Singapore GP: Is it Mercedes vs Red Bull or can Ferrari join fight?
Mercedes are ready for a fierce conflict with Red Bull at the Singapore GP but are likewise not counting Ferrari, even though the Scuderia think they will“battle“ beneath the magnificent Marina Bay lighting.
Formula 1 is heading to Singapore because of the marquee nighttime race this weekend, even with every session live on Sky Sports F1, along with Mercedes, after Ferrari’s back-to-back victories at the power-friendly Spa and Monza, expect to become better suited to this iconic road circuit – having won at similar low-speed, high-downforce tracks this season.
But Red Bull are perennial contenders in Singapore – ending there since 2009 – if they pushed most of the way in Monaco and Hungary 2019 to Lewis Hamilton, with Max Verstappen on pole in Budapest.
Hamilton, who retains a 63-point lead in the championship heading into F1 2019 seven races, has had good battles with Verstappen, as well as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, in recent months and will be relishing more of the same.
„I’m not excited about another race believing it will swing our way,“ said Hamilton, who lost out in wheel-to-wheel combat when hurrying Leclerc in the GP.
„I hope that it is aggressive between us I want this battle to last.“
Mercedes manager Toto Wolff is famous to be the Silver Arrows‘ most important danger in Singapore – however says Ferrari will also be a rival, despite the previous lack of pace at circuits with no long straights of the outfit.
„We understood that Spa and Monza would be tough for us,“ Wolff said. „On paperwe should be powerful at Singapore – as should Red Bull be. If we are really demolishing them there, let us see.
„But I have no doubt that Ferrari will have learned and will have a fantastic bundle there, even greater than Hungary.“
Ferrari’hope to battle‘
Ferrari finished off a second off the pace in Budapest, which was the last race before the summer break. Ever since then, Leclerc has maintained the latter, epic wins in Italy and Belgium.
But Singapore is a very different proposal – no matter Mercedes‘ ideas about the odds of Ferrari.
„We need to stay realistic,“ insisted Leclerc. „I believe we anticipated Spa and Monza will be very good races for our car but we know that the upcoming few races will be much more difficult for our car.
„It’s not going to be easy. Especially Singapore. I believe it’s going to be a great surprise when we are far better than what we expect – however what we hope – is to fight there.“
Ferrari chief Mattia Binotto agreed:“We understood [Spa and Monza] were paths where we may have been aggressive. It wasn’t a given but they were more and it was very important to us not to miss any chances as we did at the first portion of the season. Our car was joyful.
„Whenever we may visit circuits in which there are a great deal of corners and at which grip-limited is significant or maximum downforce will be required to be quick, we are definitely showing our main weakness“
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