SINGAPORE — Formula One leader Lewis Hamilton believes qualification will hold the key for Sunday’s first ever night race at the Singapore Grand Prix due to a lack of overtaking opportunities.
The McLaren driver’s first impression of the street circuit is that passing will be at a premium, meaning much will hinge on Saturday night’s qualifying, due to begin at 10 p.m. local time.
“Overtaking is going to be very tricky, as it is at all street circuits,” Hamilton said Thursday. “There will be a little bit less overtaking than at the other circuits we have.
“It’s going to come down to qualifying.”
The lack of potential passing will take little away from the Singapore spectacle, with F1’s first ever night race to pass through the downtown marina district.
Added to that is the constant threat of rain in tropical Singapore, combined with the floodlights to make the most challenging of driving conditions.
“We are driving at 200 mph with lights flashing in our eyes and we will have to see how we deal with that,” Hamilton said.
However, Red Bull’s David Coulthard, a veteran of 243 grands prix, said he expected little difference between night and day racing aside from aesthetics.
“The night experience is more of a marketing thing than an influence on the race,” Coulthard said. “I don’t think anyone will say after the race ‘I could have won if I saw a wee bit better.”‘
The night novelty adds another ingredient to a tight drivers’ title fight, with Hamilton leading Ferrari’s Felipe Massa by one point with four races to go.
“I don’t think we have an edge over Ferrari,” Hamilton said. “I can only say we are about equal to them.
“They struggle with tire temperature but look after their tires better in the long runs,” he added. “They were very strong with that tire (soft and super-soft option) in Valencia, but we were just as strong as them.”
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen acknowledged the team’s struggles when it loses tire temperature in wet conditions, and said the team was down on last year’s performance.
“Last year, in the second part of the season, we had a great set up for the car and I was able to win many races,” Raikkonen said. “It was much more difficult this year. Especially as far as the tire temperature is concerned. When the temperature is right, the car is very competitive.
“We’ll give it our best at Singapore, so that we can fight for the win, which still remains the main objective. We have to give it all in these four races and then we’ll see what’s going to happen.”
Heikki Kovalainen, Hamilton’s McLaren teammate, said it was too early to start considering team orders, or employing his car to disrupt Ferrari.
“If I have the chance to help the team I will do so, but the team has not given me any instructions,” Kovalainen said.
Drivers will get their first taste of the circuit Friday with two hour-long night practice sessions.
from: canadianpress.google.com
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