2010 Singapore Grand Prix review for Motor Sport Magazine

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org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

My latest historic F1 review for Motor Sport Magazine is here, and this time it's for the forthcoming Singapore Grand Prix.

I resist the temptation to re-tell Crashgate for the nth time, and instead look back to the 2010 race. It's a race that stands up on its own merits. And Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel had a race of their own.

It wasn't one of those thrill-a-minute affairs, rather it was one of those ultra-intense ones. But no less gripping for that.

You can have a read of me telling the story here: https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/f1/alonso-and-vettel-s-game-two-players-2010-singapore-grand-prix

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Mick Schumacher To Join Red Bull Junior Program?

Helmut Marko has denied being in talks with Mick Schumacher to join the Red Bull Junior Driver program. Could this actually be a hint that Red Bull are already in talks with the young Schumacher? There's going to be a race to sign him - who will win this one?

In this week’s episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, we have Ashley give us a brief summary of the Singapore Grand Prix and her experiences from the Marina Bay Circuit. Also, we discuss the ‘mini race’ in Miami, how Ferrari may have beaten Red Bull and Mercedes to the ‘junior driver’ game, if Formula E is already using the ‘concept 3’ Formula 1 car and if a certain Flavio could be the ambassador for Formula 1’s newly announced betting partnership. Tune in!

Here's what is in store for you this week:

2:00-5:00 - HAM seeking a new challenger in his title battle, LEC could be one?

5:00-8:00 - RBR has seats, but no drivers. Mercedes have drivers, but no seats. Can RBR give KUB’s Formula 1 dreams wings?

8:00-10:00 - Ferrari ahead of the ‘junior driver’ game. We tell you WHY RBR could be talking to Mick Schumacher…

10:00-13:00 - Todt vs. Brawn when it comes to new teams joining Formula 1? And of course, a ‘universal engine’ for Motorsport? Btw, Todt said ’23 Grands Prix’ calendar, yay or nay?

13:00-15:00 - Just how many manufacturers has ALO pissed off? IndyCar vs. Formula 1 at COTA in 2019

15:00-17:00 - Formula E using Formula 1’s Concept-3 already?

17:00-20:00 - Let’s make VAN have some fun; c’mon. Hats off to SIR - fantastic defences in Singapore!

20:00-23:00 - Are RBR and VER talking down Renault way too much? Did you know that VJM is RT’ing Force India’s tweets? Miami to host a ‘mini race’; what does that even mean? Turkey to make a comeback?

25:00-28:00 - What Wolff Said This Week section

28:00-end - Flavio to be the ambassador for Formula 1 Betting?

(Season 2018, Episode 32)

Subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes and on audioBoom (RSS feed) for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour

Motor Verso F1 2018 Season Summary - Singapore Grand Prix review

Photo: Octane Photography

The Motor Verso F1 2018 season summary now has my take on last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix added.

It seems like no time since we had a drivers; title fight in the delicate balance. Six rounds remain and plenty could theoretically still change in this year's championship hunt, but this one at the Marina Bay track round in more than one sense had the air of reaching a point of no return.

You can have a read of my take on it all, complete as ever with fantastic Pirelli photography, here: https://www.motorverso.com/2018-f1-summary/

Do check out the Motor Verso site too; you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out week-long test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Singapore GP Report - Night terrors

How great it must be to exist in a moment where everything, almost no matter what, seems to run your way. And - yin and yang - for your direct opponent the experience must be simultaneously crushing. And it is.

Lewis Hamilton took another win -
and this one was unexpected
Photo: Octane Photography

In this Singapore round Lewis Hamilton won again and Sebastian Vettel cruised home third; thus Hamilton's title lead is up to 40. Vettel is on the cusp of needing snookers.

Worse for Seb and Ferrari it was not meant at all to be this way. This for Hamilton was the ultimate scrum won against the head, as not only was the Ferrari the quicker car in theory this has long been viewed as an outlying Mercedes bogey track. As it transpired Hamilton not only won but did so with something like comfort. Well, as comfortable as the working-out-for-two-hours-in-a-sauna Singapore race ever gets.

"They put up a good fight this weekend," noted Hamilton afterwards of Ferrari. "I'm not sure where their pace disappeared to..."

Singapore GP Betting Preview - Red devil?

You'll likely have seen those cartoons that feature the shoulder angel and shoulder devil. Where they pop up in turn on the protagonist's respective shoulders - the angel imploring the said protagonist to stay on the right track; the devil trying to lead them astray. For the Singapore round this weekend, who prevails will likely be a matter of angel Ferrari versus devil Ferrari.

Which way will Ferrari's Singapore weekend go?
Photo: Octane Photography

Ferrari should win in Singapore. It's pretty persistently had the quickest car in various circumstances recently, plus for its chief rival Mercedes this one self-admittedly is a bogey circuit - a point backed up by history.

But as we know things have had a maddening tendency to not be nearly so simple. Ferrari's had a habit of falling into mantraps - sometimes mantraps it's set itself. And this venue has more mantraps set than most - a Monaco for the new millennium with added stamina required. Two hours in intense humidity with constant acrobatic turns and near at hand walls to punish even small errors.

Still Sebastian Vettel to take pole and win seems a reasonable starting point of our expectations this weekend, and you can back him at evens to prevail on Saturday and at 11/8 to do so on Sunday. Seb's a local specialist as well and has won here four times and taken the same number of poles.

Singapore Preview: Risk and reward

F1 in 2018 keeps changing. F1 in 2018 keeps staying the same.

Monza changed the season's picture - and conformed to it
Photo: Octane Photography

What we got in the last round at Monza was nothing like what we expected. But in its shift it conformed with the lingering theme of the year so far - that Ferrari has the quickest car in most circumstances but one way or another isn't making good on it. And Mercedes is taking advantage. After the Italian race Lewis Hamilton's points lead, against all expectations, stretched to 30. We're reaching the point that Ferrari can't afford more slip-ups.

Yet the Scuderia can go into this one in Singapore with some light breaking through its recently accumulated gloom, and not just due to its inherent pace advantage mentioned. Singapore moreover is a great place for it to get some of its lost points back on Merc pronto.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Did The Success Of The Singapore GP Cause Malaysia's F1 Exit?

After 19 illustrious years, Formula 1 will bid adieu to the Malaysian Grand Prix (and the Sepang International Circuit) this Sunday. While the gesture to release a full-race edit of the 2001 Malaysian Grand Prix is a good one, did the success of the Singapore Grand Prix cost Formula 1 (and us!) the Malaysian Grand Prix? Or have the Motorsport fans in Malaysia chosen MotoGP over Formula 1?

In this week's episode, we talk about the Red Bull Racing-Aston Martin partnership - will James Bond make an appearance in Formula 1? Will Red Bull or Formula 1 use 007 to promote the sport? We were the first ones to suggest this! (Do check our previous episode 'James Bond in Formula 1?' below)

Will the Strolls have a say in selecting the lead Williams driver in 2018? Are McLaren already jumping the gun with Renault? And finally, who will jump on the top step of the podium in Sepang while the FIA have tightened the rule for jump-starters! All this and more in the Inside Line F1 Podcast.

Do subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes and audioBoom for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour. 

Tune in!

(Season 2017, Episode 32)

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Do We Have To Blame Someone For The Singapore Car-nage?

Formula 1 tested a live 360 degree telecast of the 2017 Singapore Grand Prix. While this wasn't available for fans to consume, if it was, the footage would've only offered more angles to fans to dissect the Verstappen-Raikkonen-Vettel clash and pinpoint the blame on a driver. But do we really have to blame this on someone? Let's take the FIA's lead, classify it as a 'racing incident' and move on. Or like Mithila said, she'd love to use the 360 degree footage to see Fernando Alonso's air-borne 360 degree spin!

In this week's episode, we tell you why a Lewis Hamilton win in Singapore is actually an unusual result, why Carlos Sainz Jr. might need to drop the 'Jr.' from his name next season and wonder if Nico Rosberg has any clout whatsoever to help Robert Kubica make a heroic comeback to the sport. Also, we can't believe that Daniel Ricciardo actually admitted to farting at an official press conference!

Has Mercedes forgotten their other junior driver, Pascal Wehrlein? And will both of Ferrari's junior drivers (Giovinazzi and Leclerc) make it to Formula 1 next season? And finally, should Jolyon Palmer take the money and make way for Sainz to make his Renault debut in Malaysia?

Tune in!

(Season 2017, Episode 31)

Singapore Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - Not like other sports

For better or for worse, motor sport is not like other sports. We got our latest demonstration of this in Singapore.

Photo: Octane Photography

It was the equivalent of a football team expected to win easily finding themselves 5-0 down seconds into the match. And with no hope of a come back. All due to Sebastian Vettel's ill-fated decision to 'cover off' his fellow front row man Max Verstappen, which went very wrong.

And thus while it looked like Seb could hardly not re-take his title lead, perhaps by a distance, now it looks Lewis Hamilton's championship to lose.

You can read my take on it all for Motor Verso here: http://www.motorverso.com/singapore-gp-2017-report-not-like-sports/

Do check out the Motor Verso site too; you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out week-long test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Singapore GP Report - Not drowning but waving

Motorsport, as we are often given cause to reflect, is not like other sports. Just like in those, we predict with confidence. But unlike in most of those, things can and do look unrecognisable in a blink. Things like a rain shower. A standing start. An accident.

Lewis Hamilton was an unlikely winner
Photo: Octane Photography

That's what we got in Singapore. Sebastian Vettel looked serene on pole. Granted the Red Bulls would be strong in the race, but from the championship angle his rival Lewis Hamilton was flailing down in fifth. Surely he would at least re-take his long-held drivers' title table lead. It was a matter of how far by.

It had rained earlier on race day, but it appeared it would matter not. But then more arrived around 10 minutes before the start, meaning for the first time ever we had wet night time running under floodlights in F1.

Rain is frequent in Singapore; perhaps the most remarkable thing was it had never hit running here before in ten visits. Not, that anyone could remember, so much as a practice session or support race. Until today.

Singapore Qualifying - Doing it when it matters

It looked like it would be very different. But, when it mattered, first place looked rather familiar.

Sebastian Vettel against expectations
pipped the Red Bull pair
Photo: Octane Photogrpahy

In this latest Singapore gathering F1, it appeared, was going back to the future. On a twisty track that would suit its car and an aero upgrade under its belt, Red Bull topped all three practice sessions and the first two parts of qualifying. At points of the weekend the RB13 pair looked on another level. Just like old times.

But qualifying is a high bar. Ferrari and Mercedes would crank their power units up. Plus there are more general considerations here. Like Monaco track evolution at Singapore is skyward - good times cannot be sat on. Like there solid things are near to punish those who get it slightly wrong.

It was going well for the Bull pair nevertheless, but then they discovered that Sebastian Vettel sets the bar highest of all. Particularly in Saturday's final throes.

Singapore GP Betting Preview - Ferrari to fly under floodlights

It appears the bookies have done their homework. In virtually every round this year Lewis Hamilton has been their favourite to prevail. But Singapore, in many ways, is different.

Will Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari be celebrating
in Singapore again?
Photo: Octane Photography

The sinewy track is expected to favour Ferrari and reflecting this Sebastian Vettel vaults to the shortest odds this time. Even so 13/8 for Seb to get the win and the same for the pole look well worth your stake. He's a local specialist too, having won here four times.

Red Bull is another that should be suited to Singapore. Daniel Ricciardo finished on the podium in all of his last three Singapore visits while in the last two years these were as a very close second. He is available at a very generous 11/8 to get onto the podium again. His team mate Max Verstappen's odds are slightly shorter, at 5/4, to do the same.

Still if Ferrari is likely to be on top we shouldn't forget Kimi Raikkonen, who has been right there with Seb in the two similar twisty challenges this season of Monaco and Hungary. And the bookies may have forgotten about him - he's a full 14/1 to win, 16/1 to get the pole and even 13/8 to finish on the podium.

Singapore Preview: F1's light fantastic

We all know about F1's gradual shift eastwards in recent decades. It hasn't always been loved either.

F1's light fantastic - the Singapore round
has become a fixture
Photo: Octane Photography

But there's one still relatively new race that was thought part of the furniture in double-quick time. The race is this weekend - the Singapore Grand Prix around the Marina Bay circuit.

For several reasons this one feels a lot like the Monaco for the new millennium. It is a glittering, vibrant event in which the visuals rarely fail to look stunning.

Just like Monaco, Singapore is a city state that is a quintessential Grand Prix host - glamorous and dripping with money. To the point that you wonder why there wasn't a F1 race here decades ago.

The latest Lights to Flag Podcast - 2016 Singapore Grand Prix Review and Malaysian Grand Prix Preview

The latest episode of the Lights to Flag podcast is here. There's no me on it this time due to some connectivity problems, but we were delighted that Ewan was joined by Luke Smith from NBC Sports and many more things besides!

Ewan and Luke to look back at a rather stunning - in more ways than one - Singapore Grand Prix, as well as look ahead to the Malaysian Grand Prix. You can listen by clicking play below.

As ever you can interact with the podcast via its Twitter account and on its Facebook page. If you want to appear on it give us a shout too. And if you have comments then get them to us via the various channels and we'll read out the good ones on a future episode!

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Pokemon GO Monsters At Formula 1 Races?

With Jenson Button's help we've cracked the perfect idea to bring younger audiences to F1 races – install Pokemon Go monsters at every Grand Prix! Maybe they're already working on this and decided to live test in Singapore on the perfect target audience, Max Verstappen. Yes, we are referring to the 'Godzilla' on track. Although, this novel idea of ours may lead to more jaywalkers on track - like the marshal in Singapore (but seriously, shouldn't the FIA be penalised for this incident?)! After encountering the Hulk at the start of the race on Sunday, young Verstappen did have the perfect teenager of a weekend.

Nico Rosberg won in Singapore, but the race went down to the wire. In an attempt to bring Lewis Hamilton back on the podium, did Mercedes jeopardise Rosberg's win? What if the situations were reversed? There'd be carnage!

It was also Rosberg's 200th Formula One start – and another driver's 300th, tune in to find out who. As the Drivers' Championship battle continues, we're not taking sides yet - 6 races or nearly 1/3rd of the season yet remaining. But Ferrari, what were they thinking? Or were they thinking at all? After being butted off the podium, maybe Kimi Raikkonen tipped the Singapore cops about Maurizio Arrivabene's cigarette butt, we think.

Ferrari praised Raikkonen's race as a 'World Champion' effort, but they didn't act like a World Champion team. We'd not blame them though; it's been nearly a decade since their last crown. While we missed Raikkonen's uncomfortable waving on the podium and the mumbling, the Iceman did get some overtaking practice in Singapore along with some opportunity for to play his radio classics.

We thank Red Bull Racing for allowing us to enjoy the Max Verstappen vs. Daniil Kvyat battle on-track without issuing team orders. Although, we were almost certain to hear back a 'NO' had they instructed Kvyat to move over. In some ways, did this 'personal' battle help Kvyat get some closure on the unceremonious demotion? Let's hope so. And of course, thank you to Red Bull Racing for livening up the last 14 laps of the race with a well though of tyre strategy for Daniel Ricciardo, who is increasingly becoming our choice for the 'Driver of the Season' and should've won 'Driver of the Day' in Singapore.

We are impressed by Niki Lauda's humour, top marks for his comeback to Max Verstappen on their ongoing "psychiatrist" banter. A new but expected power struggle seems to be brewing in Formula 1 between Bernie Ecclestone and Chase Carey, which way will things go? Carey's biggest short-term task will be to retain Fernando Alonso after 2017. In the meanwhile, we're happy to enjoy some hilarious jokes at Mr. Chase Carey's expense. Are we the first ones to do so?

NASCAR has named a race 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', will Formula 1 ever get so cool? And if it ever thinks of doing so, let's call the Singapore Grand Prix night race the 'The Dark Night'! Finally, we congratulate Alex Zanardi, a true champion and remember one of our greatest - Keep Fighting Michael! Tune in!

(Season 2016, Episode 30)

Singapore Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - Singapore Swing

It wasn't supposed to happen. And yes, it felt a lot like a watershed. Or at least a mass re-calibration of assumptions.

Photo: Octane Photography

Heading into the Singapore Grand Prix you'd hardly know that there were but two points separating the two drivers atop the championship table. As after all, they said, the one behind had only got that close by default. The one ahead was quicker all things being equal. Particularly so at this Marina Bay circuit, possibly the toughest challenge of the year. Order would soon be restored.

But just as was the case eight years ago at this venue, the much-maligned chaser put in a performance to make even his greatest detractors stop and think. And presumably reconsider.

I give my take on all of this in the Singapore weekend in my latest Motor Verso race review, which you can read here: http://www.motorverso.com/singapore-gp-2016-review-singapore-swing/

Do check out the Motor Verso site too; you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out week-long test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Singapore GP Report - Recalculating Rosberg

There are several bees in this author's bonnet. A few of them have been there a while too. One such member of the insect community buzzing around in there is about the importance of appreciating context. Of not relying solely on the top-level outcome in drawing your conclusions.

Nico Rosberg put in another flawless
win - this time under pressure
Photo: Octane Photography

And today's Singapore Grand Prix provided just the latest evidence to back the wisdom up. One who wasn't watching might look at its finishing order and sigh. The top three was exactly the same as the qualifying order. The top four the same as at the first turn. Nico Rosberg had kept his lead too, thus surmounting the most obvious barrier separating him from an imperious march to victory. Singapore for all of its charms doesn't provide much in the way of opportunities to race. Processional fare is common. For more reasons than one it reminds some of Monaco.

But this time, not a bit of it. Well not at the end at least. Up until lap 45 of 61 it was indeed a lot like those reaching their conclusions early might have assumed. The top four circulating mainly at a respectful distance apart, all had done their stops apparently and were rather cruising home in their current order. Rosberg after his breakthrough of qualifying, akin to Felipe Massa's at this track eight years previously, unlike Felipe was going to make good on it in the race too. There was no professional foul to scupper him, indeed even as Singapore races go generally this was rather a sedate one. The only safety car appearance was early and brief.

Nico did win, but boy did we have a twist, And boy it got close.

Singapore Qualifying - Rosberg's ratification

At what point do we consider Nico Rosberg a contender for this championship? Even as he won races, snuck up on his team mate Lewis Hamilton to be just two points behind in the 2016 drivers' table heading into this one, the only thing noticeable about this dog was that it resolutely refused to bark. Still almost no one was talking about the title's destination. That one by consensus remained set. Many, this author included, maintained that one way or another, in the end, Lewis will prevail. In fairness that's always what had happened before.

Nico Rosberg's performance in qualifying was stunning
Photo: Octane Photography

But today's Singapore Grand Prix qualifying session likely will have caused some frantic re-calibrations. At this one, possibly the greatest challenge of the year, probably Monaco aside the most vital pole to win given the difficulties in overtaking, Nico not only took the pole position but wiped the floor with all rivals in doing so. A few of the suggestions around that Nico doesn't belong in this fight - is there by some strange default - surely will have been dashed. It certainly felt something like an affirmation.

Singapore has previous for such things. Go back to 2008 and replace Nico's name with Felipe Massa and the parallels are almost to the point of being spooky. Just like the German Massa headed to Singapore in the drivers' championship mix on points, but with many observers struggling to take the fact seriously. Assuming that the self-same Lewis Hamilton would have the year's big prize gravitate to him eventually. Then around the Marina Bay circuit Massa seized pole position and by a country mile - upwards of six tenths of a second. Suddenly even the most resolute Massa critics went 'woah...'.

The latest Lights to Flag Podcast - 2016 Singapore Grand Prix Preview

The latest episode of the Lights to Flag podcast is here, and Ewan and I were delighted to be joined by Krit from Literal F1 to preview this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

We look in depth in at a round that on and off the track is modern F1's standout, and is Mercedes really on the back foot for once? And with Liberty Media's purchase of a stake in F1's commercial rights confirmed we discuss what it could mean for the sport. You can listen by clicking play below.

As ever you can interact with the podcast via its Twitter account and on its Facebook page. If you want to appear on it give us a shout too. And if you have comments then get them to us via the various channels and we'll read out the good ones on a future episode!

Inside Line F1 Podcast - VES vs. RIC In Singapore, Possible?

Mercedes to be challenged in Singapore, really? Or is this yet another Ferrari-inspired pre-race PR hype? Singapore has been tagged as Red Bull Racing's track, and boy are we excited! Will we get to see some Verstappen vs. Ricciardo action (and will Red Bull Racing let it be a fair fight!)?

To keep his championship hopes alive, Nico Rosberg must fight against all odds in Singapore. Forget winning, he's not been on the podium here since eight years! At the same time, he had his 'first-ever' wins in Spa and Monza in the last fortnight, can he keep up that trend? We hope his 'FOMO' drives him to the top step on Sunday.

Lewis Hamilton is good for Formula 1 and for our podcast. The last episode should have been called 'Lewis Hamilton's Team-Mate Wins In Italy' to get more people to tune in! In a lot of ways, Rosberg is fighting not only Hamilton, but an entire mentality in the paddock (and the million fans) who believe that Hamilton is meant to be World Champion.

Max Verstappen and Niki Lauda had a public face-off, will they visit a psychiatrist together to bond? Glad we're reminded that Verstappen is still a teenager by his typical teenage back answering. Given the lacking bromance between Lauda and Verstappen, we are glad that Verstappen didn't sign with Mercedes. But for how long can they remain apart?

We welcome the new owners of Formula 1 to Formula 1 and to the Inside Line F1 Podcast, of course. The new owners say they will evolve the business model of F1 to generate more revenue. We think they should also fix the regulations that don't allow us too much competition these days. They've picked up the profitable business of Formula 1, but will they be able to make the eco-system of Formula 1 stable and profitable too?

Also, will the American owners be at their toughest best when negotiating with the Russian Grand Prix organisers? Official Live Streaming (rather than just Official Live Timing) is the next big introduction that Formula 1 should make. Just btw, MotoGP has had theirs since almost a decade!

Speaking of the spirit of competition, did Mercedes actually help Ferrari improve? And if so, Ferrari were foolish to not seek help from Red Bull Racing too. Luckily they weren't so foolish so as to seek help from McLaren!

It certainly looks like a season of retirements - Massa, possibly Button and now Ecclestone too? Or will Ecclestone's be a sabbatical genuinely? One thing's for sure, we aren't retiring any time soon.

Tune In!

(Season 2016, Episode 29)