Singapore: The Hits and Misses of the Editorial Team

The best

Scuderia Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel: the wind of renewal!

Innovations that finally work! Beyond this new victory, the third in a row, the relief is immense for Mattia Binotto’s team, who came to Singapore with a new aerodynamic package. New floor, new barge boards, new front and rear wings, new diffuser… and immediate results.

If the two victories at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza are due to the car’s speed on high-speed tracks (and Charles Leclerc’s talent), this victory in the city-state is also that of the technical team, who successfully updated the SF90. The result: a car with more downforce, and a victory for Sebastian Vettel, comfortable with such cars, remember his glorious period with Red Bull!

In passing, let us also acknowledge the German’s return to grace, 392 days after his last victory at Spa-Francorchamps on August 26, 2018. Indeed, it took this undercut, contested by Charles Leclerc, and three Safety Cars to relieve his hard tires on the second stint, but still, Vettel held his head high.

Moreover, the German did not falter when he found himself in the pack after his first pit stop, as evidenced by his overtakes on Ricciardo, Gasly, and Giovinazzi. However, a note of caution: the one on the Frenchman at the 7th turn of the 30th lap, wheel to wheel, on the curb and on the inside could have ended badly! But in the end, with his five victories, Vettel is the master of the Singapore night, a win ahead of Hamilton. And his team arrives more confident than ever for the last six races of the season. For the suspense, it’s a pity that Scuderia’s season only truly began at Spa-Francorchamps.

Lando Norris: Bright Rookie

For his first season, the young McLaren driver continues to impress with his composure. He had never raced in Singapore, yet the Briton secured seventh place, making him the best of the rest, as the six powerhouse Ferrari-Mercedes-Red Bull teams finished ahead. This brought some optimism for a driver who hadn’t finished in the top 8 since Austria at the end of June. Largely spared during part of the Grand Prix, Norris found himself under pressure from Hülkenberg and Gasly towards the end, without cracking! Internally, the 2018 F2 vice-champion was frustrated by “driving slowly,” due to managing the Pirelli tires. You can’t have it all!

Solid eighth place for Pierre Gasly!

A brilliant strategy with a start on hard tires, a few overtakes, and points for the eighth place at the finish. Pierre Gasly succeeded in his race in Singapore! The Toro Rosso driver stayed the course, managing his first stint to the maximum, which allowed him to climb to second place on lap 27 after the leaders stopped. His stop was made at the end of the 31st lap: restarting in 16th, Gasly made several overtakes, like during the restart on the 41st lap, against Stroll at the end of the second DRS zone.

Yes, the Frenchman can also be aggressive when the opportunity arises! Over this weekend, the 2016 GP2 champion did what he needed to do. However, he’ll need to keep going to climb back into the Red Bull next year. Conveniently, Marko has indicated that the 2020 seat will be contested between him and Albon.

Enjoyed that one today. Exciting battles in the last few laps!! Feels good to give the team couple more points. We are making good step every weekend, Sochi next! 💪🇬🇧 [link]

On another note, honorable mention to Antonio Giovinazzi, who led the race for 4 laps (between the 27th and 30th lap). Tenth at the finish line, for the second consecutive time in the points, the Italian appeared worldwide… he’s also competing for his 2020 seat!

The flops

Mercedes out of sync

On the set /f1/actualite/23604-singapour-lundercut-de-vettel-justifie-par-binotto-.html, many teams would be satisfied with a 4th and 5th place finish in a race. Not the German team, which “completely messed up,” according to Toto Wolff himself. Surprising given the start of the weekend, but the W10 was outpaced in pure speed and race pace, with Hamilton definitively shooting himself in the foot by delaying his first pit stop… only to come out in fourth place. And even Rubens-Valtteri Bottas sacrificed himself to avoid hindering his leader, driving three seconds slower per lap until he pitted. A sacrifice that is understandable, but frustrating for Bottas, a driver who has become the ideal number 2.

For the team, there is no danger at home, with significant gaps over the rivals, +96 pts on Verstappen among the drivers, +133 pts on Ferrari among the constructors. But since the resumption, Mercedes has been challenged by the spectacular progress of the Italian team. The Italian-German power balance will be scrutinized until the end of the season!

**Lance Stroll self-sabotages**

The Canadian didn’t really benefit from the innovations introduced on his Racing Point, which arrived in Singapore with a new chassis and a new front wing. Unlike his teammate Pérez, Stroll didn’t make it out of Q1 for the twelfth time this season. His difficult weekend took another turn on the 40th lap when he hit the wall after a Safety Car restart. The result: a puncture and the end of hopes for points, even though Stroll finished the race in 13th place. Fortunately for him, Pérez retired on the 42nd lap due to an oil leak. In conclusion, with its new updates, the Racing Point team leaves empty-handed, unlike at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza.

Daniil Kvyat overshadowed

The Russian’s performance is quite lackluster compared to that of his teammate, Pierre Gasly. A slump for Kvyat in Singapore, finishing 15th both at the start and the end of the Grand Prix, far from the Frenchman. The notable moment: his overly bold overtake on Kimi Räikkönen in the first corner, coming from far behind on the Alfa Romeo. For driver #26, eagerly awaiting the home race next weekend in Russia!