F1 2019 - Round 15 Singapore

Charlie-Bravo

Two weeks have gone since Charles won his first two grand prix. Will the Ferrari have the better aero package for Signapore.

We've got 61 laps of a 5km circuit with a fastest lap of 1:41.905. I'm thinking Mercedes will be back on form, but Red Bull may have other ideas. Expect the Ferrari to monster the straights with the Mercs nippy around the corners.



Tyres for this week:



Key times are Qualy for 2pm on Sat and Race at 1.10pm

Schedule if you're lucky enough to be there in the balmy weather.

THURSDAY 19th SEPTEMBER
Formula 1 Press Conference 13:30 - 14:30

FRIDAY 20th SEPTEMBER
Formula 1 Practice 1 09:30 - 11:00
Formula 1 Practice 2 13:30 - 15:00

SATURDAY 21st SEPTEMBER
Formula 1 Practice 3 11:00 - 12:00
Formula 1 Qualifying 14:00 - 15:00

SUNDAY 22nd SEPTEMBER
Formula 1 Grand Prix (61 Laps or 120 Mins) 13:10 - 15:10

flazio

I think Albon is a good outside shout for a podium if not an outright win here. I really think this is a Red Bull circuit.

Charlie-Bravo

So far in FP1, Le Clerc has gear box problems (probably not the race engine/gearbox). Bottas stuck the car in the wall, red flag. 21 mins left in this session.

Inviere

astrofluff wrote: »

I'm thinking Mercedes will be back on form

This was never really a strong track for Merc, I think damage limitation from them this weekend is on the cards. Agreed re Red Bull, this will be a good chance for them to flex some muscle, but Ferrari go well here too...hopefully an interesting race ahead

Charlie-Bravo

Apologies if I'm missing something, but Hamilton won the last two grand prix at Singapore. I'd agree they're not miles ahead on this track, but they still won the last two. I do reckon Max has upped him game for this weekend. And after the practice sessions, I'd be wary of whether Ferrari know what they're doing (changing floors and wings - sound like they're not up to speed at all).

skipper_G

Inviere wrote: »

This was never really a strong track for Merc, I think damage limitation from them this weekend is on the cards. Agreed re Red Bull, this will be a good chance for them to flex some muscle, but Ferrari go well here too...hopefully an interesting race ahead

In the hybrid era Merc have won the race 4 times out of 5, and apart from 2 DNF's they've not finished outside the top 4. I certainly expect a more competitive fight for the podium but this is still a strong Merc track. Hamilton on pole position and an easy flag to flag win is more likely.

Inviere

astrofluff wrote: »

Apologies if I'm missing something, but Hamilton won the last two grand prix at Singapore. I'd agree they're not miles ahead on this track, but they still won the last two. I do reckon Max has upped him game for this weekend. And after the practice sessions, I'd be wary of whether Ferrari know what they're doing (changing floors and wings - sound like they're not up to speed at all).

He'd a little bit o' help in 2017 you might say (look where the Mercs are on the grid)

Yeah Hamilton nailed it in 2018 but generally speaking, Mercedes haven't been at their strongest at Singapore.

Inviere

skipper_G wrote: »

In the hybrid era Merc have won the race 4 times out of 5, and apart from 2 DNF's they've not finished outside the top 4. I certainly expect a more competitive fight for the podium but this is still a strong Merc track. Hamilton on pole position and an easy flag to flag win is more likely.

Agreed a pole for Lewis signals a win most likely, but I've always had in my head this was a track they never 'dominated' as they have at others. Mandella effect maybe

Inviere

skipper_G wrote: »

In the hybrid era Merc have won the race 4 times out of 5

astrofluff wrote: »

Apologies if I'm missing something

Apologies Astro, I'm clearly wrong here - bizarre though, could have sworn this wasn't a strong Merc track

skipper_G

Inviere wrote: »

Agreed a pole for Lewis signals a win most likely, but I've always had in my head this was a track they never 'dominated' as they have at others. Mandella effect maybe

I think it's more that we want it to be not a Merc track so the recent run of good races continues

Charlie-Bravo

Merc/Hamilton are overdue a DNF. If it happens, it wouldn't be because of reliability, it'd be because of another driver taking them out.

nf2k

Is Singapore a Monaco-lite in that overtaking is tough?

pjohnson

nf2k wrote: »

Is Singapore a Monaco-lite in that overtaking is tough?

It can be, Sergio Perez probably has vietnamesque flashbacks of his and Sirotkins battle last year.

AMKC

It's not Mercedes favorite track because of there long wheelbase car and that's why Ferrari had an advantage there in 2016 and 2017 which either Kimi or Vettel should have won but Vettel made a balls of it at the beginning of the race. The Ferrari car is now a lwb car as well think it was last year they decided to go that way too so I think unless there is a big crash or crash's which are almost guaranteed in Singapore whoever takes pole will win this.

chicorytip

Big crashes are the most exciting thing about Formula One these days.

Faugheen

chicorytip wrote: »

Big crashes are the most exciting thing about Formula One these days.

You’ve clearly not watched the last 5 races if you think big crashes are the most exciting thing ‘these days’.

Give me great battles at the front over a few seconds of a big shunt any day of the week.

Inviere

AMKC wrote: »

It's not Mercedes favorite track because of there long wheelbase car and that's why Ferrari had an advantage there in 2016 and 2017 which either Kimi or Vettel should have won but Vettel made a balls of it at the beginning of the race. The Ferrari car is now a lwb car as well think it was last year they decided to go that way too so I think unless there is a big crash or crash's which are almost guaranteed in Singapore whoever takes pole will win this.

That rings a bell all right, maybe that explains it. It explains the starting grid in 2017 anyway, I think the Mercs were 5th and 6th. This could be a Red Bull opportunity so....

seamusk84

The Red Bull looked like real handful to me out there yesterday. Seems to not be riding the bumps well. Still if they can sort that, I’m sure they can be relatively close to the Mercs today in quali.
Personally I think Ferrari will struggle.

Reckon Hamilton on poll and Bottas at a minimum 4th, but most likely a Merc front row lockout.

I really hope it’s an exciting race but Singapore tends to be a bit dull.

flazio

chicorytip wrote: »

Big crashes are the most exciting thing about Formula One these days.

After the events in Belgium a month ago, even if it wasn't actually Formula 1, I would have to completely disagree.

Charlie-Bravo

FP3: Checo hit the wall on second last corner, damage to rear right wheel. Red flag while they clean some debris.

skipper_G

astrofluff wrote: »

FP3: Checo hit the wall on second last corner, damage to rear right wheel. Red flag while they clean some debris.

That's his race gearbox and it was a heavy hit on the right rear corner, fingers crossed it doesn't need to be changed

skipper_G

I like the idea of the camera shot looking at the driver's eyes but that particular one they're using is kind of ineffective because it's obscured every time the wheel is turned

Cool_CM

Ferrari looking great here - Come on Seb!*

*Please don't jinx it!

skipper_G

What a cracker of a lap from Vettel

Cool_CM

skipper_G wrote: »

What a cracker of a lap from Vettel

And he hit the wall

Jordan 199

skipper_G wrote: »

What a cracker of a lap from Vettel

It was mighty!

skipper_G

Even better lap from Leclerc. He is on a roll, I'm delighted for him. Guy is a total superstar

Edit: to add now hopefully he brings it home tomorrow. Got him at 5-1 for the win early in the weekend

Cool_CM

LeClerc is the real deal - what a lap

Inviere

The emergence of a proper star here over the last three races. If Ferrari give him the car next year, he's in with a shout for the title driving like this. Amazing. Disappointed for Seb, would have loved him to nab pole considering the spell he's going through, but not to be. Albon nice result too, he's up there beside Max...impressive.

johnnysmack

Gutted for Sebastian, thought he had it.

Charlie-Bravo

Watching the Sky pad thingy with Anthony Davidson (don't usually watch it), brilliant analysis. It showed the sheer speed advantage of LeClerc's Ferrari, and also how much he was trying to drive the full limit of the car with a slower car through the corners.

This is it

A good start for LeClerc tomorrow and he'll be hard to beat, very impressive.

Inquitus

This is it wrote: »

A good start for LeClerc tomorrow and he'll be hard to beat, very impressive.

Yep, sadly its too little too late for the Drivers and Constructors, but impressive strides made by Ferrari with this upgrade package, only Hamilton driving the wheels off of his Merc stopped a Ferrari 1-2.

seamusk84

Way off with my prediction. Going to be a great start to the race with that top 3.

AMKC

Super lap from Leclerc. Really hope he can keep up the good form and do so again next year and it could be a very exciting year if he does. At last someone to really challenge the dominance of Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton as they have had it too easy up to these last few races.
Disappointed for Seb as I really thought he had it it was a great lab but then Leclerc just did it better again so he deserves the pole.

Its Leclercs race to win tomorrow as long as he does not mess up anywhere.

flazio

Danny Ric disqualified.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.ricciardo-referred-to-the-stewards-for-exceeding-power-usage-in-qualifying.wJ3sPDbfCFySenaqgM9bp.html

Burkie1203

flazio wrote: »

Danny Ric disqualified.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.ricciardo-referred-to-the-stewards-for-exceeding-power-usage-in-qualifying.wJ3sPDbfCFySenaqgM9bp.html

This is BS. Its meant to be racing

This is it

Burkie1203 wrote: »

This is BS. Its meant to be racing

Yeah, within the rules. Everyone else followed them apparently, why shouldn't Ricardo/Renault?

AMKC

Oh for feck sake Renault. I wonder how much of an advantage power wise he had. I also wonder who/s idea it was. Maybe they thought they might just get away with it or it could have been a mistake either.

skipper_G

Burkie1203 wrote: »

This is BS. Its meant to be racing

Come on seriously, every sport has rules. 19 out of 20 competitors followed the rules and weren't disqualified. Delivery of extra energy equates to extra horsepower.

Top Dog

AMKC wrote: »

Oh for feck sake Renault. I wonder how much of an advantage power wise he had. I also wonder who/s idea it was. Maybe they thought they might just get away with it or it could have been a mistake either.

Whatever it was, it didn't translate in time. The issue was detected on his second fastest lap in Q1 - so he went quicker when it was within limits.

Inquitus

skipper_G wrote: »

Come on seriously, every sport has rules. 19 out of 20 competitors followed the rules and weren't disqualified. Delivery of extra energy equates to extra horsepower.

Seems it was a very negligible overuse on a lap he made a mistake on.

A statement from Renault after the decision was issued gave their side of events, although the team confirmed that they didn’t plan to appeal the ruling: “Renault F1 Team acknowledges the decision from the FIA Stewards to disqualify Daniel Ricciardo from the qualifying session of the Singapore Grand Prix after he benefitted from an advantage measured at one-microsecond due to a kerb hit that caused his MGU-K to overrev on his slowest lap of Q1. The decision will therefore not be appealed.”

https://twitter.com/RenaultF1Team/status/1175507054028558337

This is it

Again, everyone else managed to avoid it and keep within the rules. You can't blur the lines, it's black and white. The fact they aren't appealing would suggest that they understand that all too well and are taking it on the chin.

Charlie-Bravo

I'm really looking forward to this race. I don't know whether that's because of what we got in the last two races.

Remember, it's 1pm for the race.

Darkglasses

Totally agree with Daniel Ricciardo's take on it - the penalty is too harsh, would be sufficient to just delete the lap time (like when you exceed track limits)

deafroadrunner

Hoping for a Ferrari win but don't think they'll be able to manage to tires as good as Lewis.
Also predicting max off first corner for the absolute bants

PsychoPete

I love the street circuits ,it amazes me how fast these lads drive lap after lap and don't plow head first into a wall

flazio

I know it's a night race but no need to sing the national anthem like a flipping lullaby.

skipper_G

flazio wrote: »

I know it's a night race but no need to sing the national anthem like a flipping lullaby.

And with a guy beatboxing as well

Itssoeasy

Fecking completely forgot the race started at 1pm. Seems like the start was eventful.

Itssoeasy

Crofty doing his best michael fish impression.