Our partners utilize technology, such as cookies, and gather info to personalise the information and advertisements and to supply you with the best experience.
Please let us know whether you agree.
By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Singapore
Sebastian Vettel finished his win drought in the Singapore Grand Prix with a victory that was controversial.
The German benefited from unusual Ferrari approach to leapfrog Charles Leclerc that was team-mate to the lead.
Leclerc told that the team over the radio that it had been”unfair” and it’ll do little to reduce tension within the group.
Nevertheless, it was a victory for the four-time world winner who has experienced a hard, error-strewn period and faced questions about future and his status.
The German noticed Leclerc a yearlong winner in his initial time at Ferrari, emerge as a threat to his own place as number one at the team, also has continued a streak of one major driving mistake every three races since June this past year.
However, Leclerc was very miserable and made his feelings clear.
Ferrari’s strategy, however, did fasten the first win since the Grand Prix at the end of August 2018 of Vettel and them their first one-two since the 2017 Grand Prix.
And it pushed against Lewis Hamilton, who started second behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen down to fourth, at the Mercedes.
Vettel started third and his victory depended on a determination by Ferrari to prevent him made to make sure he did not come out behind Nico Hulkenberg’s Renault, which had ceased for fresh tyres following a first-lap incident and had been charging through the area.
Because the leaders were managing their speed to make certain they will make their pit stop at the optimum moment it arose.
Seeing the risk into Vettel from Hulkenberg, he was pitted by the team and that he rejoined in the front of the Renault.
Ferrari pitted Leclerc, who’d led the race from the beginning from pole position, next time round but Vettel’s speed edge on his first lap from the pits on tyres ensured he had been ahead of Leclerc if the 21-year-old emerged from the pits.
“What the hell?” Leclerc said over the radio, almost certainly wondering why he was not matched.
His scientist told him”It had been the best we can do.”
Leclerc stated:”I only wanted to let you know my emotions. I don’t know the undercut to be completely honest. But we discuss it later.”
The double premature halt for the Ferraris meant both drivers needed to work their way past slower cars which had not made a pit stop, also Vettel did so to better impact than Leclerc, building a six-second direct by the time they had been conducting on lap 33, just after half an hour.
The threat for Ferrari was the danger in Hamilton, who had postponed his pit stop by six rebounds in an effort to gain from fresher tyres at the race’s close.
However Ferrari was given the slow laps they had to make sure it would be made by their tyres by three safety-car sessions for a set of incidents between back markers.
At the last one, Leclerc requested for”everything” in the car to assault Vettel, but he had been told he needed to deal with the engine and make the car home – code for him to hold position behind his team-mate.
Since the leaders lapped 13 minutes off their qualifying days to make sure their tyres functioned as required, a close second behind Leclerc has been running from the first laps.
But the strategy bet of Ferrari undid him.
When Vettel pitted, Hamilton said to his group they should try to”undercut” Leclerc in the exact identical fashion but that opportunity was eliminated when Leclerc stopped on the very next lap.
That gave Mercedes try to attack on tyres although no option except to conduct Hamilton.
However, the strategy also fell him behind Verstappen’s Red Bull, and his tyre benefit – only a handful of laps – was not sufficient to enable him to try to pass cars on a track where a vehicle is supposed to need a 2.4-second speed advantage to overtake.
Hamilton had aid from team-mate Valtteri Bottas, that pitted and was told to back off to slow Red Bull’s Alexander Albon, whom Hamilton would have come out behind.
However, his championship lead within Bottas, who finished in fifth behind him, was extended to 65 points, and it stays just a matter of time before he wins a sixth domain name.
Albeit his real pace was not clear due to the tyre-management feature of the race, Albon drove a solid race at the Red Bull.
And Lando Norris drove well to shoot seventh and top of the remainder for McLaren, ahead of Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly, Hulkenberg and the Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi in the end of a race which was soporific in front but comprised several harum-scarum racing at the midfield from time to time.
The incidents that brought out the safety car have been a wreck involving Haas’ Romain Grosjean and Williams’ George Russell about the exit of Turn two on lap 35; a retirement that cried Sergio Perez’s Racing Point on track lap 39; and a crash involving Daniil Kvyat’s Toro Rosso and Kimi Raikkonen’s Alfa Romeo if the Russian dived for a pass at Turn One on lap 50.
Russia at a week. Three wins in a row; could Ferrari make it ? Mercedes will likely be able to bounce back after the mistakes of Singapore.
Vettel:”First of all, huge congratulations to the group – the start of the year has been difficult for us we began to come alive and I am very proud of everyone’s work straight home. I truly need to thank the fans over the past few weeks. We haven’t been the very best and it’s happy to get numerous letters and messages that are pleasant, also it gives me lots of strength and belief and that I put everything into the vehicle today.”
Leclerc:”Obviously it’s always tough to drop a win like that but in the end it’s a one-two for your team so I am happy for this, our first of the season. I’m disappointed for me but I will come. It seems far more favorable than anticipated, they’ve [the mechanisms ] performed an amazing job.”
Verstappen:”The whole race went well. Initially it was really slow and everyone was close we boxed and then I began to struggle with the tyres plus it turned out to be a great call. We undercut Lewis and from that point it was about handling the widescreen.”
Watch every episode of this epic gangster play from the beginning
Analysis and comment from the BBC’s chief Formula 1 author.
Get headlines and the most recent results delivered to your mobile, find all our Formula 1 coverage details and also find out where to locate us on online.
10??GB??LTE und Allnet-Flat
ab dem 7. Monat 29,99??$??mtl. *
Jetzt sichern
Die ersten 6 Monate
0??$ zahlen*
Read more here: http://inovaassessoria.com/inova2/?p=21405