• Singapore Grand Prix - Preview

Street fighters

Laurence Edmondson September 18, 2014

With just six races remaining the pressure is building in the Mercedes camp. Lewis Hamilton is 22 points behind Nico Rosberg - a margin that could be taken out with one victory if Rosberg fails to finish, but more likely a deficit that he will have to chip away at seven points at a time. Thanks to his points advantage Rosberg is the favourite, but over the last two races he has started to show cracks in his mental approach with the collision at Spa-Francorchamps and his mistake while leading at Monza. Another slip-up in Singapore and Hamilton will soon become the bookies' favourite.

In form

Lewis Hamilton's victory at the Italian Grand Prix was vital for his championship hopes. It may have been gifted by Nico Rosberg's mistake on lap 29, but his pace all weekend (with the exception of leaving the grid) was quicker. On the lap before Rosberg's mistake he closed by 0.5s in the middle sector alone, putting the pressure on his team-mate and forcing an error. The eagerly anticipated on-track battle did not materialise, but it means the racing could be even more intense if they end up wheel-to-wheel on the tight streets of Singapore this weekend.

Out of form

It's no secret that the Ferrari is down on power this year, but that made Monza no less embarrassing. The tifosi witnessed one of their beloved prancing horses limping to a halt while the other appeared to be capable of nothing more than a gentle trot. There's little doubt both Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen will be more competitive in Singapore this weekend, but any result will come too late for Luca di Montezemolo. Although the Italian Grand Prix was only a snowflake on the tip of the iceberg, it symbolised the abject disappointment the team - from board members to fans - has felt this year. With Montezemolo, ex-team boss Stefano Domenicali and ex-engine boss Luca Marmorini all gone, the bloodletting should be complete. However, next year's car will be the first to be fully developed in the team's updated wind tunnel and designed under the Domenicali-appointed James Allison, a sudden turnaround for 2015 will be as much a triumph for the old guard as a validation of the new.

One to watch

Force India has struggled for points in recent races despite the advantage Mercedes power should have brought at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza. At the Italian Grand Prix it fell behind McLaren by a single point in the constructors' and has struggled to get among the top ten in qualifying. However, Singapore could see a change of fortunes as Pirelli brings the softer compound tyres and the teams bolt on high-downforce packages again. Earlier in the year the Force Indias were able to run alternative strategies by looking after tyres, and with the potential for a safety car to mix things up in Singapore, some clever thinking from the pit wall could put Sergio Perez or Nico Hulkenberg in the hunt.

Talking points

Over and out
The lack of talk on the radio this weekend will be the talk of the paddock in the lead up to Sunday. The FIA is trying to put the driving back in the hands of the drivers and in doing so has banned certain radio communications from the pit wall. In theory it is a positive move, with drivers no longer being man-managed by their engineers and instead being forced to use their own initiative. In practice it will be interesting to see if teams can come up with ways around it (the FIA has made clear it will not tolerate coded messages) or adapt the cars to make them more driver-friendly. Equally, the drivers will also have to adapt and it will be fascinating to see who benefits the most - not least in the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Ahead of the season Rosberg was touted as the one more likely to adapt to the new fuel-saving regulations, yet Hamilton is the one who has been more frugal during races. It should add another fascinating aspect to an already gripping title fight.

Changes at Ferrari
Luca di Montezemolo's exit from Ferrari spells the end of an era for the company but is unlikely to cause a turnaround in form for the racing team any time soon. Ferrari's hopes instead lie on the changes it can make to its power unit over the winter and aerodynamic gains it can find from its fully rebuilt windtunnel. This weekend, however, the attention will be focused on Fernando Alonso's reaction to the news. He publically fell out with Montezemolo last year, but at Monza two weeks ago appeared to be happy about the short-lived news that the Ferrari president planned to stay. He may have known the truth and was simply not trying to rock the boat, or he may have been genuinely taken by surprise. With rumours he might leave refusing to die down, it would have been a bold move for the FIAT board to have kept him out of the loop.

Fuel
For the most part fuel saving has not been an issue this year. The impressively efficient V6 turbos use over 30% less fuel and management of fuel has not been that obvious. However, Singapore presents a more difficult challenge with its 22, mainly stop-start, corners and up to two hours of racing. Add to that a ban on team radio regarding fuel settings and the drivers are posed with a difficult challenge. Renault believes fuel use will be "on the limit" and it is likely to be the same for all three power units.

Betting

Following his victory in Italy, Lewis Hamilton is favourite to win at 4/6 ahead of Nico Rosberg at 15/8. Three-time winner Daniel Ricciardo is a tempting bet at 10/1 but not half as tempting as Red Bull team-mate and three-time Singapore GP winner Sebastian Vettel 22/1. Valtteri Bottas is also 22/1 ahead of Fernando Alonso (a two-time winner) at 33/1. Expecting a safety car or two on Sunday? How about Sergio Perez at 50/1 for a podium or Jules Bianchi at 100/1 for a point - both have happened this season.

Facts and figures

• The race is one of the longest on the calendar in terms of time; the quickest of the six races so far was won in a time of 1hr56m06s
• The Singapore Grand Prix was originally a Formula Libre race which took place between 1966 and 1973
• In all, it requires 1,600 light projectors, with a total power requirement of 3,180,000 watts, all fed by 108,423 metres of power cables, to light the circuit
• The average lap speed in the race is just 97.56mph. Only Monaco is slower

Weather forecast

Weather forecasts in Singapore are rather predictable: hot with a chance of thunderstorms. Exactly where and when those thunderstorms are going to hit is much harder to predict. Although some sessions have started damp in the past, there has never been rain during a Singapore Grand Prix. The chances are slim as thunderstorms tend to strike in the afternoon, leaving temperatures a little bit more bearable in the evening when the action starts. Needless to say, if it is wet the track will be even more treacherous than it is in the dry.

ESPNF1 prediction

In the spirit and long-tradition of backing underdogs, ESPN is picking Sebastian Vettel to return to the winner's circle for the first time since the Brazilian Grand Prix last year. Mercedes are the favourites this weekend (as they are every weekend) but a crack under pressure in qualifying could allow Vettel - a master of Singapore's streets - to take pole. Once there, the Red Bull should have the pace in the twisty parts of the circuit to keep the Mercedes at bay while providing a thrilling fight.

Laurence Edmondson is deputy editor of ESPNF1

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