The Singapore Grand Prix seemed to be rather a staid affair. Nico Rosberg was ahead and there seems to be nothing that second-placed Daniel Ricciardo could do to catch him. Kimi Raikkonen had managed to sneak up to third ahead of Lewis Hamilton and the World Champion wanted to get the place back. He needed a strategy to do it. So the team decided to call him into the pits and give him some new super-soft tyres to give him a chance to get Kimi. Ferrari responded a lap later and then Red Bull decided to do the same with Ricciardo, just in case… The Australian was not going to catch Nico on speed alone, so it was worth the risk. Nico was exposed… if there was a Safety Car he’d be in trouble. The team called him in. But two corners before he arrived in the pits the radio told him to stay out. Ricciardo had done a very fast lap and Nico had lost time with traffic and a small mistake. He no longer had the margin. And so the chase was on. Rosberg on his old soft tyres, was no match for Ricciardo on his new super-softs. There were 12 laps to go and a 21-second gap. It was great stuff…
Also in GP+ this week…
– We look at the Liberty Media purchase of Formula 1
– We look at the first Singapore GP in 2008 – and the scandal that followed
– We follow IndyCar star James Hinchcliffe’s adventures in ballroom dancing
– JS wonders about the future of the Singapore GP
– DT reminds us that some people should not be listened to
– The Hack ponders a long association with Max Mosley and a whole lot more
– Plus the usual fabulous photography from Peter Nygaard in Singapore
GP+ is the fastest F1 magazine. It comes out before some of the teams have even managed to get a press release out. It is an e-magazine that you can download and keep on your own devices and it works on computers, tablets and even smartphones. And it’s a magazine written by real F1 journalists not virtual wannabes… Our team have attended more than 2,000 Grands Prix between us.
GP+ is an amazing bargain – and it is designed to be, so that fans will sign up and share the passion that we have for the sport. We don’t want to exploit you, we want you to join the fun. You get 23 issues for £32.99, covering the entire 2016 Formula 1 season.
For more information, go to www.grandprixplus.com.
Joe,
A business idea: what about running a special price by the time we have six races left?
19,99 may get you some new customers and your churn is assumably not very high…
Thanks very much for a great job! Please say “Hi” to all familiar faces st Changi soon, fly safe and see you at Sepang,
Bruno
Joe, you were on NBC in the US standing next to James Allen, green notebook in hand. Nice to see it in action. I bet there were quite a few entries in it this weekend. Can’t wait to read them.
Thanks, Hans, for mentioning the “Joe sighting.” I went back to my recording and discovered Joe behind James Allen with, indeed, the green notebook in hand. Fun stuff. Since he uses such small words in his blogs, he is taller than I had imagined. ; -)
Speaking of James Allen, I thought he brought a new, more informed and delightfully insightful dimension to the track reporting. I like Will Buxton and was sorry about the news of his dad’s death, but James was … better.
A race that surprised me. Fun to watch. The Verstappen/Kvyat battle was nice mid-race. Danny’s had a tough year, to say the least, and it was fun to see him frustrate Max for awhile. Ricciardo would have caught and passed Nico had the race gone a few more laps, and certainly had there been a safety car. And, what a stunning venue! How do they do that Rolex watch face on the ferris wheel?? Loved it.
The watch on the Ferris wheel is TV trickery, it works in the same way as a green screen. The recent innovation is that the camera can move while keeping the graphic in place – it’s also seen in football matches in the Premier League, where adverts are changed for local markets overseas. I’m in Dubai and appear to see adverts around the English grounds for Middle East companies, in place of British bookmakers and websites that are actually there in the ground. It was also used at the Olympics to draw imaginary ‘world record’ and ‘G, S, B’ lines across the arena in swimming and athletics throwing events.
Thanks, Steve.
F1 is fast turning into a cure for insomnia. A fan for 26 years, never missed a race or qualifying, even when I’m abroad, but I’m bored witless, getting to the point where I’ll just follow the results before long. At least Max livens up a race.
If you think Sunday afternoon was boring, can I suggest a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart
The tyres can’t be pushed, there is no real rivalry between the Merc drivers, I believe there is needle, but to be a rival, they have to be equals, in a life time of trying Rosberg has never been Hamiltons equal let alone beat him. His championship lead has more to do with a fortunate set of circumstances, that have more often than not left Hamilton on the back foot. So we need to rely on the others to step up and create some rivalry, and they’re just not! Even in Schumacher or Vettel years, other teams/drivers were still able to give them a hard time, but that just doesn’t happen now.
Tell me Joe, where does the tension and excitement come from, because its certainly not translating to the home viewer?
You obviously weren’t watching when Schumacher cruised around all day picking up those championships. Or when McLaren dominated during the Prost/Senna years. It’s always been like that, even when Jimmy Clark had the Lotus 49. Truth is, people have a short attention span these days – perhaps F1 is not for you Jamie.
This sparked my little brain back in time to remember one of the most incredible races ever.
Somewhere I have the lapchart in a muddy Siverstone program Every lap shows “7-7-7-7-7-7…….7”.. In the rain Stirling Moss lapped the entire F1 field. No four-abreast(!); no tricky pushing people off track; no dodgy blocking. Just a serene drive to a win.
Fine wine, 1961 vintage (I think:)
Jamie Norman, currently on the motorsport magazine website they publish the greatest Grand Prix of all time. At number 10 you see the Argentiine 1958 grandprix where Moss wins by staying out and managing his tires and petrol while the Ferraris need to pit. An almost carbon copy of this one (almost), but now it’s considered a borefest? You should snap out of your negative mindset and judge the races on merit!
In general Hamilton may be faster but at this race Rosberg had him beat fair and square.
Last year was a bit of a walk over for Hamilton but this year Rosberg is making a very very good fight of it.
To me this is a very genuine rivalry and great fun to watch.
In terms of boring repetitiveness, yes “then as now” perhaps, but the BIG difference is that back in the day, drivers raced with machines they had to control themselves, not computers-on-wheels with software controlling the flippin’ things
This is another reason I think America is a lost cause for F1. American’s expect to see passes for the lead on a regular basis. The type of excitement that F1 delivers doesn’t really include passing up front anymore.
Just because their homegrown motorsports tend to result in regular lead chanegs (sometimes in a somewhat stage-managed way) does not mean American’s cannot appreciate F1 in the same way as the rest of the world. They also can develop intense, long-lasting attention spans and very keen appreciation – ever attended a baseball match?
Like you, I have hope , perhaps more hope than expectation, that Liberty group will set F1 free by relaxing the Bernie/CVC policy of squeezing every penny from the sport, instead increasing the sport’s appeal and making money via increased sales for their media empire. One thing I don’t expect though, at least in the UK, is reversal of the trend towards F1 coverage by pay TV only. If you want to watch F1 on TV, prepare to pay Mr Murdoch’s vig.
If they have any sense (which it appears they do), they’ll open up the US market, where ticket sales, merchandising and TV rights will make way more money than the race fees the tracks can’t afford.
Pat Symonds was on the Motorsport magazine podcast a month or two ago, and said that the crash was actually Nelson Jr’s idea, in an attempt to save his drive.
disgusting behavior walking half undressed onto the podium and onto the third step with towel in hand wiping face head and plastic hair.
Have a lie down and you WILL feel better
Thank you Joe for a particularly good issue of Grand Prix Plus. The background on Liberty is most revealing and must have taken a sizeable chunk of time to research – so complex are the machinations.
I had no idea, when I commented a few weeks ago on how a Live Nation approach might be beneficial to F1, of the Liberty stake in Live Nation. They have a wealth of experience in packaging music tours together with ticket sales, live streaming, merchandise and record contracts. Not to mention ownership of venues. That type of all-encompassing approach to marketing events and acts could be very beneficial in elevating F1 to a new level in terms of global reach and audience figures. I anticipate a much wide range of price options to boost audience figures at the circuit as well as viewing figures on a variety of electronic devices.
I hope there is the foresight to see Rio Haryanto back in F1 (he kept Wehrlein honest and brings a huge Asian interest), and that the same might see Rossi get a seat. F1 needs quality Asian and American talent and at least 2 more races in the US. I suspect Liberty have the perspective to realise the importance of the US market to growing F1 and the necessity of having more races there if genuine interest is to be generated. They are certainly well placed to arrange more entertainment tie-ins a la Taylor Swift in Austin.
Hi Joe,
Did you have an oportunity to have a word with Mr. Carey?
No. I am being sensible and will talk to him at a sensible race.
The unpredictability is the great thing about F1. If Rosberg was not in traffic, he would have made a stop too and the race would have remained sterile. As it was, it was as exciting to watch the timing screen as the ontrack!
Completely unrelated but taking advantage… huge congratulations to Alex Zanardi.
Today’s headline – Chase Carey: New Formula 1 chairman says sport ‘can’t be a dictatorship’
I’d say the end is nigh for Bernie. I’m just left wondering how long we will have to wait until we get to hear the truth about how Bernie has operated over the last 40 years.
The race was at 5AM here in the US and i was glad i did not miss it!!!
It exceeded my expectations. Max is incredibly lucky not to get hit by the Hulk. And it was great to see him bogged down by Danil, complaining on the radio as well! Not so much fun when you’re on the receiving end eh?🙂
Given one more lap, i think Ricciardo would have passed Rosberg but great driving from all the top 4.
Vettel did an awesome job from the back of these grid.
5AM? Good for you on the Left Coast! Much easier on this (right) coast🙂
Alnost 10 years on from Crashgate there’s much more that DT was able to say without risking the wrath of the libel laws than at the time, but it still feels like there’s more that could/would be said without them.
There has been plenty of creative ‘stretching’ of the regulations over the years, but this was despicable and the man behind it won’t be missed.
The Kitchen Cynic: Pat must just have forgotten to tell the FIA that at the time, during the WMSC hearing… Did Nelsinho sort out all the strategy to facilitate it all, too?
Indeed, according to Pat he was taught at school never to grass! And no, the impression given was that Nelsinho had the basic idea only.
Now I feel sorry for Pat. Being bullied by the intimidating Pique Jnr to fix a race must have been awful for him. I expect Briatore just went along with it so as not to anger the young driver. Well, at least, finally the truth has come out. When will the evil genius of Pique Jnr be punished?
I can kind of believe that Flav wouldn’t have had the nous to spot the opportunity, but liked the idea once suggested, and Pat had to do the sums to make it work. Of course Fernando knew nothing and didn’t think running ultra-light fuel was in anyway odd.
Very Good race. Lots of action despite it being a street circuit. Max Vs Daniil was really entertaining. Max was subdued in the first part but powered past in the second one. He seems to find those places on the track to overtake where others would not even think of. Vettel did a great job from last.
Ferrari bottled it AGAIN with Kimi. I know its not as straightforward as it it seems but still, Singapore being a street circuit with limited overtaking opportunities and keeping the Ultrasofts fresh enough to pass after 16-17 laps were 2 big factors which would have probably helped Kimi retain third (keeping the Speed Diff. between Merc & Ferrari in mind).
Ferrari should have remembered last year’s Canadian GP while pitting Kimi again. Kimi in a faster car pitted to put on fresher tyres but could not pass Bottas for 3rd.
This is probably Ferrari’s 3rd critical strategy mistake of the year. (Could have been 4 had Vettel not overridden the team’s decision in Baku)
I may be wrong (& probably am) but all I seem to remember about Ferrari’s pit/car/aero strategy are mistakes. Glaring ones. Right from costing Fernando the title at Abu Dhabi 2010 to Vettel’s spectacular tyre burst at Spa last year to costing themselves 2 victories this year. From firing Aldo Costa to focussing on aero rather than engine power at the start of the hybrid era to sacking James Allison, mistakes, mistakes and just mistakes. Wonder when they will learn!
Two things I really appreciated;
1-VES being on the receiving end, but keeping his cool (just).
2-The end of the race was really good, You knew they were pushing and pushing hard. Now the trick is how to get that more of the time….
Please stop the fakery. I hate the CGI ads. I have noticed that despite the amount the data coming from the cars there seems precious little us e of on screen graphics to show battery deployment, boost, throttle etc.
I don’t have control over these things and, assuredly, I am not controlled by the Formula 1 group. I suggest you write to a journalist who is…
Formula One, thanks to Bernie, has become one of Britain’s best exports.
Now it has American ownership, is it still British?
The primary holding company of the F1 group is, I believe, still registered in Jersey.
Let’s hope they keep FOM HQ at Princess Gate
and not relocate to the United States.
You are get ring your Princes and Princesses mixed up
The teams are mostly British and without teams there is no F1. Beside, the ownership officially resides with the FIA, in Paris. So, technically Formula One is French. Zut alors!
“Plus the usual fabulous photography from Peter Nygaard in Singapore.”
The pictures are fine but way too low-res. You really should do better.
If you know the restrictions you wouldn’t be so rude
Dear Joe,
Would it be possible to label more of the photos ? We enjoy them but cannot,identify everyone Which is rather frustrating.
Regards. Dr Frank Newton Silverstone
Sent from my iPad
>
I will do my best!