First Night Stage, “Dragheit” and the last victory of Vettel: History of Singapore Grand Prix

Already this week there will be a Singapore Grand Prix, which many fans have been called “Asian Monaco” through the use of city streets, as well as because a similar atmosphere of wealth and luxury prevails in a small country.

Before the arrival, two topics are a hype among fans of Formula-1, both of which are related to Max Ferstapppen: whether Marina-Bay, the progress of Red Bull, which was shown on speed tracks, as well as the fact that this is the only stage on which the only stage, which has not yet moved, is confirmed on the slow highway. Will he be able to fix it – we will find out on Sunday.

And while both questions remain open, we suggest to immerse themselves in albeit short-lived, but still the history of Singapore Grand Prix, which in 2008 became the first night race in the history of Formula-1, and thus gave birth to many stages of consequences, which for the sake of a good picture and convenience with time.

For the previous 15 races, the Marina Bay route knew many dramatic and scandalous events, and they would now be discussed.

“Trashgate” The first races of the streets of Singapore led to one of the loudest scandals in the history of Formula-1, which has already hinted at what the route will be the reputation. Due to the successful departure of the security machine, Fernando Alonso won after the start of the 15th position.

However, a year later it turned out that it was not just a “luck”, but the planned action of the team: the Spaniard’s teammate-Nelson Picke Jr., specifically smashed the car to cause the emergence of a safe-car to which the entire Renault strategy was calculated.

All this has led to great resonance in society, as well as a lawsuit over the “culprit of the celebration” – Flavio Briator. As for all the details of the case, as well as the biography of the odious team leader – we have a separate article about it:

Schumacher’s driftThe first segment of qualification at Singapore Grand Prix 2010 was distinguished by a beautiful drift driver performed by Michael Schumacher. Although this episode has not been influenced by anything, its aesthetic beauty has led to photos and videos can still be found often on various social networks.

Recall that in the 2010 season, Michael Schumacher returned to Formula-1 with the Mercedes team, but because of the weak car, the results of the German left much to be desired, and only rarely “Red Baron” got into the center of attention.

“Great Helmet” obtained in the fight One of the highest achievements of the rider on one Grand Prix is ​​the so-called “big helmet”-when one pilot receives a pool-position, wins, puts the most likely circle of the race and at the same time leads from start to finish.

As a rule, this happens when one pilot is openly dominant at a particular stage: in order to continuously hold the first position the whole distance, you need to either go to the sweat-stop later, or create a break from opponents sufficient for “free” boxing.

But there is also a rather unique case that occurred at the 2010 Singapore Grand Prix-the entire Fernando Alonso races distance defended itself from attacks by Sebastian Vettel, and at the finish line only 0.293 seconds.

How could this battle be collected in such a battle? Apparently, the most important factor was that the Spaniard and the German went at the Pitty stop at the Stop-stop, and Ferrari on Pete Leni is located further than Bull Red.

As for the best time, on the 58th circle, finding a short moment to rest in defense, as well as “Enlightenment” in the traffic of circular pilots, Fernando set the result 1: 47,976-this became the fastest circle of the race.

Circular madness Most formula-1 fans are known to have pilots that are lagging behind the leader during the exit of the security machine, shortly before the safe-car leaves from the highway, they are allowed to go forward and catch up with peloton.

But in the 2011 season it was different – all “circular” remained in their places. And at the Singapore Grand Prix there was a precedent, which prompted the organizers to change the rules.

When Bernt Malander left the highway, Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button, who were in the first and second positions, divided a number of pilots-outsiders.

While the British made his way through traffic from the rivals who were behind the circle, the German managed to break away. And then the pursuit began, in which Jenson played 2-3 seconds per circle.

However, in order to catch up with Sebastian, he did not have only a few kilometers of distance. In fact, a decisive role in this struggle was played by a huge buffer of slow machines, which divided the contenders for victory during the presence on the track of the security machine.

Cambek Vettel The chaotic season of 2012, where Pirelli’s tire instability turned into a real lottery racing is often mentioned by eyewitnesses. And the second half of the championship was remembered by a radical change in the arrangement of power, because Edrian News best found an approach to Italian tires.

Sebastian Vettel, who lagged behind 39 points from Fernando Alonso, made a rather spectacular “Cambek” and only three stages to the end intercepted the leadership in the championship. And it all started at Singapore Grand Prix.

By the way, on the Maryna-Bay route the German started only from third place and did not claim to win the race. However, the stairs of the rivals ahead of him lifted him to the first step – first to the victory, and in the future – and to the third championship title.

Dominers Starting from the 2015 season, another feature has begun to show at Singapore Grand Prix-there were quite often the unconditional dominators of the championship.

That year, most of the trails were the Mercedes team, whose pilots won 16 of 19 stages. But on Marina Bay and Lewis Hamilton, and Nico Rosberg had obvious problems with the pace – both in the qualification and in the race.

And this immediately took advantage of the “catching” Ferrari and Red Bull, who immediately began to divide the free podium. As a result, the victory in the race was won by Sebastian Vettel, who spent his first season at the wheel of Ferrari.

The blockage in the first turn The 2017 season was the first of the two championships of tense confrontation between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.

And if the first half was completely in favor of the German, then the victory of the British in Belgium and at the homeland of Ferrari – in Italy helped Lewis, who advocated Mercedes, to enter the leaders of the championship with a separation of three points.

But Marina-Bay was clearly better suited to the Skuderia, and everything heralded that the pendulum would again swing in their direction. In the qualification, Vettel took the first position, his teammate Kimi Raykconen – the fourth, and Hamilton – only the fifth. It seemed that everything that “silver arrows” could dream of was minimizing losses.

However, you should never forget that the main battle in Formula-1 is a race where everything can change, and especially if the start occurs on a wet route. The decisive role in the arrival and, quite possibly in the whole struggle for the title, played a jerk before the first turn.

As soon as the starting lights were gone, Ferrari’s pilots were taken “in the mite” Max Ferstappen, which was second on the grate. But the Dutchman never concede positions without struggle and, moreover, in his youth was aggressive.

It is possible to argue for a long time about which of the riders is to blame for what happened, but the fact remains: there was an accident that ended with a distance from the distance in the first round for all three – Vettel, Raikkonen and Ferstappen.

As for Hamilton – he, using the common chaos, bypassed Daniel Riccardo, who “survived” and paved himself to win. And the opportunity to break away for 25 points in one stage actually completed the struggle for the championship – everything else became only formality.

Two tenths between an idiot and a genius Starting from the 2019 season, Formula 1 has a clear system of tire sets. Although they themselves still have a gradation of softness from 1 to 6, at each stage they bring three sets, which for simplicity are called “software”, “Medium” and “hard”. This deprived both of the teams and viewers of unnecessary confusion.

But by this point, real chaos prevailed. In 2018, the name of the tires was directly dependent on their “general” rigidity, and in addition to the three usual variants, there were also “Supersoft”, “Ultrasoft” and the most softest – “hypexft”.

In the first segment of the Singapore Grand Prix 2018, Lewis Hamilton decided to save faster kits and left for a faster attempt on a harsh Ultrasophot, while all rivals put Hypersotsoft. The difference in speed was so noticeable that the British from the beginning of the Saturday races was separated by only two positions and 0.2 seconds.

Miraculously breaking through, Q3, Lewis had already won Pole, which he then converted to a victory.

And after the qualification, Mercedes, Tto Wolf, received SMS from Frederick Wasser: “Do you know what is the difference between an idiot and a genius? Two tenths.”

The last victory of Sebastian Vettel The 2019 season is considered the year of the dominance of Lewis Hamilton. But if no one was threatened in the standings in the standings, then within the framework of individual races, competition by Ferrari and Red Bull was quite noticeable.

The situation inside the Skuderia itself was quite tense, where the typical confrontation between experienced and young pilots unfolded. And the main factor that allowed the novice of the Charles Lecler team to shine against the four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel was the psychological breakdown of the German after the 2018 Germany Grand Prix.

The 2019 Championship was formed for Sebastian as a number of constant problems. Even when it seemed that he had all the trumps on his hands, something was going wrong. But even with such a schedule, one race was still in his favor.

During the wave of PIT stops in 19-20 circles, a rare case occurred: the so-called “undercat”-an exit forward at the expense of an earlier sweat. Such a maneuver is possible only when the racer is very close to the opponent before the stop. This is what made Vettel ahead of the Lecler, who started from Pola.

Once in the first position, everything that remained the German on the highway, where it is very difficult to overtake is to keep leadership. He coped perfectly with this task. The victory was the first for him in the season and, as it turned out, the last in the career of the pilot formula-1.

11:11:11 In the “Kovid” season of 2020 and the next 2021 Championship, Singapore Grand Prix was absent in the formula-1 calendar. On the highway Marina-Bay, the races returned only in 2022, when the confrontation between Max Ferstapen and Charles Lecler raged.

Although their cars had a similar pace, in general, the painting was in favor of the Dutchman, who was already unofficially called a dominant. But he did not set the stage in Singapore: only eighth in qualification and seventh in the race.

While leader Red Bull was far from the best weekend of his career, his relay was taken by his teammate Sergio Perez. Already at the start of the Mexican overtook the Lecler, who stood in the Pole, and confidently brought the arrival to the victory.

The magic of numbers: At 11 o’clock 11 minutes and 11 seconds local time the car at number 11 crossed the finish line.

The trick of Carlos Sayns Season 2023 has already become a time of dominance Not a separate rider, but the whole team of Red Bull: from 22 stages “bulls” won 21. But even in such a victorious course there was an exception-the Grand Prix of Singapore, where the pace was neither in Verstappen, nor the Perez, and the situation was worsened by the strategists’ mistake.

The rivals used this chance. He was headed for victory for Ferrari’s pilot Carlos Sines, who was leading from start to finish. However, even with such a schedule for success, he had to show ingenuity.

The key point came on the 44th circle, when George Russell and Lewis Hamilton took a sweat stop during a virtual safety machine caused by the East of Esteban Okon.

On fresh tires, Mercedes pilots won a clear advantage in speed and began to reduce the lag rapidly.

Then Says went to a cunning step: he kept Lando Norris at a distance of 0.8-0.9 seconds. This was not enough for attack, but allowed Norris to use DRS to defense from Russell.

In fact, Carlos turned Lando into a “protective buffer”. And the tactic worked perfectly – the Spaniard kept leadership and won.

Lando Norris start The Singapore Grand Prix 2024 was under the confident control of Lando Norris. Mclarene’s car was so fast that even before the first wave of Pitty stops the British created a comfortable dock sufficient for another stop.

As Max Ferstappen, who pursued him, he could not catch up with the leader, and even Norris’s mistakes did not change the overall picture.

The only reason why this race is still remembered is Lando’s statistics. Earlier, he was famous for the extremely unsuccessful starts from Pola – almost always inferior to the first turn, which became the subject of many fan jokes.

But at Marina Bay, the British interrupted this trend and retained the leadership after the first circle, which opened his way to a light victory.

“Invincible” champions trails from the bullMany spectators often compare Max Ferstappen and Sebastian Vettel, as they both won four championship titles at the wheel of the car by Red Bull.

As for Singapore, where Max has never won, an interesting parallel can be drawn: Sebastian, for his championship seasons 2010-2013, never won at Hungary Grand Prix, but only obeyed Gungaroking in 2015.

And the fact that the German “removed the curse” inspires the hopes of the fans of the Dutchman, that he will be able to do similar to the “unnecessary” highway Marina Bay.

Waiting from 2025 As already mentioned at the beginning of the article won by Max Ferstappen races in Italy and Azerbaijan significantly revitalized his fans, the boldest of which began to dream of “Cambek” in the championship.

However, it should be borne in mind that the high -speed monks is traditionally famous for the non -standard for the season, and a long double -kilometer line on the avenue of oil workers plays a key role in tank.

For this reason, special attention is paid to the future Singapore Grand Prix. The street route is slow and characteristics diametrically opposite to the previous stages.

And it is the pace of Marina-Bay that has to answer the main question: whether the successes of the Dutchman were a temporary splash, whether he will continue the victorious course-and then three candidates will become three.