Singapore – The Outlook for the Race

A team struggle

With teammates scattered in the top 6, the three leading teams will have to play it smart if they want to place both cars in the best positions. After the fierce battle witnessed during the qualifiers, there’s no doubt the fight will rage again between Ferrari and Mercedes. The start will be crucial on this circuit, which greatly limits overtaking opportunities. And if everyone nails their start, team strategies will be impossible for a victory gain. A formidable hunter, Charles Leclerc has also shown us his talents under the constant pressure of being chased. Maintaining race pace and managing pit stops will likely be the keys to this afternoon’s race.

Verstappen to play the spoiler

Slotted between Vettel and Bottas, the Red Bull driver can clearly make his mark if he gets a good start. Equipped with an efficient aerodynamic package, his car will certainly have strengths in the race despite an engine slightly below his direct competitors. The young Dutchman’s aggressiveness in the race could be valuable on this urban circuit, where the braking is perilous with bumps on the asphalt and 90° turns.

Opportunities under the safety car

With 16 safety-car deployments over the last four editions, it seems more than likely that many opportunists will emerge if the opportunity arises. A real chance for drivers to gain positions on a circuit where overtaking is difficult, the management of pit stops will be crucial to optimize opportunities for everyone. The probability of a safety-car appearance here is 100%.

A difficult comeback for Ricciardo

Excluded from qualifying due to excess power on his MGU-K, Daniel Ricciardo and Renault see valuable points slip away as they start from the back of the grid. The goal of climbing back into the top 10 will be difficult; perfect strategy management and optimization of potential safety cars will be essential to hoping for the Australian to finish in the points by the end of the Grand Prix.

The announced strategies

Pirelli announces three possible strategies, depending on the tires used. The weather conditions will normally be dry, with an ambient temperature of 30°C. The slightly abrasive track allows the medium tire to run for a relatively long period, but with a likely drop in performance at the end of the stint. Let’s recall that 61 laps will be completed on the Marina Bay circuit, where the appearance of the safety car reshuffles the deck of planned strategies.

– Départ en soft puis choix des gommes médiums: un seul arrêt prévu pour ce choix pneumatique avec une entrée aux stands attendue entre le 12è et 19è tour.

– Départ en soft puis choix des gommes hard: un seul arrêt prévu également prévu entre le 11è et 19è tour pour monter la gomme la plus dure, dont la performance reste limitée mais constante pour rallier l’arrivée.

– Départ en médium puis choix des gommes soft: stratégie décalée au niveau du rythme de course mais possiblement payante pour certains pilotes opportunistes. L’arrêt est dans ce cas attendu entre le 40è et 48è tour de course.