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  • Red Bull Singapore Grand Prix Preview

    GP MONACO F1/2016 – MONTECARLO 26/05/16
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Formula One heads to Asia this weekend, Singapore to be exact, and Red Bull will be hoping to replicate last season’s performance.

    Daniel Ricciardo finished second behind Sebastian Vettel and former team-mate Daniil ended the race in sixth.

    “It seems like a really fun city and I’m really fortunate to get a lot of people coming over from Australia and especially Perth, this means I get a lot of love in Singapore,” the 26-year-old said.

    Red Bull are expected to perform well at the Marina Bay Circuit as it has similarities to Monaco where the 26-year-old was on pole but lost the race to Lewis Hamilton.

    “Singapore is great, a real night race. Being able to drive through a massive city at night with all the lights flashing between buildings as you go past is an awesome feeling. It’s weird, I think it actually feels like you are going faster at night,” said the Australian Ricciardo

    Max Verstappen finished in eighth for Toro Rosso last season in the same race and he will be confident despite his recent struggles.

    “Being a night race means it’s a bit different, you have to adapt your braking zone as the light changes from the earlier session to the late ones.

    “I enjoyed it a lot last year so I’m excited to go out there again,” Verstappen said.

    Dominic Rust

  • Complacency the enemy for Mercedes in Singapore

    GP SINGAPORE F1/2015 – 18/09/15
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Toto Wolff has said that Mercedes “must not make the mistake” of thinking themselves favourites for the win in Singapore, given their recent struggles around the Marina Bay circuit.

    “No team has ever scored a 1-2 finish [in Singapore] – and with good reason,” Wolff said, referring to the reliability issues that forced both Rosberg and Hamilton respectively to retire from the 2014 and 2015 Singapore Grands Prix. “As we have seen before, it’s a race where a single problem can cascade into many more as the weekend progresses.”

    Wolff also acknowledged a greater threat from Mercedes’ rivals this weekend, highlighting how the Marina Bay track “will suit the high-downforce philosophy followed by Red Bull” and also noting Ferrari’s “mighty” performance in last year’s race.

    Nico Rosberg also said he regards Singapore as “a Red Bull track”, but added that his “faith…is as high as ever” in himself and the team delivering a strong result:

    “I got my second ever podium [in Singapore] back in 2008 but haven’t been up there again since, so the target is to change that on Sunday. Of course, it won’t be easy [but] I approach every weekend aiming to win the race.

    “I have faith in the team and my belief in myself is as high as ever.”

    But on a weekend where the championship lead swings by just two points to his teammate, it would perhaps be prudent not to bet on Rosberg as the favourite Mercedes driver in Singapore.

    Throughout 2016, Rosberg has struggled most in those races when his battle has not just been with Lewis Hamilton but with the other cars around him as well – take Monaco, Canada and Hockenheim, for example. If Red Bull and Ferrari manage to put up a fight this weekend, Rosberg may well find the increased pressure simply too much to control.

    Add in to the mix that the Marina Bay Street Circuit is yet another in this latter half of the calendar that plays into Lewis Hamilton’s hands – delivering the Briton two wins in the past, to say the least – it would hardly be surprising to see Rosberg yield up the title ground he gained with his last two victories in Spa and Monza.

    James Matthews

  • Ferrari Singapore Grand Prix Preview

    GP SINGAPORE F1 2015 – ©FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO

     

    Ferrari return to the scene of their last victory in Formula One at the Singapore Grand Prix needing a similar result if they are to overhaul Red Bull in the race for second in the World Constructors’ Championship.

    In 2015, Sebastian Vettel took his fourth win at the Marina Bay circuit in eight outings since the inaugural race back in 2008, with Kimi Raikkonen third as Mercedes struggled all weekend with tyre warm-up.

    2016 was meant to be the year that the Scuderia built on successes like that, but it never materialised after sloppy strategy calls, inconsistent pace throughout the European season and a lack of in-season development due in part to technical director James Allison’s departure.

    While all of this was going on, Red Bull and particularly Renault’s development has seen Ferrari fall to third in the Constructors’ Championship.

    Monza represented something close to a return to form and was certainly one of the few races in which Ferrari have maximised their potential, as Vettel and Raikkonen finished third and fourth respectively to close the gap to Red Bull to 11 points, although this was expected.

    While Vettel has four wins in Singapore, three of those came while he was with Ferrari’s direct opponents Red Bull, who are tipped by some to be the team to beat this weekend.

    To add to the challenge, Mercedes believe they have worked out why they struggled so badly with the supersoft compound last year and are once again widely expected to head the timesheets this weekend.

    Raikkonen himself has two third places at Asia’s most glamorous race, and Ferrari have one other win courtesy of Fernando Alonso in 2010.

    A repeat of 2015’s excellence looks like a tall order for the Prancing Horse this time around, but should it happen, they have a real chance of second place and salvaging 2016 yet.

    Jack Prentice

  • Robert Kubica: Formula One’s Lost Champion

    Since their introduction into Formula One in 1993, Sauber have been seen top drivers rise through their ranks and go on to have glittering careers in the sport. The Hinwil team gave 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen his route into the sport way back in 2001, while Felipe Massa spent three seasons there before his switch to Ferrari nearly bore him a title in 2008.

    But neither of those names raise such a mixture of pride, happiness, intrigue and ultimately sadness in the way that Robert Kubica does.

    Kubica took Sauber’s only victory in his three-and-a-half years following a mid-season promotion in place of Jacques Villeneuve in 2006 before a move to Renault in 2010.

    The big Pole’s big chance came at the famous Hungarian Grand Prix of 2006, when he replaced Villeneuve because of injuries sustained in the previous race. As Jenson Button took his maiden win, Kubica raced to seventh place, but was disqualified because of technical irregularities. Nevertheless, a star was born as Sauber announced his promotion with immediate effect after the race, after Villeneuve quit.

    Just two races later Kubica made his first piece of history, as he became the first Pole to lead a Grand Prix and then the first Pole to make the podium with a third place at the Italian Grand Prix, after qualifying sixth and showing excellent pace all weekend. He was not to pick up any more points in the remaining rounds of the season, with two further ninth places the best results for the remainder of the season.

    2007 started indifferently as a retirement in Australia and 18th in Malaysia was followed up by three solid points scores as BMW Sauber emerged as the big challengers to the dominant duo of Ferrari and McLaren.

    However, his 2007 is more remembered for a horrific accident at the Canadian Grand Prix.

    While battling with Jarno Trulli’s Toyota on the approach to the hairpin, the two made contact and Kubica’s car was more of a rocket as he launched towards the wall, with a 185mph impact sending him back over the circuit. He came to rest at the hairpin, and despite earlier reports suffered a sprained ankle and concussion that forced him to miss the US Grand Prix.

    That paved the way for a young Sebastian Vettel to make his name as a point-scoring debutant, and Kubica was not to be affected as he returned for the French Grand Prix and rattled off six straight points finishes on his way to a solid sixth place in the World Drivers’ Championship.

    2008 was to be his and Sauber’s strongest year, as he remained a factor in the World Championship battle until the penultimate round as BMW Sauber became a real force. After retirement in Melbourne, Kubica wasn’t out of the top four for the next six races, including his famous victory at Canada.

    A year on from where he had that infamous accident, Kubica was one of few steady heads in a race more akin to Wacky Races instead of an F1 Grand Prix. After Hamilton had taken both himself and Raikkonen out of the race in the pit lane after a Safety Car, Kubica was promoted to the lead of the Grand Prix once other drivers had pitted.

    It was a lead he was not to relinquish, as teammate Nick Heidfeld took second place to complete a memorable 1-2 for BMW Sauber. That result put Kubica level on points with Championship leaders Lewis Hamilton and Massa.

    With huge technical changes coming for 2009, Sauber switched their attention to developing 2009’s car shortly after. Kubica was to make the podium twice more with third place at the European Grand Prix where Valencia’s street circuit debuted, and at the Italian Grand at which Vettel took his first victory.

    This was to be both his and Sauber’s best season, as 2009 fell well below expectations.

    After a late collision with Sebastian Vettel in Australia as they battled for second place, Kubica was to take seven races to score his first points of the season with seventh place in Turkey while Sauber themselves only had six points from six races courtesy of Nick Heidfeld’s third place in the rain-shortened Malaysian Grand Prix.

    Kubica was only able to climb to 14th in the World Drivers Championship due to a strong run towards the end of the season, where he scored 15 points from the last 8 races including a second place at the Brazilian Grand Prix (Current points system wasn’t introduced until 2010) in BMW’s final podium in F1, as they pulled out of the sport.

    Sauber were to be rescued by Peter Sauber once again and had a solid season in 2010 as a privateer, with Kamui Kobayashi finishing 12th in the standings. Kubica meanwhile joined Renault and comfortably outpaced Vitaly Petrov, on his way to eighth in the standings. He would pick up two podiums in what would tragically be his final season in Formula One.

    In February of 2011, Kubica was taking part in a rally close to his home in Italy when on the first stage, he crashed heavily into a barrier, which penetrated the cockpit and struck him. He suffered a broken shoulder, arm and leg and lost part of his right forearm and damaged his right hand. In April of that year, he was released from hospital in Italy to continue his recovery, although a return to Formula One was a tall order despite successful use of the Mercedes F1 team’s simulator.

    It wasn’t to be until 2013 that Kubica gave up on a return to Formula One, citing limited functionality of his right hand in tight open wheel cockpits. Kubica now competes in the World Rally Championship, having won the second tier of the Championship in 2013.

    A man once considered by Ferrari to lead their Championship charge, Kubica is a driver that had a more than promising career in Formula One cut short by the ruthless business that is motorsport. The Pole will be remembered for his speed, courage, late-braking and ultimately the potential that was left unfulfilled.

    In a different world, through Kubica, Sauber would have produced another World Champion.
    Jack Prentice

  • The Forgotten Man

    He died in a ball of flame on the 21st June, 1970 in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. That first sentence is not meant to sensationalise his story, far from it. It is just a statement of fact.

    Piers Raymond Courage was an Essex boy. He was born in Colchester during the war on 27th May, 1942. He was born into a dynasty. The eldest son and heir to the Courage brewing family he attended Eton College.

    To most people this would be enough. To be born into a successful wealthy family, being the next in line to take on the mantle and run the business, which would go global. No. This was not in the plan of Piers Courage. He wanted to race and not for the money, he wanted to race because he bloody well enjoyed it.

    Like a few other drivers of the era, he began racing his own Lotus 7 and he had his moments in the early days with a few hair-raising spins but he quickly moved on to tour the European Formula 3 circuit and he competed in his first full season in 1965. He drove a Brabham and this is where the friendship began with Frank Williams. Williams himself was driving for team boss Charles Lucas and also acted as a mechanic. Williams and Courage struck up a friendship. There were some good results and Piers Courage started to get noticed. One person who sat up and saw the enthusiastic talent of this driver was none other than the legendary Colin Chapman.

    Piers Courage was offered a seat at Lotus for the 1966 Formula 3 season. He wouldn’t be as competitive as those around him, said the experts, the Brabham’s would dominate the series and go on to take the accolades. Courage performed to such an outstanding level that he was stepped up to Formula 2.

    In 1967 he signed for BRM to drive alongside Chris Irwin. He crashed a lot. Piers Courage had this maverick driving style that would see him spin out or crash more than what was acceptable in motor racing. He was labelled reckless, some said that because he was racing just for fun that he was not taking the sport seriously. He was dropped after the Monaco Grand Prix in 1967. He competed the rest of the season in a Formula 2 McLaren M4A and managed to finish fourth in the drivers’ championship, which at that level was unclassified.

    For 1968 he was offered a drive at Reg Parnell Racing in a BRM P126. He performed well, he scored points at the French and Italian Grand Prix’s and aside from this he still competed in Formula 2 for his friend Frank Williams. It was in 1969, when Frank Williams decided to step his racing empire up to Formula One that Piers Courage got his shot at being the first choice driver.

    Two podiums at Monaco and the United States Grand Prix saw him finish 8th in the Championship, the third best British driver behind Jackie Stewart and Graham Hill. Some say that the finest race of his career came in this season at Monza.

    Courage had a difficult start to the 1970 season. The Williams team had switched to a newly designed chassis from De Tomaso. It was overweight, it was unreliable and it just didn’t work. Piers Courage struggled to get any points, but things looked like changing at the Dutch Grand Prix when he qualified 9th on the grid. He started the race well, but disaster struck.

    Depending on what report you read it was either the front suspension or the steering that broke on the bump at Tunnel Oost. Courage’s car went hurtling straight on up the bank and broke apart. The engine broke loose and the monocoque burst into flames. The De Tomaso chassis was made of magnesium and it just burned.

    Piers Courage died at the age of 28 at Zandvoort. It is said that he died on impact from a broken neck or fatal head injury.

    I have not posted pictures of the crash because I want to celebrate his fun, yet short, life, not his death.

    In an era of British drivers that had produced Mike Hawthorn, Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, Graham Hill, John Surtees and Jackie Stewart to name but a few, Piers Courage is largely a forgotten man. He never won a world championship or a grand prix. He never posted a fastest lap or a pole position. Yet, at a time when death was accepted in Formula One, he gave his life doing just something he truly loved.

    Piers Courage did not need to race cars. He certainly did not need the money and fame that came with Formula One, but he chose to do so because it was his passion. He loved racing, he loved life and he loved being surrounded by those people who loved it too. It is said that Frank Williams has never truly recovered from the death of his friend.

    Whether that is true or not, on that fateful day in Zandvoort, British motor racing lost one of its most iconic and fun characters. He had the ability to win races and possibly even a championship, but he was just taken too soon from our world.

    Piers Courage, no longer the forgotten man.

    See you at the chequered flag.

    Neil Simmons

    Twitter: @world_racing

  • Sauber’s Unsung Heroes

    Since 1993, Sauber has seen a vast array of drivers pass through the halls of Hinwil, not least including past and future champions such as Jacques Villeneuve, Kimi Räikkönen, and even – albeit just for one secret test in 1997 – Michael Schumacher.

    But what about the others – the fan favourites, the uncrowned talents? As our Sauber Week celebrations continue, we take a look at some of the stalwart faces from the Hinwil team’s history.

    Heinz-Harald Frentzen

    Heinz-Harald Frentzen has been a part of the Sauber story almost from the very beginning. He joined the team for his debut season in 1994 and became the de facto team leader after Karl Wendlinger was seriously injured in a crash at Monaco. A first podium for himself and Sauber followed in 1995, before Frentzen’s performances earned him a call-up to replace Damon Hill at Williams for 1997.

    Frentzen would return to Sauber in 2002 as a one-off replacement for Felipe Massa, and then as a full-time driver in 2003 whilst Massa served a year in reserve with Ferrari. Frentzen matched up well against talented young teammate Nick Heidfeld and went on to take another podium at the United States Grand Prix; but that would prove to be his last both with Sauber and in F1, as new signing Giancarlo Fisichella and the returning Massa left Frentzen without a drive in 2004.

    Johnny Herbert

    When Johnny Herbert joined Sauber in 1996 the team had already built up a reputation as consistent points-scorers, but a troublesome Ford-Zetec engine meant Herbert’s only points of the season came with a third place in Monaco behind Olivier Panis and David Coulthard.

    Nevertheless, fortunes improved with new Ferrari-Petronas engines in 1997, and Herbert took his second podium for the team along with five other points finishes. After an unrewarding 1998 season alongside Jean Alesi – who took Sauber’s fourth podium in four years in Belgium – Herbert left Sauber for Stewart and was replaced by Pedro Diniz.

    Nick Heidfeld

    Few drivers enjoy quite the association with Sauber as Quick Nick Heidfeld. The German joined Sauber way back in 2001 and made an immediate display of talent, not only taking a podium in only his third race for the team in Brazil, but also consistently outperforming emerging talents Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa during their own Sauber days.

    After briefly jumping ship to Jordan and Williams, Heidfeld returned to Hinwil in 2006 after signing with the new BMW-Sauber works team and enjoyed the most successful spell of his F1 career, racking up eight podiums from 2006-09 and finishing as high as fifth in the championship in 2007.

    Despite losing his seat at the end of the 2009 season, Heidfeld rejoined Sauber one final time to replace Pedro de la Rosa for five races at the end of 2010. But, unable to match the results of the BMW days, Heidfeld was not retained for 2011, thus bringing to an end a total eight-year relationship with the Sauber team.

    Kamui Kobayashi

    When the struggling Toyota team pulled out of F1 at the end of the 2009 season, Kamui Kobayashi became yet another talented driver to have his career threatened by the global financial crisis. But late hope came in an offer from Peter Sauber to join his newly repurchased team, and in 2010 Kobayashi lined up alongside Pedro de la Rosa for the first of what would be three years with the Hinwil team.

    At Sauber, Kobayashi quickly established himself as a fan favourite with displays of rapid qualifying pace and superb overtaking under braking, his 2010 season alone earning him the esteemed praise of Murray Walker as “without a doubt Japan’s best [F1 driver] yet”. Highlights included a fifth-place finish at Monaco in 2011, a front row start for the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix, and even a maiden podium that same year on home soil at Suzuka – to date, Sauber’s most recent trip to the F1 rostrum.

    James Matthews

  • Anybody got a calculator? Who can still win the IndyCar title?

    The Verizon IndyCar season finale takes place this Sunday at the GoPro GP of Sonoma at Sonoma Raceway in the wine country of northern California.

    Team Penske driver Simon Pagenaud has nearly an insurmountable lead over his teammate Will Power who is 43 points behind the Frenchman that has had the lead in the Championship battle for nearly the entire season.

    It is not a total lost cause though as was the case last season, the final race pays double points. Last year that fact allowed Scott Dixon to catch Juan Pablo Montoya in points and snatch the title away from him as JPM tried desperately to pick up one more spot on the track to hang on to the points lead. Much like Pagenaud this year, JPM lead all of last season right up until the final checkered flag flew.

    The scenarios are this:

    If Pagenaud finishes ahead of power, it’s over. There’s nothing Power can do even if he grabs all of the available bonus points. Bonus points work like this:

    • 1 point for winning the pole
    • 1 point for leading a lap
    • 2 points for leading the most laps
    • 4 total bonus points available, max

    Now if Power wins the race and collects the double points for the win, that would give him 50×2 or 100. If he grabbed all 4 available bonus points, that 104 points would put him up on Pagenaud by 61 points, forcing Simon to finish P4 or higher to hold on to his title. P4 in a double points race is worth 64 points so Pagenaud would win by 3 points.

    P5 in a double points race is worth 60 points, so if Power wins, gets his 4 bonus points, but Pagenaud also picks up a bonus point by leading a lap and finishes P5, they finish tied on 616 points and Will Power would be the Champion by virtue of his 5 race wins to Pagenaud’s 4.

    Bonus points could be big, but if Pagenaud finishes P4 or higher, he’s the new Champ even if Power gets them all and Simon gets none.

    Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves are both 104 points behind Pagenaud tied for 3rd, but even if either of them were to win, collect all 4 bonus points, and Pagenaud DOES NOT DRIVE IN THE RACE, they would still only be tied in points and would not win the title because Pagenaud has won more races.

    Got it?

    Good. There will be a test later…

    Image courtesy of indycar.com

    Eric Barnes @ebarnes442

  • British Superbike Showdown Preview: Meet your Six Shining Superbike Stars

    The British Superbikes are back this weekend, after a dramatic round at Oulton Park in Cheshire.

    They head to Donington Park in the East Midlands, for the first of three Showdown rounds. Leon Haslam is at the top of the championship tree after rival Shane Byrne had a disastrous weekend. However, there are more riders than just those two. Let’s find out who our Showdown participants are in championship order!

    1.)Leon Haslam, Aged 33, GB Moto JG Speedfit Kawasaki, #91

    Leon Haslam snatched the championship advantage at the last round at Oulton Park, taking an incredible three wins to put him level on seven with Shane Byrne. The Derbyshireman’s 2016 campaign has been amazing, as he has 12 podiums, including the seven wins. He returns to his home circuit this weekend, having finished in the top two in all of the BSB races he’s been in at the track. He completed a Donington-double in 2007 on the Airwaves Ducati, and will be looking to do the same this weekend. Haslam hasn’t raced in the BSB series since it adopted the Showdown format, so whether or not that has an impact on his title hopes is a question that Leon himself will have to answer on track!

    2.)Shane Byrne, Aged 39, PBM Be Wiser Insurance Ducati, #67

    Shane Byrne relinquished the championship lead last time around after a terrible meeting at Oulton Park. The rider from Sittingbourne, Kent, has also won seven races this year but has only had 10 podiums compared to the Pocket Rocket’s 12. Shakey has had poor rounds at both Oulton Park meetings which is primarily the reason why he is now 2nd. But we all know what Byrne is capable of, so don’t discount him just yet!

    3.)Jason O’Halloran, Aged 28, Honda Factory Team, #22

    Jason O’Halloran has been something of a revelation this year. The Australian has fought back from horrific leg injuries sustained in a crash at Thruxton last season and this year he took his first win. The O’Show has been outstanding, as well as his win he has taken four further podiums and finished every race he’s entered. The former Aussie Supersport champion is positioned perfectly should the leading duo encounter some British Superbike turbulence. Could we have an Australian BSB Champion for the second year running?

    4.)James Ellison, Aged 35, GB Moto JG Speedfit Kawasaki, #77

    James Ellison – BSBs unluckiest rider. The former MotoGP star hasn’t half found it hard, but the gritty Cumbrian has fought tooth and nail and forced his JG Speedfit Kawasaki into the top six. Ellison has yet to win a race in the 2016 BSB championship but his consistency has been enough to propel him into contention. He won the first race of the British Superbike season last year at Donington Park so he knows how to get around the Nottinghamshire circuit. The question is whether or not he will apply that knowledge come Sunday afternoon.

    5.)Luke Mossey, Aged 23, Quattro Plant Kawasaki, #12

    Luke Mossey’s 2016 just keeps getting better and better. He not only booked himself into the top six at Oulton Park, but just hours before he became a father for the first time! Skywalker has taken four podiums this year and he will be looking to build on that this weekend. Mossey didn’t have a particularly staggering debut in BSB at Donington last season, but he took his first point. The question is now; will he be taking his first ever BSB race win?

    6.)Dan Linfoot, Aged 28, Honda Factory Team, #4

    Dan Linfoot of Yorkshire completes the line-up for this year’s BSB Showdown protagonists. Surprising still yet to win a BSB race, Linfoot’s consistency has done enough to embed him into the top half dozen. Despite coming so desperately close to a win at Snetterton, only to be beaten by teammate O’Hallaron, Linfoot has done enough, but now he has to start winning. He needs podiums at the very least. There is no room nor time for 4th place finishes in a championship as competitive as this.

    Oh so close, yet so very far…

    Just missing out in the showdown was Michael Laverty, who despite winning two races, only got two other podiums. He had four non finishes in the season and that will simply not suffice. He joins Tommy Bridewell, Peter Hickman, Christian Iddon, John Hopkins, Richard Cooper, Lee Jackson and Glenn Irwin in the fight to become best of the rest and winner of the Riders’ Cup!

    There are 13 race winners on the BSB grid, with an unbelievable eight of them not getting into the top six. On top of that statistic, there have been six winners this year, which highlights the fact that wins aren’t much use without consistency.

    The season is drawing to a close; the end is near with just seven races left. But who will take all the winnings as the sunset fades on the horizon? What drama will be presented to us before we can see who our champion will be?

    I can tell you that we will be trackside bringing you the latest developments as they unfold in front of us at Donington Park this weekend. You can find exclusive interviews, photos from across all three days as well as competitions and hourly updates!

    You can be sure to follow us here @PitCrew_Online for all the latest news from all forms of motorsport and you can follow me for all things bike related, from MotoGP to the CEV Junior World Championship @MotoGPKiko. Follow the CrewOnTwo Instagram too! Gareth Davies is the owner of the photos, as he supplies us with these marvelous images.

  • Lion City About To Roar

    The sun drifts and rests beyond the darkness, lighting the other side of the world as the bay is reanimated. The winding streets becoming near luminescent under the lights. At once the flavour of Singapore comes alive with the beating drum of excitement, flavours only matched by its sought after diverse cuisine. As restaurants fill and glasses empty the thoughts of this empire of trading turn to the present and not of the distant past of tragedy and mournful loss. This is a time to celebrate.

    An island city state, a sovereign of the east with its diamond shaped mainland and peaceful inlets of blissful heaven. The Lion City, The Garden City – the city that comes alive. Away from the flourishing nature reserves and tropical flora beats a strong heart of this experienced trading post. From ships that sailed far and wide to feast on the reaches of its land, the world devouring the oil refineries and the global technology giants who gather to build a successful economy, the stage is set for a scintillating weekend of raw power. Singapore once again is a beautiful host, welcoming its guests.

    There are no seasons here in this humid corner of the globe, a land which sees consistent rainfall and a haze they drifts across its broken land masses from neighbouring wildfires. The air is heavy and hot in the streets, yet in the bustling casinos that clamp themselves to Marina Bay the players remain cool, taking risks as they play.

    Outside there is a different gamble with even more risk. The stakes are high, the table is ready to be laid. In the distance the rumble of a wild animal, a mechanical animal that can only be tamed by those who know it best.

    The winding course of the Marina Bay street circuit, its busily worn tarmac a constant feature of the Formula One calendar since 2008 when a Spaniard controversially tamed the snarling dragon with its concrete barriers and tight chicanes. Run-off areas stand open mouthed, ready and waiting for its victims to be swallowed from the illuminating glow. There is no room for error. One mistake and it could spell the end, this far eastern mixture of Monaco meets Macau. Unforgiving.

    From the panic of the first turn, where to put the car and how to deal with the ever closing gap that shrinks so fast there is no alternative but to escape to the side and hope that there is space to rejoin and not finish the race with a car broken and hurt. Through Republic Boulevard an inter-junction curve by day that leads to Raffles and the sound of screaming engines in the night passing the hotels, casinos and restaurants announcing their arrival.

    Crazy tight chicanes and walls passing by in a blur, the driver fixed on one spot in the distance. Too early and the apex is missed, rear view mirror full of a snarling carbon fibre enemy ready to take advantage of this misfortune. Too late and the tight walls will embrace the car and crush it without mercy. It has to be perfect, on every corner of every lap until turn twenty-two quickly becomes twenty-three and the challenge begins again, lap after lap.

    The Marina Bay street circuit of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix is seen illuminated at dusk September 21, 2009. The Singapore F1 night race will take place on September 27. Picture taken with a fisheye lens. REUTERS/Tim Chong (SINGAPORE SPORT MOTOR RACING CITYSCAPE)

    Singapore, with its hunger for success, demands that within the confines of its tight, twisting grasp the drivers will deliver on a street circuit that will take no prisoners.

    Heart beating, the heat within the monocoque multiplied by the humid air that drifts across the bay in contrast to the viewing audience on their balconies in air conditioned rooms with drinks on ice. The champagne will flow for three drivers but not until they have stretched every limb and sweat every single piece of determination from their body to conquer The Lion City.

    Once the engines subside and the champagne stops flowing, Singapore’s travelling guests of Formula One will move on to their next conquest.

    This weekend the heat will rise from the island and only the strong will withstand the temperature.

    The Singapore Grand Prix. The Lion City is about to roar.

    Neil Simmons

    @world_racing

  • Ducati Subdued after Misano Weekend

    The two Ducati Team riders Andrea Dovizioso and Michele Pirro finished sixth and seventh respectively in the TIM San Marino GP, the thirteenth round of the MotoGP World Championship which was held today at the Misano World Circuit.

    Dovizioso, who started from the second row after qualifying sixth quickest, scrapped for fourth place in the opening laps with Marquez, Pedrosa and Viñales. The Italian then crossed the line on lap 11 in sixth place and kept that position until the chequered flag.

    Pirro started the TIM San Marino GP as replacement rider for Andrea Iannone, who injured his back in a crash on Friday morning. The Italian, tester for the Ducati Test Team, started the race from row 2 with fifth quickest time set yesterday in Q2, but he was unable to get away well and crossed the line at the end of lap 1 in ninth place. Michele then moved up into seventh on lap 23, when he passed Crutchlow and finished the race in that position.

    Dovizioso: We are struggling to get the bike to turn

    “It’s a pity because today I expected to get a different result in the race. Unfortunately we are still struggling to get the bike to turn like our rivals and as the laps go by this difference increases. To reduce the gap I have to use a lot of energy, push hard on the handlebars and my riding style becomes less smooth and a bit more ragged. To do a consistent lap it’s better that I don’t push hard in the early laps, but we are forced to do so to remain with the leading group.”

    Pirro: It’s been a great weekend!

    “I gave away a bit too much at the start today: losing three or four seconds early on makes things all the more difficult, but it’s not easy to quickly find the right feeling to start well when you only take part in MotoGP occasionally like I do. In the race I managed to be quite consistent and I didn’t finish too far behind my team-mate. I want to thank Ducati for everything, because it’s been a great weekend; yesterday I was fifth in qualifying, this morning third in the warm-up and today in amongst the leading group in the race. I also want to wish Andrea Iannone a speedy recovery and tell him that today I treated his bike well and that at Aragon he’ll find it in the same condition as he left it!”

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko