Formula 1 – Singapore Grand Prix – Preview and Tips

After nine races in Europe, Formula 1 heads back to Asia for the Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. This article previews the race and discusses the betting odds.

2012 Season Results

Below are the 2012 season results to date.

Driver and Constructor standings

Lewis Hamilton’s win in Monza sees him move from 5th to 2nd, highlighting how tight this year’s title race is. Vettel’s failure to pick up points sees Alonso extend his lead at the top of the table. It is still a six-horse race but time is quickly running out for Button.

1 Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) – 179
2 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) – 142
3 Kimi Räikkönen (Lotus) – 141
4 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) – 140
5 Mark Webber (Red Bull) – 132
6 Jenson Button (McLaren) – 101
7 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) – 83
8 Romain Grosjean (Lotus) – 76
9 Sergio Perez (Sauber) – 65
10 Felipe Massa (Ferrari) – 47
11 Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) – 43
12 Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) – 35
13 Paul di Resta (Force India) – 32
14 Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) – 31
15 Pastor Maldonado (Williams) – 29
16 Bruno Senna (Williams) – 25

In the constructor’s championship McLaren have closed the gap on Red Bull after Vettel and Webber failed to pick up points in Monza. Ferrari’s 3rd and 4th in Italy see them move above Lotus into 3rd. With seven races to go it is still a four-horse race for the championship. Mercedes lead the race for best of the rest.

1 Red Bull Racing-Renault – 272
2 McLaren-Mercedes – 243
3 Ferrari – 226
4 Lotus-Renault – 217
5 Mercedes – 126
6 Sauber-Ferrari – 100
7 Force India-Mercedes – 63
8 Williams-Renault – 54
9 STR-Ferrari – 12
10 Caterham-Renault – 0
11 Marussia-Cosworth – 0
12 HRT-Cosworth – 0

Marina Bay

The Marina Bay Street Circuit is in a harbour location, much like in Monaco and Valencia. Racing on the circuit commenced in 2008 with the first night race in Formula 1 history. Singapore has previously hosted Formula Libre class racing in the 1960s, which was held at the Thomson Road circuit.

The Marina Bay circuit hasn’t been a complete hit with drivers. Previous criticisms have included the bumpy surfaces and high kerbs on some of the turns. The pit lane entry was criticised for being dangerous, which prompted the FIA to extend the pit entry line. In 2009 the circuit was slightly re-profiled in response to driver concerns. Major changes to the layout had been considered for the 2011 race, but none were made. The Singapore Tourism Board has sought submissions on reinvigorating the existing layout or relocating the race in the future.

When asked about the circuit this week Jenson Button said “the Marina Bay track is unique – there are a couple of long straights, so it’s very fast, but all the corners are generally taken in second or third gear, so you’re trying to find the best set-up compromise – particularly as you need good end-of-straight speed for overtaking into Turn Seven. That’s the best opportunity for passing as it also comes at the end of the DRS zone.”

Below are the most recent results in Singapore.

2012 News and Titbits

Sauber driver Sergio Perez is making a big impression in his 2nd season in Formula 1. The Mexican has joined the list of potential candidates for Massa’s spot at Ferrari next year.

McLaren have said they will not impose team orders on Button yet, despite his dwindling title hopes. Title leader Alonso has 78-point advantage over Button with 175 still up for grabs.

Red Bull are rueing their reliability issues this season. Sebastian Vettel retired from the Italian Grand Prix with an alternator failure, the second time this problem has forced him out of a race this season. Mark Webber also retired in Monza after a spin badly damaged his tyres. It was the first time that neither Red Bull had scored points in a race since the 2010 Korean Grand Prix.

Singapore Grand Prix Preview

This event is good fun for the fans, with the race run at night time under more than a thousand spotlights. Given the frequent history of safety car deployments in Singapore, teams must be flexible with their strategies. Conditions will be hot and humid, although we have yet to see this race run in wet conditions. At the time of writing there is a 60% chance of rain on Sunday, although conditions should be dry for qualifying on Saturday.

There should be plenty of pit stops this weekend. Pirelli have brought their two softest slick compounds to this race and Sebastian Vettel won this race last year with a three-stop strategy.

After an unpredictable start to the season McLaren have become the first team to build any momentum. They have taken pole position and the race victory in the last three races. Only the retirement of Jenson Button prevented the team from going one-two at the Italian Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Recent history suggests that a strong performance in Italy bodes well for Singapore. The 2010 and 2011 Italian Prix winners went on to take the chequered flag in Singapore two weeks later.

Singapore Grand Prix Betting

Below are the latest betting odds (subject to change). Click here to view the latest odds across a range of bookmakers.

Qualifying is of extreme importance at this event. Since the Marina Bay Street Circuit was added to the calendar three of the four race winners had qualified on pole. In 2011 the top three qualifiers all finished on the podium and in 2010 the top two drivers finished 1st and 2nd, respectively.

The only exception to the pole/victory trend was in 2008, with the Renault crash controversy. On lap 14 Nelson Piquet crashed deliberately in order to gain an advantage for his Renault teammate, and eventual race winner, Fernando Alonso. Alonso had qualified 15th on the grid but jumped up the order after being the only driver to pit prior to the safety car deployment for Piquet’s crash. Pole winner Felipe Massa had a disastrous race. Ferrari prematurely released him from the pits with the fuel hose still attached to the car. He narrowly avoided crashing into Adrian Sutil and had to wait at the end of the pit lane for a pit crew member to remove the fuel hose. Massa then received a drive through penalty for an unsafe release from the pits.

Hamilton is the rightful bookmaker’s favourite for pole, however his odds have dropped from the usual 3.30 range to 2.70 after qualifying on pole in two of the last three races. Practice session results will hopefully provide insight into whether 2.70 is good value.

On race day your safest bet is the pole winner. The last four races this season have been won by the pole winner, as have the last three races in Singapore.

Since the Marina Bay Street Circuit was added to the calendar in 2008 there has been a safety car deployment in every race. At the time of writing the odds for a safety car deployment this weekend are 1.29 with Betfair.