The System 1 circus returns to the streets of Singapore for the primary time since 2019 with Max Verstappen and Pink Bull Racing on the high of the drivers desk and taking measurements on his subsequent F1 crown. Verstappen enters the weekend with a 116-point lead on the following driver within the standings, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Strictly from doing the maths, Verstappen must outscore Leclerc by 22 factors, his Pink Bull teammate Sergio Perez by 13 and George Russell of Mercedes by six to say his second drivers’ championship title.
The fact is clearly rather more tough as a result of lots can occur over 61 laps at Singapore.
“I do not actually give it some thought,” Verstappen advised formula1.com. “It is fairly a protracted shot. I simply need to benefit from the weekend and, in fact, attempt to win it. …
“I would like a whole lot of luck for it to occur right here, so I do not really matter on it. I feel [the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka will be] my first correct alternative to win the title.”
If Leclerc is considering it, he is not displaying his playing cards, both.
“Simply extract the utmost out of the automobile and present that we have now grown from the errors we have finished this 12 months,” Leclerc responded when requested about what Ferrari had been enthusiastic about with Pink Bull Racing near clinching the title. “Simply attempt to execute the weekend completely, and hopefully having a win on Sunday.”
Maybe the explanation Verstappen is downplaying issues and Leclerc is a bit cautiously optimistic is the truth that tight, slim Singapore performs properly to Ferrari’s strengths. In truth, the Marina Bay Circuit was the location of Ferrari’s final 1-2 end earlier than they completed the feat once more on the Bahrain Grand Prix at the start of this season.
Then there may be the truth that Singapore is certain to haven’t solely a number of warning intervals however no less than one security automobile interval. For the reason that occasion got here again on the calendar in 2008, there has by no means been a Singapore Grand Prix that did not characteristic no less than one security automobile interval. The race in 2019 featured three.
Methods to watch the System 1 Singapore Grand Prix
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 2
- Location: 3.146-mile (5.063 kilometer) Marina Bay Road Circuit, downtown Singapore
- Time: 7 a.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: fuboTV (attempt free of charge)
What to anticipate
The twisty, slim Singapore avenue circuit, with its 23 turns, is the slowest monitor on the F1 calendar. It’s also one of the bodily tough due to the temperatures and humidity, even at night time. These situations take their toll on the drivers mentally in addition to bodily, leading to extra driver errors occurring than at some other circuit on the 12 months.
Overtakes are usually completed on the finish of the entrance straight, the place the trailing automobile will try and be shut sufficient to enact DRS, get a tow off the main automobile, then out run them to the doorway of Flip 1. In all places else the partitions and the vehicles will be fairly shut, and whereas passing makes an attempt occur it is a case the place discretion is the higher a part of valor, as these makes an attempt normally find yourself in a single or each vehicles — if no more — going into the wall.
There’ll as soon as once more be three DRS zones. The primary detection zone begins at Flip 4, the second simply after Flip 12 and the ultimate one at simply previous Flip 21, which has a pair of wrist-flicking fast left-handers (Turns 22 and 23) earlier than the vehicles enter the entrance straight once more.
