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Plot twist in Renault, starting from the Malaysian Grand Prix and for the rest of the season, Carlos Sainz Jr. will replace Jolyon Palmer at the helm of the French single-seater. Sainz will leave Scuderia Toro Rosso after the Singapore Grand Prix. The third driver, Pierre Gasly, will race in his place.
"The Renault team is happy to be able to announce the hiring of Carlos Sainz Jr for the 2018 season. The 23-year-old will be one of the two starting drivers next season".
Thus begins the press release issued by the team directed by Cyril Abiteboul, managing director of Renault Sport Racing. Which in turn says:
"Carlo Sainz is a very promising driver, who has been in our sights for some time. Especially after the titles he won in past years when he raced in Formula Renault. This choice is aligned with our medium-term plans. We think that Nico and Carlos form a perfect driver duo. They can help us on all tracks".
Abiteboul thanks Palmer for the work done in the last two seasons:
"I would like to thank Jolyon for his hard work with the team over this period and his contributions over the last two seasons. We wish him the best in his next step in his career".
Carlos Sainz Jr is beaming, leaving Scuderia Toro Rosso after three seasons to join an official team:
"I am really happy to become a driver for the Renault team. For me it is an honor to become a regular driver for a manufacturer and I hope to repay their trust with the best performances on the track. I am really proud to become part of Renault's history. I look forward to working with the team and driving alongside Nico Hülkenberg. This is the start of an exciting new chapter in my career. I would like to thank Red Bull for their support and for giving me this opportunity. I would also like to thank all the people who work at Toro Rosso. They are a fantastic team, very professional, and I wish them all the best for the future".
Subsequently, Force India also confirms the renewal of Sergio Perez's contract, who will continue to be alongside Esteban Ocon. The Frenchman, almost a rookie this year, has surprised everyone and is among the candidates to possibly take over Valtteri Bottas in 2019, in case the Finn does not convince Toto Wolff. And also in the running for that seat are Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, who will see their contracts with Red Bull Racing expire at the end of 2018, even if Verstappen has an option for 2019. Perez, on the other hand, free from constraints and supported by his own sponsors, found a way to sign with Vijay Mallya's team. There weren't many options for him. The rumors, which emerged in August, of a possible entry of Lawrence Stroll (Lance's father) into Force India, which has not yet changed its name as its team principal had announced not long ago, therefore fall away. Wednesday 13 September 2017 Mercedes also moves forward in the name of continuity. While waiting to announce the renewal of Lewis Hamilton, the Anglo-German team makes that of Valtteri Bottas official. Close to the equator of the world and the World Championship, it's co-star time. The round, blond face of a Finn sneaks between skyscrapers that sweat humidity and lights that raise sticky vapors. Valtteri Bottas was the gregarious and the reserve. The last-minute gatecrasher, in place of the magnificent and award-winning Nico Rosberg. The shoulder of the star Lewis Hamilton. Instead, here he is, 28 years old and with the glittering gaze of a superhero, on the masterpiece scene in Singapore. Contract also renewed for next year.
Indeed, red carpet after two successes (in Russia and Austria), two pole positions (Bahrain and Austria), 197 total points which earn him third place in the standings, behind Lewis Hamilton (238) and Sebastian Vettel (235). Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, comments:
"We have entrusted Valtteri with a great challenge this year: to catch up with the team at the last minute, to compete with the elite of Formula 1 and to compete with the best driver who is his teammate. Taking this into account, his results are were probably even more impressive. There were ups and downs - more ups than downs - and some great moments like the victories in Russia and Austria. All in all, the balance of his performances and his growth trajectory left us in no doubt to keep him with us until 2018. Plus, the chemistry and dynamic between Valtteri and Lewis works, and that's what we need to fight with our competitors".
Valtteri Bottas says:
"I am honored and proud to continue working with Mercedes in 2018 and to remain in the Mercedes family. Together, we continue to grow stronger every day and as we move forward I believe the sky is the limit".
In Monza his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, after taking the lead in the World Championship for the first time, went looking for him on the track, waited for him and joined him, then paraded alongside amidst the boos of the Ferrari fans . There was rain, pain, annoyance, it was all around the first two in the class in the race flooded by the storm and the defeat of the Maranello team: Sebastian Vettel third and his teammate, Kimi Räikkönen, only fifth. In Budapest, at the end of July, Lewis Hamilton had pushed on the brakes with a gentleman's touch to let him cross the finish line, giving him back the position, Valtteri was third behind the Ferrari drivers, while Mercedes, all of them, boasted and then wondered if the elegance is worth a World Championship. Certainly the teamwork between the Anglo-Germans has produced points and almost a spider's web: Lewis has won two races and Valtteri closes in on the trail behind. Among the Ferrari drivers the plot is not so tight. Twisted, bumpy, tight, 23 curves between the concrete and the mirrors of the skyline, long for kilometers and duration, nocturnal, very humid, Marina Bay which seems like a panorama is instead just a distant illusion, the colorful Ferris wheel turns in the pasty sky while under the cars puff squeezed through the metropolitan guts. Singapore is another film. As grim as Monte-Carlo but longer, hotter, suffocated by the heat. In favor of Red Bull Racing and Ferrari, given that the engine matters less: for Sebastian Vettel there are four successes and six podiums. But Mercedes knows how to tell it. From the Monday after Monza they returned to the factory in Great Britain, in Brackley, and filmed Road to Singapore, a mini-series on YouTube in seven episodes. Episode number one: champagne breakfast to toast the overwhelming power in the Italian Grand Prix. Then everyone at work and us peeking at engineers, mechanics, sleepy drivers after traveling on trucks to bring back the single-seaters, the laundry, pit stop training, the travel transfer office, the sleep programs studied by a doctor of NASA to survive the Singapore meltdown. Lost in translation, the revenge. Going on the attack from day one, aware that starting from the front can be decisive on this track. This is the strategy that Lewis Hamilton is banking on for the Singapore Grand Prix, who with his success in Monza has returned to the lead of the world championship standings.
"Qualifying will be very important here in Singapore, because you cannot overtake especially with these even faster and wider cars. The starting grid position will be very important, and we will try to find the right set-up to go strong in qualifying. Surely our understanding of the car can help us this weekend, if we manage to get comfortable we will be strong in the fight for victory".
Looking ahead to the race, the Mercedes driver admits:
"Red Bull will be very fast, it won't be one of the easiest weekends for us but I'll face this race with positivity and with the aim of winning without thinking too much about the others. We came here to attack at our best".
So, on the confirmation of his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, for next year, Lewis Hamilton explains:
"I don't think it makes any difference this season, it has zero impact for me on a personal level, for him I think it's a good feeling: to be good for next season, but I don't think it will change anything for the championship".
The Briton has no doubts about the decision to move to Mercedes:
"F1 is like a game of chess, you have to make your moves at the right time, hoping you have enough options and then you have to hope you choose the right one. When I chose to go to Mercedes I was sure it was the right one but clearly I couldn't think that it would be so good, it was a great experience that I wouldn't trade for any other in the world".
Finally, Hamilton talks about the difficult moment of Alonso and McLaren:
"I hope Alonso has a car to fight with us. It would be a spectacle. It's a shame to see McLaren so low".
For his part, says Sebastian Vettel:
"In Monza it was good for the podium but not enough, but I have faith in the team. I know that many things will come and that's why I say we're coming".
Responding to President Marchionne's harsh words after the Italian Grand Prix, the German says:
"I wasn't angry, it was a great race to get on the podium. It certainly wasn't our best performance, but given the difficulties we made a good recovery. We wanted to win, there are reasons to be angry but so far the season has been very good with more positives than negatives".
As if to confirm Lewis Hamilton's words, Daniel Ricciardo is betting hard on his Red Bull Racing in Singapore where he has always finished on the podium in the last three years.
"This type of circuit is not a big strong point for Mercedes, so we and Ferrari will be in the battle, hopefully it will be an exciting race. But this time we can also dream of something more. We grew and became stronger from race to race and if we always did well on the high-load circuits, in the last Grand Prix, on a low-load track, we had a good pace. This year we can win another race and we hope in the coming years to win more and more and fight for the title, which is our goal and the direction in which we are moving. Compared to Melbourne it seems like a different season and we hope to continue on this path up to Abu Dhabi and then start differently in 2018".
The one who talks about the future rather than the present is Fernando Alonso, who links his to what his team's choices will be, and in particular those relating to the engine given that there is talk of a divorce from Honda to focus on Renault.
"Future in Indy? There are options everywhere, and they are all very good, you have to be patient and wait for a couple of weeks. What will inspire my decision next year is the desire to win. As for the triple crown (victory in Indy, in the Monaco Grand Prix and in the 24 Hours Le Mans, ed.) it is a clear objective for me in the future, and there are two races to win, if one of these remains at the same time in Monte Carlo there is another one that I can plan, but if I stay in Formula 1 it is because I will believe I can win next year and this will make my decision much easier, because I will be in Monte-Carlo not wanting to lose points . My priority is F1, the triple crown remains in the background, there is not only the Indianapolis 500 and various possibilities to experience a fantastic 2018".
According to Alonso, in short, not being able to race at Indianapolis next year will not affect his decisions.
"There is nothing confirmed, I am waiting for my current team to make their decision and then I will negotiate my options. If one day I were to reach the triple crown it would put me on a good level as a complete driver and capable of winning in all series and all categories, but I want to wait for my fans to have a fantastic 2018. The program is ongoing, but I can assure you that very positive news will arrive as far as I'm concerned".
The boy of Singapore. The man of the night. Sebastian Vettel arrives in shorts under a very oriental veil tent set up by Ferrari as an open-air press room in the paddock. It is 8:00 p.m., the thermometer exceeds 30 °C, the humidity is 80%.
"I like it here. I don't know if it's because of the artificial lights, or because it's a long, hard race, where it's difficult to overtake. But I like it a lot".
Very much so: for the German the Marina Bay circuit is the talismanic track. In ten years of the most televised night race, no one has ever won like him: four times, three with Red Bull Racing (the most decorated team here with three successes) and two years ago with the Maranello team. The only one to have always scored in the points since 2008 and never lower than fifth place just like last year, when he recovered seventeen positions, beating the comeback record held by Felipe Massa. Seven times out of nine the Grand Prix has been won from pole position, except with him starting third in 2012. Sebastian Vettel is comfortable in this sultry bubble, unlike the Europeans who are still confused by their time zone and, like Kimi Räikkönen, they keep their sunglasses on even in the dark. Perhaps due to the flashes in the vapor of the air released by the 1,565 headlights along the over five kilometers of brightly lit track with 3.21 megawatts in the muddy sky, with 23 curves, an average of 177 km/h per lap, walk like a snail or a lizard like the one who last year walked lasciviously across the track. Vettel also splashes lively in it and will do so, Red Bull Racing permitting.
"Everything here is a challenge, it's difficult to manage the stress. You wait for it all year and can't wait, then it arrives and you don't want to start because you know how demanding it is. It's now a classic, a spectacle to see the cars starting under the spotlight".
It will be a shot to focus on, for him and the entire Ferrari that came out beaten and blurred from Monza with Seb third chasing Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes ahead by three points for the first time.
"I said at the Italian Grand Prix: we're coming. It was a long-term promise. I don't think it's a failure not to regain the leadership here, I think it's more important to have the lead after the last Abu Dhabi Grand Prix".
In seven races, with the finale in the Emirates after sunset. Will it be a night champion World Championship? We will see. Meanwhile, on Friday 15 September 2017 Daniel Ricciardo set the best time during the first free practice session, using Ultrasoft tyres. The Australian driver leads Sebastian Vettel by 0.109 seconds, and Max Verstappen by 0.121 seconds. The track is made slippery by the rain that fell during the night. On Vettel's single-seater, the rear wing and the front suspension bars were replaced during the session. The leader of the World Championship, Lewis Hamilton, finishes with the fourth fastest time, while the other Mercedes driver, Valtteri Bottas, is also preceded by Sergio Pérez. The two Anglo-German cars complain of excessive wear of the Ultrasoft compound tyres. Lance Stroll was limited during the session by a gearbox problem. With an installation lap, Max Verstappen, Kimi Räikkönen and Stoffel Vandoorne test the Halo. Daniel Ricciardo also confirmed himself in the evening session, in which he was the only driver to drop below the 1'41"0 limit. The Australian, with a time of 1'40"852, sets the new track record. Max Verstappen is second, at 0.556 seconds, while Lewis Hamilton sets the third fastest time, remaining 0.703 seconds behind, ahead of the other Mercedes driver, Valtteri Bottas. Max Verstappen, in the second lap, in qualifying set up, collides with the protections, no longer being able to improve his performance. The first of the Ferrari drivers is Kimi Räikkönen, ninth, who however suffers from balance problems, which do not allow him to get the front tires up to temperature. Sebastian Vettel is only eleventh, after having had to give up completing two fast laps, first due to the presence of another car on the track, then in the second attempt due to a contact with his guards. Which also happened to Fernando Alonso and Romain Grosjean. It's a Friday that has talked a lot, and yet it hasn't said everything yet: has Sebastian Vettel, the enchanter of Singapore, with four successes like no other ever (three with Red Bull and one with Ferrari), really lost his magic here?
"I haven't found the right confidence yet, honestly, I think it was a bit of an up-and-down day, an up-and-down session. Obviously, it's not ideal, I lost my car on the second attempt, in the central sector, but overall I think I can't be very happy because there was a bit of balance missing and also a bit of confidence as a result".
Vettel reveals that he has tested some changes on his SF70H, without success:
"We've tried a few things, but I'm not sure it's the right way to go. Now let's see what we can do for tomorrow. Overall I think it's clear that both riders were probably not particularly happy today, we need to improve but there is certainly enough time to examine and then find a solution".
Daniel Ricciardo is clearly happier, admitting:
"I expected this competitiveness, I said yesterday that we had a good chance here. The car worked well today, I like this circuit, in this heat it is very tough, but I prepared for it and today was a good day, like in Budapest, now we have to repeat ourselves on Saturday and Sunday. I have a pole position car, I have no doubts about that".
If at the end of the first session Max Verstappen had closed just 0.121 seconds behind leader Daniel Ricciardo, in the second the gap widened. However, there is no need to worry:
"We all know that Daniel is always very fast here, but I had to abort my best lap because Grosjean had spun and with the yellow flag I couldn't use DRS and there was no point in continuing. I definitely have some margin on my lap time. We will then have to use the engine better, because from the point of view of top speed, compared to the other teams it didn't go great".
Verstappen, however, does not hide and is aware that he has a very competitive car:
"We look very strong, and obviously I'm very happy with that. The day wasn't too bad, but even just from a balance point of view we can do better. But anyway we are there and it is a beautiful day for us. Mercedes and Ferrari will certainly get much closer and will be there tomorrow in Q3 and we will have to continue working to try to improve the car".
The one, however, who does not hide his dissatisfaction is Kimi Räikkönen:
"I certainly expected at least a slightly easier start. It didn't happen like that, but tomorrow is another day".
Räikkönen then tries to globally analyze the difficulties encountered on the track:
"I don't think it's just a tire heating problem. It definitely wasn't an ideal afternoon, but it was a difficult day. We have a lot to work on. And for the race we will have to try to get everything right, from the set-up to the tyres, which are always a key point. But in any case it is no different here compared to other circuits".
While his compatriot, Valtteri Bottas, says when speaking about his Mercedes:
"This was a difficult day for us. We lack a bit of rhythm, we made big setup changes between the first and second session but we still haven't found the right path. There is a lot of work to do on the data collected today, I struggled with grip, the car was always very nervous so it is not easy to trust the car when you push. This is the main thing we need to work on to raise my confidence level".
More pragmatic, James Allison, Mercedes technical director, says:
"In terms of program, it was a pretty clean day, but performance-wise… Lewis showed an encouraging pace on the Soft tyre, but we need to work better on the qualifying tyre. On the other hand Valtteri had a difficult day and we have some work to do with him too to bring him up to Lewis' pace. The whole team needs to raise its game tonight to be able to compete with Red Bull as well".
Day and night in Singapore are two very confusing concepts but the time available to repair the future is not: the German is three points behind Lewis Hamilton, and this is the opportunity to recover. Singapore is the visible city. It will be until 2021, thanks to a renewed contract with F1, given that in ten years of history the race has brought here 450.000 more visitors and a turnover of 1.400.000.000 local dollars (around one billion euros). In addition to this, another piece of news has been known to everyone for two days now, now it's official: McLaren decides to leave Honda and relies on Renault's power units until 2020. An agreement which consequently confirms him at the helm of the single-seater English Fernando Alonso also for the next season, thus erasing all the discontent of the current one and the threats of a farewell. The Spaniard is one step away from a two-year renewal. An inevitable divorce between McLaren and the Japanese company, after the unsuccessful marriage consummated in these years of F1. It will be the first time since 1966, however, that the Woking team will pair with Renault.
"Renault and McLaren are pleased to announce the agreement to supply the power units for the 2018, 2019 and 2020 seasons. The contract will see Renault Sport Racing supply McLaren with the F1 power units, but will also establish a close working relationship between McLaren engineers and engine technicians".
This agreement will be Renault's second supply to F1 next season after Red Bull. Honda, however, will not be out of the World Championship. In fact, it will supply engines to Scuderia Toro Rosso for the next three years. Franz Tost Team Principal of Scuderia Toro Rosso says:
"Every member of our team is looking forward to working with Honda. Ever since its founder Soichiro Honda entered the race with his motorcycles, racing has always been a central part of the soul of the company. It is a very exciting and challenging challenge I hope both sides can gain a lot from it as we develop together. Honda has a long history in Formula 1, dating back to 1964 when it entered the sport with its own team and, as an engine supplier, won five drivers' and six constructors' titles. This heritage, together with the full confidence we have in Honda's ability to succeed, makes me firmly convinced that we will have a fruitful future together".
Nico Rosberg becomes Robert Kubica's manager. The reigning Formula 1 World Champion, who retired at the end of last season after winning the world title, announces through his spokesperson Georg Nolte that he will collaborate with the Polish driver, helping him in his attempt to return to competing in the Circus. Nico Rosberg explains:
"Robert and Lewis (Hamilton) are the two fastest and most competitive drivers I have raced against. I am therefore thrilled to join Robert on his journey back to Formula 1".
The now former German driver has known Robert Kubica since they were both children and raced karts. Kubica returned to the wheel of a Formula 1 car during the tests last August in Hungary, more than six years after the terrible accident of which he was the victim in the Andorra rally. The polish has recorded excellent lap times and is now bidding for a place as a starting driver in Formula 1 next season. The following day, Saturday 16 September 2017, during the third and final practice session, Max Verstappen set the best time. The Dutchman sets a time one second higher than that of Friday, due to the rain during the night, which reduced the grip of the track. There is also a gearbox problem on Max Verstappen's car. Sebastian Vettel is second, 0.072 seconds behind. The German precedes Lewis Hamilton, and, surprisingly, the two McLarens of Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne. The other Red Bull Racing driver, Daniel Ricciardo, hits the barriers with his car and closes the practice session setting the sixth best time. Many drivers make similar mistakes, such as Kimi Räikkönen, Lance Stroll and Marcus Ericsson. Due to the accident of the latter, who also spun before hitting the walls, the session was interrupted for several minutes. The gearbox on the Swede's car was replaced, which penalized him with the loss of five positions on the starting grid. A few hours later, at the start of qualifying, all the drivers immediately get on the track, in order to set a valid time, in case the session is then interrupted by the display of red flags. After the two Ferrari drivers, Stoffel Vandoorne takes the lead in the classification. Then it's Red Bull Racing's turn, with Sebastian Vettel following in third place. Lewis Hamilton climbs to second place, while Felipe Massa damages the car, crashing into the barriers; the mechanics fortunately managed to send the Brazilian's Williams back onto the track, but he was unable to fight to enter the next phase. Halfway through Q1 the top ten positions are monopolized by pairs of five teams: first the two Red Bull Racing, then the two Mercedes, the two Ferraris, the two Force Indias and the two McLarens. Subsequently, Carlos Sainz Jr. climbs up to third place, as does Jolyon Palmer who climbs to fifth position and Nico Hülkenberg, who climbs to ninth place. The two Williams of Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll, the two Saubers of Pascal Wehrlein and Marcus Ericsson and Kevin Magnussen were eliminated. In Q2 Max Verstappen sets the track record, overtaking the two Ferrari drivers. The two Mercedes drivers are in fourth and fifth position, before Stoffel Vandoorne inserts himself between the two Anglo-German cars. Daniel Ricciardo is also very fast, and manages to climb into third position. In the final part of Q2 the fight for passage to the decisive phase intensifies: Fernando Alonso sets the eighth best time, the other Spaniard, Carlos Sainz Jr., only the tenth, before Nico Hülkenberg climbs to seventh position, even ahead of Valtteri Bottas.
The two Force India drivers, however, did not improve and were eliminated. In the final phase of Q2 Kimi Räikkönen sets the second best time, before Max Verstappen further improves the track record. Jolyon Palmer is only eleventh, while Valtteri Bottas does not improve, finishing in eighth position. In addition to the Force India drivers and Palmer, Daniil Kvyat and Romain Grosjean are also eliminated. The first two cars to set a valid time in Q3 are the McLarens of Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, who are soon preceded by Kimi Räikkönen and the two Mercedes drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. Shortly afterwards Max Verstappen sets the best time. The dreams of glory for the young Dutchman end when Sebastian Vettel laps in 1'39"491, thus climbing into first position. The other Red Bull Racing driver, Daniel Ricciardo, is third. In the second fast attempt Nico Hülkenberg places himself in seventh place, ahead of the McLarens of Fernando Alonso and Stoffel, while Kimi Räikkönen makes a mistake in his last attempt, Lewis Hamilton improves, but remains fifth, and the two Red Bull Racing drivers were unable to overtake Sebastian Vettel. The German takes off his helmet and cries.
"Thanks thanks thanks".
Sebastian Vettel shouts from his Ferrari after taking pole position. Perhaps the most painful and strangest:
"I fought a lot yesterday, this morning and this afternoon. I'm happy, I cry, I'm full of adrenaline. Maybe now I need to calm down. I screamed like the public around here, I like this track when you feel the car comes to life and you can do what you want with it".
Precisely Ferrari, which seemed uncompetitive in Friday's practices:
"We did a great job and we have the place this car deserves. We knew we had the potential, it was a bit tiring, but in the end we did it".
Silencing the Red Bull Racing team, which has had a dominating weekend up to this point. On the other hand, they are the most successful team in Singapore, and to reconfirm themselves here they had planned everything, paying the penalties they owed in Monza to be ready for anything here. But neither they nor many others expected, after such a difficult Friday, that in the end Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel would get back what was due to him: he took the front row with a time of 1'39"491 after finishing twelfth in Q1 and fourth in Q2 behind the guys with the wings, leaving Max Verstappen in second position, at 0.323 seconds, and the Australian Daniel Ricciardo in third place and on the second row, at 0.349 seconds. Fourth was the other car from Maranello, the one of Kimi Räikkönen, about 0.5 seconds behind his teammate, but unlucky in the last stretch where, without an error, perhaps he could have set the best time.
"I had difficulties throughout the weekend and today was quite difficult too. The situation is still far from ideal but in the end I'll take this fourth place, with all the struggles we've had. It was a difficult day and it was difficult to put the car in the conditions we want. It could have been much worse but at least we achieved a good result today. We hope to have a bit of luck tomorrow so we can gain some positions, but it has definitely not been an easy weekend so far".
Perhaps the return of the Finn, his reaction after the practices in which he struggled to get the tires up to temperature, give an idea of the atmosphere in the Ferrari garage. Sebastian Vettel took what was due to him, beyond the difficulties and the lack of confidence that seemed to have crept in in the last few hours: in the second practices on Friday Seb, who ended up on a wall in turn 10, was not even able to complete a fast lap and he got out of the car saying that perhaps the tests being carried out on the car were not the right ones.
"But we worked between tonight and today and we have the car we deserve".
And who with an amazing last lap, in which the car almost crashes into the wall, takes the lead, disintegrating the track record: the German has lowered his 2016 pole position by over three seconds. Having got out of his Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel goes to peek inside the two rivals' Red Bull Racing cars and says:
"They are identical to ours. However, tomorrow will be tough, we hope to bring the positive sensations we had. I will have to think about Verstappen next to me, but also about doing my things in the right way, I am confident. The start here is crucial, but the race is long".
In the press conference, Sebastian Vettel returns to talk about the emotions that emerged in this qualifying, and in particular the thrill experienced in the final moments of Q3:
"Here there are many corners and many things to do right and at the same time many things you can do wrong, I'm really happy. The weekend so far had been up and down for us, while our rivals were extremely fast. In Q1 I didn't really know how to find that second and a half, then in Q2, a bit like a switch that suddenly turned on, it went better. I knew the track would improve but I didn't expect so much, and in the end in Q3 I was really very happy. I was of both my laps, I had a bit of luck on the last one because I gave a nice brush to the wall at turn 19. Quite a real blow, but I said to myself: Okay, I have to continue. It went well, I approached the last corner and there I felt a huge vibration, but luckily only that was missing and I pushed as much as I could. I knew that on the last attempt, even if I was ahead at the start, they would find something because the track was improving, so I had to get everything right. It was a real relief when I crossed the finish line, I heard a lot of screams, I knew that Daniel was behind me so I was waiting for the confirmation and when it arrived I was really very happy and now I'm starting to calm down, let's say".
Returning to talking about the race, the German says he knows that realizing what was built in qualifying will require a flawless performance that is attentive to all risks:
"Many things can happen, clearly the grid position here is important if not crucial, but the race is long. The fact that the car went very well this evening is certainly promising for us from a race perspective, I'm confident as far as the GP is concerned. I have to do my race, but Max Verstappen will start next to me, so first of all I have to think about him, then Daniel Ricciardo and so on. I shouldn't think too much about the others, the race will be long, we will have to do many things right, so we must focus on ourselves".
It had already been announced for weeks that the Singapore track would be difficult to adapt to the characteristics of the W08, but there is no doubt that seeing Lewis Hamilton relegated to the third row, without any obvious technical problem, has a certain effect.
"I never expect to be fifth and, even though I thought the Red Bulls would be fast, I was hoping to still have a small chance of fighting with the Ferraris. Unfortunately this wasn't the case, today both Red Bulls were exceptional and we were absolutely not on their level. That's how it went, I gave everything, I pushed the car to the limit but there was nothing to be done. It's just frustrating to be in this position, basically a little bit out of the fight with the Ferraris. Tomorrow might be a different day, but I don't have anything in mind right now".
Max Verstappen failed to improve on his final attempt in Q3:
"It's a shame we couldn't get pole position, but my last lap wasn't great. We still came close and I'm quite happy with this".
The Dutchman intends to battle as soon as the lights go out:
"Let's hope Vettel can't push even more tomorrow. It will definitely be difficult to beat him. We hope to surpass him in the first sector. All weekend we were being gentle on power, and we couldn't resolve this issue, which didn't make the situation ideal. Second place on this track is really promising. We are not very far away, and therefore we can be quite satisfied".
On a circuit like Marina Bay the starting position is really important. Nonetheless, Daniel Ricciardo is convinced that he too has a chance of winning:
"I'm a little envious of Sebastian's lap, but I have to accept this small defeat. I'm confident that we will win tomorrow, we have a good package".
Ricciardo's beliefs derive from the race pace shown in free practice, which was decidedly convincing:
"Yes, I think we have a better pace than the others. Sebastian managed to do something more in qualifying, but we'll see what happens tomorrow. For tomorrow everything is still at stake. I would like to be in Sebastian's position, I thought pole was within our reach, but we couldn't make enough progress in Q3".
On Sunday 17 September 2017, shortly before the start of the Singapore Grand Prix, it started raining on the track. All the drivers opt to use extreme wet tyres, except the top six, as well as Carlos Sainz Jr., Daniil Kvyat, Romain Grosjean and Lance Stroll who prefer to use intermediate wet tyres. However, the start takes place from a standstill, without first completing a lap behind the Safety car. At the start Sebastian Vettel maintains the lead, while behind Kimi Räikkönen threatens Max Verstappen: the Red Bull Racing ends up caught between the two Ferraris, who then touch each other. Kimi Räikkönen loses control of the car and ends up touching Fernando Alonso's McLaren, which is the only one of the four drivers involved in the accident who manages to continue. Max Verstappen and Kimi Räikkönen, in fact, end their race at the first corner, while on Sebastian Vettel's car the collision causes a loss of fluids, which end up on the rear tyres: the German driver ends up spinning shortly after the fourth corner, further damaging his Ferrari and having to retreat. For the Maranello team, this is the first double retirement since the 2015 Mexican Grand Prix. The race direction sends the Safety car onto the track. In the meantime, however, taking advantage of the initial chaos, Lewis Hamilton moved into first position, followed by Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Hülkenberg, Sergio Pérez, Valtteri Bottas, Jolyon Palmer, Stoffel Vandoorne, Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz Jr.. After four laps spent under Safety car, the race resumes, with Jolyon Palmer immediately overtaking Valtteri Bottas. Fernando Alonso retires on lap 8 due to loss of engine power, while Carlos Sainz Jr. climbs to eighth position, after passing Esteban Ocon. Already during lap 11 the Safety car is sent out again, following Daniil Kvyat's accident, who ended up against the barriers. Taking advantage of the neutralization, Daniel Ricciardo returns to the pits, using intermediate wet tyres, then Sergio Pérez and Esteban Ocon, who make the same choice as the Australian. The race resumes its competitive nature on lap 15. Lewis Hamilton remains in first place, ahead of Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas, Carlos Sainz Jr., then Nico Hülkenberg, Sergio Pérez and Jolyon Palmer. During lap 20 Stoffel Vandoorne passes Lance Stroll, and rises to eighth place. During lap 26 Kevin Magnussen and Felipe Massa put on slick tyres; shortly after, Lance Stroll and Romain Grosjean also made the same choice. From this moment all the drivers switch to using slick tyres. Carlos Sainz pitted on lap 27, as did Stoffel Vandoorne. During lap 28 Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez and Nico Hülkenberg also stopped in the pits. After the stop made by Lewis Hamilton, the ranking still sees the Briton in the lead, still followed by Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas.
Nico Hülkenberg rises to fourth place, ahead of Carlos Sainz Jr.; followed by Sergio Pérez, Jolyon Palmer and Stoffel Vandoorne. During lap 38 Marcus Ericsson ends up spinning; the race direction sends the safety car onto the track for the third time. Nico Hülkenberg returns to the pits due to a technical problem, thus losing several seconds. The German returns to the track in tenth position, and thus Carlos Sainz Jr. recovers fourth place. Nico Hülkenberg retires on lap 48; the German thus becomes the driver with the highest number of Grands Prix contested, 129, without ever having obtained a position on the podium. In the final laps Daniel Ricciardo was unable to worry Lewis Hamilton, who won the Singapore Grand Prix, which was interrupted after 58 of the scheduled 61 laps, to reach the two-hour mark of the race. Daniel Ricciardo is second, followed by Valtteri Bottas, Carlos Sainz Jr., who achieves his best F1 performance, Sergio Perez, Jolyon Palmer, Stoffel Vandoorne, Lance Stroll, Romain Grosjean and Esteban Ocon. For the Ferraris, the Singapore Grand Prix ended immediately, a few meters after the start in the rain. Lewis Hamilton takes advantage of this, avoiding trouble and overtaking debris and opponents, thus achieving the most unexpected of successes for himself and for Mercedes: the Briton, already leader of the standings, extends his lead over Sebastian Vettel, bringing it to 28 points.
"What can I say? Thank you for your hard work and continued faith. What a great day. I want to congratulate the team, yesterday we struggled so much and we didn't know what could happen today. It would have taken a miracle. Today God has blessed me and I made the most of the accident at the start which penalized the two Ferraris. I would have also liked to fight with Vettel, but in reality it went better that way. I also needed the rain, as soon as I saw that it was starting to rain I thought that I could win".
Fireworks in the sky over Marina Bay. Behind the Briton, the Australian from Red Bull Racing, Daniel Ricciardo, and his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, third. Now it will be difficult for Sebastian Vettel to recover, given that the next six races between now and the end of the World Championship will not be the most favorable for Ferrari. What a missed opportunity in Singapore. It all begins and ends under the traffic lights at the start: the Finn Kimi Räikkönen from the second row passes the young Red Bull Racing driver on the left of the road alongside him, while on the opposite side the poleman and teammate Sebastian Vettel, who started slower, closes Max inside: the Dutchman is sandwiched between the two Ferraris, the touch is inevitable with Räikkönen who loses control and hits Vettel. The Finn's car, now out of control, slides on the damp track and hits the Reb Bull Racing in a second bounce, dragging it off the track, the end of the race for both of them, while Vettel is doomed a few tens of meters ahead after a spin in which he loses pieces on the asphalt, the left side of his Gina with a huge wound. Safety car for four laps and accident under investigation. After the race, the stewards decide that the start is a racing accident: none of the three drivers involved are entirely or predominantly responsible for the accident. Therefore, no action is taken against anyone. Sebastian Vettel says, immediately after the accident:
"I don't know what happened. I only saw Max Verstappen in the mirrors and I suddenly saw Kimi Räikkönen hitting me on the side but I don't know what happened between them. These are bad things but they happen. I don't have much to say, I think I made an average start then I saw Verstappen who was getting a little closer, I tried to close the door on him a little then, immediately afterwards, I felt a blow on my side and it was the end".
It ended badly. Kimi Räikkönen adds:
"I don't know if Max didn't see me or not: we would have to ask him. These things happen, even if we paid a high price but I don't think I could have done anything differently to avoid the accident. It's a real shame that it ended like this, I did well in the first 100 meters. Race accident? Let's see what the stewards will say, even if nothing will change at this point".
In Max Verstappen's opinion:
"I ended up in the middle, I tried to brake but the rear tires were wider, I kept pushing but I couldn't move, they touched me and the race was over. Räikkönen was overtaking, then he started to go towards the right and Sebastian towards left, what could I do. I wanted to brake but you can't move in that situation because my front tires were already between their rears, we touched. I don't understand Sebastian's point of view, he is fighting for the championship, maybe he would have lost one or two positions but one would have been for a teammate. I was only fighting for the victory. It's a mistake that costs him a lot for the championship. I'm happy that in the end everyone retired and that the accident didn't cost only to me".
In the incomprehension of the others, Lewis Hamilton sees very well, who stays out of the initial fray and from fifth position at the start, after a disappointing qualifying, manages to pass on the right side of the track, climbs over the wreckage and immediately takes the lead, remaining there until the end with the immediate entry of the safety car. Mercedes engineers say:
"Lewis, the race is to get the car home in one piece".
And the British pilot replies:
"I got that".
Adds the Ferrari team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene:
"We are very sorry and disappointed for our fans, it is certainly not the result we expected. We promise that it is not over, it will be more difficult, but it is not over. We promise to fight until the last corner of the championship. It is difficult, but It's not impossible. It's not over, it's just more difficult. I'm very, very, very sorry for our fans, but we'll make it again".
Fernando Alonso tried to keep his McLaren intact, but the Spanish driver, involved in the brawl at the start, hit by Verstappen who was in turn hit by Räikkönen, was forced to stop after a few laps due to an engine problem. Valtteri Bottas says thanks, who took third place at the end of the race:
"We limited the damage and were lucky: the cars performed beyond expectations, we struggled a bit to have pace in the wet, but in the dry everything went well. Second place in the rankings? There are still many races to go and many opportunities for me, Vettel will be my next target. Today I tried to do a double but the circuit was difficult: first and third place is a perfect result".
Now for real Ferrari will have to fight until the last corner of the last Grand Prix. But will it be enough? Singapore was an opportunity to try to stay in the fight for victory in the World Championship. It was the last race with all the characteristics suitable for the Maranello single-seater.
"Sebastian made a serious mistake in terms of the World Championship".
The only one who immediately tells the truth is the blameless one. Max Verstappen, who ended up crushed between the two Ferraris at the start of the Singapore Grand Prix, he was out of the race for being run over by Kimi Räikkönen’s car, which in turn hit teammate Sebastian Vettel's Gina in a frightening carambola. The Dutch Red Bull Racing driver reconstructed the mistake, later defined as a simple racing accident by the stewards who took no action, in a very simple way:
"Kimi started very well and tried to pass me on the left, while Sebastian tried to push me to the left but I couldn't move since Raikkonen was on that side. Vettel didn't notice Kimi and I found myself caught between the two Ferraris. I tried to brake but the larger rear wheels crushed me and we touched. Kimi started better than me and I didn't try to defend myself since the race is long, but after 200 meters everything was already over. I don't think it's just Kimi's fault. There was a misunderstanding between the two Ferrari drivers".
At first, Max was the suspect given his track record (this year four retirements due to accidents on the first lap) and the intemperance he has shown on the track in the past, especially when overtaking. But in Singapore, apart from perhaps not having braked like an F1 driver usually does, Verstappen simply ended up in the middle of the tactics that later turned out to be suicidal by the Ferrari drivers. And he has no doubts about the guilt:
"I don't understand Sebastian. He is fighting for the World Championship and could have lost one or two positions, whereas now he has had a disastrous result. I wanted to fight for the victory and he would have remained ahead of Lewis. I think he made a mistake in championship perspective, but I'm happy that all three of us retired and not just me".
He's not wrong. The self-annihilation of the drivers of the Maranello team earned the success of Lewis Hamilton, who now has a 28 point lead over Sebastian Vettel: between now and the end of the World Championship there are six races left which, in theory, are not clearly favorable to the team from Maranello as it was Singapore. On the contrary. To get even with his rival, Seb would have to win four races and Lewis finish second four times. And Seb's troubles aren't over. His Gina emerged from the accident losing pieces, with the left side gutted and the radiator broken. It has lost oil and fluids. Now we will have to see how many injuries his power unit also suffered. Can it be completely or partially reused? In Malaysia in a week on the Sepang circuit the number 4 engine will debut, Ferrari had already taken it into account before Singapore. But it hadn't calculated the disaster at Marina Bay with the consequences not only on the championship, but on the engine itself. If it cannot be recovered, it will be a long time to get to Abu Dhabi with the last power unit available. After which penalties apply. Young Max saw Seb's present and future immediately, very well. In the sidereal silence of the next day, the loud laughter of Niki Lauda echoes from afar in Maranello. A not too indirect response to Sergio Marchionne who, after the humiliating Mercedes parade staged by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in Monza (in front of the terrified eyes of Prime Minister Gentiloni and half of the Agnelli family), had ordered his team to take away their smiles from the face. The president of Ferrari does not take in. He doesn't blame anyone for what happened. But he doesn't even absolve. He waits, limiting himself to silence, trusting not too secretly in the creativity of the GES technical team and its director Mattia Binotto. For trials, if there is ever a need, there is plenty of time. Sergio Marchionne's eyes are therefore focused on the work that the team will be able to produce in the next two weeks.
"After Singapore we will bring new chassis and engine innovations that will make us improve a lot".
From now on, every match will be decisive. Starting with the Malaysian Grand Prix, on a track with many straights (eight) where the engine will be one of the determining factors. In all likelihood, Ferrari will decide to start with the new power unit (the fourth), thus arriving at the crossroads that all the technicians have been waiting for a couple of months. Ever since Mercedes chose to homologate its fourth unit at Spa, agreeing to block technical development at the end of August in exchange for being able to take advantage of more advantageous regulations on the consumption of oil as fuel. Ferrari, however, made a different choice, continuing to work as scheduled. The Sepang circuit will decide who was right. Even though there are many variables. Above all, the meteorological one: in Malaysia, wet races are very frequent (and this is not good news for Ferrari, at least judging by what we saw in Monza and Singapore). Another variable to take into account is reliability. From this point of view, neither team can remain calm. Having anticipated the use of the last power unit available so much, Mercedes is forced to manage the parts with great caution (there are still six races to go). Ferrari is more or less in the same situation with the added unknown that is currently taking away the sleep of motorists. The accident in Singapore appears to have also involved the water and oil radiators. As a precaution, the mechanics who rescued the Gina, the code name that Sebastian Vettel gave to his car, made extensive use of cooling fans during transport operations. The suspicion is that engine number three (which in Mattia Binotto's plans should alternate with engine four from now until the end, in the less demanding races) may have suffered some excessive thermal stress, due to lack of lubrication or cooling. A risk to be avoided at all costs. Another giggle from Niki Lauda would be too much.