On Sunday, September 16, 2018, the Singapore Grand Prix, the fifteenth race of the Formula 1 World Championship, will take place at the Singapore Circuit. Earlier, on Monday, September 3, 2018, McLaren announced the signing of Lando Norris, who becomes an official driver starting from the 2019 World Championship. The young Englishman, second in the F2 World Championship with one victory, had been in contention for weeks to debut in F1 next year. This thesis was strongly supported by the fact that McLaren's team principal, Zak Brown, is Norris's manager and reportedly receives a substantial compensation (according to rumors) for this role. Norris will replace Stoffel Vandoorne, whose seat at McLaren was already at risk for this season. The hypothesis of Esteban Ocon, strongly advocated by Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes, falls through. The Frenchman could have joined McLaren in the last races of 2018 if his place in Force India was taken by Lance Stroll, but for various contractual reasons and his excessive height, which prevented him from fitting into the MCL33 cockpit, the Ocon idea faded away. Norris will turn 19 on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, and despite being backed by a very wealthy family that has allowed him to test cars every day of the year (not exaggerating), he possesses natural talent and has won in every category he has participated in. In 2015, he conquered the English F4 MSA, in 2016 as a rookie he clinched the prestigious titles of the Renault Eurocup and the Renault NEC, as well as the New Zealand Toyota Championship held at the beginning of the season. Then, he won the European F3 as a debutant in 2016, and this year, as a rookie again, he is in the running to win the Formula 2 championship. The first official contact with the McLaren F1 team took place last year during the Budapest tests, spanning two days. Then, this season, he completed four days of testing between Montmelò and Budapest. Well-informed sources claim that Norris has covered many kilometers with a McLaren from various years across Europe. In Spa and Monza, he participated in the first free practice sessions of the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix. Concurrently, Kimi Raikkonen leaves Ferrari, and Charles Leclerc joins. On Tuesday, September 11, 2018, the Maranello team officially announces the signing of the Monegasque driver for the upcoming season. Before announcing Charles Leclerc's signing, the Maranello team bids farewell to Kimi Raikkonen. As stated in the note signed by team principal Maurizio Arrivabene:
"During these years, Kimi has given the team a fundamental contribution, both as a driver and for his human qualities. His role has been decisive for the team's growth, and at the same time, he has always been a great team player. As a world champion, he will always remain in the history and the family of the Scuderia. For all this, we thank him and wish him and his family a future full of satisfactions".
The Finn will continue his Formula 1 career with Alfa Romeo Sauber. A two-year contract is planned for him:
"Kimi's undeniable talent and his immense experience in F1 will not only help us develop the car but will also accelerate the growth of the entire team".
Instead, the announcement of Charles Leclerc's arrival by Ferrari, a driver of the Ferrari Academy since 2016, is more concise.
"Scuderia Ferrari announces that Charles Leclerc will drive for the team alongside Sebastian Vettel in the next F1 season".
Charles Leclerc entrusts his first message as a Ferrari driver to Twitter:
"A dream come true... in the Formula One World Championship 2019, I will drive for Ferrari. I will be eternally grateful to Ferrari for the opportunity given, to Nicolas Todt (his agent, editor's note) for supporting me since 2011. To my family and to someone who is no longer in this world but to whom I owe everything that is happening to me, my father. I will always be grateful to Jules (Bianchi, editor's note) for all the things he taught me, we will never forget you. And thanks to all the people who supported me and believed in me. I will work harder than ever not to disappoint you. But first, there is a season to finish with a fantastic team that has given me the opportunity to fight and show my potential. Go Sauber".
On the eve of the Singapore Grand Prix, for once, Kimi Raikkonen sets aside his icy calm and vents. The Finn speaks again about the announced farewell to Ferrari at the end of the season:
"What happened has already been said several times; it wasn't a decision I made, and what followed wasn't due to my decision. I found out I would be leaving at Monza; then, I know people who work at Sauber from my past experience, and we started talking from that moment. That's how it went, there was this opportunity, I didn't have a long-term plan".
However, the Sauber level is far from that of Ferrari this year.
"There are many differences between all the cars; not many are at the same level, but it has always been like this, and we'll see what happens in the future," continues the Finnish driver. "Why Sauber? Why not, I wanted to do it. No one knows what will happen next year; we'll see what we can do. We'll have to aim for the best possible positions, and then we'll see the result. I have my reasons, and they are enough for me. I don't need to hear what others think; I'm happy with my reasons".
With the future already decided, Kimi Raikkonen has not yet decided whether to continue racing to win or commit as a support to help Sebastian Vettel in the fight against Lewis Hamilton.
"Helping Vettel in the title fight? I can drive only one car. There's always a lot of talk about various things, whether I can help or not, but it's always easy to talk from the outside; on the track, it's much harder to do the right things. We'll see what happens in the race; we know our internal rules, and they're quite simple".
At 39, the experience with Sauber could be his last in F1.
"There's a very high chance that it is, but I'll stop when I feel it's the right thing for me, but today, racing is what I like the most. I'm not interested in numbers, age; I do what I think is right for me, and we'll see what happens in the future. The important thing is to stay healthy, and then we'll decide".
On the possibility of staying at Sauber as a manager once leaving the circus, Raikkonen does not commit:
"I signed as a driver, and I'm interested in being a driver. Who knows what will happen in two years. There are always rumors, conjectures, but at the moment, there's nothing concrete; I don't have a contract that establishes this".
Raikkonen's two-year stint at Alfa Romeo Sauber has effectively surprised Ricciardo, who saw the experienced Finnish driver heading for a golden retirement moment when the Maranello team decided to replace him with Charles Leclerc. When asked in the Singapore paddock if he was surprised by the announcement of Kimi's return to Hinwil, where he made his debut in 2001, the Australian responds:
"A bit. I suspected that Ferrari would make the change that was then implemented; however, I thought that if Kimi retired, he would get on his motocross bike and spend time with his children. I'm surprised he signed a two-year deal. His body language doesn't show how much he likes this sport, but obviously, he loves it more than we think".
In recent weeks, there has been much talk about the roles of Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes and Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari and their possibility of making themselves available to their respective team leaders. Leclerc, in the Marina Bay paddock, wants to clarify that he will not start as a designated number two in Maranello.
"I think it will be more or less like in any team: the two drivers start the season on equal terms. During the year, you can then see team orders if one is fighting for the championship and the other is not. I think it's normal, and it happens in every team. And yes, I think they will let us race freely at the beginning of the season".
Leclerc also clarifies that he is not afraid of sharing the garage with a four-time Formula 1 World Champion like Sebastian Vettel:
"I know him only a bit, but he has always been very friendly with me. Whether I was doing a good job in the simulator or racing in F2, he always sent me messages, and it was great. It will be even better working together; for sure, I will have a lot to learn from him".
The Monegasque driver, finally, is not afraid to talk about his championship chances for 2019:
"It's difficult to say now, but my goal will be to do the best with the car I have. This year, Ferrari has a car capable of fighting for the title, and if it's the same next year, that will be my goal. It will undoubtedly be a huge target, and I will have to grow a lot as a driver, but I will try to achieve the best result possible".
A year earlier, Lewis Hamilton arrived in Singapore with just a 3-point advantage over Sebastian Vettel. This year, however, despite a Ferrari even more competitive than in 2017, there's a zero next to the 3, making the reigning World Champion's lead more than a weekend of racing. With seven more Grand Prix races to go, it's too early to make calculations, as emphasized by Hamilton himself in a press conference:
"I never come to race weekends with specific expectations; I just focus on giving my best. So far, this approach has yielded good results. In the subconscious, there might be a thought about the lead, but the championship is still long, and difficult races await us".
In Singapore, in addition to Ferrari, Red Bull could also join the fight at the top, although Hamilton emphasizes that it's not guaranteed that Verstappen and Ricciardo can keep up with the two top teams:
"In Red Bull, I think they have turned decisively towards 2019 in terms of development. They have a lot of aerodynamic load and consume the rear tires less, which could certainly help them. Ferrari has been evidently ahead of us in the last races; the team has done an excellent job, and the goal is to try to place ourselves at Ferrari's level, if not surpass it".
Hamilton arrives in Singapore after a trip to Shanghai and one to New York but is not afraid of fatigue:
"After races, I switch off and for me, it's essential to disconnect. I draw energy from these trips, and in recent years, I have always managed to deliver performances at a high level. However, in this season, I have traveled much less than in previous years".
Regarding team orders in Ferrari and Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton says:
"So far, the help Valtteri has given me has been simply more noticeable and due to the positions we found ourselves in on the track. I don't see how a possible fight between Vettel and Raikkonen can help me since I still have to fight with Kimi".
During the Thursday press conference in Singapore, when Lewis Hamilton is asked about the level of competitiveness he expects from Red Bull on the Marina Bay track, the British driver excludes them from the contenders for the victory:
"From what I've heard, they stopped developing the car a long time ago and focused on next year's car. So, they are moving forward with what they have. However, they have always been fast on this type of track, so we can expect a good race from them".
Max Verstappen, informed about the statements of his colleague, rejects the theory of the Mercedes driver and responds:
"I don't know who told him that, but it's not true".
The Dutchman aligns with his team principal, Christian Horner, who, in the days leading up to the race in the East, had reiterated the team's maximum focus on the goals for 2018. Despite this, given the power deficit already highlighted by Max during his defense for the events in Monza, the talented Dutch driver does not believe that the RB14 will be as competitive as it has been in the past in Singapore. This would depend precisely on the additional performance available to Ferrari and Mercedes thanks to their latest engine developments.
"Realistically, I think we are in a phase where the power difference compared to last year is more evident. Twelve months ago, here, we were three-tenths behind Vettel. So it will be difficult, but the last word is never said. I believe our car is really good; I just hope that we can have a bit more power from the engine, but it is clear that we will push to the maximum to achieve a good result".
On Friday, September 14, 2018, the first free practice session is monopolized by Red Bull Racing, with Daniel Ricciardo taking the first position, just 0.2s away from the track record. In second place is Max Verstappen, trailing by 0.2s. The only other driver to break the 1'40"0 barrier is Sebastian Vettel, who precedes his teammate, Kimi Räikkönen. The Mercedes drivers use Ultrasoft tires in the first part of the session when the track is still not very rubberized, and then switch to the Soft tires. Charles Leclerc hits a wall along the track, damaging a suspension. During the second session, Kimi Räikkönen sets a new track record, clocking 1'38"699. The Finn surpasses Lewis Hamilton by just 0.011s, while the two Red Bull drivers finish with the third and fourth fastest times. The Anglo-Austrian cars are not particularly fast on a single lap, but they seem to have a better race pace. Vettel compromises his fastest lap by hitting the wall at turn 21, scraping the right side tires of the car against the barrier. Bottas also ruins his attempt with a driving error. The Mercedes cars show some instability under braking. Speaking about the incident that involved him during the FP2, Sebastian Vettel says:
"Obviously, it was a bit more than a kiss to the wall, and as a precaution, we decided not to run anymore. We lost some time, which is not ideal, but I had good feelings in the car. Fortunately, I've been here before, I know the track, tomorrow the key will be to find the right balance and feel the car a bit better than tonight, and it should be okay".
The Ferrari driver minimizes the possible consequences:
"Kimi's data on the long run will obviously be very important; it's positive that he had a session where everything went smoothly. We are so far into the season that skipping a session on the track is not such a problem because we know where to look. Obviously, it's not what I wanted, but that's how it went".
Vettel, however, covered 35 laps during the day, enough to evaluate the best path to take for the rest of the weekend:
"I think the car is very good; there were some very positive phases this morning, and tonight some things didn't work, maybe we'll go back, but it's normal. The laps until the kiss to the wall were good, but I wasn't entirely happy with the car, so I think there's still potential".
Kimi Raikkonen starts the Singapore Grand Prix weekend in the best possible way. With a time of 1'38"699, the Finn surpasses Lewis Hamilton, finishing FP2 in the first position.
"We will do our best, and we'll see what results it will bring. Obviously, it's only Friday; things have gone quite smoothly, and we'll see what happens tomorrow".
At Singapore, Ferrari introduced a new aerodynamic package and a new floor, which Raikkonen had the opportunity to test.
"I ran with two different floors, and it's not like night and day. But when you do comparative tests from one outing to another, there's always some difference, and of course, you try to work on it. When we use something different, it's because we believe it's better, and it means it worked".
It's undoubtedly a positive day for Red Bull Racing as well, especially considering the race pace in the long runs with Ultrasoft tires, indicating that the RB14 could aspire to join the battle between Ferrari and Mercedes.
"Not bad, although in FP2, we could have done a bit better in the qualifying simulation. We'll see tomorrow how we can improve the car, but today certainly wasn't a bad day".
Verstappen admits, however, that it will be difficult, at least on Saturday, to aim for pole position, as was the case in the previous season:
"Front row? This year, I think it will be a bit tougher. Okay, the race pace is good, but, as I said, I think we still need to optimize something on the car. It didn't go badly, but we're not entirely satisfied yet".
Daniel Ricciardo, who had topped FP1, completes 27 laps in the afternoon and 33 in the evening, remaining confident for the rest of the weekend:
"It will be a close fight at the top, and all three top teams can be fast here. The first session was better for us, and surprisingly, we were more comfortable with the warmer asphalt. Once the track cooled down, we couldn't optimize the whole package".
Last year, Red Bull managed to place Verstappen in second and Ricciardo in third on the starting grid, and the pace seen in the long runs allows the team to aim high for the race:
"I'm not worried; we have all night to analyze everything, and I believe we will solve the problems for tomorrow. I appreciate that Pirelli brought a Soft compound here, with the compound jump to Ultrasoft and Hypersoft. In qualifying, I think everyone will use the Hypersoft. The team has brought an excellent car here, so hopefully, the gap is really reduced tomorrow".
Later in the evening, after completing the practice sessions, Ferrari's team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, dispels any speculation about the way the decision to not renew the expiring agreement with driver Kimi Raikkonen was communicated, saying:
"Kimi was so nervous and unhappy that I told him, I think, on Thursday in Monza, and on Saturday, he did the pole. We're talking about professionals. Wasn't it the right time to say it in Monza? Would it have been right in Belgium? The right time is not written on paper; what is written is that we sign contracts with professional drivers. I have always dealt with them in a professional manner, and I expect the same from them".
The Italian manager recounts that the Finn accepted the decision without objection:
"Kimi was quite funny yesterday in the press conference. But what did you expect, that he would say that Homer Simpson made the decision? Obviously, I made it, but I have to say that our relationship with him is very good; he understood the situation. The issue is not just communicating the decision, but my job is to explain the decision-making process. He didn't make a fuss; he's a professional".
Maurizio Arrivabene also emphasizes that the press release issued by Ferrari was intentionally different:
"The way we wrote the statement was intentionally different; we wanted to do something different from tradition. Usually, Ferrari confirmed the choice with one line, and we wanted to break the rules to include a tribute to Kimi, for what he has done for us, wishing him the best for the future. And the best for his future is Sauber".
Talking about the next Ferrari driver, the team principal adds:
"We shouldn't put too much pressure on this guy when he makes his first mistake. We signed him in November 2015 or 2016, and even in that agreement, we anticipated a future in F1, as we did with Giovinazzi. Leclerc is not a big surprise; he is one of the most talented drivers on the grid, and fortunately, he has grown with us, and I hope he can continue with us at least until 2022. Many teams are creating future champions".
And he underlines:
"I'll try to be clear. When you make choices like this, you have to have a long-term view. So we are talking not only about next year but about the future of the team. We talk about the growth of a young driver and the expectations we have for him in the future. It's straightforward; it was a decision made by me, discussed with top management, made considering many factors. Nothing to do with the respect I have for Kimi, which is enormous, both as a person and as a driver. If you make a choice thinking about the future of the team, and it's the best choice for us and for Kimi".
Arrivabene is asked for his opinion on the mistakes made by Sebastian Vettel this season:
"If you look carefully, many F1 drivers make mistakes, big or small. If we are a team, we lose and win together. I don't want to point the finger at Sebastian; no one was happy after Monza, but let's think about the whole team. If I had pointed my finger at Sebastian at the end of the race, the aero guys, the engine guys, or the pit stop guys might have thought they could be next in case of mistakes. That's not what I want".
Afterward, the team principal takes responsibility for Ferrari's missed victories:
"The only mistake you have in front of you is me. I am responsible: when the results don't come, it's my fault. Not Sebastian's or the engineers' or the mechanics'. If you have to blame someone, you have it in front of you. You've already done it, but if you want to continue, I'm here. I accept all criticisms, especially from people who have won before me, but in good faith, not in bad faith. I am honest, and I accept criticism in good faith".
Meanwhile, as Ferrari has defined its future, Toro Rosso still has a long list of potential candidates for the driver position. Helmut Marko admits:
"Yes, it's a long list, but it's gradually narrowing down. Unfortunately, I can't tell you anything yet because we haven't made a decision. We have just renewed the contract with Buemi, and as has happened in the last five years, he will be a simulator and development driver. He will participate in Formula E, WEC, and is doing an excellent job with us. However, he is not involved in the negotiations concerning Toro Rosso".
Speaking about other teams, the Austrian manager expresses his opinion regarding Charles Leclerc's recent move to Ferrari. Would he have made the same choice if he were in the position of the leaders of the Maranello team?
"I believe it's time for other teams to start being brave as well. So far, we were the only ones taking risks with young drivers. I think it's a positive thing, a great opportunity for Charles, and it's nice that an important team like Ferrari is finally giving a chance to young talents without relying on the tried and tested. It could also be advantageous financially".
Meanwhile, the controversial summer market dynamics have effectively ruled out Esteban Ocon, and the team principal of Mercedes, Toto Wolff, reveals that not only Renault was in the running to sign the French driver:
"What happened this year in July and August is simply incredible. There was a lot of politics in the background, hidden agendas, and lies. Not all the best drivers will have a seat, and Esteban will probably be one of them. In July, he had two contract offers on the table, and it was just a matter of choosing the right one. Then, he simply ended up with none because some people didn't have the guts to stick to their word".
Wolff insists that Mercedes will take care of Esteban Ocon:
"He is one of the future stars I am 100% sure about. A strong guy who has been through different phases in his career, but we will overcome this as well".
The team principal's confidence in Esteban is enormous, to the point that the Anglo-German team will not part ways with its young talent to let him join a rival team on loan:
"Not even in a million years because one day he will drive a Mercedes, win races and championships, showing everyone out there that they made a mistake by not considering him".
Ocon is not the only driver from the Mercedes junior program who might be sitting out next year, as the current leader of the F2 championship, George Russell, is seriously at risk of not having a Formula 1 seat.
"He can't do better than what he's doing right now. He won GP3 last year and is fighting for the F2 title with Lando Norris. These guys deserve to be in Formula 1, and I have no doubt they will get there, whether with another team recognizing their talent or with us; we'll see".
Asked about the situation regarding Esteban Ocon, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has his own opinion about the Mercedes junior program:
"Toto's problem is that he has talented drivers, but there's no place for them to go. We invested money and bought a team (Toro Rosso). Toto needs to pull out the money and write a check if he wants to get a seat for Ocon at Williams. Mercedes has three valid young drivers, two of them definitely very strong, Ocon and Russell, but Toto might soon have to let them go because they can't find a seat like this".
On Saturday, September 15, 2018, during the third and final free practice session, the track record is lowered again. Sebastian Vettel sets a time of 1'38"054, almost 1.5s faster than the pole position time in 2017. Kimi Räikkönen sets the second-fastest time, followed by the two Mercedes drivers, who prefer to focus on the use of Soft tires. The two Red Bulls are further behind, with Max Verstappen experiencing engine and brake-by-wire issues. A few hours later, in Q1, the first significant time is set by Kimi Räikkönen, who laps in 1'38"534, outpacing his teammate Sebastian Vettel by 0.6s before the two Force India cars slot in between the two Ferraris. Lewis Hamilton sets the fifth-best time using Ultrasoft tires, unlike the other drivers who use Hypersoft. Daniel Ricciardo beats Kimi Räikkönen's time, as does Sebastian Vettel, who moves up to second place. Lance Stroll has a lap time canceled for crossing the yellow line at Turn 7. After over twelve minutes into the session, Valtteri Bottas sets his first lap time, far from the fastest times. Stoffel Vandoorne brushes the wall in his final attempt and is eliminated. Along with McLaren's Belgian driver, the two Williams drivers, Brendon Hartley, and Kevin Magnussen do not advance to the next phase. In Q2, where teams must choose the tires for the first part of the race, Mercedes switches to Hypersofts saved in the first phase, while Räikkönen opts for Ultrasofts, although the Finn, due to an error, has to abandon his first attempt.
Hamilton takes the lead in the time chart, ahead of Vettel (also on Ultrasofts) and Bottas. The two Ferraris switch back to Hypersofts, while Max Verstappen tops the charts, and Red Bull's other driver, Ricciardo, is third. Even the Force Indias seem to challenge the times of the Ferrari cars. Charles Leclerc brushes the wall, while Kimi Räikkönen sets the fastest time. Sauber's drivers, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Pierre Gasly, are eliminated. In the decisive phase, after the first attempt, Lewis Hamilton sets the fastest time with a lap of 1'36"015, beating Max Verstappen by 0.3s, Sebastian Vettel by 0.6s, Valtteri Bottas by 0.7s, and Kimi Räikkönen and Daniel Ricciardo by over a second. With the last attempt, Sebastian Vettel fails to improve on Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, who thus remain on the front row. The German stays in the second row, alongside Valtteri Bottas. Lewis Hamilton did not lead the standings in any session, including free practice and qualifying - except for Q3, the one that ultimately matters, especially on a city circuit like Singapore. And he did it with a sensational lap, clocking 1'36"015, giving him a 0.613s advantage over his direct rival, Sebastian Vettel. All this not without a touch of risk, due to the 0.2s that saved him from what would have been a shocking elimination in Q1.
"I have to tell you that this track is epic, really challenging. Probably, it's the most demanding circuit for us drivers throughout the season. Monaco is something special, but this track has even more corners... Today everything went well; we made some changes to the setup this morning, but I was quite nervous heading into qualifying because we thought we didn't have the pace to close the half-second gap to Ferrari".
In Q3, however, the big surprise:
"The qualifying was a challenge because in Q1, we used the Ultrasofts, and in the final session, it was all about putting together the small details found in the previous runs. 99% of the time, you can't achieve it, but this time... I didn't have any sliding, I didn't make any corrections on the wheel. I felt the car perfectly beneath me, maximized every corner. I can't think of a corner I could have done better".
In short, a perfect lap that made it impossible to improve in the final attempt of Q3:
"With the second set of tires, I tried something more, and I overdid it. Apparently, I had already extracted everything possible. When I returned, I was a bit nervous because I wanted to make the most of the second opportunity... I am grateful to the team, which worked a lot. The guys pushed to the maximum to bring this car to Singapore. We knew that both Ferrari and Red Bull would be tough to beat, so for us, it's an incredible moment to be on pole considering all the circumstances".
After a challenging practice session, Red Bull seemed to regain its competitiveness during qualifying, with Max Verstappen fighting for pole position. By just 0.3s, the Dutchman had to postpone the appointment with the youngest pole in history, but he is aware of having put together a decidedly good and somewhat surprising session.
"The second place was totally unexpected. After FP3, I was almost shaking with anger; now, I'm almost trembling with happiness. In FP3, we had many problems; the car kept going into neutral and almost stopped on the track".
The issue with the Renault power unit also manifested itself during qualifying, and Max hinted at how the session was far from easy and straightforward:
"We found the same problems. We had to reset the engine and restart it to find some drivability. But it wasn't working well".
The trouble with the engine actually slowed him down in the crucial lap, the one for the second assault on pole:
"In the last attempt, I tried to push even harder, and I still had a 0.2s advantage at Turn 16-17, but I had to abort the lap because the engine cut the power. I don't know if I would have taken pole, but I would have certainly gotten even closer, and that's a shame".
Therefore, Verstappen will start from the second row, credited with an excellent race pace:
"It was a great qualifying, probably the best ever. The car is working great, and that brought us to the second position. I have nothing to complain about, but the second place surprised me".
It is instead a decidedly below-expectations result for Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari. The hope on the eve was to take pole position and leverage a possible help from Red Bull, but in the end, everything went the other way: Lewis Hamilton took the monumental pole, and Max Verstappen got in between the two contenders for the championship, dropping the German to third place. The disappointing result makes Vettel aspire to redemption in the race:
"The race is a different story, and I think tomorrow things will have a different perspective and will be different. Clearly, I am not happy with these qualifications; they didn't go as smoothly as we would have liked, others did better than us, and that's why we are third".
During today's Q2, Ferrari tried to qualify with Ultrasoft tires but did not get positive results:
"We tried, and it didn't work. But this didn't damage Q3; all in all, the qualifications for us were not as smooth as they should have been. It was difficult to find the rhythm, find the right position for the car on the track. The gap reflects all of this and doesn't show our real strength. It's disappointing not to have been able to get the most out of our package".
During Q2, Ferrari was the only team to send its drivers out with Ultrasoft tires in an attempt to gain a strategic advantage for the race. However, the experiment was closed after the first timed lap by both Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel didn't yield the expected results. The two drivers then passed the cut with Hypersoft tires, just like the other eight drivers qualified for Q3, and they will start the race with this compound. With hindsight, the half-second that the German guaranteed he could remove from his time would have been more than enough, considering the time of the first excluded, Fernando Alonso, was 1'38"641. A real pity because, as Pirelli explains, in dry conditions, the best strategy is to start with Ultrasofts, complete 24 laps, and then switch to Softs until the finish. The difference in viewpoints between Vettel and his engineers, which follows the controversial:
"We'll talk about it later".
With which the German wanted to underline his dissatisfaction with his position on the track during the last attempt in the Monza qualifying, it risked having even worse consequences. Ferrari, in fact, sent Vettel back on track with Hypersoft tires with questionable timing: Vettel left the box for his second attempt in Q2 after Raikkonen but well in advance of the other drivers. A decision probably made to avoid possible yellow flags but, unlike his teammate, Vettel found himself stuck in the traffic of those who had just come out of the pit lane during his flying lap. In particular, the German encountered Romain Grosjean's Haas between Turn 20 and Turn 21, with all the associated risks. Fortunately for him and Ferrari, the time of 1:37.876, although almost seven-tenths higher than Raikkonen's, was enough to secure the sixth position and pass the cut. In light of all these episodes, it is not surprising that in the first statements made just after getting out of the car, Vettel defined the Singapore qualifying a bit confusing. Certainly, they were not conducted in the best way to counter the Mercedes-Hamilton pair, which currently seems in great shape and much more composed in crucial moments. Nevertheless, Sebastian Vettel says:
"I think the gap is quite significant, and I believe Lewis did a good lap, so congratulations to him. I am sure it was a good result, but I don't think it was unbeatable. For us today, the way the qualifying went, I think it was difficult to find the rhythm. It didn't go as planned; I struggled in Q1, Q2, and Q3. I think others did a better job, and this includes Lewis' lap both individually and as a team".
Vettel emphasizes that he does not want to diminish the opponent's performance but highlight his and Ferrari's poor performance:
"I don't want to take anything away from Lewis' lap and their efforts as a team; they did well, and that's why they are on pole position with a fairly large margin, that's not up for debate. I think for us, it's clear that we could have done better, so we can't be happy. Surely here and there, we could have done better, perhaps in the preparation of the lap. But in the end, I had the chance to do my laps, and obviously, they weren't good enough to be close".
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff also expresses his amazement at the driving skills shown by the British driver, suggesting that the pole conquered at Marina Bay will rightfully enter the historical pages of Formula 1:
"This is something epic, I've never seen anything like it. It's magical; I can't explain what happened in that lap. He is simply an exceptional person and an exceptional driver. It was the most incredible lap I have ever seen. I am really happy".
The goodness of Hamilton's lap is also evidenced by the 0.7s gap given to his teammate, Valtteri Bottas. The Finn, rather dull in the last races, will start between the two Ferraris: the fourth position will place him behind Sebastian Vettel and just ahead of Kimi Raikkonen.
"My position is not ideal, obviously, but Lewis did a great lap. I thought mine was good enough, but it wasn't. The Red Bull was surprisingly fast if we look at the performances in FP3. But it's good to have them with us in the lead group; it will be interesting. Everyone knows that it will be difficult to overtake here; the top three teams will all be very close, and it will be difficult because we will all have the same strateg".
But Toto Wolff emphasizes:
"I really, really have to take my hat off for the work done in the UK, in Brackley and Brixworth, to prepare the car and the engine for this race. It was the most challenging track for us on paper together with Monaco, and where we have never been very competitive in the past. We found the right clues. The difficult days in Spa gave us the direction, and at least for a qualifying lap, this team has taken a big step forward. Overall, both today (yesterday) and throughout this weekend. Once again, the tough experiences of the past showed us the way. In F1, the man cannot perform at his best without the machine, and the machine does not work without the man. It was teamwork".
Obviously, a job that was embellished by Lewis Hamilton's epic lap:
"We knew what kind of intermediate times the car could set, but when we saw the purple references continually popping up on the screen, we realized it was surreal. That was thanks to his driving".
On the fact that Mercedes risked exclusion in Q1 by using Ultrasoft tires to save Hypersofts for Q2 and Q3, given the sets available, the Austrian concludes by saying:
"My friend Vasseur (Sauber team principal) sent me a message that said: Do you know what the difference between an idiot and a genius is? Two tenths. I think that summarizes our decision quite well".
On Sunday, September 16, 2018, at the start of the Singapore Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton maintained the lead, while Sebastian Vettel attempted to overtake Max Verstappen. Meanwhile, the two Force India cars collided, and Esteban Ocon ended his race against the safety barrier. The race officials deployed the Safety Car. In the meantime, Vettel managed to pass Verstappen, moving up to the second position. The race resumed its competitive nature after three laps. Lewis Hamilton led Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas, Kimi Räikkönen, Daniel Ricciardo, Sergio Pérez, Romain Grosjean, and Fernando Alonso. The top positions remained unchanged until lap 15 when Vettel pitted for Ultrasoft tires. On lap 16, Lewis Hamilton also pitted for Soft tires. Max Verstappen took the lead, with Hamilton in fourth and Sebastian Vettel in fifth. Red Bull's Dutch driver pitted on lap 18, rejoining ahead of Sebastian Vettel. Kimi Räikkönen briefly took the lead ahead of Ricciardo.
The Finnish Ferrari driver pitted on lap 22, returning to the track in sixth place behind Sebastian Vettel (fourth) and compatriot Valtteri Bottas. The new race leader, Daniel Ricciardo, pitted on lap 28, opting for Ultrasoft tires instead of the Hypersofts used at the start. Hamilton regained the lead, followed by Verstappen, Vettel, Bottas, Räikkönen, and Ricciardo. On lap 34, Pérez and Sirotkin's cars collided, and the Mexican driver received a drive-through penalty. Around lap 38, Hamilton faced challenges with traffic, slowing down due to the presence of Romain Grosjean and Sergey Sirotkin, fighting for 14th place. Verstappen couldn't capitalize on the situation, and Hamilton maintained the lead. Grosjean was later penalized for ignoring blue flags. In the final laps, Ricciardo closed in on Räikkönen, who, in turn, was not far from Bottas. However, the positions remained unchanged until the end. Lewis Hamilton won the Singapore Grand Prix, extending his lead over Sebastian Vettel to 40 points. Kevin Magnussen set the fastest lap, a first for a Danish driver and his team, Haas. Max Verstappen finished second, followed by Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas, Kimi Raikkonen, Daniel Ricciardo, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz Jr., Charles Leclerc, and Nico Hulkenberg. Hamilton turned his remarkable pole position on Saturday into an incredible victory in Singapore.
"It was a tough race. I had a lot of support from the fans here. Beautiful start, the team never gave up, never stopped believing in me and Valtteri and our abilities. It was truly a blessing, a long race, felt like the longest of my life, and I'm glad it's over. Max fought really well, gave me a tough time. What a weekend, I feel privileged. On lap 38, I had a bit of bad luck with traffic; the cars in front were moving from side to side. Max had a bit of luck with where he was on the track, others wouldn't let me pass, and he closed in a lot. My heart stopped for a moment, but I managed to get through it. Then I pushed, and we got out of that situation. The Ferraris fought very well this weekend, then I don't know why they disappeared in the race. But we have to do our job".
The British driver, starting from pole position, had to control Sebastian Vettel on the restart after the Safety Car period and, finally, Max Verstappen's timid attempt to attack in the final laps.
"It was a long race, but still very enjoyable. Driving on this track is something incredible, especially with cars of this generation. I had a great start and then managed to control the rest of the group, also managing the tires by pushing only when it was really necessary".
Hamilton also talked about the tense moment with Sergey Sirotkin and Romain Grosjean, the latter penalized with five seconds at the end of the race for ignoring blue flags and allowing Verstappen to close in significantly:
"Yes, things got a bit more interesting towards the end of the race when I found myself among the lapped cars. It was challenging because you still felt the draft even when you were five or six seconds behind them. But I think it was very difficult to see the blue flags because it's quite dark here. Max... You had a chance, but I defended well".
If the encounter with Grosjean and Sirotkin was just a minor thrill in a rather calm race, the overall impression is that Lewis secured a significant portion of today's success during qualifying:
"We knew that the Ferraris would be very strong here. And we knew we had to do something really special to beat them. For us, as a team, it was a crazy moment to get that pole position. We really didn't think we would come away with another ten-point advantage".
The heated battle between Sergey Sirotkin and Romain Grosjean in Singapore risked affecting the final result of the top finishers, with Lewis Hamilton stuck behind the two squabbling drivers for a long time.
However, race director Charlie Whiting finds no justification for the Haas driver's conduct:
"I think Romain forgets the golden rule of blue flags: if you're in a battle, you have to forget your own battle and move over. I've explained it to the drivers many times, and he completely forgot it: the boards were flashing with his number, and Lewis was much, much faster. It was one of the worst cases of ignored blue flags I've seen in a long time".
Sixth podium of the season for Max Verstappen: the sixth in the last eleven races, the first in Singapore. The Dutch driver can only be happy at the end of the race:
"It didn't go bad; the pace in the first lap was a pity because it was clear that we lacked top speed. But the team put in place a great strategy, bringing us back to second place".
During the lapping phase, Lewis Hamilton was a close spectator of the battle between Romain Grosjean and Sergey Sitrokin, and he had to lift off, favoring Verstappen's rejoining, who was following him about 4 seconds behind. The Dutchman appeared in Hamilton's mirrors but couldn't overtake.
"We tried a bit to follow Lewis, but in the end, we knew that second place would be our result, so we limited ourselves to bringing it home. It wouldn't have been right to overtake while he was stuck behind those ahead. But even having the opportunity, you can't pass in turn 10, so I didn't want to take that risk".
The technical issue encountered during qualifying reappeared in the race, causing the RB14 to go into neutral during the Safety Car period:
"It was really difficult to drive with that problem. When I was behind the safety car, I almost had to stop because I couldn't find a gear, and even during the pit stop, something didn't go the right way".
The Singapore Grand Prix had started well for Sebastian Vettel, thanks to a successful overtaking maneuver on Max Verstappen in the first lap, before the Safety Car was deployed due to the incident between the two Force India drivers. At that point, the German could stay close to Lewis Hamilton, obviously not forgetting the threatening presence of the Red Bull driver. However, Vettel and the Ferrari engineers made the wrong decision, attempting the undercut on Hamilton but ending up behind Sergio Perez. This not only cost them the chance to overtake the British driver but also allowed Verstappen to pass them again after his later pit stop.
"It was pretty obvious what we tried to do, and it didn't work. Red Bull reacted very well and jumped us. We didn't miss much, but with these tires, the priority was to finish the race. The strategy was to undercut Lewis, but it didn't work. It was a shame to lose the second position. At that point, the main goal was to keep the third position. I wasn't very confident about making it to the end, but it turned out that way, and it was surprising to see that Bottas couldn't keep up with my pace and was actually struggling more than me".
This strategy once again puts Ferrari engineers in question, already criticized during qualifying with a decision that, in hindsight, further influenced Vettel's race, who could have started with the advantage of using Ultrasoft tires.
"What we tried to do was get to the first position and move forward, but Lewis was too fast. Once you're in the lead, you can control the pace here, but we were never in front. I will always defend the team and the decisions we made during the race to try to be aggressive. We had to try to win the race, and when it works, it's great".
But Vettel prefers to emphasize that the Ferrari did not achieve everything possible considering the potential of the car:
"Overall, we had a very strong package; both Kimi and I seemed very competitive throughout all the practices, but in the end, the race result was a third and a fifth position, like yesterday, not where we should be with the speed of our car. This is what I mean when I say we didn't get everything from ourselves".
However, the German clarifies that he didn't overestimate Ferrari's capabilities:
"Lewis said he didn't expect to come here and gain 10 points on me, and probably we didn't expect to lose 10. I never believed we had the fastest car, and today, if anything, we were a bit slower, but it's hard to draw conclusions because I had a very different race".
Despite missing the chance for victory on a supposedly favorable track like Singapore, Vettel closes his argument by remaining optimistic for the rest of the championship:
"I don't think there are tracks we need to fear among those that are coming, so there's no need to be afraid of what's coming".
Despite adopting a strategy opposite to Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen also had to settle for finishing the Singapore Grand Prix in the same position he started.
"It's the normal F1 of these times, especially on tracks like this. I started to struggle a bit with the tires; he did too, but not enough. It was impossible to overtake him unless he made an incredible mistake because every time I got close, I lost power, so I had to settle for it".
Speaking of chasing Valtteri Bottas, Raikkonen adds:
"I could see that Bottas was struggling with the right front tire and sometimes locking up. I could get close to him, but not enough to overtake. In the central sector of the track, it also became difficult to follow him because I lost aerodynamic load".
Regarding the strategy, the Finn explains:
"In the first stint, we stayed out longer, hoping for a Safety Car, but it didn't happen. Qualifying here is the key to everything; obviously, when you start behind, your race becomes boring, stuck behind other cars. There was no way to use all our speed. Of course, we wanted more; we did what we could, but this is all we got".
Ultimately, Ferrari arrived in Singapore believing they could be a contender, but the good performances in free practice did not confirm in qualifying and the race, where the Maranello team failed to do better than third place. Team principal Maurizio Arrivabene comments on this:
"Who won did it with merit. After Sebastian's overtake on Verstappen, we tried an aggressive strategy, attempting the undercut with Ultrasoft tires. Unfortunately, in the crucial lap, we found ourselves behind another car that didn't allow us to be fast enough. Despite today's result, nothing is lost. With calm and determination, we will face the remaining six races to fight until the end".
On the other side, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, after calling Saturday's pole a magic, congratulates Lewis Hamilton, who did not falter in the few delicate moments of the Singapore Grand Prix, where Ferrari facilitated Mercedes' strategic task with an attack that not only proved ineffective but also nullified Vettel's on-track overtake on Verstappen. With six races to go and 150 points still at stake, Toto Wolff does not feel he already has the championship titles:
"It's not over yet; the championship is still long. Today, we celebrate a beautiful victory achieved also in terms of race pace. We understood how to make the W09 perform at its best by using the tires well, which makes me very optimistic for the upcoming races".
Mercedes used the Soft tire for the long second stint of the race, and Lewis Hamilton had no problem managing the lead until the finish line, experiencing a thrill only when he had to make his way through the lapped cars of Sergey Sirotkin and Romain Grosjean.
"The Soft tire seemed to be the best compound for us right from the start. We know our strengths, and we'll have to exploit them from here to Abu Dhabi".
In Singapore, Mercedes was supposed to defend and limit the damage; instead, they added another 10 points between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel in the World Drivers' Championship and another twelve between themselves and Ferrari in the World Constructors' Championship. James Allison, the technical director of Mercedes, who ran to embrace Lewis Hamilton at the end of qualifying on Saturday, swells with pride over the progress made by the W09:
"In Budapest, we usually lost a lot in the third sector compared to our opponents, but not this year. We managed to fix several details to make the most of the tires, allowing Hamilton to unleash his talent. Lewis is driving great, but he also has the car to do it, and that's a source of great pride for us".
What strikes the English engineer the most is the absence of dips from the reigning World Champion and current Championship leader:
"Hamilton has turned into a robot at this point in the season; he has taken his performances to a truly impressive level".
Daniel Ricciardo was the driver among the top three teams who stayed on the track the longest with the starting Hypersoft tires, hoping for a Safety Car entrance that never came. After the pit stop to switch to Ultrasoft tires, the Australian re-entered the track in sixth place, unable to overtake his rivals, Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas, in the final part of the race.
"I would have liked to fight more, maybe for something better than sixth place. In Monaco, Lewis and Sebastian complained because they were not on pole, and the same happened to us here. In city circuits, qualifying is crucial, and it's very difficult not only to overtake but also to follow the car in front of you".
In the last stint of the race, Ricciardo managed to close the gap of over 10 seconds to Raikkonen's Ferrari but couldn't launch an attack:
"I had a better pace than those ahead of me, but I couldn't do anything. Even getting closer, I couldn't be close enough. I started having tire problems, and with such a narrow track, any slight defensive move would have nullified everything. I hoped for a better race, but it went as expected".
The Australian also tried, without success, a sort of cat-and-mouse game, pulling away and getting closer to the Finn:
"In the last laps, I was playing a bit with Kimi. I saw that he was attacking Bottas, and I tried to push him to see if I could do something. So, I slowed down a bit, and then I caught up. I tried something different because there wasn't much I could do".
This concludes one of the most soporific races of the year, along with Monaco. Not surprisingly, two city circuits that, although very different, share the feature of making overtaking impossible. Especially with such large cars. Can Formula 1 afford to be so unattractive? The American owners of Liberty Media want exactly the opposite. And not just them. This has raised questions from the archives: whether it is necessary to switch to two mandatory pit stops to make the strategies more varied; whether to reintroduce the possibility of refueling (banned since 2010) to increase variables; whether to make an exception to the rules for lapped cars (now obliged to let the leaders pass) on some circuits. Whether to increase the races and change the race weekends with sprint Grand Prix. And why not, put a third car on the track per team. The idea appeals to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff; he talked about it these days and will also propose it to the F1:
"We could see intense battles between young and old and make it easier for talented drivers to access F1".
A turning point would be needed since - beyond the challenge between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel for the World Championship - at the moment, the on-track spectacle does not reflect the initial expectations.