Mario Isola, Pirelli’s racing manager explains the difference between the Intermediate and Wet tyre and also tells us about the compounds that Pirelli will bring to this years Singtel Singapore Grand Prix.
Tag: singapore grand prix
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Singapore Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Mercedes F1 Team
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
“The Singapore Grand Prix is a fantastic occasion and the whole weekend has one of the best atmospheres of the year. For the drivers, it is one of the toughest races from a physical perspective as there are so many corners and no long straights where you can relax. It’s also a very long race which runs close to the two-hour time limit. The chicane has been removed for this year which I’m pleased about, and the track should suit our car so I hope we can have a good weekend there. My best finish in Singapore to date has been second place back in 2008 and, of course, I would love to improve on that!”Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
“I have always really enjoyed the Singapore Grand Prix weekend and the unique ‘night’ timetable that we have to follow there. It certainly makes a change from the usual race weekend and it’s actually very easy to do if you plan your sleeping and eating patterns well. As a street circuit, the Marina Bay track layout really suits my style. It’s quite a testing circuit and you need to work the car hard the whole way round the lap to make the most of the tight corners and braking zones. We’ve had a tough couple of weekends in Belgium and Italy but I know that everyone at the team is determined to bounce back from here and make the most of the opportunities over the last seven races of the season.”Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
“With seven races left of the Formula One season, we start the season-ending flyaway races in Singapore. The Singapore Grand Prix is always a fantastic weekend for Formula One and provides a great spectacle for the fans in the city and the viewers on global television. It’s become a highlight of the calendar for many and the challenge of working late under the floodlights is enjoyed by the teams and drivers alike. The Marina Bay track layout is tricky, one of the slowest circuits on the calendar, and the punishing heat and humidity provide an extra challenge for the drivers and cars. There has been a lot of hard work at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth since the summer shutdown and the developments that we have found will be introduced during the upcoming flyaway races. Whilst our design and development priorities are naturally increasing towards our 2014 efforts, our aim is to extract the maximum from the car we are racing and regain our second position in the constructors’ championship. This will require a big effort from the team combined with consistent points finishes from Nico and Lewis.”Toto Wolff, Mercedes team executive director
“This weekend’s race in Singapore begins a gruelling series of seven races in ten weekends for the team and we are all focused on regaining some of the momentum we lost at the past two races. We expect the return to maximum-downforce configuration to suit our car and we may see another shift in the competitive order between the teams. The Singapore Grand Prix is a highlight of the Formula One calendar, with its unique setting and night race format, and provides the cars and drivers with tough tests of reliability and concentration during a race which usually lasts the full two-hour time limit. We will bring new developments to the car once again for this race and we are all focused on maximising the opportunities for both Lewis and Nico, in order to re-establish ourselves in second position in the constructors’ standings.”Photo by the Mercedes F1 Twitter Team.
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Singapore GP Preview Quotes – Ferrari
Preview Quotes from the Ferrari boys ahead of this weekend’s Singapore GP.
Fernando Alonso, Ferrari
“This is a very demanding race from the physical point of view and also mentally, because as it takes place at night, it changes your rhythm a bit over the weekend. It’s a very special race with no room for mistakes, but it’s a track I like and where I have usually gone quite well, getting four podiums from five starts, so again this year, I’m tackling the weekend in a positive frame of mind, with great confidence that I can do well again. As a street circuit, it’s a track with a high risk factor, so the possibility is always there to make a mistake. I’d say the last sector, with Turns 18 and 19 that pass under a grandstand where you can easily make a mistake, is the most critical point on the track, where a small loss of concentration can end your race.”Felipe Massa, Ferrari
“Singapore is one of the most tiring races on the calendar, or maybe the most tiring, because it is the longest race of the year, going the full two hours. Conditions are very humid even if we actually race at night. You sweat a lot in the car and you don’t get much air coming through the cockpit as the speeds are low. All in all, it’s the toughest race physically, but also psychologically, with it taking place at night, so that you see less, combined with the fact you are always so close to the barriers. Visibility is good under the lights but it’s not the same as driving in sunlight, which adds to the difficulty. But it’s fun and different to be there at night and makes for a great spectacle for the fans and an interesting event for us drivers.
“You can’t single out one aspect of the circuit which is more important than another. Everything counts here. If you make the slightest mistake at a corner, then you pay a high price. You have to take care at every corner and it’s a long track – one lap here is like two at Monaco, so precision and consistency are important, especially in qualifying when you have to put everything together perfectly. In fact, I’d say it’s harder to win at Singapore than Monaco. The track is longer and more complicated; a lap is around 1m 48s, while Monaco is much shorter.”Photo by the Ferrari Twitter Team
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Broadcast Times for the 2013 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix
The only night race on the Formula 1 calendar takes place in Singapore at the Marina Bay Circuit. Even though it is a street circuit, it isn’t that slow. There are a few medium speed corners and with turn 10 being modified to just a left hander, instead of the chicane, we can expect lap times to be a bit quicker and also some overtakes into turn 10.
Below are the broadcast times for the 2013 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Circuit (All times are GMT+2):
Free Practice 1: Friday 12:00
Free Practice 2: Friday 15:30
Free Practice 3: Saturday 12:00
Qualifying: Saturday 15:00
Race: Sunday 14:00
As always you can catch our live updates on Twitter (@F1_Madness) and we will have updates for you throughout all three practice sessions.
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Weather Report for the 2013 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix
The Singapore Grand Prix is the 13th stop on the Fomula 1 Calendar. The start of the second round of the fly away races for the season.
The heat and humidity are the biggest concerns for the teams and drivers. The weather for the weekend will be rather hot and humid with temperatures for the Practice Sessions, Qualifying and the race to remain in the mid-twenties. There is a chance of thunderstorms throughout the weekend and we can expect some rain. The rain will make a very interesting addition for the night race.
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Virtual lap of Singapore (Marina Bay) with Fernando Alonso
Take a virtual lap around the Marina Bay circuit in Singapore with Fernando Alonso.