Expectations
Singapore is a singular-type track, one that has peculiar characteristics that ask more from tires and less from engines than any other circuit on the current F1 calendar. Mercedes expected Ferrari and Red Bull to challenge them for pole, and then harass them during the race. After Ferrari’s engine updates and Red Bull’s aero modifications, those teams concurred with Mercedes assessment. However, the Singapore’s heat, endless succession of corners and its track surface conspired to produce a stunning change in the 2015 running order, at least until the circus returns to more traditional venues like next week’s Japanese GP.
Overview
Sebastian Vettel won his 42nd Grand Prix, giving him one more career win than Ayrton Senna, using a very familiar pattern; dominate practice, stun in qualifying and then bolt into the lead, using the first three laps to humble the field. and then control the gap. He had employed the exact scenario with Red Bull here in Singapore three previous times, each leading to a victory, but this time, it was with a resurgent Ferrari; his overwhelmingly dominant weekend and victory left Mercedes looking like a team mired in utter confusion.
Indeed, the race was effectively over by the fourth lap, with Vettel having strung together lap-after-perfect lap to give him nearly a full pit straight lead. Only second place qualifier Daniel Riccardo’s Red Bull and Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen could keep him sight. The order stayed that way despite two safety car periods, with Ricciardo taking his best finish of the season in second. Raikkonen finished third, 17.1s behind of his Ferrari teammate, with Rosberg fourth, 24.7s behind Vettel.
Mercedes was reduced to also-ran status, having never produced a matching pace on Friday’s long runs or on any single lap. Their tire degradation was markedly worse, and the team had no serious answer from the first wheel turning on Friday. During the race, Hamilton eventually dropped out with a slowly failing power unit while Rosberg seemed to choose consolidating any points he might acquire. instead of taking the fight to Ferrari.
