The Night Time Race

      After a fascinating Grand Prix at Monza with the top 5 of the drivers championship finishing in the reverse of that order, Aloson 1st, Button 2nd, Vetterl 4th, Webber 6th and Hamilton DNF.  The top 5 are now separated by 24 points which means that anyone of them could be top after this weekends race.  This weekend the formula one convoy has made its way to Singapore for the third time and the dynamic of this day/night race is very different to all others.  Lets see how the Red Bull's, McLaren's and Ferrari's do in the often variable weather conditions. Lewis Hamilton got on pole and won last year he'll be hoping for a repeat of that.


       Their has been a lot of resurfacing and a small course change on the Marina Bay Street Circuit since last year so all racing data from the last two years is not totally useless.  That meant that the practise time before the race on Sunday will be very important for getting the data of the course in heavy fuel conditions.  It is a street course as well so there will be some bumps on the track which the drivers will want to avoid when they are driving with a full tank.

      But the first practice for the Singapore Grand Prix after a session rendered mostly pointless by damp track conditions.  The usual rain hit the course heavily during the day had left standing water in places and the equally usual high humidity slowed the drying process.  Only in the final few minutes did the title contenders begin to test their cars on slick tyres.  As the practise went on it became clear that the title-contenders were going to wait until slick tyres could be fitted before showing their hands.  Webber was fastest, Vettel and Button were closes to him finishing 4th and 6th.  Alsono and Hamilton looked slightly of the pace finishing 11th and 18th respectively, Hamilton was slower than Heikki Kovalainen's Lotus.

    So with little time on the track from the first practise the second one became very important for the top drivers.  The top 5 all must of thought that as well as they all finished in the top 5 places of second practise.  Sebastian Vettel confirmed Red Bull is the team to beat and with him and team-mate Mark Webber comfortably faster than McLaren's Jenson Button in third.  Vettel was not only over a second fast than Button, he was also sixth tenths faster than his team mate.  Alonso and Hamiltion where less than two tenths slower than Button so it looked close at the top.

    In the final practise session, the track was damp in most places off the racing line and with the humidity at 80%  it stayed like that for the whole session, it meant that a small mistake would get water on the tyres and hamper performance.  Vettel had the fastest time once again but the final runs of most of the contenders were interrupted by a yellow flag due to Bruno Senna clipping the side before turn 18.  Alonso, Hamilton and Webber had also posted fast a few fast times but Button was down in 13th due to no fast lap at the end.

    It looks like a Red Bull lookout of the front grid with I think Vettel on pole, I see 3rd to 6th being taken up by the McLarens' and the Ferrari's with Hamilton and Alsono on the second row and Massa and Button on the third.  The race pace of the cars is pretty much an unknown and with the variable weather it would basically impossible to call a winner but Vettel and Button need a win and I think one of them will get it.