of the race. Palmer himself crossed the line in 12th place, unawareof the unwitting impact his first stint had had on his countryman’s championship chances.
Singing the blue-flag blues
The air around Suzuka Circuit was blue for much of Sunday afternoon, not with language but withwaved flags for backmarkers and the resounding radio complaints from those drivers - primarilySebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen - who felt that passing lapped cars unwilling to properly moveoff line was having a negative impact on their race.
While it was clear from the accordioning of the gaps on the timesheets that the frontrunnerswere not having an easy day of it in traffic, Vettel’s blue-flag whingeing - which began on lap 30,not long past the halfway mark of the Japanese Grand Prix, and continued to the chequered flag -bordered on the excessive. No penalties were issued by the stewards for ignoring waved blues, whichin itself is telling.
“I lost three or four seconds with Lewis just across the blue flags,” Vettel told reporters inthe post-race TV pen. “I had them sitting in front of me in the sections with a lot of corners.Some of it, sure, was subjective, you don’t really see the full picture and other people lose timeas well. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win in these situations and I think today we weren’t theluckiest ones. But in the end it didn’t really matter.”
Verstappen was another man to complain on the radio of backmarkers ignoring waved blues, butagain the stewards saw no reason to punish any driver for the alleged infraction. While the loss ofsome time is inevitable, it was interesting to note that on more than one occasion thesecond-placed finisher followed the backmarker he was chasing off the racing line.
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Posted on 3 October 2016
Red Bull are getting closer to Mercedes
It was a very popular win for Daniel Ricciardo in Malaysia ahead of Red Bull team mate MaxVerstappen. Dan needed that after the disappointment of losing the Monaco Grand Prix due to a teamblunder at a pit stop. He really wanted to win a race this season.
But let’s make no bones about it, Mercedes has only lost two races this year; Spain andMalaysia- both to Red Bull Racing – and both only came about because Mercedes hit trouble. Acollision in Spain and in Malaysia an engine failure for Hamilton when he was leading, while NicoRosberg was hit by Sebastian Vettel at the start and had to fight back through the field from 21stplace.
That said, Red Bull were close on pace to Mercedes again, as they were in Singapore. They arecertainly closing up the gap and spoiled Mercedes celebration parade today; they were supposed tobe crowned constructors’ champions for the third successive year and now it’s not even sure thatthey will clinch in Suzuka next weekend as Red Bull took 28 points out of their lead here.
Hamilton is very unhappy about reliability
Lewis Hamilton had some very harsh words for Mercedes after suffering another engine failure,this time when he was leading the race in the closing stages. Hamilton has had the lion’s share ofthe bad luck on reliability this season and he took it upon himself to suggest that Mercedes hassome questions to answer about why his engines keep failing when Mercedes produces engines forseven other drivers in the field and yet he is the only one having problems.
This is a reaction in the heat of the moment after a big disappointment on one level; but thenagain Hamilton had quite a long cool-down period after retiring from the race before he came out toface the media. So it was clearly a conscious decision on his part to make a statement.
He had to start from the back of the grid in the Belgian Grand Prix because he needed to take afresh engine after using up his allocation for the season of five engines. He feels that withoutthese issues he would be leading the championship, rather than trailing Nico Rosberg by 23points.
With five races to go Rosberg needs only one more win to be in a position where he could finishsecond to Hamilton in the remaining events and still win the championship.
Lance Stroll to be announced soon as Williams replacement for Felipe Massa
Canadian teenager Lance Stroll won the FIA European F3 championship today in Italy, the same dayas the Williams team, of which he is a development driver, had a strong run with Valtteri Bottas,who finished fifth after an bold strategy call by his team to do just one stop. Everyone else didtow stops.
With Felipe Massa having announced his retirement in Monza last month, there is a free seat atWilliams and Stroll will be announced soon as the replacement. He is only 17 years old at themoment, but turns 18 later this month.
He has an extensive test programme in place to prepare him with track time in a 2014 hybridturbo Williams Mercedes. The F1 rules permit tests with cars which are two years old and Stroll andWilliams are taking full advantage of that.
It’s a big ask for a driver to step straight from F3 to F1, but Max Verstappen did it at the ageof 17 and has been superb. Stroll is hoping to follow suit.
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Posted on 9 September 2016
ByJames Allen
Singapore GP recently collaborated with leading Formula One™ commentator and journalist JamesAllen to find out what readers of his blog JamesAllenonF1.com said about their experiences at the FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE GRANDPRIX
SimonThe city scenery is amazing, the temperature and humidity come nightfall aren’t horrific, andthe in-field area you can walk around even with GA tickets is phenomenal, much better than beingstuck at a spot somewhere like Spa where your options are not great to move about. Great food allaround, good music and cultural events going on inside the grounds, and you can get a whole day todo whatever you like in Singapore (sleep) before even thinking about making your way to the track.Watching the track light up at night, and then seeing it glow on the cameras is something else. Ialso thought that the TV screens made it a bit more enjoyable. About halfway through the race weplopped in front of the main stage with its giant screens, and just enjoyed the action with theinsane noise bouncing off the buildings around us. I’d love to go back, but I don’t expect I’llfind myself in the neighborhood anytime soon though.
I went last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I use a wheelchair and of the three events I haveseen it was by far the best from an accessibility point of view. I loved being close to the action.I loved the city too. Genuinely wish I could go every year.
I managed to convince my wife that for our honeymoon we should see the first night race inSingapore. Luckily for me she agreed it was a great idea!
We sat near where Crashgate happened and there was a large tv screen infront of us to keep trackon what is going around the circuit.
The race owners did a great job in co-ordinating the spectators going in and out. We knewexactly which entrance to take to find our seats as quickly as possible. Which could have beendifficult since it was at night time.
What they could improve on (not sure if its changed since going there) is having things to doaround the circuit between sessions. There were only F1 merchandise shops. There were no fun thingsto do like F1 simulators or pit stop try outs when walking around.
Overall I enjoyed my time there and I would definitely go again.
Singapore GP response:
A lot has changed since the inaugural night race. There’s actually plenty to see and do within theMarina Bay Street Circuit, even in between on-track race action. This includes race simulatorsunderneath the Bay Grandstand in Zone 3, a Pit Stop Challenge where fans can try changing the tyresof a replica Formula 1® car, complimentary Airbrush Tattoo booths in Zone 4, and a myriad ofentertainment throughout the weekend – there’s something for everyone across all zones.
I’ve been twice – 2010 and 2013 – both great races. 2010 Alonso held off Vettel with Webberthird. 2013 Vettel won handsomely, but the race was remembered for Webber’s fiery exit on the lastlap and Alonso picking him up for an ultimately expensive ride back to the pits…..
Great experiences – the racing under lights is sensational. Yes it’s hot and expensive, but atGP time, where isn’t…..!!!
In 2013 I went with my wife and friends and we had a ball. We all purchased grandstand seats(earlybird) and were able to swap over the three days. My fav was the outer grandstands at turns 1& 2. Good big screen access as well.
Also great concerts – Tom Jones was surprisingly the best…..
The people are lovely and the city is so clean and so easy to get around – the underground railsystem is fantastic, making it quiet easy to get to your track entry point. My friends loved thefact that, even walking back to their hotels at 11pm/midnight, they felt extremely safe. Havingbeen to few GP’s over the years, there are quite a few cities on the calendar that you can’t saythe same of…..
The fireworks over Marina Bay after the race are fantastic as well….
I’ll be heading back – probably next year. Depending on the scheduling i’ll try to do theMalaysia and Singapore double, with Sepang being the better ‘race track’, but Singapore being thebetter ‘overall experience’.
I’d highly recommend a Singapore GP to every GP fan – at least once – the night experience isamazing,
Great memories from both events.
I attended the 2012 race on my honeymoon to support WEBBER, this was the first GP I attendedafter following F1 for about 12 years. It really opened my eyes to the speed, noise and smell of anF1 car racing at full throttle.
The atmosphere was just awesome as the V8s were loud and made the hairs on the back of my neckstand up, a really visceral experience. Having the race at night was another highlight as you couldsee the brakes light up and the sparks fly.
My wife and I were positioned just after the turn 13 hairpin and could experience each caraccelerate at full throttle and change from second to third gear. I vividly remember the noise ofthe gear change and thinking that was loud, not like my road car.
I missed the SCHUMACHER and VERGNE crash as that was around turn 14, just out of eyesight andrecall HAMILTON had a DNF. The race went the full 2 hours but a few laps short. Well worth theentry price.
An additional advantage of the night time race was the post race fireworks and concerts, greatway to round out the night.
No dislikes I can remember, was a great event. My only suggestion would be more supportcategories but this maybe relevant to other GPs as well.
The only other F1 race I have attended was this years Melbourne GP and it had many supportevents.
I am a big supporter of RICCIARDO and would love to see him race in Singapore, a great race tointroduce my son to F1.
My wife and I attended the 2013 event. We are Australian, and both of us are veterans of theMelbourne Grand Prix. I had attended the Melbourne GP between 2003 and 2011 8 times, only missing2010 as I was getting married! We had tickets on the main straight opposite the Renault pit garage,as we figured if we were going to do it, we would make the most of the trip there. We wound upsitting with a group of Aussies which was good/interesting to see.
The city itself is fascinating, and extremely easy to get around with the MRT system. The eventwas absolutely fantastic. One of the perks with being on the front straight, we had unlimited,free, access to the Singapore Flyer. We used this multiple times, both to cool off, and to get adifferent perspective on the on track events.
You can get way closer to the cars/track at Singapore than you can at Melbourne, and I loved theopportunity that gave me for photographs. And they looked even faster at Singapore thanMelbourne!
Having GP2 there in 2013 was an eye opener, the first time I had seen them, and I loved them! Itreally was like a second, smaller, dose of F1 for me. The off track entertainment was good, my wifeand I thoroughly enjoyed Tom Jones’ set.
Entry into, and exit from the circuit was a breeze. There was minimal waiting time in line toenter where we entered (near turns 2 and 3 from memory). Certainly far better than Melbourne inthat respect.
One slight negative, it wasn’t clear when/if you could enter the track after the race. Melbournemakes that very clear with broadcasts towards the end of the race, and displays on the bigscreen.
Ultimately, would I do it again? In a heartbeat! But I have far more items on my motorsportbucket list, so will have to wait.
Singapore GP response:
We will look into how we can better communicate when patrons can enter the track. The informationis currently printed on the Race Guides, which are distributed at the gates.
I’ve been fortunate enough to attend Singapore twice, once in 2012 and then again in 2015.Without doubt 2012 was the better experience – it wasn’t just the noise of the engines but also the‘feel’ of the engines as they passed by (I had seats in the Premier T3 Grandstand on bothoccasions), they reverberated through your chest and the very soles of your feet – there wasnothing quite like it and to say that 2015 was limp by comparison is doing a disservice tolettuce.
I have to hand it to Singapore, they make it an extraordinary event and a very positiveexperience despite the racing being as bland as hell. The effort made in to organising the venue,the entertainment, outstanding food and a positive vibe around the whole of Martina Bay takesconsiderable effort. The volunteers that are stewards for the weekend could not be more courteousand polite (as well as well informed) but then Singapore spoils you in that way; it’s a very clean,safe and efficient operation. For anyone complaining about temperatures and humidity – then if youhave a choice don’t visit the Tropics, it’s as simple as that.
Another positive for me has been the support races – fantastic fun and you could argue that theyprovide for better racing entertainment than the F1 cars. What I don’t like or appreciate is thetax that the Singaporean government applies to hotel rooms for that specific weekend – there are anawful lot of people travelling to Singapore for the race weekend from Europe (the US as I did in2012) and Australia, it makes an absolute fortune but the additional room tax leaves a bad taste ofrip-off.
I met Alonso in 2012, James Allen in the lift of the InterContinental as well as a number of theWilliams mechanics and Force India guys, sat alongside WDC JV at the bar in the hotel this lastyear – it’s a venue where you don’t have to try very hard to get close to the action at the trackor away from it.
So no, it’s not a petrol-head purist sort of venue, it’s very much an entertainment venue, butif you set your expectations accordingly you cannot fail but to have an incredible time there. Iwas planning on Austin or Mexico for the race this year but after seeing the entertainment line-upfor Singapore I may have to make an adjustment… Wanted to include a picture but the system isn’thaving it
Living in the region I have been fortunate to attend every Singapore GP except for 2011 & 12. Ihave taken seats all around the circuit, from walkabout, to Bay, to pit straight, to Stamfordgrandstand, to Waterfront. This year I will be at Turn 2.
I love the fact that you can very easily walk from the circuit to your hotel, or take the MRT(metro). Compare that to the chaos of trying to get out of Sepang by taxi!
The climate can be oppressive but there is not much can be done about that. Once the sun goesdown it gets a little more bearable.
In the early years your ticket included a ride on the Singapore Flyer on practice and qualydays, which was a very enjoyable experience looking down at the cars. Unfortunately this perk is nolonger included. The excellent concerts straight after the sessions really make the event – Ialways look forward to hearing what the line up is going to be. I am really looking forward toseeing Bastille this year.
In terms of improvements, F1 should bring back Kangaroo TV (later Fan Vision). With the adventof the Ipad and mobile devices, it should now be a much more viable proposition to live stream therace to mobile devices around the circuit without having to invest in the kangaroo TV sets. For theoccasional attendee, they really struggle to follow what is going on, and I am sure it puts themoff returning.
Organisers should also focus more on the support race action. The Porsche supercup and TCRseries are fair enough, but bring the GP2, the Australian V8 supercars, or the Historic Formula oneseries again.
In summary the Singapore GP is one of the best organised races I have been to (I attend morethan one race a year and have attended Grand Prix in 8 different countries), because of thelogistics, organisation, and “event” atmosphere rather than it being just about the racing.
Well done Singapore!
Singapore GP response:
Access to the Singapore Flyer this year is free for all Zone 1 ticketholders.
I attended the Singapore GP in 2013 and 2015. What an event it is!
I have also been to the Melbourne GP (my home) and it’s a decent event, but Singapore goes thatlittle bit further. It’s a real party atmosphere there, which seems to attract a lot of youngpeople. With the concerts included the in the ticket, there’s more to the event than just the F1.The concerts after the quali and race is almost like a bit of an after-party that all spectatorsget to go to!
The city itself is great, even though I don’t do so well in the high humidity climates. It’seasy to get around and the event itself is well organised. I have fond memories of the volunteerscheering us as we were leaving the track! I have to say, I’m a huge fan of night races!
I hope to be back soon! Almost a second home race for us Aussies!
I attended last year’s race with my wife (not a big motorsport fan) and we both loved the wholeexperience. We had Bay Combination tickets, which meant we were in the Pit Grandstand for Fridaypractice, Padang (back straight) for Qualifying, and Bay for the race.
The actual race experience wasn’t the best in F1, as visibility is limited to only wherever youare. However, the overall experience is brilliant – you’d pay more than $500 just to see PharellWilliams, Maroon 5 and Bon Jovi, let alone the F1, support races, and ability to walk alongside alarge proportion of the track.
The humidity is full on for anyone that hasn’t been in similar before, and I found it prettydisgraceful that you could only take in one 600mL bottle of water per person, especially with foodand drinks in the track so expensive. I wouldn’t say it’s an overly knowledgeable crowd either, butthere’s a cool mix of locals and internationals. Apart from those minor drawbacks though, couldn’tfault the experience, organisation or atmosphere.
Beyond the track experience, we loved Singapore as a city. We stayed NE of the track in Bugis,and found the MRT mind blowingly clean, safe and efficient. My wife loved the shopping, SentosaIsland is worth a day trip, and there’s lots of arts, history, culture, and adventure activities tokeep you occupied.
Hopefully this year Ricciardo can go one better!
I’ve done the Singapore Grand Prix three times, and we go there because although it is a longway from the UK, it is actually a much easier journey that going to many other tracks – Spa as anexample.
Singapore is one flight away, during which you try and sleep. You then get a taxi to your hotel,and walk to and from the track for quail and the race. Hell, why not go via a bar? You don’t need adesignated driver, you don’t need to worry about car parks, and you can concentrate on Singapore’sgreat night life before and after the race. The race itself is often great but it’s the highlightof an otherwise brilliant weekend. You don’t have to worry about jet lag as you stick to UK timeand the night life accommodates going to bed at 6am.
Now, let’s compare that to Spa. The race at Spa is brilliant, no doubt about it, and you canwalk around a lot more of the track a lot more easily. But there’s a lot of moving parts to gettingthere and it’s hard to make good use of the time when you’re not watching the cars. Eurostar, thenlocal trains, hire cars, faffing with parking at the track – someone has to drive so can’t have abeer, then you have to drive to your hotel on Sat night and back again in the morning between qualiand the race… It’s tiring.
Some of the Singapore benefits that I’ve listed are not unique to Singapore, more City racesgenerally vs ones in the countryside… But there’s just something about Singapore that weekend whenit turns in to a party town…
I’ve been to the Singapore GP twice and I’m actually planning on going again next year.
The city really knows how to put on an event. The atmosphere is amazing and there is constantentertainment. Between the concerts, the on track action, the city itself and driver appearances itreally is a hell of an event.
I also like that during the build up you can walk parts of the track. It’s great watching thetrack being built over the week and seeing how fast the roads open up again on Monday.
Each time I’ve been I’ve had premier walkabout tickets and I would thoroughly recommend them toanyone going. The viewing points are great (albeit less than previous years – not sure why though).With a PW ticket you get to access all zones and see all the entertainment and you get pretty closeto the cars in certain areas. Between that and the sound of the cars ricocheting off the buildingsit’s amazing.
Plus the whole place lights up at night and looks stunning!!
I have always felt safe whilst there as well which is a huge plus!
I really can’t dig the praises of the Singapore GP enough. I love it! Can’t wait to go back nextyear.
I’ve pretty much been to every race and every circuit over the years and Singapore stands headand shoulders above every one From ease of entry, layout, catering, entertainment, everything isbrilliantly organised and truly world class The only thing it doesn’t have is the history and auraof Spa and Monza – just give it time
Go – you won’t be disappointed
The short version:
It’s an amazing event. You have to go to experience it at least once in your lifetime. Much betterthan what you see on TV.
The longer version:
I try to attend one or two grands prix every year. The one I visit the most is the Australian GP inMelbourne (2006 / 2008 / 2010 / 2012-2015) but I’ve also been to Japan in Fuji and Sepang inMalaysia. As for the Singapore Grand Prix, I’ve been there 5 times in a row between 2009-2013. Iwould have gone since had it not been for personal commitments keeping me at bay.
I have bought a variety of ticket types and would consider myself an expert on both event andlocation having friends living there and having stayed in Marina Parade, Paya Lebar and BrasBasah.
From 2009 to 2011 I’ve bought the cheapest grandstand tickets (Bay, about S$270 during earlybird period) and was invited to sample the Turn 3 hospitality on the 2011 Sunday race by the SGPC.In 2012 and 2013 I was based at Turn 2 (S$1088 during early bird period) facing the main straight,last and first turns on both year.
The Singapore GP is an event more than an F1 race. The entertainment bill is almost asimpressive as the racing. It’s varied (Travis, Mariah Carey, Carl Cox, John Digweed, Maroon 5, TheKillers, Noel Gallagher…), well organised most of the time e.g. in between F1 on track session(except Missy Elliott whenever this was) and adds to the party atmosphere.
Having the event in the centre of town (City Hall, Esplanade, Marina Bay) means the circuit iseasily accessible by either foot or public transport. The late afternoon and evening schedule isgreat as it gives you the opportunity to explore the city state, go to the beach or just recuperatefrom the night before prior to going to the track!
Security is tight but ushers and marshals are genuine and friendly. Going in and out of thecircuit is a breeze thanks to the barcode scanning. You can have dinner or take a much neededaircon break in the Marina Square or Raffles City shopping malls or even head back to your bedroomif you can afford to stay in this part of town.
What I also like about the night time is how different the cars look under the floodlights –amazingly beautiful. They also sound louder due to being in a city. And if you have a ticket withZone 2 access, you can ride in a Singapore Flyer capsule to watch a support race or an F1 sessionfrom up high.
Facilities are top. Numbered seating, clean toilets, a TV screen close by for every grandstandand the SGP radio featuring Peter Windsor, Neil Crompton and Louise Goodman. Bleachers are alsoinstalled around the track for general admission, giving anyone with a ticket to be just metersaway from the cars in Zone 4 at least. And for the lucky people able to afford a Zone 1 or premiumgeneral admission ticket, there’s the track invasion for the podium ceremony.
The city itself managed to put on a show by organising a lot of media events in the build up tothe race with sponsor appearances listed in The Straits Times on the Tuesday before the race. Mostof them happen in a shopping precinct either in Orchard road mall (Plaza Singapura, Ion, WismaAtria, etc), Suntec City or the magnificent Marina Bay Sands building. There’s quite a lot ofparties too in various clubs and bars around town during the Grand Prix Carnival Season, which lasta full 10 days!
From a cost perspective it can be done on a shoestring budget flying Jetstar or AirAsia andstaying in places such as Hotel81 (as I did in 2010) or you splash on an indulgent 4/5* hotel. Thelocal food courts, known as hawker centres, sometimes offer the best dishes for prices so low youwouldn’t believe if it were not for government subsidies.
My only criticisms would be of the circuit layout itself which doesn’t promote good racing asmost corners pretty much 90 degree turns and some of the weird queuing systems at the bars whereyou first queue to purchase a coupon then queue again to exchange it for your drinks order.
If you can live with that, chances are you’ll have a blast.
I have attended 7 F1 GP’s at 6 different venues since 2011. I wrote an article for a friend’smotorsports blog detailing my experiences at Singapore and I have pasted it below. A bit haschanged since 2013 I am sure, including the sounds of the engines.
The 2013 Singapore F1 Grand Prix
You have to be a very dedicated F1 fan to spend over 48 hours travelling to see a 2 hour race.But of course F1 is so much more than just the race, and perhaps nowhere else is this more truethan for the Singapore Grand Prix. The fact that it is the only night race in F1 makes it slightlyeasier to handle the severe jetlag (Singapore is 12 hours ahead of Toronto). All of the teams anddrivers simply stay on European time, so they sleep until early afternoon, and stay up until almostdawn. We couldn’t quite match that schedule, but a late morning start left time for sightseeingbefore heading over to the race venue. Singapore is one of the great international cities of theworld and well worth a trip in itself. All of our hotel, race tickets, and trackside hospitalitywas arranged by UK-based BAM Motorsports.
Our hotel – The Ritz Carlton Millenia – was within the race track circuit and our 24th floorroom had spectacular views of the track and beautiful skyline. Check out this video of the viewfrom our hotel room: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOnOUok5cxY In fact, you could sit in your bathtub andhave a perfect view of the DRS straight between turns 5 and 7. Most of the teams, drivers and otherVIPs stayed at the same hotel. When we walked into the lobby to check-in, we bumped into Sir JackieStewart. Getting off the elevator, Bernie Ecclestone and Niki Lauda are waiting for you to get out.We had breakfast next to David Coulthard, who was very pleasant and chatted with us a bit.
The height of F1 luxury is the well-known Paddock Club and once you experience it, it’s hard tosettle for anything else. We were guests of the Red Bull team and their suite has the reputation ofbeing more laid back than other teams, with a cool, non-corporate vibe. A live DJ plays music thewhole time and the video screens show live feeds from the garage. One unique aspect of the Red Bullsuite is they take guests right into the garage for visits- even during the race if you are luckyenough. We also got to meet Vettel, Weber, and David Coulthard who all did Q+A sessions and thensigned autographs. Red Bull also lets you access the secure paddock area where the teams have theirprivate motorhomes. Going through there we ran into several drivers including Kimi and Maldonado.Other celebrity sightings included David Beckham , and 8 Miss Universe pageant contestants whoturned the traditional pitlane walk into more of a catwalk.
Other areas of the Paddock Club provide live entertainment, various bars, and amazing food. Oneroom had a branch of the famous Nobu restaurant providing all-day all-you-can-eat sushi and sake.There was also a Jean Georges restaurant serving all-you-can-eat gourmet tapas. Given the climateof Singapore, even for a night race, the heat and humidity requires that the suites be fullyenclosed. The disadvantage is that unlike at other races you cannot hear the thrilling sounds ofF1, or lean over to view the pit lane. However, you can take a short walk over to the VIPgrandstands which overlook the pit exit and turn 1.
In terms of the on-track activities, it is important not to focus just on F1. There wereexcellent support races as well. The Asia Porsche Carerra Cup and the GP2 series also ran races.The advantage of these races is that there are less crowds so you can get very close to the cars,drivers, and pit garages. We got to view a live in-race GP2 pitstop from about 2 feet away. It wasalso fascinating to compare the Porsche Cup cars to the F1 cars in terms of the racing lines andbraking points used. The differences are quite amazing with the Cup Cars looking like a horse &buggy in comparison. For the F1 race, we observed the start from the outside grandstands which wereperfectly situated right at turn 1. To see the full field thunder down and squeeze through thefirst few turns without major incident was incredible.
One of the highlights of the trip was being able to get right up against the barriers at Turn 5.This is a fast right hander just before the long DRS straight. They enter the turn at 200 kph,brake hard, then accelerate through the apex at 135 kph and reach 280 kph after the exit. Youreally appreciate the aerodynamics of the cars when you see them heading straight towards the walland then miraculously turn in. And the sound of course is unbelievable. Check out the video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ0wDx6eALE For overall experience, the Singapore GP is hard to beat. With theshifting of economic powers towards the far east, it is starting to replace Monaco as the mostglamorous and important event for sponsors, businesses and fans alike. A great place to experiencethe sights and sounds of F1 racing.
Hi, I have been a Formula One tragic for many, many years and have been to 5 of the last 6 AGP’sin Melbourne with mates (was fortunate enough to win a Minardi 2 seater ride in 2010, but that’sanother story). Last year I took my family (wife, daughter and son) to the the Singapore GP, whichwas their first. They had no interest in F1 beforehand. The vibe, atmosphere and excitement of thenight GP at Singapore had them hooked. Yes it was hot, steamy and, in the general admission area,very crowded, but what an invigorating buzz for all. Close to the action, under lights, greatracing and the engines actually had enough night time grunt to tingle the ear drums. Significantresult with Seb and Ferrari winning (always a great crowd reaction when the scarlet car wins) andDan coming second (surely the most complete driver on the grid). Singapore is a great place tovisit, great food, lovely sites, friendly people and great value, we will be going back and Ihighly recommend the experience.
Went to the Singapore GP in 2013 and 2015. Great atmosphere, great city. Something very specialabout F1 under the lights. Early bird prices pretty reasonable when you take into account the offtrack entertainment. Would thoroughly recommend going. Planning on going again in 2017.
I’ve been to Singapore for the last 3 GPs – it is definitely my favourite race to attend (livein Sydney, so ‘my’ races are Melbourne, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan). I only get GA tickets andwonder about – because for me it is all about the atmosphere – and as long as you can see a screen,smell the fuel and hear the roar I am a happy man. Plus with the insane humidity it is nice to beable to move about and enjoy some aircon from time to time. The GP is the ultimate experiencebecause it is right in the center of a great city – the entire country can’t help but get involvedin it. Each time I have gone I have flown in on the Thursday and out on the Sun night after therace, so haven’t been able to stay for the big shows, but the festival nature of the race meansthat people get involved even if they have no interest in the sport. Tickets are expensive – but itis a unique treat that I look forward to each year. Would definitely recommend it!
My friend and I made a 4-day trip out to Singapore last year for the grand prix and had a greattime. The location is fantastic being downtown with lots of other attractions to enjoy over theweekend.
We bought Premier Walkabout passes which gave us access to all zones around the track – overallI’d recommend them, but the one frustration with them was the lack of access to any of thegrandstands even during Friday practices. Due to the track being so flat the visibility wasn’tgreat from the sidelines even though you could get very close indeed to the cars.
We ended up finding a good spot just before the last double-apex corner where there are somesmaller stands that walkabout ticket holders can access.
On the plus side we got a great sense of the track having walked alongside nearly all of itacross all the sessions. There are a few spots near Turn 1 that I’d recommend as well as generallyacross the last sector.
We’ll definitely make the trip out again at some point if not this year – but maybe choose agrandstand.
I attended the inaugural race in 2008. I had a grandstand seat in the Bay grandstand, scene ofthe infamous Piquet crash. The event was superb. Organisation was very professional, transport onthe MRT very efficient and off-track entertainment well done. The city embraced the event andinvested heavily in it and it showed. For me the over-riding experience was that the organisers sawthe spectators as adding value and treated us well and with respect. A very welcoming atmospherefrom airport entry to departure. Young Singaporeans voluntered as spectator marshalls and reallygave the event a youthful, modern and vibrant feel. They represented their city and country verywell. As with all modern F1 races access was a little restricted around the ‘stars’ but atSingapore you could gain some access around the back of the pit garages back then. A great eventand the night racing was a sight to behold. Great memories.
Leading Formula One™ commentator and journalist, James Allen is a contributing writer forSigapore GP Pte Ltd
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Posted on 9 September 2016
Mercedes has a problem with starts
The failure by Lewis Hamilton to convert the pole position into the lead in Turn 1 in Monza wasthe seventh time this season in 14 races that a Mercedes driver has fluffed the start. Mercedes hasvery few weaknesses, but this is one of them. One could argue that it did not cost them much onthis occasion as the other Mercedes driver took the lead and the race win, Nico Rosberg, whileHamilton was able to fight back from 6th place on Lap 1 to finish second.
The failure by Lewis Hamilton to convert the pole position into the lead in Turn 1 in Monza wasthe seventh time this season in 14 races that a Mercedes driver has fluffed the start. Mercedes hasvery few weaknesses, but this is one of them. One could argue that it did not cost them much onthis occasion as the other Mercedes driver took the lead and the race win, Nico Rosberg, whileHamilton was able to fight back from 6th place on Lap 1 to finish second.
Ferrari has strategy limitations
Ferrari was more competitive in Monza thanks to an updated engine and they were quicker thanmain rivals Red Bull. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel said after finishing third in the race that heextracted ‘the maximum’ from the car and the team took the maximum from the race weekend, butthat’s not entirely true. They were constrained to run a different strategy from Mercedes becausethey did not want to take the risk of trying to qualify on the soft tyres, which would have giventhem a longer first stint in the race and by the fact that they did not want to run the mediumtyres, as Ferrari has always struggled to get the most out of the harder compounds. This meant thatwhen they found themselves in the fortunate position of being ahead of Hamilton after his poorstart, they were unable to capitalise on the track positions they had gained.
The old guard is moving on
This weekend we had at the retirement announcement of Felipe Massa after 15 years in F1 andJenson Button deciding not to race in 2017, but retaining an option to come back in 2018. This is aclever plan from McLaren; they get to have it all. There is a chance Fernando Alonso may pack it innext year if the McLaren Honda is uncompetitive, although the signs are that it will be a muchstronger package. He has also missed two Grands Prix in the last two seasons due to injury, sowhat's to say he won't have another? Button covers that off too.
There has to be a reasonable chance Alonso will retire at the end of 2017, but if McLaren Hondacontinues to improve at the current rate, the car will be pretty competitive by then. It will be acase of whether Alonso thinks he has a realistic shot at the 2018 world championship whether hecarries on. Then Button would not be needed. Many in F1 think we will not see Button race an F1 caragain. But this way he gets to have things his way and he can decide when to retire, rather than bepushed into it by other drivers moves. It's a great opportunity for Stoffel Vandoorne, who is asexciting a prospect for the future as Max Verstappen, although he is six years older at 24. It'squite a co-incidence that the two most exciting talents and from the small neighbouring countiesHolland and Belgium!
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Posted on 29 August 2016
Straight off the start
There was drama from the outset of Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix, with three of the fourfront-runners colliding at La Source in an incident that left both Red Bull and Ferrari feelingrather hard done by.
Max Verstappen, Kimi Raikkonen, and Sebastian Vettel were all angling for the same piece oftarmac as the cars streamed towards the first corner, and the close running saw the three makecontact and suffer damage that would see each man lose his chance of a podium finish. Just who wasat fault remains a matter of debate.
“The start wasn’t great,” Verstappen said after the race. “I dived up in the inside and locked awheel so I was easily making the corner but they just kept squeezing me. At one point I was in theinside, Kimi was again squeezing but then Sebastian turned in on both of us. That took my frontwing, I had a lot of damage, and also the floor got destroyed. From there on your race is gone.
“[Vettel] knows that he is on the outside and suddenly he just turns into the corner where thereare two other cars,” he added. “I think that’s pretty logical.”
But Vettel and Raikkonen had a rather different perspective, with the Ferrari pair both blamingtheir Red Bull rival for the incident that affected each of the trio.
"I had a very good start,” said Vettel after the race. “I think the best start from all thepeople in front of me. I was P2. Nico [Rosberg] was ahead but I was right behind on the outsideleading the way into the first corner. I could hardly see Kimi because I was more than half a carahead when I turned in, and to be honest he was already in the blind spot of Max.
"Just looking at it, it was a very bold move trying to recover those two places in one cornerdiving down the inside, and that obviously was the reason why Kimi couldn't turn in and follow thelead that I was dictating as the leading car of that group. The problem is you can't fit three carsin that corner and the inside one is able to trigger trouble to the outside and I think that's whatKimi and myself suffered from."
K-Mag’s crash
Image credit:Official @Formula1 Twitter account
Shortly after the Virtual Safety Car was turned off following the first lap chaos, KevinMagnussen suffered a dramatic high-speed crash into the tyre barriers at Eau Rouge, bringing outBernd Maylander in the real Safety Car.
The Renault driver went too deep into the kerbs on his approach to the corner in Lap 7, and lostcontrol of his car as the rear end flicked over the painted lines, sending Magnussen spinning intothe tyres at Eau Rouge, shedding bodywork in the impact. Despite the drama of the shunt itself,Magnussen was essentially unscathed.
The young Danish driver emerged from the car with a slight limp, and went to the circuit medicalcentre for precautionary checks before being moved to the local hospital. “He is fully consciousand responsive,” Renault said in a statement. “He has a small cut to the left ankle and has beenescorted to a nearby hospital for further routine checks.”
Image credit:Official @Formula1 Twitter account
By Lap 9, it had been established that the guardrails themselves needed repairs, and the racewas red-flagged while the work was completed. The consequence of Magnussen’s crash was a closed-upfield when racing resumed on on Lap 11, and the decimation of what had been Nico Rosberg’scomfortable lead.
HAM-mer time!
There’s hammer-time, and then there’s HAM-mer time, and the Belgian Grand Prix was a perfect --and record-breaking -- display of just what Lewis Hamilton can do when he has to make upground.
Following a series of engine penalties the Briton started from 21st on the grid, yet secured apodium finish. The eighteen places gained around the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps mark a new recordfor this track, and took Hamilton himself by surprise.
"I really cannot believe that we came up so far," Hamilton said after the race. "I woke up thismorning knowing how difficult it would be on these tyres. Lots of blistering so you can neverpredict what will happen. In the previous races there were no incidents and today there was. Todaywas about having the right approach, not too aggressive and not too easy. Today collectively as ateam we had the right balance. This is the best result I could have hoped for."
Avoiding the chaos into La Source -- easily done when you start at the back -- Hamilton hadworked his way up to twelfth place by the end of Lap 3, benefitting from both the crashes ahead andthe avoiding action those further up the pack had been forced to take.
By the time the Safety Car and eventual red flags came out following Magnussen’s Eau Rougecrash, Hamilton was running in fifth, chasing down the McLaren on Fernando Alonso. On Lap 12, theMercedes driver had passed his former teammate for fourth, and five laps later Hamilton had stolenthe final podium place from Nico Hulkenberg.
Getting to third was one thing, but maintaining it another. Having started on new mediums theBriton got a free pit stop under the Safety Car on Lap 9, taking on new softs both then and duringhis second stop on Lap 21.
The second set of softs enabled Hamilton to give good chase to second-placed Daniel Ricciardo,but at the end of Lap 32 Mercedes called their man back into the pits for a final stop, this timeto take on the used mediums that would see the defending world champion drop back to fourth placefor a single lap before another move on Hulkenberg left Hamilton a shoe-in for the final podiumposition.
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Posted on 1 August 2016
By James Allen
Hamilton's hot starts are becoming a habit
The start again went well for Lewis Hamilton and poorly for pole sitter Nico Rosberg, for thesecond race in a row. And again it set him up for the win.
This was no ordinary win; it took him to a career total of 49, just two short of Alain Prost’ssecond place in the all time winners list behind Michael Schumacher. And it also took him to 19points clear of Rosberg in the drivers’ standings going into the summer break.
F1 factories now shut down for two weeks and the next race is at the end of August in Spa.Rosberg, whose day got worse when he was given a 5 second penalty for pushing Max Verstappen offthe road, needs a strong response there and the only ray of sunshine for him is that Hamilton willneed to take a new engine soon and that will mean starting that race from the back of the grid,which should mean an easy win for Rosberg.
Ferrari fall behind Red Bull on pace and points
Ferrari go into the summer break with their heads down. They have lost second place in theconstructors’ championship to Red Bull, which has a 14 point advantage over them and they are nowclearly the third fastest car.
Worse still they have lost technical director James Allison, who left the team by mutual consentlast week. The paddock wisdom is that he and Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne did not see eye toeye and coupled with his difficult personal circumstances, it was inevitable that he would go. Heis considered the second most talented engineer in F1 after Red Bull’s Adrian Newey. So where doesFerrari go from here? The second half of the season will be challenging for morale and the pressureon the team and its senior figures will increase.
Team Radio becomes entertaining again
I was never a fan of the FIA ban on team radios and certainly not of the way that ban evolved inthe last few months. Apart from being unbelievably petty to penalize a driver for being told toshift through 7th gear otherwise he would not be able to continue, we had teams not being able totell their driver the brakes were about to fail, which is a serious safety issue.
Now all that has gone and the teams can say what they like once the race has started. That gaveus some entertaining moments, not least the exchange between Daniel Ricciardo and his Red Bullengineer Simon Rennie, when struggling to lap the Haas F1 driver Esteban Gutierrez.
DR- "Esteban is my favourite, I love this guy!"
SR- "Don't worry, he's doing this to everybody, not just you."
The weekend before Hamilton had made an obscene gesture to Gutierrez as he final got past insimilar circumstances
It’s not quite as entertaining as the classic “Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing” from KimiRaikkonen – ironically also to Simon Rennie, when he was his engineer at Lotus – but it stillbrightened up the afternoon!!
Leading Formula One™ commentator and journalist, James Allen is a contributing writer forSingapore GP Pte Ltd
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Posted on 25 July 2016
Hamilton makes a perfect getaway
The start went very well for Lewis Hamilton and he took the lead from second place on the grid.Starts have not always been his strongest suit this season; three times earlier in the year theroles were reversed and Rosberg had jumped pole sitter Hamilton. It set the world champion up forthe rest of the race on one of his strongest circuits, where he had won four times before. Hamiltoncontrolled the race from there onwards, although he struggled a little for pace in the secondstint, when they were running on the soft tyres, so much so that Mercedes had to tell him to speedup.
Ferrari likes hot conditions
Having fallen behind Red Bull in recent races the Ferrari was more competitive in the hotconditions on race day in Budapest. As the track temperature climbed to over 50 degrees, theFerrrari was able to do a long opening stint on the soft tyre with Kimi Raikkonen and SebastianVettel was able to split the Red Bull cars.
A key moment was the decision by Ferrari to pit Vettel on Lap 15, which triggered the firstround of pit stops. Ferrari was able to study the data from Raikkonen’s soft tyre performance toassess how early they could stop Vettel and comfortably make it to the finish on two pit stops.
Vettel undercut Max Verstappen for fourth place with that early stop and to compound theDutchman’s misery he got stuck behind Raikkonen after he reacted and made his first pit stop.Verstappen got back ahead of Raikkonen on strategy, but Raikkonen drove into the back of theteenager in the closing stages, damaging the front wing of his Ferrari.
Track Limits begin to grate
The subject of track limits - the boundaries of the race track and preventing drivers from goingoutside them to gain an advantage - was one of the main talking points of the weekend and many feltthat the subject was becoming irritating and maybe it would be better to let the drivers use therace track how they want instead of constantly nagging them.
The drivers were warned about going outside the limits of the circuit on a ‘three strikes andyou’re out’ basis, meaning a penalty for drivers after receiving three warnings from Race Control.And with limits being placed on what teams can tell drivers over the radio, much of the radiotraffic was drivers being told that they were receiving warnings for exceeding the limits!
When one compares the situation to races like Singapore Grand Prix, where there are no concernsabout track limits because the tracks are lined with walls and barriers, it makes it seem all themore strange.
But the FIA is very keen to teach best practice to younger drivers in the lower categories andso the drivers at the pinnacle have to set an example.
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Posted on 10 July 2016
Radioing Rosberg
Nico Rosberg crossed the finish line of Sunday’s British Grand Prix in second place, but itremains to be seen whether or not that result will be allowed to stand pending a stewards’post-race investigation into the legality of some of the radio traffic between the German racer andthe Mercedes pit wall.
On lap 47, Rosberg was running in second place, albeit nearly ten seconds behind teammate LewisHamilton on track, with the Red Bull of Max Verstappen close behind. Having lose three seconds toHamilton in the preceding two laps, Rosberg radioed the team in a panic, crying “gearboxproblem!”.
Race engineer Tony Ross replied, telling his driver to work the settings on the steering wheel.“Driver default 1-0-1, chassis default 0-1, chassis default 0-1,” Ross said. “Avoid seventh gearNico, avoid seventh gear.” “What does that mean, I have to shift through it?” Rosberg asked,getting the response “affirm Nico, you need to shift through it. Affirm, you need to shift throughit.”
The conversation appeared to be in violation of this year’s rules governing radio trafficbetween car and team, with Rosberg being given far more information on solving his problem thanHamilton had been allowed in Baku last month. The stewards announced that the radio messages wouldbe subject to a post-race investigation which was still ongoing at the time of writing.
Speaking in the post-race press conference, Rosberg was confident he would not be penalised. "Itwas a very critical problem, I was stuck in seventh gear and was about to stop on track," he said."So they told me to change the default to try and fix it."
Given that other drivers have been denied help fixing their cars on track this season in similarcircumstances, the situation is not as black and white as Rosberg appears to feel.
Update: Nico Rosberg has been demoted to third place in the British GP after a
10-second penalty for breaking radio transmission rules
Trailer park boys go round the outside (round the outside)
If there can be said to be trends in overtaking in Formula One, then the hot manoeuvre atSunday’s British Grand Prix was the unexpected pass around the outside, as ably demonstrated -defined, even - by Max Verstappen sweeping past Nico Rosberg around Becketts when the pair werestill on inters in the opening phase of the race.
"That move at Becketts... that was pretty sensational," Red Bull team principal Christian Hornersaid after the race. But Verstappen downplayed the achievement in his post-race comments, showinghumility atypical of an F1 superstar in the making.
“The move on the outside at Becketts was fun,” the Dutch racer said. “He was finding the insideso I thought ‘let’s try the outside’. It was a risky move for sure. The car had the grip and I hadthe feeling so it worked well. There’s a bit of run off there anyway so I had room if it wentwrong.”
Another man to spend the afternoon trying to go “round the outside” was the grossly underpoweredFernando Alonso, who was busy chasing down the scrapping pair of Nico Hulkenberg and Felipe Massa,attempting outside overtakes before the Brazilian peeled into the pits for fresh rubber.
Later in the afternoon the Spaniard tried to pass his former Ferrari teammate around the outsideof the Wellington Straight, but the McLaren was unable to make it past the Williams on thatoccasion, despite his best attempts to make the most of unexpected passing opportunities tocircumvent his car’s relative deficiencies.
“We are P12 and P13, so I don't think we should be very proud of today's race," the Spanishracer said. “It is the way it is. Probably we could have a point or two with my car, but it'sdifficult to overtake any cars with the power we have at the moment, so we have to invent someplaces like Turn 1 or Turn 2.”
Victims of Abbey (road)
The wet-to-dry conditions on offer in the first part of the British Grand Prix saw the fieldstruggling for grip, leading to errors both major and minor - especially at Abbey, which sawoff-line visits from nearly half the grid during 52 laps of Silverstone Circuit.
First to suffer was Manor’s Pascal Wehrlein, who aqua-planed into the gravel when the pack wasrunning behind the Safety Car, telling his team over the radio that he’d had “no chance”, thanks tothe total lack of grip.
Wehrlein started a trend, and the wet patches around Abbey saw Kimi Raikkonen take a side tripto Oxford via the run-off, a handful of laps before Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel made asimilar - if shorter - detour.
But the hero of Abbey had to have been Fernando Alonso, who refused to let being beached in thegravel affect his ability to race. The McLaren driver span three times into Abbey, ending hisrotational journey not far from the wall, but gunned his engine and - following a few sprays ofgravel - managed to get his car back on track, racing on to 13th place.
Other drivers to take Abbey off road included Carlos Sainz Jr., eventual race winner Hamilton,Sergio Perez, Rio Haryanto, and Max Verstappen, although the third-placed finisher had less of adetour than what the Red Bull driver called “a few moments”.
“I had a few moments,” Verstappen said. “It’s very difficult because I think when everybodytouched the water sometimes the spray goes to the left so you just approach it exactly the same waybut suddenly you pick up a little bit of water on the tyre and you just slide off. I think Lewiswent off and I went off on the same lap so I think because of the spray it comes onto the normalracing line and then you have a bit of a moment when you have to go off.”
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Posted on 4 July 2016
Last lap lunacy
The end of the Austrian Grand Prix descended into the sort of timing screen chaos usuallyassociated with the final seconds of qualifying on a drying track.
Nico Rosberg was leading the race for Mercedes going into the final lap, with a charging LewisHamilton only three-tenths behind as the pair crossed the line. An attempt at an overtake plusbraking issues saw the pair collide at Turn 2, with Hamilton spinning off track and rejoining whileRosberg suffered heavy damage and slowed considerably.
The incident knocked the race leader off the podium, and allowed Max Verstappen and KimiRaikkonen to claim the second and third-placed trophies. Hamilton graced the top step, whileRosberg limped home in fourth, dragging his front-wing along under his car.
After the race, Rosberg was called to the stewards to discuss charges of causing a collision andof failing to stop his damaged car. Hamilton was booed on the podium, but the Briton was adamantthat the incident was his teammate’s fault.
"I tried to brake,” Hamilton said. "He made a mistake into Turn One and I had an opportunity togo around the outside in Turn Two. I left a lot of room on the inside and I guess he locked up andcrashed into me."
Mercedes revealed that Rosberg’s brake by wire system had failed, going into “passive” mode atthe end of the penultimate lap of Sunday’s race, effectively leaving the championship leader asitting duck as his rivals piled past the stricken Mercedes on their way to the chequered flag.
While mechanical failures are hard to replicate, the tight streets of Singapore’s Marina BayStreet Circuit make it the ideal venue for another chaotic round come September. The track’s layoutmakes it easy to pay heavily for small mistakes and simple failures, whether they come on the firstlap or the last.
Underdogs of the undercuts
Tyre strategy has been a defining factor of the 2016 F1 season so far, with the introduction ofa third compound really proving to be effective when it comes to shaking up the action on track.The Austrian Grand Prix was no exception, with several of the likely podium finishers in theopening phase of the race all thrown back into the pack thanks to pit stop strategy.
Eventual race winner Lewis Hamilton refused the offer of the first Mercedes stop, which wastaken by Nico Rosberg. The pair’s differing strategies saw Hamilton exit the pits behind histeammate and championship rival after making his first - slightly slow - stop on lap 21, andRosberg was able to retain the lead right through to the pair’s second stops. Despite havingstarted from pole and led the early phase of the race, Hamilton looked to be losing out on whatshould have been a commanding win until the pair collided on the final lap.
The Mercedes pair were not the only drivers whose afternoons were affected by undercuts and pitstop strategy - Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen finished on the podium, but could have been in contentionfor the win had he not emerged from his first pit stop in sixth, staring at the gearbox of both RedBulls for longer than was comfortable.
“We had pretty good speed in the beginning,” Raikkonen said after the race. “I was saving tyresa bit and pushing, was [a] bit catching, [a] bit losing time to Mercedes, going like that. We werepretty close. Then, once we made a pitstop suddenly found myself in sixth position. It was a bithard after that.
“There were safety cars and stuff but the biggest issue was probably with the first Red Bull.Tried to get past him, we had good speed but it was so difficult to get close enough. ... When Iclose I could not find the traction to challenge him and then luckily on one lap I managed tosuddenly get a jump on him. Then the speed was good [but] I ran out of the laps.”
Manor minnows maximise
Pascal Wehrlein scored the first point of his Formula One career at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday,giving Manor a much-needed boost in the constructors’ championship. The Banbury-based team now sitsabove the scoreless Sauber in the constructors’ standings, and is five points adrift ofeighth-placed Renault.
“We were a bit unlucky with our second pit stop because we needed to box earlier than the otherguys, then unfortunately the safety car came out, so that meant that I was lapped and last,”Wehrlein said after the race. “To finish the race in the points from there is incredible.”
The rookie driver had a strong weekend overall, securing Manor’s highest grid position of 2016during Saturday’s qualifying session, and missing out on a crack at Q3 by just under six-tenths ofa second. Wehrlein now sits 17th in the drivers’ standings, ahead of teammate Rio Haryanto, Sauberpairing Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson, and Renault rookie Jolyon Palmer.
Whether or not Wehrlein can pick up points in Singapore remains to be seen. But fellow rookiesHaryanto and Palmer might find themselves able to score their own first F1 points in Marina Bay inSeptember, where the tricky circuit is not afraid to throw up a few surprises.
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Posted on 20 June 2016
Azeri anti-climax
After a Sunday afternoon GP2 race that saw an endless stream of Safety Cars and more shunts thanthe bumper cars at a funfair, expectations were high for a dramatic start to the first EuropeanGrand Prix since 2012.
But all 22 Formula One drivers were on their best behaviour, going softly into the hard-brakingTurn One with only the slightest of contact between cars.
Despite predictions of Safety Cars and on-track chaos, the Baku City Circuit claimed its victimsthrough equipment failure and mechanical gremlins, and not as the result of crashes and collisionswith the tight walls of the UNESCO World Heritage Site or errors in judgement as drivers slammed onthe brakes for Turn One at the end of the 1.2 kilometre straight that saw the fastest cars tearingthrough the speed trap at over 360 kilometres an hour.
Instead of the anticipated near-misses and wheel-to-wheel battles, the drama in Azerbaijan camemainly from frustrated drivers swearing on team radio. Tyre degradation was nowhere near as severeas anticipated, and the faster one-stop strategy ensured a largely processional race.
Radio blah-blah
While the new rules restricting radio communications between team and driver have been in forcesince the start of the season, it was only in Baku that the impact was made obvious to the watchingfans.
Lewis Hamilton spent a significant chunk of the European Grand Prix frantically adjustingsettings on his steering wheel as he knew that there was something wrong with his car but wasn’tsure what the problem was or how to fix it. The Mercedes driver’s afternoon was impacted by whatthe team called “de-rates” (lower than maximum electrical deployment in layman’s terms), and had tofiddle with buttons until he hit on the right solution.
As soon as Hamilton had fixed the problem, he went purple, setting the fastest time in everysector, but by that late stage of the race it was too late for the Briton to do anything more thanmaintain the solid fifth place in which he was running. Race winner Nico Rosberg had the sameissues as his teammate, but was able to get to the bottom of the problem more quickly than hischampionship rival.
Mercedes were not the only team to feel the effects of the radio ban in Azerbaijan - when KimiRaikkonen asked race engineer Dave Greenwood to explain one of his settings, he was told “I can’tanswer, Kimi.” “Surely you can say yes or no?” the Finn responded. “I can’t answer, Kimi,” was thereply.
No diplomatic immunity for Alonso
Being the official ambassador of the European Grand Prix afforded Fernando Alonso with nospecial privileges on the streets of Baku, as the McLaren driver was forced to retire from the racewith only seven laps remaining.
Despite a strong performance from the Spanish racer - who was disadvantaged by his Honda powerunit’s lack of relative thrust on the Baku City Circuit’s long straight and uphill climbs in thesecond sector - Alonso was easy pickings for his rivals during the closing stages of the race, withcar after car passing the McLaren with ease. Team radio revealed that the Asturian had lost theability to downshift going into the slower corners, and the decision was made to retire the car andreduce the strain on parts with a strict shelf-life.
Historically a strong performer on street circuits, the bad luck suffered by Alonso in Baku hasno bearing on his likely performance at Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit in three months’ time- mechanical troubles can strike any time, any place, and usually without rhyme or reason. The lostpoints in Azerbaijan are not worth crying over, as no one at McLaren expected Baku to be a track atwhich their car would be strong.
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Posted on 17 June 2016
By James Allen
The recent Grands Prix in Spain, Monaco and Canada have shown that the chasing pack is closingin on Mercedes, the dominant team since 2014. Max Verstappen won in Spain, his Red Bull Racing teammate Daniel Ricciardo should have won in Monaco and Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari had a good chanceto win in Canada. So is the turning of the tide about to happen and which team is best placed?
If we look at Red Bull first, the win in Spain was largely down to the two Mercedes driverscolliding on the opening lap in Barcelona. This left Ferrari vs Red Bull and the Austrian team madea strategy call which gave the win to Verstappen, who did a superb job to keep the tyres alive witha long stint to win the race and hold off Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. The Ferrari was slightly fasterin Barcelona, but Red Bull took the honours; the only team apart from Mercedes to win a race thisseason.
Monaco was different. Daniel Ricciardo used the new upgraded Renault engine to good effect totake pole position and had the race under control until his team made some strategic errors andthen lost him the race with a slow pit stop because the tyres were not ready.
The Red Bull certainly had the mechanical grip and the responsiveness in the chassis to beatMercedes in Monaco and this looks likely to be the case in Hungary and Singapore as well. These arethe two races Red Bull is most likely to win in 2016. The new Renault engine gives the car about0.4s a lap faster than before. This has pushed Red Bull closer, but it's still about 30kw down onthe Mercedes in outright power. That's why Hungary and Singapore, where the engine is lessimportant are the races they can win his year.
So what about Ferrari? Well the red team has made a massive step forward with its car and enginethis season, but a win has eluded them so far. They've had chances in Australia, Spain and Montrealbut not landed the big prize due to strategy calls mainly. They are probably closer to catchingMercedes on all circuits than Red Bull, as their engine is more powerful. But they lack a littlestill on the aerodynamic side.
Attention now focuses on the 2017 cars, as the rules are set to change dramatically, especiallyon the chassis and aerodynamics side. This needs a lot of resource and that takes away from thedevelopment time teams can spend the 2016 cars. I suspect Ferrari will close a little more on theMercedes before the end of the season and they are likely to win a race or two, but all three teamshave to think about 2017 and having the best car possible.
My hunch is that Red Bull will be the team to beat next season as they are the best ataerodynamics and in next year's rules the aero is more of a performance differentiator thantoday
What do you think?
Leading Formula One™ commentator and journalist, James Allen is a contributing writer forSingapore GP Pte Ltd
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Posted on 15 June 2016
By James Allen
Singapore is one of those Grands Prix that most F1 fans have on their Bucket List; it’s one tobe ticked off - although many fans find that they come back again.
I’ve been now attended, in my capacity as a broadcaster and journalist, all eight Singapore GPsand have seen how the event has grown. There have been many highlights on track, like SebastianVettel’s amazing win for Ferrari last season and off track – like Robbie Williams singing in hissocks when it rained while he was on stage!
There is so much to do, so how do you make sure to make the most of the weekend? Here’s mysimple guide.
The cheapest way to enjoy the experience is the Walkabout ticket, which costs around $268 for a3 Day pass and allows you to move around and witness the action from special bleachers or stands atthe side of the track. A good one is Esplanade Drive and Raffles Avenue, which is around Turn 14 onthe race track. It’s at the top end of the track, the opposite end from the start/finish area.
Grandstand seats are always a good idea and come in all kinds of prices depending on where yousit. My favourite spots are the amphitheatre overlooking Turns 1 & 2 and especially Turn 3, whereyou get to see some overtaking and a great view of the start and finish and the amazing fireworkdisplay.
The Turn 3 Premier stand is also a good spot to see the different driving styles of the F1stars; how early they turn in to the corner, how early they can get onto the power, which is a signof confidence in the car and you can judge the exit speed for the short squirt to Turn 4. There’s abuzz around that area at night, great dining facilities and all in all it’s a good place for therace.
A new grandstand package for this year, which really intrigues me, is the Red Bull Turbo Seat -this would suit the many fans of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.
This seat this puts you in the Pit Grandstand right opposite the Red Bull Racing garage.Ricciardo qualified on the front row of the grid in Singapore last year and finished second in therace. Can he go one better and take pole, like he did in Monaco and a win, which was denied him inthe Principality this year by a pit stop blunder?
But the Turbo Seat package gives the fans a chance to get closer to the action; customers willget to rub shoulders with Red Bull Racing drivers Ricciardo and Verstappen as well as TeamPrincipal Christian Horner at an exclusive Red Bull Racing event held in the Singapore Formula OnePaddock Club on Thursday evening (15 September).
I’ve not seen this kind of initiative done before, but it sounds like a terrific idea. I’m sureit will be a blast for fans of those drivers.
If you are coming for all three days and like a bit of variety, another way to play it might bethe 3 Day Bay Combination Ticket ($598), which provides some flexibility to explore different partsof the street circuit on each of the three days.
The Bay Combination, for example, gives you access to the Pit Grandstand in Zone 1 on Friday,the Padang Grandstand in Zone 4 on Saturday, which is up near the Padang Stage for the Concertafter qualifying and then the Bay Grandstand for the race on Sunday, which is the one the carsfamously pass through and underneath as they come around the final few corners of the lap. I likethat area of the track. It’s quite different from the first two sectors and there is a goodatmosphere there in that Bay Section.
If you really want to push the boat out then the Paddock Club is an experience like no other.The entrance is close to the F1 Paddock itself, where the teams and drivers are based and theviewing areas allow an unrivalled view of the cars as they come out of the pit lane after a tyrechange and you can feel the thunder at the race start itself as 22 cars bear down on Turn 1.
What sets the Singapore Paddock Club apart is the sheer variety of restaurants and bars,catering to all tastes, from Asian food to French. On my visit we tasted some dishes at JeanGeorges, there was a stunning Dim Sum experience from Janice Wong and a real favourite was the BlueFin Tuna and Soba Noodle at COMO.
There’s Barista style coffee outlets, a Patisserie, there are bands and solo musicians playingall the while on a stage which is located in a peaceful forum area, there are booths with Palmistryand Calligraphy and even – although I didn’t have time to go in and try it – a Marina Bay Spa.
I can’t wait to come back to the race again this year. I’ll be working flat out, as usual, butwill try to find some time to wander around the public areas and sample the atmosphere. I hope thissimple guide has been useful and I may even bump into you there.
Leading Formula One™ commentator and journalist, James Allen is a contributing writer forSingapore GP Pte Ltd
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Posted on 14 June 2016
Building the Marina Bay Street Circuit
The FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX is one of the world’s great sporting events, and looksdazzling on TV – but constructing the temporary Marina Bay Street Circuit is all about perfectingthe fine details in big numbers.
Despite a five-month build process, maximum care is taken by the organisers to minimisedisruption to traffic and businesses in and around the 5.065km circuit – with all work done inphases, on a zone-by-zone basis.
It all begins in May, when all race-related infrastructure (barriers, fences, cables, tracklighting and more) is steadily removed from a 38,130sqm storage facility in the eastern part ofSingapore.
The first port of call is the pit straight, the circuit’s only permanent section, withcontractors installing concrete barriers, debris fencing and lighting projectors – establishing oneof the event’s key nerve centres.
As the race infrastructure continues to be installed around the circuit across the next fewmonths, so do the nine grandstands and corporate hospitality facilities that will accommodate the86,000 daily spectators.
Of course, one of the most impressive aspects of the FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX is theracing under lights – with the state-of-the-art system from Italian lighting specialists DZEngineering delivering optimal visibility for night race conditions.
Featuring around 1600 lighting projectors strategically positioned around the track, the bespokesystem ensures the world’s best drivers can focus on what they do best, racing wheel-to-wheel, withminimal glare and reflections from a wet surface or spray from other cars.
As the weeks count down to the race weekend, the entertainment stages, tents for merchandise,and food and beverage outlets are installed. While on the pit straight, the Formula One PaddockClub, temporary Sky and Club suites are all being fitted out ready for the caterers to deliver afive-star experience.
And, as the race weekend begins, the FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX organisers are planning thepack-down, and dismantle of the circuit – for its return to city streets with minimal disruption totraffic and businesses.
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Posted on 13 June 2016
Ferrari close the gap
Ferrari didn’t win the race in Canada, but they can be very pleased with their performance,which was much more competitive than they have been. The team has been waiting on a new turbo forthe engine, to fix a problem which had meant that they couldn’t use all the power of the engine. Itcertainly worked and the car was close to Mercedes’ pace in Montreal. Sebastian Vettel qualified atenth of a second behind the pole sitter, the closest margin since Vettel took pole in Singaporelast year. And in the race he was able to hold Hamilton off in the opening stint. Strategy decidedthe outcome, with Ferrari opting for two stops and Mercedes for one, which proved the better call.But Ferrari will have more chances this season to win
Bottas back on the podium
Valtteri Bottas stood on the Montreal podium for the second year in succession after a fantasticperformance in the Williams. Qualifying had put him down in seventh place behind the Mercedes, RedBull and Ferrari cars, but he did the same one stop strategy as Lewis Hamilton, pitting on Lap 25and this gave him track position advantage over the Red Bulls and Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari. Bottashas always excelled in Canada and this was another example. It was a much needed result as the Finnhas had a poor start to the season. It’s a relief for Williams too after a miserable weekend inMonaco last time out.
Starts are unpredictable
Once again the start delivered a shake up of the order, with Sebastian Vettel able to lead intoTurn 1 ahead of the pole sitter Lewis Hamilton, who nudged his team mate off track dropping himdown to 9th place. Since the FIA changed the rules on starts with a single clutch and driversforced to manage the procedure alone, we have had far more variable starts, which has made forbetter racing. That’s one rule change that has really worked.
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Posted on 30 May 2016
Daniel pits for no rubber
For the second consecutive race, Daniel Ricciardo lost out on a possible victory through nofault of his own. While the Spanish indignity came as a result of Red Bull choosing to cover theFerrari of Sebastian Vettel and was simply a strategic error, the Australian’s Monegasquedisappointment stemmed from a lack of tyres being ready when Ricciardo was called in to box.
Instead, Ricciardo sat in his box for what felt like a lifetime, waiting for the Red Bull pitcrew to fetch and change a new set of tyres, and when the Australian pulled out of the pit exit hewas nanoseconds behind Hamilton’s rear wing.
It was a race-defining error, and one that cost Ricciardo what should have been his maiden F1victory.
The typically sunny driver was uncharacteristically - but understandably - downbeat after therace. "I was called into box, I didn’t make the call, I got called,” he said. “They should havebeen ready. I don’t want to even comment on the race to be honest. Two weekends in a row now I’vebeen screwed, It sucks. It hurts, I don’t have anything else to say to be honest.
"I thought I was the quickest in all conditions but second place doesn’t show much for it. Ithink we had the speed in the wet, on the start we pulled away. Could have fit inters and we putourselves in a race with Lewis we didn’t need to be in, and then the pit stop was the pitstop."
Max’s worst weekend
Formula One is a harsh mistress indeed. Max Verstappen went from hero to zero in the space of afortnight, following up his impressive win on debut for Red Bull with a weekend best defined as acatalogue of errors and misfortune.
Verstappen’s Monaco weekend got off to a slow start - having missed out on the upgraded Renaultengine the Dutch racer trailed teammate Ricciardo during Thursday’s practice sessions, and foundhimself struggling with traffic. But worse was to come on Saturday, when the boy wonder crashed outof Q1 having misjudged his approach to the second Swimming Pool chicane.
"I turned in too early, so I clipped the wall, broke the suspension and went straight into thewall," Verstappen said on Saturday. "I felt quite good [before]. On my first 'push' lap I felt moreconfident than all the other laps, also in terms of car balance because my second sector was twotenths faster than I had been. It was all coming together, but then into the chicane Iunderestimated the grip I had, turned in a bit too early, and it all went wrong."
That mistake led to a back of the grid start for Verstappen, but during Sunday’s race Max’sweekend went from bad to worse. Having fought his way up into a points-paying position, the RedBull driver crashed heavily on his way into Casino, out of the race before the midpoint.
Given that human error and bad luck can strike at any time, there is no way of telling whetherMax’s Monaco misfortunes will follow the young racer to Marina Bay in September. But havingsuffered the slings and arrows at Europe’s best-known street circuit, he will be out to demonstratehis way with walls when F1 returns to the most famous street circuit in Asia.
Demolition derby and the Virtual Safety Car
The wet-dry-damp conditions on offer around the streets of Monaco on Sunday led to a race ofattrition that saw seven drivers retire following collisions with the barriers that line thetwisting corners of the principality.
After spending the first tenth of the grand prix under the official Safety Car, the VirtualSafety Car made no fewer than four appearances during the 78 laps of Sunday’s race. Jolyon Palmerwas the first casualty of Monaco’s slippery streets, with the Renault driver losing control on thestart/finish straight and sliding into Ste Devote, destroying the front of his car in theprocess.
Three laps later it was Kimi Raikkonen whose afternoon ended early. Having clipped the wallaround Casino Square, the Ferrari driver powered through the tunnel with his front wing trappedunder his car before pulling off and retiring at the Nouvelle Chicane.
Two laps after the Dane’s crash, it was the turn of Max Verstappen to cap off an incident-strewnweekend with a heavy crash at Casino. The final retirements came courtesy of the Sauber pair, whotook each other out of the race when Felipe Nasr ignored team orders over the radio and MarcusEricsson attempted to enforce the team’s decision on track.
While the Marina Bay Street Circuit is no stranger to races of attrition, Monaco’s one-in-threeretirement rate is unlikely to be repeated this September in Singapore - while the tight corners onoffer at F1’s night race are challenging, Monaco’s chaos stemmed partly from the changing trackconditions and inclement weather. Thus far, every Singapore Grand Prix has been held in thedry.
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Posted on 16 May 2016
Verstappen to the V-Max
Max Verstappen became the youngest Formula 1 Grand Prix winner at the age of 18, also theyoungest to lead a race and looks set to break other records. It’s unusual to win a race on debutfor a new team, but to do it mid season with no opportunity for testing is very rare. Only JuanManuel Fangio in the 1950s has done that before. Verstappen’s win owed a lot to a strategy move byRed Bull on Daniel Ricciardo’s car that didn’t work out, they switched him to a three stop strategyand Ferrari covered it with Sebastian Vettel.
That left Verstappen and Raikkonen out on a two-stop strategy, which proved to be the fasterplan. Raikkonen tried to attack Verstappen, but couldn’t get close enough to him out of the finalcorners onto the main straight, so Verstappen was able to stay out of reach of an overtake. Perhapsthe most impressive aspect of Verstappen’s performance was that he managed to do a 32-lap finalstint on the medium compound Pirelli tyres, which is very long, despite never having raced the RedBull car before. This shows amazing adaptability, as well as great calmness to be able to withstandthe pressure from Raikkonen. The next race in Monaco should suit the Red Bull chassis, so a repeatwin is certainly a possibility.
Mercedes implodes
The two highly competitive Mercedes drivers have had some close shaves and some feuds in thelast two seasons, but nothing like what happened here. Things turned nasty in Barcelona as NicoRosberg closed the door on Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap, putting him on the grass. He startedto spin and hit Rosberg, putting both out of the race.
Pundits and ex-drivers in the paddock are divided on whose fault the accident was; Hamilton hadbeen too cautious under braking into Turn 1, from pole position and lost the lead, but he was thenvery aggressive in trying to take it back again on the inside as they went towards Turn 4. Rosbergclosed the door quite late and that seems to be the part that most ex-drivers cite as being wherethe real fault lies. It was very embarrassing as it meant that neither Mercedes driver scored anypoints for the first time since their dominance began in 2014.
Niki Lauda, the team chairman, called it ‘stupid’ and blamed Hamilton for being too aggressive,but most recent ex drivers think it was more Rosberg’s fault. My own view is that, after a numberof occasions in the last two years where Rosberg has come off second best in close combat, this washim making a statement to Hamilton that he will not yield and that he intends to win thischampionship. Hamilton fell to third in the Drivers’ Championship as a result, behind KimiRaikkonen.
Ferrari unable to beat Red Bull despite having a faster car
Ferrari were frustrated after the race, as they should have been the ones to capitalise on thedouble Mercedes retirement, but instead Red Bull Racing did.
The seeds of the failure were sown in qualifying, where both Ferraris underperformed, comparedto the pace they had shown in practice. Vettel was slower in the final qualifying lap than he hadbeen in the final practice, whereas his rivals were all nearly a second faster. This put Raikkonenand Vettel on the third row of the grid, behind the Red Bulls and they weren’t able to recover fromthat in the race, despite trying some strategic moves.
The Ferrari was faster overall and especially on the soft tyres, but Red Bull had better gripout of the low speed chicane at the end of the lap and that meant that Verstappen was able to stayfar enough ahead of Raikkonen on the straights so he could not attack.
The Red Bull is a very nimble chassis and it looks like a car that should be very competitive inthe Singapore GP in September. Last year Daniel Ricciardo finished second to Sebastian Vettel inSingapore, but this year it could well be the other way around.
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Posted on 2 May 2016
Rosberg builds a commanding lead
Nico Rosberg’s charmed life at the front of the Formula One field continued for a fourthstraight race, while team mate Lewis Hamilton again had a troubled weekend. The German won the raceto extend his championship lead over Hamilton to 43 points, larger than he enjoyed at any point in2014.
Hamilton suffered more reliability problems with his Mercedes engine in both qualifying and therace, but still managed to finish in second place from 10th on the grid. Ferrari were not able tomaximize their potential again, with Sebastian Vettel crashing on the opening lap, which triggereda Safety Car and Kimi Raikkonen losing out once again at the restart after the Safety Car.
Rosberg has not lost a race since the United States Grand Prix in 2015, gaining in confidenceand stature since then. With a 43 point lead over Hamilton, it means that Rosberg can finish sixconsecutive races second behind the Englishman and still lead the championship. Surely that is awinning margin established now, unless Rosberg has a non-finish on a day when Hamilton wins therace. Vettel meanwhile has already had two non-finishes, which makes it look very unlikely that hewill be able to challenge. He is now 5th in the championship 67 points behind Rosberg.
First Lap collisions – again!
The first lap again played a decisive role in the outcome of the race, with a set of collisionson the opening lap for the third time in four races in 2016. This one affected Sebastian Vettel andthe Red Bull drivers, Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat, who started it all by hitting Vettel intoRicciardo.
Kvyat hit Vettel a second time, pushing the Ferrari into the barriers and both Red Bulls had topit for new front wings and tyres. The team went the wrong way on strategy, choosing the mediumtyres, with the intention of trying to make the finish without stopping again. But the medium tyresproved very slow. Ricciardo had to pit again for soft tyres 23 laps from the end, finishing outsidethe points. The target had been to split the Williams cars, which would have meant a fifth placefinish.
Great day for the midfield teams
After a tough start to the season for Renault and McLaren Honda, both teams scored points inRussia thanks to great drives from Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button for McLaren in 6th and 10thand Kevin Magnussen in 7th for Renault.
The results were set up by the start; both Alonso and Magnussen picked their way skillfullythrough the chaos on the opening lap to run in the top ten and then maintained position, partly dueto the fact that this was a one-stop race, so there were limited opportunities for rivals to getahead on pit stop strategy and partly due to faster cars like the Red Bulls and Force Indiashitting problems.
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Posted on 18 April 2016
Chaos and carnage at the start
Sebastian Vettel ran into Raikkonen when he attempted to avoid the Red Bull of Daniil Kvyat asthe Russian charged past in an aggressive but brave move down the inside. Raikkonen's front wingwas damaged in the collision, and the Finn was forced into the pits for a replacement beforefighting his way back up to fifth by the chequered flag. Vettel survived the incident, but droppeddown to eighth and had to fight his way back up through traffic.
For the first time in a long time, there was no moaning about the wide run-off areas surroundingthe Shanghai circuit - had we been racing between the walls of the Marina Bay Street Circuit thisweekend, few of those involved in the first lap chaos would have made it to the chequered flag.Instead, the whole field finished the race for the first time since the 2005 Italian GrandPrix.
China's comeback kings
It was a road to recovery for much of the pack in Shanghai on Sunday, as the plethora of incidentsin the opening laps left several of the frontrunners on the back foot. Add to that Lewis Hamilton'sback of the grid start following a loss of power in Saturday's qualifying session and the stage wasset for a mixed up grand prix of the highest order.
While overtaking is a challenge on the tight streets of Marina Bay, Shanghai's wide track with itschoice of lines around corners - and miles of runoff for those who get it wrong - makes for theideal circuit on which to attempt a fight from the back.
It was in the final laps that Ricciardo really came into his own, battling wheel to wheel withHamilton before making it past the rubber-worn Mercedes on lap 43 before then making short work ofFelipe Massa for fourth. Vettel's second place finish was made all the more remarkable when theFerrari's damaged front wing was taken into account. Until being informed of the damage on thepodium, Vettel had been so engrossed in the racing he'd failed to notice part of the wing wasmissing.
Pressure in the pits
It was the Formula One pit crews who were the unsung heroes of Sunday's race, which saw 66 pitstops from the 22 drivers. Hamilton could hardly stay out of the pits, completing five stops in the56 laps of Shanghai International Circuit, and the Mercedes crew completed a combined eight stopsfor their two drivers.
More than half the field - 13 drivers - used all three compounds available, and adding to the dramawas the lap four Safety Car that saw 11 drivers pile into the pits at once, leading to queues andchaos. Hamilton made two stops under the Safety Car, one for a front-wing tweak to improve theBriton's aero and another for new tyres, keeping the crew on their toes
Last year's Singapore Grand Prix brought about a two-stop surprise on the strategy front, when theexpected strategy was a three-stopper. Whether Marina Bay will be able to repeat the feat this yearremains to be seen, as 2016's wider range of compounds - and the drivers' freedom to choose - hasbeen shaking up the racing all season so far.
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Posted on 4 April 2016
Mercedes has problems with starts
Lewis Hamilton again fluffed the race start, this time dropping to seventh, after tangling withValtteri Bottas in Turn 1 after another poor getaway. Mercedes estimates that the damage hesustained cost him about a second per lap of performance, which is why he could only recover tothird. The new rules for 2016 mandate a single clutch lever and Mercedes has some work to do on itsclutch; at the moment it’s the only weak point of the car.
Ferrari is pushing to the limit on engines
From last season to this, Ferrari had quite a performance gap to make up to Mercedes and it’s clearthat they took some risks on the engine side, which is Mercedes’ greatest strength. But when youpush things, they break and Sebastian Vettel’s engine failure on the formation lap was costly. Heis now 35 points behind Rosberg after just two races. A new turbo is expected for the next round inChina.
Williams makes a strategy mistake
Williams were sitting pretty on the opening lap after Hamilton and Raikkonen both made poor startsand Felipe Massa found himself in second place. With a Mercedes engine car, he should have beenable to translate that into a top five finish, but a lack of options on race strategy cost him.While most of the field favoured the supersoft tyres and multiple stops, Williams went for mediumtyres at the first stop and Massa had no pace on them. He ended up 8th.
Midfield rivals poised to complain about Haas performance
Romain Grosjean followed up his sixth place for the new American team Haas F1 with fifth place inBahrain. Again this had a lot to do with smart race strategy, as Haas was one of the first teams tochoose to go with multiple stints on supersoft tyres. But there is likely to be some controversy:rival teams grumble about the way Haas has bought as much of the car as possible from Ferrari,using unlimited wind tunnel time last year, whereas existing teams were constricted by rulescontrolling the use of wind tunnels. F1 teams don’t do jealousy very well.
Manor is no longer the backmarker
Pascal Wehrlein qualified 16th out of 22 cars and finished 13th. This might not sound thatimpressive, but the team has been used to racing around two seconds a lap off the pace of theslowest midfield cars. The Manor team was only rescued from administration at the start of 2015 andis underfunded in comparison with the other teams on the F1 grid. Wehrlein had a tricky debutqualifying in Melbourne, but a stronger race thanks to a rocket start. Here he was impressive,finishing ahead of both Force India cars, and a Sauber.
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Posted on 22 March 2016
Martin Brundle is, for many people, an integral part of a Grand Prix experience – as one of theworld’s best-known commentators. But he’s also a former driver, having started 158 Grands Prix.Stewart Bell caught up with the affable Brit to preview 2016 ahead of the new season.
Q: Another big year ahead of us, and it seems like Ferrari has taken a big step towardsMercedes. What’s your take on the competitive landscape?
Martin Brundle (MB): “I think we’re going to see a better year than last year, a betterseason. We’ve seen, in testing, the cars doing huge amounts of laps – so I think in year three ofthese new power units we’ve got more reliability, which is good. I think that we’re going to seean incredible amount of close racing, but not necessarily right at the front. It looks likeWilliams, Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Force India, we can see some brutal stuff going on there. Ofcourse, what we all want is for that to be for the victory and for the world championship. Sothat’s going to rely on how well Ferrari have got their act together. Williams think they’re a bitcloser to Ferrari, they also think Ferrari are closer to Mercedes – so do Mercedes, so do Ferrari.It’s just a question of how close, and when push comes to shove, do they have the reliability, dothey have the speed, and do they have the efficiency? So, at this stage, you’d have to put yourmoney on Mercedes for that.
“The other good thing is that we’ve got 22 cars on there. It’s the best grid we’ve had in F1 fora long time – and why I say that it’s not just the numbers, but that we don’t really have any carsoff the back of the field that are not really serious. The Manor has moved forward a long way, Haasis quite an interesting concept to me and I think they’ll do a good job in that they’re like a miniFerrari team. I think generally speaking we’re in for a better overall year, but it’s going to bedriven by the head-to-head between the two Mercedes drivers – and that should be a little bit more‘gloves off’ and basically we’re desperate for Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen to be in thereas well.”
Q: You went to Singapore to see the preparations before the inaugural race in 2008, what wereyour impressions back then?
MB: “I think Singapore is probably the most important race on the championship now, for thebrand of F1, as well as for the business side of it. The place just looks incredible during therace, with the night race aspect, the skyline. Just everything about it works. I think the track’schallenging. It’s the one race of the year where the drivers look battered when they get out of thecars. I met with [Singapore GP Deputy Chairman] Colin Syn in 2008 and went along and had a look.I’ve got to be honest, I looked at that, and then thought ‘this will never be ready in a month ofSundays’. But, they, of course, did get into gear and it’s been very good since.”
Q: What are your thoughts on how it’s grown since?
MB: “The good thing is that it doesn’t have a billiard-table surface and the walls are closeto the track, which is what I like. I like to see the cars moving around – hitting the ground andlocking up on the bumps. I often go out to watch at Turn 5 there, standing alongside the wall; itmakes you step back a bit every time they come through. But it makes the cars look faster, you getall that overtaking down into Turn 7 so I think that it’s developed really nicely. It’s a race welook forward to. It’s slightly weird because we operate like nocturnal creatures (on European time)basically, going to bed just before the sun comes up and then getting up at lunchtime, but thataside it’s just so easy. It’s a city with a service culture, so if you need to go and eat at 4amyou can. There are lots of things for the fans to go and see, such as the music. It’s just afestival, really.”
Q: What’s been your favourite Singapore GP?
MB: “I think it would have to be 2008 with Felipe Massa [then at Ferrari], where he pulledthe fuel rig down the pit-lane, or the following year when Nico Rosberg [then at Williams] shouldhave won it but bumped over the pit exit. They’ve all been pretty tough races, and they generallyrun to the full two-hour time limit.”
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Posted on 21 March 2016
The German Rivalry
Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix was effectively Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg’s fourth-straightwin; counting back from the three-consecutive victories that he took from Mexico to Abu Dhabi lastyear. The German made a better start than teammate Hamilton at Albert Park, but spent the firsthalf of the race behind the two Ferraris. Rosberg’s race came alive after the red-flag period onthe medium tyres – he chased down Sebastian Vettel, but a botched pit-stop by the Scuderia on lap36 allowed his countryman to get ahead and never look back. Vettel’s teammate Kimi Räikkönen wasn’table to challenge, after he retired on lap 23 with fire bellowing from his Ferrari’s airbox onaccount of a turbo failure.
Hamilton continues to set records
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton achieved his 50th pole position in Melbourne – and is now thirdon the all-time list behind his hero Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. And while he didn’t win,he took his 88th podium place. The Brit’s race went awry when he made a bad start, and wasimmediately passed by his teammate Nico Rosberg and the two Ferraris. Hamilton was stuck behind MaxVerstappen’s Toro Rosso in the race’s early stages, but fought his way back to second – only tocome under fire from Vettel in the closing laps.
Haas F1 Team scores points on debut
The Australian Grand Prix was also a first for a number of things – Haas F1 Team became thefirst rookie outfit to score points on its debut since the now-defunct Toyota team at Albert Parkin 2002; the race was the first to be red-flagged since the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, and McLarendriver Fernando Alonso’s first-ever retirement from an Australian Grand Prix in his 14th visit. Andit’s one that he’s unlikely to forget, given the way in which his front right tyre made contactwith the Haas’ Esteban Gutiérrez’ left rear on the way down to Turn 3 – sending the Spaniard into ahorrifying barrel-roll, reminiscent of Martin Brundle’s dramatic crash there in a Jordan in 1996.Luckily Alonso escaped unhurt.
Competition is heating up in Toro Rosso
It was a tough race for Red Bull Racing’s sister team Toro Rosso, which had both drivers inpoints paying positions (something the team only managed to achieve on four occasions in 2015) –but ran the risk of losing it all, on account of young-gun Max Verstappen’s attempts to pass histeammate for a chance to take on the Renault of Jolyon Palmer ahead. The Dutchman tried everything,from lunging at Sainz into corners to pleading the pit-wall to be let him past. In the end, he madean ambitious move on Sainz at Turn 15 on lap 53, they made contact and he spun – ending his chancesof getting past, but retaining his one point for 10th place.
Impressive start for Renault
Renault surprised on its return as a works manufacturer, and while neither of its drivers scoredpoints at Albert Park – 11th and 12th places for Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen respectively isan impressive start for the team considering the French manufacturer only took over the outfit inDecember 2015. Palmer will be happy with his effort this weekend in Melbourne, given he not onlyoutqualified Magnussen on debut – but also out-raced him. The Brit came to F1 highly rated as the2014 GP2 Champion, and impressed last year during the 13 free practice sessions he completed forLotus.
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Posted on 14 March 2016
Qualifying has been tweaked for 2016, with an exciting new elimination system.
Firstly, Q1, Q2 and Q3 have been retained, but will be longer at 16-mins, 15-mins and 14-minsrespectively.
Next is the new knockout system. After 7-minutes of Q1, the slowest driver will be eliminatedevery 90 seconds - until seven drivers have left the track and the chequered flag has fallen.
15 drivers progress into Q2, and after 6-minutes the slowest driver will be eliminated every 90seconds - until another seven drivers have left the track and the chequered flag has fallen.
Now eight drivers progress to Q3, and after 5-minutes the slowest driver will be eliminatedevery 90 seconds - until two drivers are left in the last 90 seconds, battling for poleposition.
Update as of 11 April 2016
Recap:
Q1 (18 min) > 22 cars > 6 cars knocked out > 17th - 22nd position on grid
Q2 (15 min) > 16 cars > 6 cars knocked out > 11th -16th position on grid
Q3 (12 min) > 10 cars > 1st - 10th position on grid
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Posted on 5 March 2016
By James Allen
The cars sound much better
Those who like their F1 nice and loud will be encouraged by the sound of the F1 cars at thisyear’s Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. The hybrid turbo engines were too quiet for many people’stastes when they were launched. To improve the sound for 2016 an extra exhaust pipe has been addedand it has made a difference. Although you still don’t need earplugs at the race track, you can nolonger carry on a conversation when a car goes past and they sound far more meaty.
Ferrari is pushing very hard to catch Mercedes
For the last two years Mercedes have had it too easy, dominating the sport like no team beforedue to the prowess of their hybrid turbo engine and a very strong chassis. Ferrari managed to winthree races last year, including Singapore, but for 2016 their chairman Sergio Marchionne has saidthat they have to be in the title hunt. Testing shows that Ferrari has thrown everything at it; theengine is stronger and the chassis is a lot better. They set the pace in testing, but was Mercedesholding something back? We’ll find out in Melbourne, but this writer thinks the gap has come downto a few tenths of a second.
It’s very close in midfield and there’ll be surprises
The chasing pack behind Mercedes and Ferrari is pretty competitive with Williams, Red Bull andForce India in that order pursued by Toro Rosso. At the other end of the scale McLaren, Renault andSauber are struggling. There will be a big fight for the points positions at races this year andthe racing in midfield should be very exciting.
The new qualifying format will be exciting with these cars and tyres
The governing body has voted through a new format for qualifying whereby the slowest cars areeliminated as the session goes on. This will make for fast and furious action and the chance that afew big names will end up down the grid if they can’t get a clean lap in. With new tyre rules aswell offering more variety of choices, including softer sets for the midfield and slower cars inthe race, it will be very stressful for the teams to make the right calls. Expect surprises.
The backmarkers aren’t off the pace any more
The backmarkers last season, Manor Racing, have had a massive injection of pace from a newMercedes engine and a new chassis, with more sophisticated aerodynamics. They are at least threeseconds per lap faster than last season, so the field has bunched up as a result. The team has somebig names in its new management, including former Ferrari designer Nick Tombazis and former McLarensporting director Dave Ryan. With Mercedes protégé Pascal Wehrlein at the wheel, this team are nottail-end Charlies any more.
Photo credit: LAT Photographic
Leading Formula One™ commentator and journalist, James Allen is a contributing writer forSingapore GP Pte Ltd
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Posted on 26 February 2016
ByJames Allen
Judging from the first four days of Formula 1 test in Barcelona, this is going to bea more exciting season than 2015, with a very close competition in midfield and Ferrari snapping atthe heels of world champions Mercedes.With testing starting three weeks later than normal and only eight days of track running beforethe cars are shipped to Melbourne for the first round, the emphasis this week was very much onreliability.
Mercedes did 185 laps on the final day, a distance of 851km, which is the equivalent of almostthree Singapore Grands Prix! This clearly showed where the teams’ priorities lie and many otherswere working on proving their systems and getting mileage under their belt.
This was especially true of the new entry from the United States, Haas F1, for whom this week inBarcelona was the first step of their F1 journey. Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez were onhand to drive the car, with Grosjean pushing out the second fastest lap time on Day 3. This is thesurely the best prepared new team to enter F1 since Toyota 15 years ago.
McLaren had a better test than a year ago, but the Honda engine still has reliability concernsand after a decent mileage in the first two days, it slumped on day four with Alonso covering just3 laps.
With new regulations on the horizon for 2017, several teams have opted to update their 2015cars, rather than go for an all-new design this year.
Ferrari is a clear exception to this. The Maranello squad has not won the drivers’ worldchampionship since 2007 and they see this year as a chance to get on terms with Mercedes.
The 2016 F1 season will be the busiest ever as it will be the first in history to feature 21races. The changes from last year are a return for the German GP at Hockenheim, and the debut ofthe new event in Azerbaijan in June. The latter will join Singapore and Monaco as a city centrestreet race, running through Baku, the capital city. Featuring some dramatic gradients, high speedsand a historical backdrop, the new race promises to be a fascinating addition to the schedule.
The test ended with Sebastian Vettel on top for Ferrari, setting the fastest time of the week onthe second day. His time was almost two seconds faster than the 2015 pole time of Nico Rosberg andMercedes for the Spanish Grand Prix.
But it’s important to emphasize that this week is very much about bedding the cars in. Next weekwe will see more performance runs and with the bar already set quite high in terms of pace, itlooks like the cars will be quite a bit faster this season.
Photos credit: LAT Photographic
Leading Formula One™ commentator and journalist, James Allen is a contributing writer forSingapore GP Pte Ltd
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Posted on 5 January 2016
By Adam Cooper
How will Mercedes manage its drivers?
While others have the potential to close the gap, the consensus is that Mercedes will continueto set the pace in 2016. The biggest challenge the team may face is managing the interests of itstwo drivers, and that could be even harder this year if rivals are indeed closer. Lewis Hamiltonwas the dominant force for most of 2015, but Nico Rosberg ended the season on a high, and had goodmomentum heading into the winter. The management has made it clear that the success of the team ismore important than the individuals, and both drivers will have to take that on board.
Can Ferrari take the challenge to Mercedes?
Mercedes might not have everything its own way in 2016, and if Ferrari can provide a moreconsistent challenge then we could be in for a fascinating season. The Italian team built up somegood momentum last year, and heading into his second season at Maranello the input of SebastianVettel will have more of an impact. However, the team will have to get everything right with boththe chassis and powertrain in order to make that next step. It will be intriguing too to see ifKimi Raikkonen can raise his game, with most observers believing that the Finn will struggle tohold on to his seat in 2017.
A big name returns: Renault
In 2016 Renault returns as a full works team for the first time since 2009. In 2010 the Enstoneoutfit was taken over by the Genii Group, and was subsequently re-branded as Lotus. However theowners struggled to find sufficient finance, which is why the team has now passed back into thehands of Renault. The French manufacturer decided that it didn't gain enough from its relationshipwith Red Bull, despite winning four World Championships, and that it has to be present as a worksteam. This will be a rebuilding year, but it's good news for the sport that a major manufacturerhas made a commitment. Meanwhile Red Bull will continue to use Renault engines – but they are nowbranded as TAG Heuer.
A new team: Haas F1
The arrival of the new Haas organisation is good news for F1 at a time when so many teams arefacing financial pressures and thus uncertain futures. American businessman Gene Haas has alreadyfound success in the highly competitive world of NASCAR, and he has put together an extremelystrong package. Rather than start from scratch he signed a technology deal with Ferrari, and thenew car will feature a lot of input from the Maranello team – and rivals will be interested to seejust how similar the two packages are. Haas has also shown that he means business by securing astrong driver line-up in Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez.
A new race: Baku
The 2016 F1 season will be the busiest ever as it will be the first in history to feature 21races. The changes from last year are a return for the German GP at Hockenheim, and the debut ofthe new event in Azerbaijan in June. The latter will join Singapore and Monaco as a city centrestreet race, running through Baku, the capital city. Featuring some dramatic gradients, high speedsand a historical backdrop, the new race promises to be a fascinating addition to the schedule.
Adam Cooper has been a motor racing journalist for 30 years. In his early days, he covered avariety of categories, including the WEC and IndyCars, and he also spent two years in Japan. Hethen focussed on F1, and has been to every Grand Prix since 1994. A regular contributor toAutosport, Autoweek and www.motorsport.com, he has also written several books, including a biography of60s racer Piers Courage.