Formula One: Sebastian Vettel looks to regain lead

By Abhishek Takle

Sebastian Vettel heads to the Marina Bay street circuit this weekend as favourite to bounce back from a crushing Monza defeat with victory under the lights in Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix. The German trailed home a distant third in his Ferrari team’s home race a fortnight ago in Italy over half a minute behind his title rival Lewis Hamilton, who led Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas to a dominant one-two.

Not only was the Mercedes drubbing a disappointing result for Vettel in front of Ferrari’s passionate tifosi, but it also cost the German the overall championship lead he had held all year. The 30-year-old dropped to three points behind Hamilton with seven of the 20 races still to run but can regain the lead on Sunday.

“I think it’s more important to have the lead after Sunday night in Abu Dhabi,” Vettel told reporters in Singapore on Thursday, referring to the season-ending race. “Whatever happens along the way happens. The target is clear. We have a lot of races, a lot of time to get points and then we see and count at the end.”

Unlike the flat-out blasts of Italy’s Monza, which were tailor-made for Mercedes, the tight twists of the Singapore track, which has the most corners of any circuit on the calendar, should play to Ferrari’s strengths.

The Italian outfit was dominant at similar layouts at Monaco and Hungary earlier in the year, scoring one-two finishes at both. But Vettel, who with four wins is also the most successful driver at Singapore, played down the ‘favourites’ tag.

Hamilton and Mercedes, meanwhile, have a chequered history at Singapore. Though one of just four drivers to have won the race since it joined the calendar in 2008, Hamilton has only won in Singapore twice.

The Briton heads into the weekend as the season’s first back-to-back winner following his Monza triumph. While he is aiming to chalk up a hat-trick, the triple champion is expecting to have a battle on his hands come Sunday.

Mercedes, too, won in Singapore last year and in 2014. But the reigning champions endured an uncharacteristically off-colour weekend in 2015, when Vettel won for Ferrari instead.

“It’s not going to be the easiest of weekends, but man I’m coming with positivity and with the plan of winning this race,” said Hamilton. “We have worked as hard we can to understand the car and we come here with full attack.” Red Bull are also fancying their chances. The layout of the circuit, the team hope, will mask the power deficiencies of their Renault engine. Australian Daniel Ricciardo duly put the team in the frame for victory by topping Friday’s opening practice session.

“I believe Singapore won’t be our only chance but is one of our best chances of a win in the second half of the season,” Ricciardo, who won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in June, had said in the build up to the weekend.

“I’ve started second and finished second at this track in the last two years, with fastest lap both times, so my aim this year is definitely to start on pole and try to go one better in the race.”

McLaren and Honda stole the spotlight from the championship battle early in the weekend before finally confirming news of their divorce on Friday. McLaren will switch to Renault engines starting next season while Honda will partner with Red Bullowned Toro Rosso, who are currently powered by the French manufacturer.

Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz will move to Renault on loan next year as part of the complex deal while Fernando Alonso is also set to extend his stay at McLaren. Speaking to reporters on Thursday before confirmation of the split, though, the Spaniard remained tight-lipped on his future.

“I will think what is the best option,” the 36-year-old double champion said. “As I said many times whatever I do next year is because I want to win. “At the same time I want to give time to my team. After the last three years with some struggles that we went through together, to have time for them to make decisions ... and after they take decisions, I will take mine.”