Race 16 - Singapore 2023 GP

[Nitrodaze]

The Singapore track now has corners 16 to 19 removed to produce a high downforce layout, replaced by a short straight linking the old corner 15 to corner 20, adding a lap to the race. This is a sweatbox of a race, bumpy with high tire deg.

Verstappen has never won this race. Checo won it last year. The McLarens may go very well here. If an upset will happen, this is one of those tracks where it could. A Mclaren win would be very popular, especially if Piastri pulls it off.

Leclerc is brilliant in street circuits and could be on the podium at this race. This track may also favor the Mercedes. Mercedes is a dark horse for the race win, especially in Hamilton's hands. But Russell seems pumped in the last few races, it would be interesting to see what he is able to do.

Ricciardo is in the paddock for the race weekend. I like to be a fly on the wall in the Alpha Tauri garage to see the chemistry between Ricciardo and Lawson.

Zhou retains seat for the 2024 season

[airshifter]

Track changes as construction takes place.










Removing some of the tighter stuff where the cars ducked out of the stands and then back under might allow them to follow closer. Though the extra distance probably isn't enough for a passing opportunity, it might let the cars follow others closely onto the start/finish straight and make for more passing.

There are also reports that some newly paved areas have made the track smoother, so some teams can run lower than expected.


The track changes are expected to reduce track times by an estimated 20 seconds.

[Tazio]

'troll


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[F1nKS]

Liam Lawson knocks Verstappen out of Q2...

Red Bull having a bad weekend

[Tazio]

Max got spanked!

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[Steve Boyd]

People involved with FOM quoted all week as saying the Red Bull-wash isn't good for the sport and now this.

Do I smell a rat?

I was convinced Bernie had a remote control to slow people down when he felt the championship needed spicing up. Has he passed it to the new promotors?

Do I need to put my tinfoil hat back on?

For the answers to these questions and many more watch the next episode of "Soap".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QejBwptSQZc

[Nitrodaze]

People involved with FOM quoted all week as saying the Red Bull-wash isn't good for the sport and now this.

Do I smell a rat?

I was convinced Bernie had a remote control to slow people down when he felt the championship needed spicing up. Has he passed it to the new promotors?

Do I need to put my tinfoil hat back on?

For the answers to these questions and many more watch the next episode of "Soap".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QejBwptSQZc

Yep very smelly rat. Much like the Mercedes rat as the FIA throws a spanner in the Redbull works. Flexi-wings is a major component of Redbull's dominance it seems.

[Nitrodaze]

Liam Lawson knocks Verstappen out of Q2...

Red Bull having a bad weekend

Yep, he is making Ricciardo very nervous, l think.

[F1nKS]

Yep, he is making Ricciardo very nervous, l think.

I would also think Yuki might be a little nervous also.

If I was Jr. Red Bulls - I would go with Ricciardo and Lawson for next year.

[airshifter]

Well that was a qually session for the books!

RB on the back foot all weekend, and both cars out in Q2. Track evolution was just massive and nobody could afford a bobble, even if the cars were right. Lawson takes the AT to Q3, and no doubt is making both Yuki and Daniel worry a bit. Once again some very tight times through the sessions, and the top 3 with just 8 hundredths covering them. For all the people thinking the new regs haven't worked, 7 of the 10 manufacturers made it into Q3.

The race should be interesting, and it's hard to say who will get it right with track and tire temps. But I won't be at all shocked to see some high tire degradation on some teams, mainly Ferrari and possibly McLaren as well. Though I'm almost certain this race will end the RB win streak, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them make it to a top 4-5 finish, and a podium is probably possible with safety car considerations.


As for the conspiracy theories of FOM and/or the TD018, I don't buy it without further proof. Singapore and other tracks have upset dominant teams in the past, and the F1 commentators (Palmer, Jacques, DC) brought up how the Merc of 2015 suffered a similar fate, being one of only two races where they couldn't score a podium and a season where they scored 10 1-2 podiums. Stranger things have happened. As for TD039 and 018, it would simply be too hard for the FOM/FIA/anyone to predict where it would put everyone, and anything aimed at one team would likely strongly impact several teams if the idea was to limit the fastest cars. Not to mention, it's just too many people that would have to keep quiet about the entire process.... I don't buy it. It's one of the few tracks that has thrown Max some curves over the years, with finishes not in line with his season. I doubt tomorrow will be his worst finish in the RB on this track, but we will see.


As for Stroll, that one could have really hurt. Good thing papa has deep pockets Lance! Timing showed he was already well beyond out of progressing in the session regardless, so pushing through the final turns just made no sense. These days most teams show the drivers delta times on the steering wheel as well, so destroying the cars to try to prove you are pushing is just senseless.

Sainz has really come together lately, and it seems he has Leclerc's number as of late. Don't get me wrong, I expect Ferrari to try to screw it up for both of them tomorrow, but Carlos might just call his own strategy again and make it come together!

I'm real interested to see how things work out for Fred tomorrow. Not a great qually, and virtually everyone stated that the flexi wings TD was aimed primarily at AM, with their major changes being one of the exposing factors bring the issue to light. But old wing or new, Alonso can generally drive the snot out of anything put under him, and I'm not sure where they might land in the tire deg picture.





Fred starts on softs, pits early to hards just before Lance gets into the wall hard and brings out a safety car. The resulting stops of other cars leave Fred in the lead. Just imagine!