[Official] Singapore Grand Prix 2015: Weekend Thread

[Born Racer]

Singapore holds its eight Grand Prix this weekend. A symbol of the contemporary tendency towards iconic circuit surroundings and modern entertainment razzmatazz, the Marina Bay circuit played host to Formula 1’s first ever night race in 2008.

A 318,000 watt capacity is required to pump the circuit with artificial lighting, the cars shimmering as they move, with sparks from the underside as visible as the fireworks that erupt at the end of the Grand Prix. This is a 21st-Century style of Formula 1. Apart from its visual elements, what does it offer?

With 23 corners(14 left-handers and 9 right-handers), it has more turns than any other Grand Prix on the calendar and with 61 laps, it generally goes on to become the longest race in the season, running to the 2 hour limit before the laps have been completed. The shortest race here was 1 hour 56 minutes.

The safety car is almost a statistical certainty – it has appeared at least once in every Grand Prix held here, most memorably in the first ever race, when Renault’s Nelson Piquet agreed to crash in order to assist Fernando Alonso.

The shortest margin of victory here was 0.239 in 2010, with Alonso beating Vettel.

2015 experiences its first driver change with American Alexander Rossi replacing Roberto Merhi for the first of five races (Merhi will contest Sochi and Yas Marina). It won't be an easy debut being in the car it is, but it's sure to provide Rossi with some invaluable race time prior to a likely Haas seat next year.

Constructors’ championship standings: http://www.formula1.com/content/fom-...standings.html

Drivers’ championship standings: http://www.formula1.com/content/fom-...standings.html



Circuit length: 5.065km
Number of laps: 61
Race distance: 308.828
Dry weather tyre compounds: Super-Soft and Soft
DRS Detection Zone 1: Turn 4
DRS Activation Zone 1: between Turns 5 and 7
DRS Detection Zone 2: between Turns 21 and 22
DRS Activation Zone 2: after 23 on the start-finish straight
Lap Record: 1:48.574 (2013 – Sebastian Vettel – Red Bull Racing-Renault
First World Championship Grand Prix: 2008

[Iceman13]

I find it quite unbelievable that the director kept showing some completely irrelevant shots from the paddock all the while there were a few cars constantly on the track at the start of the practise session. I mean, it took over 15 minutes until they even showed first footage from the renewed section around Anderson bridge. It's been an irritating factor for me in many previous races too, not just this occasion. Might be just me, but I think it should be a no-brainer that if there are cars going around the track, you show the cars on the track, unless ofcourse there is something actually remarkable happening in the pits.

Just my two cents on the subject, but indeed something that grinds my gears a bit too often. I watch F1 because I like seeing on-track action, not because I like watching drivers sitting in stationary cars in the paddock.

Regardless of this mini-rant, I'm really looking forward to see how the track changes will affect the quality of racing.

[steve_r]

It's an unfortunate trend that affects virtually all top level motorsport that I watch: Close ups of people watching TV monitors, instead of the on track action.

WTCC, BTCC, F1 - all guilty.

I generally look forward to watching this GP, although I cant remember any of them turning out to be a classic.

[JeremySmith]

Nice intro BR thank you ...
I enjoy watching the cars under the lights ...
What I like most about this race is the sheer amount of consentration that is required to get around this circuit without putting the car into the wall is really amazing ..

[stripedcat]

Great intro. It does look like both the Red Bulls and Ferraris are fast here. This being a high downforce track - it seems to help them. Whether or not, the Mercedes are sandbagging remains to be seen. It does seem like they have more tyre wear than those two teams here.

I'm not that great a fan of this circuit - I don't think it has given us that memorable a race in the past - well, apart from the whole "Crashgate" one! I suppose it's good that they got rid of that annoying little chicance/kink - as that really seemed to spoil the flow of this track. I think that this track does tend to have races that are boring until the last 20 minutes or so - then there is action with cars struggling on worn tyres. Interestingly, there's always a safety car - so it could liven things up.

Trivia facts :

If Mercedes get pole here, they will equal Williams' record of 24 consecutive poles.

If Lewis Hamilton gets pole here, he will equal Senna's record of 8 consecutive poles.

If Lewis Hamilton wins here, he will equal Senna's record of 41 wins with a 161 starts.

[Lancsbreaker]

So, Rossi crashed and Maldonardo didn't......?

Does look awfully tight in there, though

[wnut]

Originally Posted by stripedcat

Great intro. It does look like both the Red Bulls and Ferraris are fast here. This being a high downforce track - it seems to help them. Whether or not, the Mercedes are sandbagging remains to be seen. It does seem like they have more tyre wear than those two teams here.

I'm not that great a fan of this circuit - I don't think it has given us that memorable a race in the past - well, apart from the whole "Crashgate" one! I suppose it's good that they got rid of that annoying little chicance/kink - as that really seemed to spoil the flow of this track. I think that this track does tend to have races that are boring until the last 20 minutes or so - then there is action with cars struggling on worn tyres. Interestingly, there's always a safety car - so it could liven things up.

Trivia facts :

If Mercedes get pole here, they will equal Williams' record of 24 consecutive poles.

If Lewis Hamilton gets pole here, he will equal Senna's record of 8 consecutive poles.

If Lewis Hamilton wins here, he will equal Senna's record of 41 wins with a 161 starts.

Is the Mercedes' pole record only equal to the William's record now, wow I would have thought that they went past them a long time ago!

Interesting to note that Ferrari did not achieve this type of dominance with Schu there!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Excellent intro. Good to see Ferrari and Red Bull in the first four slots, makes a welcome change. Hopefully this bodes well for tomorrow's race.

[stripedcat]

Well, there goes Lewis and Mercedes' records!

This is an interesting result - from qualifying. Vettel versus his old nemesis - Danny Boy! Red Bull versus Ferrari tomorrow. This really does make things interesting. I don't think the Mercedes have much of a chance - let alone a podium - but elsewhere - it's going to be interesting who takes the Top 4 positions. Plus - as mentioned elsewhere - where does the predicted safety car come into play?

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Nice intro BR thank you ...
I enjoy watching the cars under the lights ...
What I like most about this race is the sheer amount of concentration that is required to get around this circuit without putting the car into the wall is really amazing ..

Yes, the concentration levels required must be immense and that it is such a long race can make it the Grand Prix feel quite epic. It hasn't always thrown up thrilling battles but rather close tense ones and sometimes there is nothing wrong with that.

Some of the corners are quite quick and watching the drivers swing the car through some of the 90 degree turns and manage any oversteer is quite enjoyable. At least it's not too slow for a street circuit and has a mix of corners. It's also good to see a circuit which has given us a completely different form book.

Despite all the talk of close times, we saw nothing of the sort today. Driver interviews were very telling. Kvyat was extremely disappointed to get his best qualifying position ever, Hamilton at least claimed to have enjoyed the process of the session despite not stringing it together or having a chance of pole and Rosberg was not at all pleased to be way down there.

Rossi was a long way off Stevens in the end, which may seem surprising but it's difficult to jump into a new team without that much preparation.

Does anyone else think it's a pity to see the "Singapore Sling" double chicane taken out? It was a bit of a crash-bang-wallop over the kerbs thing, but it added something different and a risk-reward point on the lap.

[Sodemo]

I think this race has been extremely lucky, every year there has been no rain in quali or the race. Does it ever rain in Singapore? I kinda thought it shared the same kind of climate as Malaysia, as in, huge downpours and so on...?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I think this race has been extremely lucky, every year there has been no rain in quali or the race. Does it ever rain in Singapore? I kinda thought it shared the same kind of climate as Malaysia, as in, huge downpours and so on...?

From personal experience, April/May and September/October are the best months, although many other months can be equally pleasant; on one of my visits in a January, it absolutely poured down for about 10 mins, and just walking about for the next 15 minutes or so, our clothes were bone dry.

It would be, for me, one of the loveliest places to live; shame that property is so expensive, which is what put me off.

[FIRE]

Max

[gert]

What is the use of a Virtual Safety Car if you decide to use a (real) SC a few laps later?

I thought the VSC was meant to *avoid* the SC?

If they can't make that happen, please scratch the VSC altogether.
This is stupid.

--

And Max Verstappen starts a lap behind the whole field, and now he gets a lap back?
This can't be right?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Hamilton going backwards.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Lulu out.

[FIRE]

No priest this time.

[bjohnsonsmith]

That caution period went on for a long time.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Congrats to Vettel, a commanding drive. Nice to see Ferrari with both cars on the podium.

[FIRE]

The 2nd part of the race was great.

[steve nielsen]

That was a very simple answer from Max: NO!

and: why should he let Sainz past anyway?

that teamorder was ridiculous!

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by steve nielsen

That was a very simple answer from Max: NO!

and: why should he let Sainz past anyway?

that teamorder was ridiculous!

Except if Sainz let by Verstappen earlier in de race.

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Except if Sainz let by Verstappen earlier in de race.

but he did'nt

Max passed Sainz when Sainz was in the pits and Max was the faster driver during 99% of the race

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by steve nielsen

but he did'nt

Max passed Sainz when Sainz was in the pits and was the faster driver during 99% of the race

I think you are right but we have to wait for response of drivers and team.

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I think you are right but we have to wait for response of drivers and team.

I think they want to keep Cepsa happy(just like they gave the advantage to Sainz in the last stint of the Spanish GP)