FORMULA 1 2018 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX: RACE *** SPOILERS ***

^ Lewis may have snookered Ferrari with his slow pace, which was way down for the first 15 laps after the SC. As soon as Seb pitted he poured it on with tires that still had a lot left in them.

But worse was Ferrari not understanding Seb would be behind Force India after pitting. On a track like Singapore that was the end of the race. Third was the best he could do as he had to nurse the tires the rest of the race.

 

After the last couple of races, it seems clear that Ferrari's big weakness sits along the pit wall.

 

True. No sense confirming it even if it's pretty obvious.

 

They should drop this race.. its not even a race track. It reminds me of the local indoor electric powered go kart track near me. The only way to pass is to dive on the inside and physically push the other guy out of the way. Can't be doing that at F1 speeds.

 

This is exactly the genius of Hamilton. He knew Ferrari calculated his reentry place based on the current race pace so Hamilton sped shifting vettel's reentry from in front of Perez to behind him. Really brilliant strategy from behind the wheel of the Merc.

 

Vettel is heading the way of Alonso....

 

A counterpoint offering, just to consider...

While I agree that the logic was flawed, I think Ferrari’s plan was a) pit Seb early, b) switch to the more aggressive u/s tires, c) blaze hot laps to get in front and then d) control the race, knowing Ferrari power would be able to defend on the straights, even with sketchy tires. The problem with the strategy was 1) Hamilton set fastest lap right as Seb pulled in and b) Checko. Coming out behind the pink car ruined everything, including second place.

I think rolling the dice was necessary for a chance at a win, but it’s unfortunate that it cost the team even second place. The race was lost in qualifying, realistically.

 

Agreed. I enjoy night races but this "track" doesn't allow for real racing. Terrible venue.

 

For this race possibly but Vettel's well noted string of errors is equally as bad. Both inept and deserve each other. Ferrari have driver and management issues to solve. The Mayor said it best earlier - Seb has lost faith and management is tired of Vettel.

 

This race is Monaco 2 and we all know it. Pole and control. Mercedes were never in danger here at all given qualy.

 

I think this is the reason for Leclerc moving to the team. The hope is he may be the new hope -- another Max. It sure won't be Kimi.

Right now the team appears disfunctional, especially since Monza.

 

I like the LaFerrari!

And I think the Pista is pretty sharp looking

And how about the TDF F12

Let’s see what the 812 Monza looks like!

But I do concede and agree about some of models such as the FF and Lusso etc

But how can one defend the mish mash Porsche-Benz Uber Car, the AMG GT! That design is hands-down undeniably awful.

Sorry to digress. But I’m still unhappy about the F1 race

 

Vettel, as usual, gets bad press, but that’s just weak sauce. Yes, he has his moments and errors, but this year it wouldn’t matter who was driving, the team strategy is terrible. It’s also dysfunctional as noted above. Vettel is schooling the strategists from inside his car ‘live’ on radio and that’s embarrassing. Leadership heads must roll. Get a strong team leader into the team and it will win. Put the best driver in history in that car and it won’t win. Simples.

 

Amen to that.

 

I agree, Seb made some costly mistakes (IMo the only one i can really fault him is the one in germany that costed him 32 points and probably teh championship). But apart from that he has made some superb races and great qualifyings. Ferrari as team on the other hand a a complete mess..they look like the 2008 team that lost the championship for Felipe Massa , with mess, after mess....this was our championship to lose...and we did...Jock Clear must go...if they could find a team capable of building the best car , they sure as hell can fins a decent strategist, heck, just as k me or half the people on this board!! the moment i saw Sen entering the pits and leaving behind perez i knew it was over!!!

 

My pal grazdamnoc who only speaks Italian but is joint the group quoted his son who said the 2019 team should be kimi and Charles.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

exactly what I'n saying...The setup was so clear to see. LH's pace was slow and conserved tyres, but as would Vettel's. Blows my mind.

Ferrari desperately needs to put a smart team on the pitwall. Ross Brawn esque. They'll never win another title again if they keep it all Italian. They're too emotional.

 

Red Bull is going back to the Spec B engine. The new engine is fiercely unreliable and does random things costing time.


Meanwhile Renault takes full credit for Red Bull's podium. Ricciardo's made a huge mistake I'm afraid.

 

Some non-Italian like Chris Dyer perhaps...? Or Neil Martin?

You should now that their current strategist is not Italian, BTW.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login this is yer (spanish) man ..notice how kimi is not exactly exstatic

 

Exactly.

MB is a pure war machine. SF is not - it's a complete and utter mess.

I was pretty harsh in my judgment of Seb post-Monza, but it is clear to see that he has to "manage" the team/the pit wall/the "strategists", as well. Loulou arrives, jumps in the car and drives off. He doesn't have to worry about "team management" - how could you otherwise explain that he has time and energy between races for his "music" and his "fashion"? I consider neither Loulou nor Seb as superhumans. They only "work" in completely different environments.

Put Seb in the MB and Loulou in the Ferrari, and Seb is flying to his 5th WDC.

 

Seb deserves the press if Hamilton were in the Ferrari he would have a bigger lead that he has now.

 

The press provide this feedback in the UK via SKY F1 Gossip -

Papers savage 'desperate' Ferrari
The pressure is ramping up on Ferrari, and Monday's papers have not been forgiving when it comes to the team's disappointing Singapore GP.

'Ferrari are struggling to keep their heads clear these days,' writes Jonathan McEvoy in the Daily Mail.


'That is primarily because Hamilton is so quick that they have become desperate. It is why Vettel is questioning his Ferrari pit-wall people more often than before.'

Rebecca Clancy of The Times believes team principal Maurizio Arrivabene is in danger of losing his job.

'By the end of the Asian round of races last year, Maurizio Arrivabene's position as Ferrari's team principal was in question,' she notes. 'Ferrari chose to stick with him, deciding that stability was the key to growth. So it proved to be and the Scuderia came back this season.

'Yet as the rounds tick by, and Ferrari's weaknesses are increasingly exposed, the question over Arrivabene's future looms again. How many more seasons can Ferrari appear to come close, only to lose out through their own failings?

'Costly misjudgments by Ferrari and Vettel on Saturday and yesterday added to the list of mistakes made by both this season.

'With Hamilton and Mercedes showing no signs of weakness, there is a growing sense that Ferrari have already cost themselves any chance of the title.'

There was also immense praise for Lewis Hamilton from Fleet Street.

Giles Richards of The Guardian writes: 'His win at the Singapore Grand Prix was the culmination of a weekend when he put together moments of almost transcendent skill and a ruthless execution when it mattered that was untouchable.

'Reminiscent of Tiger Woods at his peak, Hamilton's performance for Mercedes under the lights of Marina Bay looked a class apart from his rivals. So much so that he now has one hand on the title.'

 

I'm happy Ferrari got their cars competitive - because nobody wants to go back a couple of years to Mercedes just cruising to victory every Sunday - but they really do need to get the pits running like a well oiled machine.

Even the perception of disorder is bad, but when it is obvious that the tactics and strategy don't work, even the best drivers are effected by it.

 

more than just strategists.