2019 Singapore Grand Prix - Marina Bay, 20-22 September

[matt_b]

what a terrible race! street circuits short straights, right-angle corners, bad camera positions and safety cars

Don't worry we have Sochi next

[CriXus]

Leclerc very firmly refusing to publicly slam the team in the post race interview. He's good at the political game it seems, knows when not to lose his rag in public (hint: Seb should pay attention to that).

Not so sure about that. Binotto said to Leclerc to "go on the podium and enjoy it, we'll discuss after", Leclerc responded with a whispered "but", Binotto then replied with "Full stop."

[TAG]

Everything fell into place for Ferrari this weekend, kudos to them and Vettel with a fine race win, you know the fuse has been lit at the scuderia, let's wait and see when it all explodes. Norris continues to impress and a good drive by Albon, actually everyone from 6th through 10th drove very well.

[Restomaniac]

Where does this venom come from? Hatred is usually a very serious side effect of impotent jealousy.

I hope you get well soon.

Vettel really is blind to everything else but himself.
He is gifted a race win and he acts like he won it on his own merits.
Hey Vettel have a quick look to your right. Do you see your peed off team mate. Why do you think that is?

Wonder if you said the same during Monza's Q3 when little boy peed Vet as well...

Posted by me in the Monza qualy thread.

‘TBH Vettel sounded a little pissed off in the post qualifying interviews. I tend agree with him and can see his and his point alone. The rest of them need dragging into line.
He made the valid point that nobody gave him a tow in the first run. But when it was his turn he found himself in front of his team mate and towards the front of the pack again I just couldn’t decided it it was aimed at the full grid or his team.’

[Big Tea]

I wonder if Ferrare really were going to stop again? The safety cars not only made it boring but spoiled what may have been not a bad race in the end.
There must be a way the organizers can shave 5-8 seconds off the pit time, it would be far better, happened with 'old' monaco

[Just_a_fan]

Leclerc very firmly refusing to publicly slam the team in the post race interview. He's good at the political game it seems, knows when not to lose his rag in public (hint: Seb should pay attention to that).

Not so sure about that. Binotto said to Leclerc to "go on the podium and enjoy it, we'll discuss after", Leclerc responded with a whispered "but", Binotto then replied with "Full stop."

That's an eavesdropped conversation, not a public interview. Teams don't like their drivers publicly, on record, naysaying the team. The post-race interview tried to get him to do so, he didn't. That's smart.

[sosic2121]

Anyone whinging about Ferrari’s strategy. Seriously? It was a masterclass. If they hadn’t managed the pace in the early phase, merc would have undercut them. See Bottas’ Pace after dropping back from Hamilton... over a second faster than Vettel’s lap at the same point in the race. They managed it perfectly, and got a 1-2.

Meanwhile Mercedes is telling one of their own drivers to... drive... slowly... to benefit the other driver. That’s almost unprecedented

And no one is arguing that team order!?
Or the fact that "Greatest Driver Of All
Time" started 2nd and needed team orders to finish 4th!?

I personally feel sad for Charles, but from Ferrari point of view it was a perfect race!

[Scorpaguy]

Anyone whinging about Ferrari’s strategy. Seriously? It was a masterclass. If they hadn’t managed the pace in the early phase, merc would have undercut them. See Bottas’ Pace after dropping back from Hamilton... over a second faster than Vettel’s lap at the same point in the race. They managed it perfectly, and got a 1-2.

Meanwhile Mercedes is telling one of their own drivers to... drive... slowly... to benefit the other driver. That’s almost unprecedented

EXACTLY! Lec seems to think winning is now owed to him. I am no Vet fanboy and have certainly been very critical of Bino...but the Big Red strategy today was absolutely Merc-ish....Toto frowned the whole race. Yes, Lec has driven brilliantly over the last 2 races...winning the last in a slower car. However, Bino and team snatched a 1-2 out of a possible 1-3...Big Red is not fighting for titles at this point, but glory ($$$). If I were among those inside the Big Red....I would be yelling "Bravo Bino" and profusely congratulating and thanking both drivers. Seems to me Ferrari has become the Merc that Toto thought he had.

[GPR-A]

And no one is arguing that team order!?
Or the fact that "Greatest Driver Of All
Time" started 2nd and needed team orders to finish 4th!?

Just like the 4 time world champion needed a preferred strategy to undercut his team mate to win? Probably?

[Restomaniac]

Leclerc very firmly refusing to publicly slam the team in the post race interview. He's good at the political game it seems, knows when not to lose his rag in public (hint: Seb should pay attention to that).

Not so sure about that. Binotto said to Leclerc to "go on the podium and enjoy it, we'll discuss after", Leclerc responded with a whispered "but", Binotto then replied with "Full stop."

That's an eavesdropped conversation, not a public interview. Teams don't like their drivers publicly, on record, naysaying the team. The post-race interview tried to get him to do so, he didn't. That's smart.

But Vettel did it when pushed by stating that it was the team that called him in.

[falonso81]

Congrats to my team for a masterclass 1-2. That is how its done. It is too late though for 2019, but i will take it any day.
Leclerc, i get him, but he will have his chance to win again.

[Mamba]

Vettel really is blind to everything else but himself.
He is gifted a race win and he acts like he won it on his own merits.
Hey Vettel have a quick look to your right. Do you see your peed off team mate. Why do you think that is?

And that nice road block in Spa where Charles got his first win? Also only thinking of himself? Also, as a team would you want a 1-2 or a 1-3 if you could possibly have a 1-2. I'm pretty sure even Ferrari didn't expect Vettel to come out in front. Also, if Ferrari were to favour a driver why not the driver with two wins already and the most poles this season and also the one in front in terms of the race and the points?

We should rather climb on tbe Merc team for ordering Bottas to slow down to get Hamilton in front of him...

[GPR-A]

Today's situation is so much reminiscent of Spanish GP 2016 when Verstappen got a strategy that proved to be the right one and despite leading the GP early, Ricciardo lost out. He was equally pissed off.

I hope this win should give much needed confidence to Vettel and should bring him back to his best.

[Just_a_fan]

what a terrible race! street circuits short straights, right-angle corners, bad camera positions and safety cars

Agreed. Street circuits are pants, generally. Monaco is rubbish too and only stays on the calendar because half of F1 live there, and it's got a reputation for glamour. It's always a borefest unless the weather intervenes. Singapore is no better and is only a novelty because it's under lights.

The only racing at Singapore was in the midfield/back where a mix of car and driver ability enabled some fun stuff. Where cars and drivers have similar performance i.e. at the front, then it's dull. The proof - the only thing people are talking about is whether Ferrari favoured Vettel, and what were Mercedes smoking on the pit wall? A race to be forgotten fairly quickly.

[RZS10]

Something i haven't seen mentioned in this thread yet:

Both Perez and Kimi could have stopped their cars in a way that would have made an SC unnecessary, Perez just had to switch to the other side of the track (he still had drive) and Kimi just needed to roll a few meters further (he instead went on the brakes hard and stopped right away) ... there's probably no rules for that i assume but drivers should be forced to stop their cars where they can be recovered easily imho