2013 Singapore GP - Marina Bay

[SectorOne]

That, and it ought to be easier to get past now that the retarded chicaine is less retarded. It's a much less tight turn in, it would be possible to go a bit wide and give an overtaker some room (or to try and pass round the outside).

Yup, just let it ride out to the right while the guy ahead will set up for the right hander by going left.
Bit like in China where you can slide up next to the guy in front. (T8-9)
Need to be a bit of a surprise element but definitely possible with much fresher tires.

Any chance of rain here? Whats the forcast?

Still waiting for some rain here

Edit: reading 60% chance

You didn´t know? We had every religion on earth praying for no rain so we should be good i think....

[godlameroso]

Lap of Marina Bay with Pastor Maldonado 2012 - (demonstrating the amount of bumps are on this smooth street circuit)

I think you misunderstand, the asphalt texture is what is smooth, on a macro level it's bumpy as all holy hell, and can't be avoided because of the nature of the foundation the roads were built on. If you compare this to Monaco the asphalt is not only smooth there as well but the roads are not very bumpy, I've been to Monaco on business and let me tell you aside from the occasional odd road shape following the natural topography it's one of the best maintained roads I've ever driven on.

Compare this to a traditional circuit like Brazil or Barcelona, and like Raymondu said if you run your finger across the track surface you might get a cut because the texture is much more abrasive. So while there are less bumps that affect low speed damping instead there are bumps that affect high speed damping. In contrast Marina Bay has both low and high speed damping demands on the road surface.

As for weather, my thumb to the wind tells me it probably won't rain during qualifying or the race but we might get a drying track for one or two of the practice sessions.

[raymondu999]

I think you misunderstand, the asphalt texture is what is smooth, on a macro level it's bumpy as all holy hell, and can't be avoided because of the nature of the foundation the roads were built on.

Texture! Yes that's the word I've been looking for. Smooth texture, bumpy topography.

Compare this to a traditional circuit like Brazil or Barcelona, and like Raymondu said if you run your finger across the track surface you might get a cut because the texture is much more abrasive.

Never been to Brazil or Barcelona so can't speak for those - but I have actually gotten my finger cut when running my finger along in Sepang. It was almost like a paper cut, quite amazingly.

[beelsebob]

It's all a moot discussion, in a way - because Singapore is always riddled with safety cars. If a safety car pops up just bang on your pit stop timing, you've won the lottery. If it comes in mid-stint for you then... hmmph. Look at Germany for example. Grosjean was, to my data's reckoning, on for a 2-stop, but the safety car screwed him over that way, as it forced him onto a 3-stop.

To be fair though, most of the safety cars tend to come because of the now non-existent retarded chicaine.

Only Raikkonen in 08?

I can think of at least 3 separate incidents involving people getting it wrong, bouncing over the kerbs and planting it into the barrier on the exit.

[raymondu999]

Which are? I could only remember Raikkonen in 08 - and perhaps Kobayashi, maybe that was in 2010 or 2011. But anyways - there have been far more safety cars than that - ie most of the safety cars are caused by something OTHER than that chicane. Collisions in turn 7/8, offs in T1, etc.

Also, the corner that goes under the bridge has caused more safety cars than that twiddly chicane.

[rssh]

The weather is always predicted as wet for race and qualy yet it never rains. Anyways I will be fascinated with a wet race under flood lights, also want to see the visibility conditions at night (I think in 2011 P1/P2 was wet but not wet enough); and given the tropical weather of Singapore it rains in the afternoon then gets dry and humid by the night.

I expect the Merc to but on the 1st row and RB on 2nd row and with the supersoft tyre are overtaking opportunities (more than Monaco) Merc will be harassed by cars behind. I want a new driver to win Singapore this time ROS maybe or WEB also GRO was quick here last year ; only to be given team order to let kimi pass.

[raymondu999]

It always rains on the race weekend - but after things are done. It rains at about 3 noon ish for a bit, then around midnight.

Source: Living there for all the past Singapore GPs

[SectorOne]

I believe it was some wet patches in FP1 the last two years or so.
Nothing major though.

[raymondu999]

I've jogged the track every pre-race Wednesday night. There was a resurfacing done a couple of years back in T5 (that's the 90-right before the longest straight) and the new tarmac there is densely packed, with very fine grains. Water has trouble seeping in, so that section dries the last. The wet patches were always there.

Shame I'm not watching this year though. It's a fantastic spectacle (can't say much for action and as a sport though) when you're watching on track

[Kiril Varbanov]

Apologies if it has been posted before, just a flashback of Felipe's overtake on Bruno Senna from his point of view with comments:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua7r2n2YmHA[/youtube]

[zonk]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AvsavOM4Lg[/youtube]

[stefan_]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw4H_JKGCrs[/youtube]

[xzolien]

any new photos of what turn 10 is like?

[n_anirudh]

See previous threads...another from from Sutton

[raymondu999]

I see a Tabac clone