Singapore Grand Prix

Gonna be an intresting one, that's for sure. First ever night race for F1.

First ever race on that circuit too. There's absolutely zero data for the teams, or Bridgestone for that matter, to draw on. Plus it's going to rain most probably. Should all be quite fun.

Rain + Floodlights = Force India's First Win

On the logic of Italy anyway.

Where they gonna fit the headlights?

It's been pouring with rain here in Singapore since 6am this morning. My route into work takes me via Rocher Road which goes over the start/finish straight which is looking the business, especially with the backdrop of Singapore!

Like that McLaren headlight sketch; nicely done. Thinking about it though, the lighting must be a bit of an issue, as Singapore is meant to be a street circuit, so there will be shadows cast. I've been in Singapore myself, and the main streets are very well lit, although I assume there will be major floodlighting added.

The MotoGP riders had their night race in Qatar this year, although that was a race circuit and was almost lit up like day IMO. Here, you decide:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkreqA9BRfY

The lighting is actually quite low down, no higher than normal lamp posts so shadows shouldn't be an issue. Drove past the other night when the lights where on and I don't think the drivers will even realise that it's going to be night time as it was so well lit up. If it rains, now that will be a completely different issue as the rain droplets could reflect the light and cause a problem for the drivers!

I almost cant be bother to watch it. Then again, I might play "spot the infringement that Ferrari will pick up on", that could be a good game. I might even dress up as Max or Bernie as I play it...

Hopefully Hamilton will cheat again.

Hopefully Hamilton will cheat again.

Is he still banging that bird from the Pussycat Dolls?

Should be great. I have a mate who is chief sports editor for Reuters in Asia and he is usually quite blase about attending sporting events but he's really up for this one.

Is he still banging that bird from the Pussycat Dolls?

Rear end shunting her, is the correct term.

Rear end shunting her, is the correct term.

Slipping her clutch,perhaps.

I am quite intrigued to see how this pans out,really hope it has a few downpours just to add to the spectacle.

I am quite intrigued to see how this pans out,really hope it has a few downpours just to add to the spectacle.

Those of you that have witness a Singapore "downpour" will probably agree that the race will most probably be stopped! It absolutely chucks it down here but normally only for 30 minutes!

It's not the rainy season here at the moment and it rarely rains in the early evening anyway so i confidently predict it will be a dry race, unless it rains?!

Admin: I emailed a few weeks ago requesting bank details so i can furnish you with 12.50 crisp Singapore dollars but had no reply? Thanks

I've passed on your query to Steve, Davey.

As for the lights, they're all placed to shine in the direction of the cars, never oncoming, so glare from the lights themselves will not be an issue. Glare from standing water may be, but there were a few puddles during FP1 earlier and none of the drivers complained. As for shadows, well the MotoGP riders in Dubai complained that their pursuing shadow gave the appearance of another bike attempting to overtake but F1 drivers sit so low in the car that they can't see the ground anyway so it's a bit of a non-issue.

Those of you that have witness a Singapore "downpour" will probably agree that the race will most probably be stopped! It absolutely chucks it down here but normally only for 30 minutes!

 

It's not the rainy season here at the moment and it rarely rains in the early evening anyway so i confidently predict it will be a dry race, unless it rains?!

On the few occasions I've been in Singapore it has always rained for 20 minutes twice a day, and quite hard too. I remember looking at my watch one day, and diving into a particular store, knowing that the rain was coming. It duly did. I've since felt that, even to the weather, Singapore is very scheduled and civilised.

And very clean StL. There was no litter on the track for the free practice sessions for a change.

And very clean StL. There was no litter on the track for the free practice sessions for a change.

Indeed, and I believe that old chestnut of a S$1000 fine, for dropping your chewing gum, litter, etc.. on the pavement, is no myth.

Singapore has a few [i don't know how many - it might even be the same one in braided fashion] rivers running through it. Some of these are very shallow, and if I remember correctly, they can dry up a bit during the dry season. From my experience, what results is that during the period when the sun is shining [most of the time], they can pong a bit, if you're in that particular part of the city where they course. But being Singapore, just when you've had enough of the pong, the rain comes and washes it away. This the only blot on a perfectly civilised city.

Even the weather is on Singapore's side. Mind you, that humidity is something to be experienced. I don't think I'll ever forget that. Phew..!

It's a pretty impressive backdrop to a Grand Prix.

And it certainly adds a completely different dimension being floodlit.

Hamilton P10 after Q2,by the skin of his teeth.

Poll,Massa.

2nd,Hamilton.

3rd,Raikkonen.

It's a pretty impressive backdrop to a Grand Prix.

 

And it certainly adds a completely different dimension being floodlit.

Different yes, but at some parts of the circuit it looks like they are racing through a barriered car park.

Hopefully the race will be a bit more entertaining than the similar circuit in Valencia.

I know this Grand Prix is all about publicity etc. but I'd take tracks like Spa and Silverstone any day of the year.

I love Spa tbh its my favourite track

Amusing to see Ferrari making such a pig's ear of their pit stops...

I look forward to Ferrari getting severely punished for that incident, like they were after the Valencia GP... oh yeah.

Not only could several mechanics have been severely injured, not to mention the possibility of fuel spilling everywhere, but Massa was released into the path of an oncoming Force India.

Come on DC!!! If he can keep it together, there are some decent points on the cards. He wont keep Hamilton behind after the stops, but 4th is a possibilty.

Wow, what a race. A few thoughts.

1. Lolage at the irony. Alonso went from nowhere to winning because Piquet put it in the wall.

2. How did Ferrari get a drive through for such a dangerous incident, yet Hamilton gets a 25s penalty for cutting the chicane to avoid a collision?

3. Great to see DC in the points. Maybe he'd have got more if he had any brakes.

4. WTF is happening with Kimi?

5. Congrats to Fernando and Rosberg.

2. How did Ferrari get a drive through for such a dangerous incident, yet Hamilton gets a 25s penalty for cutting the chicane to avoid a collision?

.

Because those are the rules. HTH.

I look forward to Ferrari getting severely punished for that incident, like they were after the Valencia GP... oh yeah.

 

Not only could several mechanics have been severely injured, not to mention the possibility of fuel spilling everywhere, but Massa was released into the path of an oncoming Force India.

Breaking news....

The FIA are currently viewing video evidence that shows that Lewis Hamilton drove past the Ferrari garage during his pitstop and the subsequent air turbulence created as he drove past caused the problem with Massa's fuel-hose. Early reports suggest that Hamilton will be handed another 25sec penalty for causing this incident and that Kimi will be installed as race winner despite running out of talent and driving his car into a wall for the second time in the last three races.

BTW - as much as I dislike him, I've got to hand it to Alonso. He drove the pants off that Renault today and fully deserved his win.

Great race and a great result personally. To see Alonso's anguish in qualifying yesterday was crushing. A poxy fuel pipe popping from it's fitting! The car was good enough for the front row but the irony is we probably wouldn't have won from there because of the way the safety car turned the field. Of course, a double irony that it was Nelson who brought the SC out in the first place...

Ferrari were all over the shop! Oh, btw, Hamilton's 25 sec penalty was a drive through, so no more of a penalty than Ferrari received. It just happens that if it's for an incident in the last 5 laps of a race it's 25s from the result. That's a long-standing rule and nothing suspicious.

I LOL'd.

Congratulations Ponty. Alonso drove superbly. He was throwing that Renault about like it was part of him, and he was loving every second of it. By comparison, Raikkonnen stuffed his car into the wall with a real basic [for an established leading F1 driver] error. The more I see of him, the more I think he isn't the real deal, despite being World Champion. Without traction control, he's positively mediocre in a very fast car. He could do with a couple of seasons in a Honda to see whether he can help to improve it. Frankly, I doubt it..!

Massa showed he isn't really the complete driver either, by putting his car into the barriers and then giving Adrian Sutil nowhere to go but to stuff his car - or was Massa just getting out of the way..? I wonder what the race stewards would make of that..?

Not a good weekend for Ferrari then. Perhaps that's no bad thing, as it helps to redress some sort of moral balance to the results from the past few races, and people can lay the Spa decision to bed, if they want.

And as I thought it might - Singapore showed that a street circuit can be exciting. That's the best race I've seen from any street circuit I can think of, including Monte Carlo [which I personally think is boring as f***], and blew Valencia into the weeds. That venue should stick to MotoGP, something it does brilliantly. Maybe it was because it was night time in Singapore. I don't think so though. Good race.

Congratulations Ponty. Alonso drove superbly. He was throwing that Renault about like it was part of him, and he was loving every second of it. By comparison, Raikkonnen stuffed his car into the wall with a real basic [for an established leading F1 driver] error. The more I see of him, the more I think he isn't the real deal, despite being World Champion. Without traction control, he's positively mediocre in a very fast car. He could do with a couple of seasons in a Honda to see whether he can help to improve it. Frankly, I doubt it..!

 

Massa showed he isn't really the complete driver either, by putting his car into the barriers and then giving Adrian Sutil nowhere to go but to stuff his car - or was Massa just getting out of the way..? I wonder what the race stewards would make of that..?

 

Not a good weekend for Ferrari then. Perhaps that's no bad thing, as it helps to redress some sort of moral balance to the results from the past few races, and people can lay the Spa decision to bed, if they want.

 

And as I thought it might - Singapore showed that a street circuit can be exciting. That's the best race I've seen from any street circuit I can think of, including Monte Carlo [which I personally think is boring as f***], and blew Valencia into the weeds. That venue should stick to MotoGP, something it does brilliantly. Maybe it was because it was night time in Singapore. I don't think so though. Good race.

Raikkonen has shown regularly in the past that he is a top driver, but in the second half of this season, he just looks lost.

Massa you can't really blame for Sutil's crash. He span and hit the barrier, which I'm fairly sure was unintentional, then as he was moving away Sutil came round the bend unsighted and crashed trying to avoid him. Nothing malicious in it.

Also I should point out that yesterdays race was only really interesting because of the safety car. If it weren't for that, Hamilton would probably have just followed Massa home for 2nd place, with Kimi probably not crashing in 3rd.

A wet street race absolutely. You only have to watch this years Monaco GP, or better still the 1997 race when Barrichello came 2nd in a Stewart. They should stick the Malaysian GP, not a street circuit, back in the monsoon season. That always made for a great race.

Some amazing pictures here

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/the_singapore_grand_prix.html

Love the ones of Massa's pit-stop and the two showing the agony and ecstacy of Alonso's weekend.