Sports Articles: Formula 1: Singapore Talking Points

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Formula 1: Things To Think About After Race 15 In Singapore

1. Ricciardo Penalty

His Renault car for a millisecond produced a bit too much power, probably because it hit a kerb and span up the wheels. Not one person has suggested he or Renault gained any benefit from it and Renault admitted they made a mistake and held their hands up immediately, yet they were given the harshest possible penalty, in effect being excluded from the race. They were left having to get special permission for him to even enter it. Is that not a bit harsh for what was in effect nothing and they admitted their error? Surely there is now no incentive to be honest but instead you may as well try and cover it up as the penalty will end up the same, at worst. Strange way to deal with an incident like that.

2. Racing Under Lights

There is something special about the night race at Singapore, the cars just look so good under those lights. Especially the matte ones, the lights really make them look good.

3. Starting Mess

The start was a complete mess with a number of silly, needless collisions. No one seems to remember it is a long race and that first you have to finish if you are to finish first. You have to feel sorry for Sainz, he was right up there before he got hit and his race destroyed.

4. Preserving Tyres

It was lucky there were crashes at the start and that Ricciardo had to start at the back or the race would have been dire for most of the first part. Leclerc cruising round at half-pace to protect the tyres while everyone else followed in a long train was boring! It did keep the field bunched up though and contributed to Ricciardo's ability to climb up the field and meant it was a mess when teams started pitting. In fact it cost Leclerc the race by allowing Vettel to be right on his tail when he went in the pits and after the stops come out ahead. Sod team orders, the first thing you do is get a gap so you can pit and not lose too much if needed and allow a safety car pit stop to not need the team to stack cars.

5. Mercedes Strategy

They got it all wrong leaving Hamilton out and then having to tell Bottas to slow down so there was a gap to get Hamilton in and out. Then they put him on hards anyway, so he got no advantage of softer tyres. The only way going long makes sense is if you go onto mediums. I know they had no way of knowing about the safety cars but they had to know it was the only way to do anything. Instead they played safe and just lost a place and a chance to challenge. It does seem they are a bit scared to make big calls now with the lead in the championships, they are playing it all too safe to just pick up some points rather than going for wins.

6. Safety Cars

Was it just me or did the decision to bring out the safety car seem to take an age each time? It was obvious immediately each time that one would be needed but the race controller took a while to decide. Surely he should know exactly where all the exits from the track are and the cranes positioned (if any) going into the weekend? So these calls should be pretty much immediate. The worrying thing is, not even a number of them could turn it into a race at the front and it was only the mid-pack that livened things up.

7. Leclerc Whining

"It's not fair!" Grow up Charlie boy! Life isn't fair and you have it all on a plate in front of you right now, you are not really in a position to complain when one morsel gets taken off your plate. Anyway, this is a team game and you must know Vettel desperately needed that. Far more than you, or just about anyone else on the grid. To be fair to him, despite the whining he did play the team game and made no attempt to attack Vettel and made sure to bring him the 1-2.

8. Lando Norris

He was excellent in driving a trouble-free race, just keeping clear of those behind him and getting a great position for McLaren. It would be nice to just see him able to push on to the back of those in front and see if he can take the next step though.

9. Magnusson's Hot Lap

What is it he has with putting in hot laps round this track? He holds the lap record due to throwing in a hot lap at the end of the race in the past and now did it again. Nice to see someone outside the top 10 stop that point though.

Written by Tris Burke September 24 2019 20:52:33